Ride the Pennine Bridleway – the longest continuous off-road biking route in the UK, over an 8 day tour. This fantastic itinerary offers the opportunity to explore ancient packhorse routes, drovers’ roads and bridleways. It’s a classic British mountain bike adventure across the spectacular terrain of the scenic Pennines. You’ll be exploring the route from Middleton Top in Derbyshire to Ravenstonedale through both the White and Dark Peak, the heart of Lancashire, the spectacular Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines and Cumbria. You're treated to 6 full days of cross-country mountain biking over a variety of sometimes quite challenging mountain bike terrain.
The tour offers many challenges from both the physical and technical aspects of riding. The terrain is typical of the region, characterised by large stretches of remote open moorland. The route is virtually all off-road, with thrilling technical descents, fast swooping grassy downhills, long hardpack ascents and just a few cheeky climbs to test the legs. The trails are sometimes rocky singletrack, other times more flowing grassy bridleways.
The trip starts with arrival into Ravenstonedale from where you'll transfer to New Mills in Derbyshire which will serve as the accommodation for the initial two nights of the trip. You'll ride place-to-place each day and stay at a variety of handpicked country pubs and bed and breakfasts all offering a warm welcome to tired bikers with evening meals taken either at the accommodation or nearby restaurants / pubs.
Much of the cycling takes place on the rugged moorland that is characteristic of the area, with sweeping vistas of remote countryside. The terrain is very varied, but you will encounter natural singletrack, bridleways, vehicle-width tracks and some technical climbs and descents. The trails can be rocky and loose in places. A good level of fitness and bike handling skills is required to get the best out of the trip. It is possible to use an electric mountain bike on this holiday, which would be particularly beneficial to those wanting an extra boost to get up some of the tougher climbs.