The Pennine Bridleway is a new National Trail in the north of England, the first purpose-built long distance bridleway for horse riders, mountain bikers and walkers

FAQs

South Pennines McCoyWynne©Natural England
  • What is the best direction to cycle the Mary Towneley Loop?
    It is really a matter of opinion however many seem to think that clockwise is best in that it is then just about rideable whereas anti-clockwise may involve more pushing.
  • I don’t have a suitable bike for the Trail, is there anywhere I can hire one?
    There are several bike hire outlets on and around the Pennine Bridleway, for example at Middleton Top, the starting point for cyclists in Derbyshire. Hebden Bridge is an excellent place to base yourself as a potential mountain biker for the South Pennine section, with hire bikes available and locally based instructors to help with your bike skills.  Bike hire is also available in Settle if you are interested in the Settle Loop.  Why not have a look at our "Links" page for suitable companies? http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/links.asp?PageId=6&c=Mountain%20Biking 
  • Is the Pennine Bridleway suitable for an all terrain wheelchair?

    The route is gated along its entire length, the minimum width between the gateposts being 1.5m.  In some locations however, and particularly on the Mary Towneley Loop some of these gates have horsestiles incorporated which whilst preventing access to motorcycles, also prevent access to wheelchairs.  Where possible these horse stiles are shown on the maps available however this information may not always be up to date.

    Because the route threads its way through the Pennines, it is hilly and the gradient can be steep in places, added to which a variety of surfaces will be encountered some of which are likely to test the skills of the user. 

    That said, the southernmost section of the route follows the High Peak Trail, a former railway line which should  be suitable for wheelchair use and which is accessible from a number of car parks.  The gates on this section are also fitted with catches which can be operated from a low level.  The High Peak Trail also links to the Tissington Trail which should also be wheelchair accessible. 

     

  • What facilities are available?
    Accommodation and other services such as public houses, shops and banks are listed within the Planning a trip section of the website, for each section of the Trail. (Please note - the information on facilities is, to our knowledge correct at the present time, but these can change).
  • I don’t have my own horse but would like to ride on the Pennine Bridleway, is there anywhere that I can hire a horse?

    There are a few places that offer accompanied horse hire - those we have listed can be found here 

  • Does anyone organise holidays along the Trail?
    For those who prefer to leave the organising to someone else, there are a number of small companies who can organise a holiday or short break from accommodation booking, to organisation of meals and luggage transfer, these are listed in the within the Planning a trip section of the website.