South Yorkshire Dales

hammy7272
hammy7272 Posts: 236
edited January 2011 in Routes
Hi,

I have received Nick Cotton's book of mtbing in the South Dales. Does anyone recommend a route maybe 20-30 Km? Or any routes/areas around Patley bridge upwards. Malham tarn and Mastiles lane look pretty good? Also any particular areas better this time of year?

Many thanks

Comments

  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    It's all rideable, only if you go off piste into the boggy areas this time of year does it become dodgy.

    Mastiles Lane in places can be a bit flooded and you have to watch out for the ruts when you'll need a snorkel. :)
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • n2111508
    n2111508 Posts: 1
    One of my favourite rides this time of year is to drop down Mastiles Lane to Kilnsey from Malham Tarn then put in a short road section towards Arncliffe then take a left on another Bridleway that takes you back up the fell to Malham Tarn.

    Its rideable all winter, there is a fair bit of snow up there at the moment tho!

    If you are in the area and want some route advice call into the bike shop, 3 Peaks Cycles based in Settle, they will be more than happy to help you out.
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    Excellent, glad to hear it is all year round. I'll give it a bash!

    Cheers guys
  • altern_8
    altern_8 Posts: 1,562
    this is a classic ride round pateley bridge,rode it a few times,can get water logged around dales edge tho........

    http://www.mbr.co.uk/route_maps/norther ... 97428.html
    Biking pics
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    Thanks Altern, I have done this loop before. I liked it but felt it might be better in reverse? What do you think?
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    What a ride! I went for the Nidderdale classic the opposite way round. Just when I thought I had spent all afternoon climbing the longest decent back to middlesmoor and then to Ramsgill came! Conditions were icy but what a blast speeding over sheet ice with one touch of the brake away from doom! Alright! 8)
  • tony_m
    tony_m Posts: 70
    n2111508 wrote:
    One of my favourite rides this time of year is to drop down Mastiles Lane to Kilnsey from Malham Tarn then put in a short road section towards Arncliffe then take a left on another Bridleway that takes you back up the fell to Malham Tarn.

    Its rideable all winter, there is a fair bit of snow up there at the moment tho!

    If you are in the area and want some route advice call into the bike shop, 3 Peaks Cycles based in Settle, they will be more than happy to help you out.
    Aye, that's one of my regular favourites, basically it's Route 1 from the NC book done in reverse. I normally start at Street Gate, turn off south-eastish at Mastiles Gate then head north across Malham Moor to rejoin the route at the foot of Mastiles Lane - depends whether you prefer a fast descent down a stony track, or a nice potter followed by a swoopy grassy descent (the latter for me!).

    Other routes from the book I can recommend are number 8 (Settle/Malham/Gorbeck - I start at Long Preston and use the bridleway running off the bottom of page 56 to join the route) and number 11 (Gargrave to Mastiles Lane and Hetton).

    Really must try to get out that way more this year... :oops:
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    Cheers Tony, Yeah I really like the Malham area but I have never ridden there. Really looking forward to trying it.

    So the one in the book ends going down Mastiles lane?
  • tony_m
    tony_m Posts: 70
    hammy7272 wrote:
    Cheers Tony, Yeah I really like the Malham area but I have never ridden there. Really looking forward to trying it.

    So the one in the book ends going down Mastiles lane?
    Love the Dales, usually a lot quieter (and a bit less rocky/technical!) than the Lakes. :)

    As for the route in the book, it actually starts from Kilnsey then goes clockwise up Mastiles Lane (which seems a bit odd to me... :? ), turns right at Street Gate, and returns over Arncliffe Cote. That was the way I did it the first time (apart from starting from Street Gate 'cos I'm coming from the west and it seemed daft driving further east just to ride back west), but whenever I've done it since then I've always gone anticlockwise from Street Gate (east over Mastiles first then returned west over Arncliffe Cote).

    I really like the route from Gargrave up to Weets Top and back as well - nice variety of stony tracks, fields, pastures and "improved" trails.
  • ricardo_smooth
    ricardo_smooth Posts: 1,281
    So is the route you went on best in reverse Hammy or not?
  • hammy7272
    hammy7272 Posts: 236
    I would say so in different ways. The long rocky lane back to Middlesmoor was superb probably one of the best downs I've done. It was rocky with sheet ice in some places and looking back I was going far too fast for my ability. :shock:

    There was a bit of pushing up the steeper bits but it was a great ride. Definatley worth a go.

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