Dentdale Classic, 23 miles.
This is a great ride.
Make your way to Ingleton, then take the back road to
Thornton in Lonsdale, approx. 1 mile.
Climb the road into Kingsdale. Don't go too far, there's
a layby on the left just at the top.
Park there.
You will now have a good view up kingsdale and to your
right Ingleborough.
Drop down on the tarmac and turn right down a bridleway, go across
the river and
climb up to Twisleton scar end.If your lucky there's an ice cream
van parked there!
2oo meters later, do a switchback turn up the hill.
If you get to a farm you have gone too far! Make your
way up and over Ewes Top and
along the side of West Fell. Care must be taken in the
mid section, as its easy to get lost,
Sheep tracks look like paths!!
Drop down to Ellerbeck, go across the cattle grid and
head towards the farm.
Go though the farm and ride through "A bikers heaven",
with lovely views of Ribblehead viaduct.
Care must be taken at the Bruntscar farm as the bridleway
gate is easy to go past.
Go through a series of fields and onto Ives Scar then
a short tarmac bridleway to
Winterscales farm.
Go under railway turn left and join the Dales way.
Go across railway over aqueduct, climb relentlessly up Force
Gill ridge.
Traverse moor on good quality new track, then descend on white
knuckle
downhill to small road. Turn right and follow road into Dent.
Take first left after Sun Inn, and into beer garden.
Having sampled a couple of Dents famous beer's at
the Sun Inn
its payback time.
If you are in the beer garden turn left and keep going straight
up.
"1 mile honest". Don't bother trying to ride it, you
will
need your energy later!
Its steep and loose. Check out comedy tree,
Remount at appropriate time.
At the track junction, turn left, sign posted
"High Moss 4 miles"
"That's another 4 miles to climb, I told you you would
need you energy".
You now traverse the flanks of Great Coum.
The last half mile is the worst, its heavily rutted and boggy,
no chance of cleaning it.
The final off road section is good though, A fast downhill section
before your
spat back out on the Kingsdale road. Turn right.
From here it becomes obvious as you descend Kingsdale on tarmac.
"Just as a matter of interest",
200 meters past the farm, you will see a small wooded area on your right.
Go through the gate and walk 50 meters up to the tree's,
here for your delight is Yordas cave.
I took a torch with me. Its well worth the effort.
This is your departure point.Your classic starts here! Turn first right at the bottom of the hill,
get wet or walk the bridge.
On the final leg you will come back down this road.
Looking back
The ice cream van I promised you.
As you climb Twisleton Scar you get a good
view of where you parked the car.
Kingsdale road is the wall line at the end
of that track.
This is a wonderful bit of riding
and it gets better the higher you go.
A series of Limestone,
"have a go rockery await you."
I dabbed four times before reaching
the flat limestone pavement at the top.
A magnificent view of Inglebourgh,
the Limestone pavement,
and Dolly the Sheep.
I got her to pose for me,
"nothing else, honest".
Take care up here as its easy to
take the wrong path. I did twice!
"Sheep tracks look like paths"
This is the track that awaits you at,
Ellerbeck farm.
With Ribblehead viaduct in the distance
is easy to get carried away here.
I found myself throwing the
bike over the limestone rocks
and worrying the Sheep again!
Careful at the next farm,
Its easy to find yourself going up
Whernside.
Take the small gate in front of you,
not the big one on the left.
couple of farms, we reach Winterscales Beck,
in the distance you can now see the
signal box at Bleamoor sidings.
Join up with the bridleway that runs
parallel with the Settle Carlisle railway,
then follow it, and go back across the railway
on an aqueduct.
"Now its time to test those lungs."
Looking back.
What a good view,
and what a good climb, I didn't want to
stop, but couldn't miss this picture opportunity.
This Chap is giving a first aid lesson to a group
of, Duke of Edinburgh award students.
Now that's what I call a classroom!
Park fell top right,
you can just see the roof of
the signal box, extreme right.
Two other bikers reckon its good day
to be out,
"wise choice, this is the best"
I was to meet up with these guys later,
back in kingsdale.
They were doing the ride the
other way.
Having traversed the moor, its time to decend,
"It used to be boggy up here".
Not now,
Abbotside Common in the far
distance.
"Now get out of my way Mister"
just look at the view.
Dent in the middle,
The lake District far distance,
and to my right, the Howgills.
Its a white knuckle ride down to
a tarmac road, turn right.
Take care, wrong choice of line
will have you off, "big time."
Its a lovely place.
Turn left at that big rock
at the end of the street!
from there the Sun Inn will beckon you.
First left again for beer garden and safe
docking for prized steeds.
Enjoy.
Going up,
and looking back, Dent down below.
Its a push because its steep and loose.
The tree shows off and stands on
one leg!
But the motor cyclist didn't notice.
Keep going the beer will wear off!
Only 1 mile!!
Turn left, BW High Moss 4 Mile,
and its all uphill.
This will sort the Men from the Boys,
see how far you can go without dabbing.
Calf Top in the distance.
Off we go!
Whernside dead ahead," were heading back".
Keep going for 1 mile or so, then turn right at
junction, still sign posted High Moss.
"watch out for motor bikes"
Can you hack it?
The final leg creaker,
Near the top, there's a boggy section,
Its full of rutts, puddles, and mud.
Let your eyes follow the wall line
around the hillside to High Moss.
and above is Green Hill,
"because its erm, green."
After this is a good fast downhill bit then,
Turn right at the road and
enjoy the tarmac descent to your
cars.
ps, don't forget to stop at Yordas cave.