Route Ref:  YD01

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This is a ride over varied terrain. Hard track, soft track, single track and tarmac. Although there is almost 2000 feet of climbing, almost half of it is on road. The ride starts at Castle Bolton near Leyburn.Yes, there is a castle too, which you can browse around when your finished if your in to that sort of thing. Nice t-room with loads of cakes. There is a car park near the castle and you start the ride through the gate at the west side of the car park.

The first section is accross pasture land. Much of it on grassy tracks. If you use a 1:25000 map you will notice that there are a lot of gates which does make it a bit of a pain. Of the 25 gates on the whole ride, 20 of them are over the first five miles. However there are some good single track sections. At the end of Oxclose Road, you cross a ford (or fall in it) and then as you climb up you need to make sure you pick up the track to Birkin Gill and not climb towards Beldaw Hill. No problem here now. The track is relayed and you can't go wrong as it makes a sharp left through the gate.

You will eventually get to the Wensleydale/Swaledale road after a mile section of fenced bridleway. Now the hard work begins as you turn right and climb Windgates Currack. After the cattlegrid you get a fast winding downhill but lookout for the bridleway on the right to Whitaside Moor. This climb starts fairlty steep and continues for almost 500 feet. The climbing is made more difficult by the newly laid track of loose stones and gravel. After the climb you will find yourself in an old lead mine wilderness. The route can be difficult to pick out in places and there are quite a lot of stream and gullies to cross. When I did this ride, the top was covered in thick mist and navigation was difficult. After a long period of rain, the ground was soft and on the top it gets very boggy. I lost my bike past the axles just before the gate.

Update (September 2004): A new track has been laid all the way over this boggy area making the crossing over the moor much easier. It extends right through the gate to the downhill into Apedale.

After the gate the track bends left at the high mound, which also has a huge crater in the middle! Follow the track, again, recently ploughed into a wide double track, (it was single track). A hundred yards further on the track turns sharp right and at the descent into Apedale becomes loose gravel and stones again. Turn right at the cross roads at Dent's Houses for another climb hard-track climb, which takes you over Black Hill for the final descent back to Castle Bolton. The descent is superb (in dry weather) starting in a narrow grassy lane and opening out across the field with a few 'bunny' jumps thrown in for good measure.

Updated September 2004.

Start Castle Bolton Car Park at GR 033918 - Intake Plantation  019918 - Wall 008917 - Wall - 007909 - Oxclose Gate 994902 - Ford 980904 - Ford 974910- Road 962917  - Road Jct 953921 - Road Bend 964948 - Road/Track 982964 - Fence/Gate - 998953 - Jingle Pot Gill  012448 - Track x 030942 - Black Hill 031933 - Wall 035921 - Castle Bolton 033918

14.6 Miles, 23.50 Kms, 2081 Feet, 683 Metres, 25 Gates, 72% Off Road