Garsdale Head, Mallerstang, Hardraw tracks?
We're heading down that way over Xmas so I'm having fun planning XC MTB routes from the maps... any advice from people that know the area would be great...
Specifically:
There's a long track categorised on the maps as "byway open to all traffic" that contours for a long way at a high level, almost all the way along (above) the Mallerstang valley, below Lunds Fell etc. At times it is called "The High Way" and at other times "Old Road". I have walked a short part of it (above the Moorcock Inn) in the past, but it was under snow, so it was difficult to guage how MTB-able it would be. Does anyone have any knowledge of what state it is in? (hopefully not destroyed by 4x4s? or just too boggy or too rough?).
I was thinking a nice ride could be from the Moorcock, N up the Mallerstang road, then take the "byway open to all traffic" at Shaw Paddock that goes up to Hell Gill Bridge to meet the main contouring track, then take the main track back SE all the way to where it re-meets the main road at Cotter Riggs on the Garsdale Head-Hawes road. Or maybe, instead of turning SE when I meet the main contouring track, take the N option until it meets the Mallerstang road at The Thrang (is there still a pub there?).
Does anyone know how rideable are the bridleways just NW of the Moorcock Inn on Grisedale Common?
How about the bridleway that descends into Hardraw from Cotterdale (up some forestry, then skirts along the fell, below (almost parallel with) the Pennine Way? )
Or the bridleway going up to and skirting along the side of Abbotside Common (vertically above Sedbusk and Hardraw)? Rideable?
Thanks for any advice!
Lucy
Specifically:
There's a long track categorised on the maps as "byway open to all traffic" that contours for a long way at a high level, almost all the way along (above) the Mallerstang valley, below Lunds Fell etc. At times it is called "The High Way" and at other times "Old Road". I have walked a short part of it (above the Moorcock Inn) in the past, but it was under snow, so it was difficult to guage how MTB-able it would be. Does anyone have any knowledge of what state it is in? (hopefully not destroyed by 4x4s? or just too boggy or too rough?).
I was thinking a nice ride could be from the Moorcock, N up the Mallerstang road, then take the "byway open to all traffic" at Shaw Paddock that goes up to Hell Gill Bridge to meet the main contouring track, then take the main track back SE all the way to where it re-meets the main road at Cotter Riggs on the Garsdale Head-Hawes road. Or maybe, instead of turning SE when I meet the main contouring track, take the N option until it meets the Mallerstang road at The Thrang (is there still a pub there?).
Does anyone know how rideable are the bridleways just NW of the Moorcock Inn on Grisedale Common?
How about the bridleway that descends into Hardraw from Cotterdale (up some forestry, then skirts along the fell, below (almost parallel with) the Pennine Way? )
Or the bridleway going up to and skirting along the side of Abbotside Common (vertically above Sedbusk and Hardraw)? Rideable?
Thanks for any advice!
Lucy
0
Comments
-
The High Way is an excellent ride but best done South to North. From the Moorcock head on the A684 towards Hawes then take the byway up Cotter End (rideable at first but the last part is a push). Then you've got a great cruise along past Hell Gill finishing with a good descent down to the Thrang (watch out for the drainage channels though). Can't remember there ever being a pub at the Thrang but the road ride back along Mallerstang is nice and steady.
Never tried the Grisedale Common bridleway but suspect that it will be muddy.......
Have done the Cotterdale - Hardraw bit but the other way round - the climb up the bridleway is a steady plod (sweating buckets when I did it in the summer), the contour into Cotterdale is nice but the descent into Cotterdale is a quick blast down a stony track. Might be better the other way round, as you get a longer descent into Hardraw.
The Hardraw-Sedbusk loop is excellent (clockwise) - once you get over the road grind out of Hardraw - cracking descent off the hill.
For other ideas in the area get the Vertebrate Graphics guide "Yorkshire Dales Mountain Biking - North"0 -
Cheers, fantastic info, thanks!
Always nice to have a good excuse for a few ales in the Moorcock - what a fantastic pub that is. We're actually staying near Ribblehead so can pop the bikes on the train to Garsdale Head. Also looking forward to the new single-track down from the Cam High Road back down to the main road, as long as the forestry have cleaned up their mess on the Cam Rd.
cheers,
Lucy0 -
we did the bainbridge bash out of mbr at the end of october,which included riding cam high road,didnt see any sign of mess on it.0
