Cicerone Guide Book: Mountain Biking in the Yorkshire Dales

Cicerone Guide Book: Mountain Biking in the Yorkshire Dales, by Ian Boydon 

A handy guidebook to 30 short, medium, long and full-day MTB routes across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a mountain biking playground of northern England. 

Circular rides visit all the major dales and include loops around two of the Three Peaks, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent. Choose a route by grade, percentage off-road, length or time at a glance.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of the UK's top mountain biking destinations with an abundance of thrilling and varied trails against a stunning backdrop of rolling fells and limestone scenery. 

Drawn from the author's 20 years of mountain biking in the area, this guidebook describes 30 original and exciting routes of varied length and difficulty to cater for riders of all abilities. Newcomers and veterans alike will be surprised by routes on little-known trails.

The hundreds of tracks and bridleways crossing the Yorkshire Dales make it a rich adventure playground for mountain bikers. So what are you waiting for?

30 routes throughout England’s second largest national park, divided into short, medium, long and full-day loops

suitable for all levels of experience, from beginners through to experts

information to help riders choose a route by distance, difficulty, time or how much of it goes off road at a glance

Seasons
throughout the year, with longer and higher routes best left to the warmer months

Centres
Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Dent, Kirkby Lonsdale, Grassington, Hetton, Ribblehead, Thoralby, Orton, Reeth, Gunnerside, West Burton, Sedbergh, Langthwaite, Airton, Kettlewell, Kirkby Stephen, Bainbridge, Hawes

Difficulty
varying lengths and difficulties, graded blue (medium), red (hard) and black (very hard); novice mountain bikers with reasonable bike handling skills should be able to complete the blue routes, while experts should be challenged by the red and, more so, the black routes

Must See
all the major dales: Wensleydale, Swaledale, Ribblesdale, Dentdale and Wharfedale; circumnavigations of Whernside and Pen-y-ghent; unique limestone geology and two major bodies of water - Malham Tarn and Semer Water