good rides from leeds?

nomoreexcuses

I am stuck on where to go for a good ride, ideally on quieter roads. Also circular routes.

Does anyone have a list of established rides out of Leeds?

PhilofCas

depends where you are in Leeds ?, if on the Garforth (east) side then head east, lovely open countryside with loads of permitations (Lotherton, Saxton, Church Fenton, out towards Selby, it's a huge area to explore), tell people where you are and I'm sure you'll get plenty of help

nomoreexcuses

In Kirkstall. North Leeds.

Yes huge potential area, sorry for the broad question. The traffic is bad. I always head North to get away from the built-up areas. I haven't tried the flatter York way yet.

Not being in a club, i don't know any infamous routes. Is there any guides or books detailing rides? Bit clueless.

Found a book 'Cyling in Yorkshire' but doesn't start from Leeds.

ColinJ

You might like some of the routes described in this recent thread.

freehub

Go right into the Yorkshire Dales and do all the main climbs, like Buttertubs pass, it'll be one of the most fun rides you've being on.

rolf_f

Eccup, Bramphope, Otley, Blubberhouses, Pateley Bridge, Dacre, Pool and back etc. I recently did a circumnavigation of Bradford, Pool to Rufforth (nr York) and back. There are loads of routes - just go and find them. Look at a map and see what looks good - there are loads of quiet roads about. If you've got a car, bung the bike in the back and drive somewhere for your ride - I often go to Great Ouseburn which is a great starting point for rides.

jacster

I'm based in north Leeds and would happily meet up for a ride...
I know a few good routes.
Let me know if interested.

leedsmjh

How long? How hilly?

Pool-Bland Hill-GreenhowHill-Skyreholme-Bolton Abbey-Askwith (can include Langbar if you want to hurt)-Otley and home is a longish and fairly hilly route. This is similar to the short White Rose Challenge route.

Leeds to Pool, Otley, Askwith, Nesfield, Bolton Abbey, Embsay, Cracoe (few miles on B6265 which can be a bit busy), Burnsall (look for a right hand fork when the B6265 goes left at Cracoe - really pretty single track though can have gravel so beware on descents), Appletreewick, Bolton Abbey and back is another good one

Shorter one ... Eccup, Weardley, North Rigton, Beckwithshaw, Fewston, Timble, Otley with a great downhill into Otley or you could descend via Askwith (less traffic)

Out towards Thorner, Wothersome, Linton, Sicklinghall, Weeton are good for gentler more rolling routes

northernneil

I am in cookridge and have cycled every mile of the roads north of leeds from the dales to the vale of york, fantastic routes available. and happy to meet up ?
here are some of my suggestions:-


http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/315336
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/ot ... -pool-bank
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/be ... hevin-loop
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Co ... ill-Chevin
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Co ... y-Overblow

2 of my favourite rides of all time:-
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Pa ... asham-Loop
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Li ... liffe-Loup

nomoreexcuses

Wow thanks to all, for the help.

I have been to Bolton Abbey and back via the Askwith road many times. I am bit fed up of the Askwith road now, even though it quieter. I been round Eccup and up Wadley bank. Been to Otley but hate the Chevin traffic. I will try the Pool Bank and Creskeld Lane in future.

Those quiet roads lead off into no-mans-land for miles. Knowing me i would turn it into 100 miles getting back home, not knowing the roads. Bikely is a useful tool.

Buttertubs, Malham and Masham sounds good. I will attempt some of the Otley hill routes.

I read of a West Yorkshire circular of 150 miles somewhere.

Great offer. I am more than happy to meet up, though I warn you, I still a work in progress and need to drop a couple of stone but I can keep up good. I just wouldn't want to slow you down if your semi-pro.

I did have idea to follow the Leeds Canal, but don't know if the path is good for roadies.

Next time, instead of turning left to Askwith i will carry straight onto Timble and Fewston.

iain_j

+1 on the Buttertubs and the other lanes round there. Stunning area.

nomoreexcuses

Even though it busy, the never-ending Chevin road is a grueller after being previously knackered from a ride. It must get you fit.

nomoreexcuses

Langbar very hard?

I will try all suggestions.

nomoreexcuses

I once rode round Fewston reservoir in Summer on a mountain bike. That was pleasant.

Airbornerodent

If you go out of Leeds to the South via Tingley and then out past Dewsbury aiming for Emley Moor radio transmitter, you get to some nice countryside and it's good, hilly riding. When you get there, then aim towards the next radio transmitter on top of a hill in a sort of south westerly direction in the distance, AKA Holme Moss. It'll be virtually bang on 70 milesfrom Kirkstall and I would expect would leave you with a pleasant feeling of achievement when you get home.....

It's a bit different from the Dales I suppose, and though I'm not sure where Butterubs is, I can certainly recommend the hill over towards Hawes via Oughtershaw (is it the same?).That's a belter, followed by a trip back up the hill at Arncliffe and over towards Malham via the moor. That's a beautiful ride, just make sure that you're prepared for all eventualities as if you puncture and have no way of repair, you'll be in schtuck....

