routes near Ilkley?

ditch the apollo

Hello there,
Anybody know any good mtb routes around Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Otley area?
Thanks[/b]

psymon01

Middleton woods is fun for a blast around (Ilkley/Ben Rhydding)....if its been raining it can be a bit too muddy.

Heard there's some good trails just outsde Otley but haven't ventured that far yet (I'm quite new to the area).

Airienteer

As a local lad I can tell you that Ilkley Moor has some good descents, but of course you're not allowed to ride on there

The best riding in the area imo is up on the Chevin. All the bridleways are very goable, but for the best ones head to Miller's Lane and Fairy Dell. Miller's Lane is the bridleway that descends from near The Royalty down towards Chevin Forest Park (or Danefield). Fairy Dell descends from above Gusieley down to the old hospital near Menston.

If you're looking for a longer ride head over towards Bolton Abbey. Esholt Woods in Guiseley is also worth a gander.

ditch the apollo

Thanks for the routes guys. Will check them out!

psymon01

Airienteer wrote:

As a local lad I can tell you that Ilkley Moor has some good descents, but of course you're not allowed to ride on there .

Really? I've never had any trouble up there from the ramblers, probably because im not actually riding my bike (i don't do going up)

I always see people pushing their DH bikes up there but always wonder where there heading...i must be going in the wrong direction.

BrianTrousers

There are some very good XC routes on the other side of the valley to Ilkley Moor with lots of variation possible. Check out Multimap as this gives you the option of viewing OS maps. Would suggest going up out of Middleton straight up onto langbar moor. You can then do a short circle round or carry on right onto the ridge and turn left to Beamsley Beacon or right towards the reservoirs above Otley.

Alternatively, on the back road in between Ilkley and Otley, go up through a small hamlet called Denton right up onto the moors again.

There is also Stainburn Forest outside Otley, I've never been but it's got a good reputation:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailgu ... rn-forest/

Bolton Abbey, Appletreewick etc etc. Good area to ride in. (But I would say that, I live here )

psymon01

If anyones up for a ride sometime pm me.

olivermilne

I live in Ilkley and go riding on Ilkley moor everyday, in all weathers and I can tell you for a fact you can ride on Ilkley moor. It has some amazing routes, it's hard to get bored with the amount of great trails, some are even built for mountain biking and have some sick burns. So you should just head up there and let the bike take down some beautiful routes.

Kowalski675

BrianTrousers wrote:

There is also Stainburn Forest outside Otley, I've never been but it's got a good reputation:

Been to Stainburn a couple of times, and it's worth a visit. Entertaining (but short) red route, very technical black route (if you're a much better rider than I am) and loads of natural XC type trails and fire roads on the opposite side of the road (just cross over from the carpark and go through the gate opposite). Sun Inn just up the road's a nice pub for a cold drink and/or good food when you've finished too.

Been round Danefield side of Otley Chevin too - plenty of bridle paths and woodland tracks. There's Shipley Glen and Baildon moor too.

smegg40

Kowalski675 wrote:

BrianTrousers wrote:

There is also Stainburn Forest outside Otley, I've never been but it's got a good reputation:

Been to Stainburn a couple of times, and it's worth a visit. Entertaining (but short) red route, very technical black route (if you're a much better rider than I am) and loads of natural XC type trails and fire roads on the opposite side of the road (just cross over from the carpark and go through the gate opposite). Sun Inn just up the road's a nice pub for a cold drink and/or good food when you've finished too.

Been round Danefield side of Otley Chevin too - plenty of bridle paths and woodland tracks. There's Shipley Glen and Baildon moor too.

^^this + 1 potato^^

Kowalski675

Otley Chevin routes:

smegg40

I used this route as a starting point and added to it as i got lost/found
http://www.mtbdales.com/dales_route_guides.php?catid=21
I also had quite few rides across Illkley moor ,nice place to ride started of at the pub at the top of the hill and headed off towards the Twelve Apostles although i think it needs to be dry to get maximum fun out of some of the trails.

Kowalski675

smegg40 wrote:

I used this route as a starting point and added to it as i got lost/found
http://www.mtbdales.com/dales_route_guides.php?catid=21

Can't see the logic of starting it in the middle of Otley town centre (unless you happened to live there) when you can park in one of the three free woods car parks on East Chevin Road (that are on the route anyway)

smegg40

Not from the area,so i just used the route as it seemed the easiest one to follow at the time,now i know the area a little better i start from where we usually stop when we are in the area (Guiseley)

Kowalski675

smegg40 wrote:

Not from the area,so i just used the route as it seemed the easiest one to follow at the time,now i know the area a little better i start from where we usually stop when we are in the area (Guiseley)

I was born in Otley, have lived there a couple of times (know Guiseley too, and went to secondary school down the road in Menston). I wasn't criticising you, just questioning the logic of whoever draughted the route for that website. If you look at the map on your link, you can overlay (much of) the route onto the two maps I posted above it, and you'll see that there's three car parks at Danefield woods on East Chevin Road that are on the route in your link, so unless you lived in Otley town centre and were setting off from your house it would nake no sense to drive into what's often a busy town centre with little parking for your start point, when you could just park up in one of those car parks, pull your bike out of your car park and be straight onto bridle paths.

smegg40

Yeah knowing what i know now there is definitely logic in starting from East Chevin Road,Otley town centre is a fooking nightmare at the best of times.

smegg40

Looking to link a ride together between the Chevin and Ilkley moor are there any cheeky bits i can use without to much road use ? starting in Guiseley at the Morrisons car park.Cheers