Pennine Bridleway Circular and Linear Walks and Rides

This circular route is suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders at all times of year. The route starts at the National Park car park in Clapham and follows the Pennine Bridleway northwards along Long Lane, with views over Clapham Beck and Ingleborough Cave. This part of the route has approximately 200m (700ft) of ascent. The Pennine Bridleway is followed across dry grassy hillsides, with views of Ingleborough on a clear day, until reaching the edge of Crummack Dale, with vast views over the dale and Thieves Moss. A right turn takes you onto a public bridleway which follows the edge of Crummack Dale along a grassy track and then drops down to the farm at Crummack. The route follows a farm road towards Austwick, until a right turning back on to the Pennine Bridleway along Thwaite Lane to Clapham.

The car park in Clapham has public toilets, and the village has a pub, cafe, and small shops. The public car park is large with plenty of space for horse boxes and trailers. There are also convenient rocks to use as mounting blocks.

Horse riders should be aware that in order to access this route from Clapham you must pass through two tunnels. These tunnels are not lit, and are curved so that they are very dark in the middle. The ground surface is also formed of loose stone. Depending on the confidence of your horse, you may wish to take a torch to light the way through. Some sections of the bridleway along Long Lane are comprised of rough limestone, and others are loose stone. If your horse has sensitive feet you may wish to use hoof boots. The grassy sections in the middle of the route remain dry throughout the year and provide the opportunity for a nice canter!

Distance: 11 miles Total climb: 1311 feet Total descent: 1311 feet This is a Black Diamond Route, developed by Experience Community.  It is a challenging route that might be possible for some disabled people using the correct equipment such as off-road adapted cycles.  It is also suitable for cyclists and walkers.  It starts in Todmorden where there are several parking places within easy reach of the start of the route on the canal side.  Parking can be found between the market place and the Methodist church, or around Union Street.  The market place also hosts an accessible toilet, for which you will need a radar key. This circular route starts out along some canal side paths taking in the magnificent local industrial heritage.  At the canal road crossing in Walsden, with the church on your left, you then follow a steep road to its summit, which is a sustained climb on good surfaces.  Bending left at the summit the road reaches a T-junction with the Pennine Bridleway (the Mary Towneley Loop).  Small respite is offered in a short downhill section to a gate, though this is brief.  A long winding climb on pack horse trails and tricky uneven flag stones leads up to the true summit.  A widening in the track and some more uneven ground eventually leads to some spectacular views at the top of this very technical climb.  There are sections on which, if self-propelled, you may require assistance.  Stunning views over Walsden, Stoodley Pike, and the surrounding moors are enjoyed on a gentle decent before meeting Lumbutts Road at the Shepherd’s Rest Pub. The road towards Mankinholes is less technical though no less picturesque and the descent and climb provide further entertainment before a sharp left bend and leaving the road to re-join the Mary Towneley Loop on the section known locally as London Road.  This track offers another 2 miles of technical climbing, and undulating gradual ascent leads almost to Stoodley Pike itself before a right turn at around 6.3 miles.  Caution is advised at 7.4 miles with a steep descent to a tight s-bend with several gates and a tough climb.  The stepped rocky path coupled with the steep terrain offer the final challenge of the day before a fast track decent and some pleasant canal paths back from Hebden Bridge to Todmorden.  

The Malham Ramble has been devised by Experience Community as a route suitable for a wide range of people.  It has been graded as a black route due to the challenging nature of the surfaces over which it passes.  It is all on bridleways or minor roads, so can be followed on foot, using mobility equipment, by bike or by horse. This Experience Community Black Route starts at Watersinks Car Park at the iconic Malham Tarn in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Travelling through Malham Moor the terrain is challenging traversing grassy paths where traction can be an issue, but with views aplenty, it’s a worthwhile taste of the open moorland. Once off the moor the route follows quiet country lanes towards Tarn Moss and joins the world famous Pennine Way long distance walking route skimming the northern edge of Malham Tarn in the shadow of Great Close Hill. This part of the route is an ideal place to stop, have a picnic and absorb your breath-taking surroundings. The National Trust have a Tramper that can be hired with advanced booking from their Malham Tarn Estate by calling 01729 830416 or emailing malhamtarn@nationaltrust.org.uk The nearest disabled toilets are located at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Visitor’s Centre in Malham Village.

