Written by:Break out from the trail centre and see the wider world on this 100km ride through some of Yorkshire’s finest trails. This route has a mix of offroad and quiet road sections and will be suitable on either a CX/Adventure Bike or a Mountain Bike. If you choose to take your MTB along, this will give you the added option of rattling along Dalby’s red route for extra kicks.
We’ve kept the trail sections minimal on the GPX and started the ride from Adderstone Field car park within Dalby Forest. You can of course start in Low Dalby at the visitor centre and ride up to Dixon’s Hollow Bike Park via the red route before picking up our trail and heading out of the forest.
Escape from Dalby Forest and you’ll see a lot of views like this.
Once out of Dalby Forest, you’ll be out onto the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors and heading towards RAF Fylingdales – don’t hang around too long here or you’ll attract the attention of MOD Security! Be careful crossing the A169 as it’s a popular road with the motorbike crowd. The road descent into Goathland on Cow Wrath Bank can be great fun if you’ve got clear tarmac ahead of you as you’ll pick up some good speed. Goathland has a number of cafes and a pub but be aware that it’s a popular tourist spot having appeared in the Harry Potter movies and 60’s drama, Heartbeat.
Climbing out of Goathland onto Levisham Moor with some great opportunities to catch sight of the steam railway in the valley below. Grind your way out of Levisham and on to the Hole of Horcum before crossing the A169 again and making a second passing of RAF Fylingdales.
The lush green fields of Harwood Dale make a welcome change from the windswept heather moorland but you may not thank us for the climb up Reasty Hill. Fear not, as one of our favourite sections soon follows as you ride through the rolling green valley into Hackness, you could almost believe you’ve been transported to New Zealand.
There’s a slog back towards Dalby along paved road (if the Moorcock Inn at Langdale End is open, pop in for a look around this quirky private inn) before you dive left past the monastery and up a fireroad climb which gets steeper and steeper as you get back to the top of Dalby Forest. You’ll be able to spot an entry point back onto the red route or you can follow the GPX for the final couple of miles back to Adderstone Field.
Post Ride Refreshments
There’s the option of a basic cafe at the Archery Centre just to the east of Adderstone. Alternatively head back to Low Dalby and fight with the families in the queue at the visitor centre.
Thornton le Dale has two excellent pubs serving hot food and there is also a chippy and takeaway pizza shop.
Map & GPX
Last modified: 14th February 2018