Otherwise just explore, it is God's county after all......:)

nomoreexcuses

What i would love is a GPS, so i could try any road and still get back home.

northernneil

nomoreexcuses wrote:

I did have idea to follow the Leeds Canal, but don't know if the path is good for roadies.

you can cycle it on a road bike upto to just after riddlesden golf course, then you have to get off at a farm and continue on low lane (google map it).

After here the tow path just turns into a mud path - but be warned it does get a little bumpy on a road bike, however you can link it in with the roads that link back to ilkley and addingham

northernneil

also buy a landranger 105 OS map if you havent got one already - you can see the roads worth cycling on and make up routes so easily

towpath hacker

Airbornerodent wrote:

It's a bit different from the Dales I suppose, and though I'm not sure where Butterubs is, I can certainly recommend the hill over towards Hawes via Oughtershaw (is it the same?).That's a belter, followed by a trip back up the hill at Arncliffe and over towards Malham via the moor.

The road from Ougtershaw to Hawes is Fleet Moss - this is the pass from Wharfedale into Wensleydale... (and is a nice route from the Ougtershaw side ... v. tough from Hawes). The Buttertubs Pass is the next one over from Wensleydale into Swaledale.

Up at this latittude there are some killer climbs - Park Rash (out of Kettlewell), Oxnop (out of Askrigg) are another two off top of my head

nomoreexcuses

Bikely seems to be down much. Looks like a good century ride to Hawes whatever way.

Leeds to Hawes via Buckden then figured come back through Oughtershaw then home through Malham.

I plotted ambitious circular route to Malham Tarn and onto Arncliffe through Threshfield, Appletreewick then back to Bolton Abbey 160 mile edit: correction 95-110 mile.

nomoreexcuses

northernneil wrote:

also buy a landranger 105 OS map if you havent got one already - you can see the roads worth cycling on and make up routes so easily

105 is York and Selby. What's better about landranger maps?

I get this as well.
http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/pro ... 0319231654

nomoreexcuses

Rolf F wrote:

I often go to Great Ouseburn which is a great starting point for rides.

I do this as a starter for York, the infamous Leeds-Filey that goes near there.

nomoreexcuses

nomoreexcuses wrote:

Next time, instead of turning left to Askwith i will carry straight onto Timble and Fewston.

Correction, intead of turning left just before Ilkley golf course, I head straight up and that will take me to Langbar. Assumed on memory that was the Timble road which is well before that.

ColinJ

nomoreexcuses wrote:

I read of a West Yorkshire circular of 150 miles somewhere.

It's the West Yorkshire Cycle Route or WYCR. You can get a free guide from most Tourist Information Centres in the region. If they haven't got them in tell that you want one and they will probably order some (Hebden Bridge T.I.C. didn't seem to know what the WYCR was so I told them that there was a guide and they had a box of them the next time I asked).

The Western half of the route is relentless tough Pennine hills. The Eastern half is much gentler. I've ridden most of it at one time or another and when I'm fit enough I'll have a go at tackling it in one day. It would have to be in mid-summer for me to stand a chance of getting round in daylight though. I'm not sure that it will be this year, but it's on my to-do list!

I can't remember if I put it up on Bikely (or if anybody else did). If Bikely starts working properly and the WYCR isn't on it, I'll add it for you. I have a GPX file of it somewhere which I need to check - I noticed a few mistakes when I last looked at it.

northernneil

nomoreexcuses wrote:

northernneil wrote:

also buy a landranger 105 OS map if you havent got one already - you can see the roads worth cycling on and make up routes so easily

105 is York and Selby. What's better about landranger maps?

I get this as well.
http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/pro ... 0319231654

sorry 104 - one I meant
105 links in though ! good roads in between wetherby and york easily accessable from leeds through thorner and bramham, sicklinghall, spofforth etc

ilm_zero7

nomoreexcuses
used to live there - any ride OUT OF LEEDS is a good one -its the circular routes that are depressing - once you are outside the city limits dont turn back - life is better almost anywhere else

nomoreexcuses

I did a little bigger route of this. The difference i took the Thorpe-Cracoe road(nice) to Gargrave onto Coniston Cold then onto Malham, then same as the route.

roughly 95-110 mile

2 notable long steep bendy climbs ideal for hill climbers. One coming out of Malham and the other around Arncliffe. Once done you can skim very fast through Kilnsley for miles and miles on the return journey.

micken

The loop you've got there Burnsall-Malham-Arncliffe is one of my favourites, the run from
Malham to Arncliffe is stunning. Did a slight variation last week via Pen-y-Ghent and Halton Gill from Water Houses which was also very good.

nomoreexcuses

There was alot to take in over 6 hours, stunning it was and worth all the cattlegrids. I just made a mental note to watch out for Thorpe and Hetton roads, oh and Arncliffe(didn't want to end up in Ribblesdale) and instinct found the rest. The route is alot easier than it looks on the map.

micken wrote:

Did a slight variation last week via Pen-y-Ghent and Halton Gill from Water Houses which was also very good.

I know where you mean, the moorland circuit road left of Malham Tarn.

Hawes, Thwaite next week.