This route follows the 'Malham Ramble' circular route with the addition of a section of the Settle Loop of the Pennine Bridleway. Car parking is at Watersinks car park, close to Malham Tarn. Walkers can follow the Pennine Way from the car park around the edge of the Tarn, whilst cyclists and horse riders should follow the bridleway across the grassland, slightly away from the lake edge. The routes converge on the track up to Tarn House, and continue on the same route. After passing Tarn Moss the route joins a minor road past High Trenhouse. At the next junction there is the option to follow a bridleway uphill onto the Settle Loop. Heading clockwise on the loop will take you back towards Malham. Follow the byway to drop back down to Langscar Gate, then turn left on the road and immediately take the bridleway to the right back to Watersinks car park.

Distance: 75 km (47 miles).

Time required: two days by bike, three to four days on horse or foot.

Start point: a circular route – choose your starting point according to your transport needs. Mountain-bikers in particular may find it best to travel the Loop anti-clockwise. The route is physically challenging because it climbs up and down the steep-sided South Pennine valleys.

Access: there are good public transport links and several car parks along the route. Horse riders can use some of the car parks for loading and unloading horses. Please see map and/or website for further details on car parks.

More information is available in the leaflet.

Distance: 4.49 miles Total Climb: 255 feet Total Descent 255 feet This Experience Community Red Route starts at the Peak District National Park Authority’s Parsley Hay Visitors Centre where there are several disabled parking spaces, a wheelchair accessible toilet, café and shop. Horse riders are advised to start instead from Hartington Station where there are facilities such as a dedicated horsebox parking area, corral, shelter, and mounting block. The route takes in the High Peak and Tissington Trails, which are both disused railway lines and form part of the Pennine Bridleway. The trail heads south along the flat High Peak Trail towards Longcliffe and then takes a sharp right hand turn onto “Green Lane” Bridleway after the second gate. Here the path surface becomes rougher and crosses the busy A515 before opening up to beautiful valley views as you reach the brow of the hill and drop down to the historic Hartington Station on the Tissington Trail. From here the route takes you back north past working farms, open countryside and through the railway cuttings that shape the landscape of this part of Derbyshire. 360° Video: https://youtu.be/GbEHxhANO8Q

The Settle Loop is a 10 mile circular route that can be started and finished in Settle or joined from surrounding areas such as Malham and Stainforth. The circular loop offers stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales on foot, by bike or horse.  You can find out more in the leaflet.

The loop climbs out of the lovely town of Settle into the Yorkshire Dales National Park, traverses a wonderful limestone upland, before descending back towards Settle. The trail incorporates open grassy stretches, limestone outcrops, grass/gravel paths and quiet winding lanes.

There is plenty of car parking in Settle, and you can also reach the town by train or bus. Parking for horse boxes and trailers is possible in Greenfoot car park in Settle. There is also desingated parking for horse boxes and trailers in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority car park in Stainforth. Access from here to the loop is signposted along Goat Scar Lane.

A varied mountain bike route that starts on tracks from Clapham, to Austwick, Feizor and Wharfe then takes you out into the open country of limestone scars and pavements with views of Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent forming a wonderful backdrop. There are a few technical sections but for the most part the surfaces will not be too demanding on your mountain biking skills. Most of the climbing comes between 4 and 8 miles (Feizor to Crummack Dale); so there is a nice warm up section (not counting the short climb out of the Clapham Tunnels!) and a long generally downhill finish.  

An 11 mile (17km) mountain bike route from Diggle in Oldham that includes sections on the Pennine Bridleway.

Rough time to complete: 2.5 to 4 hours

A 13.5 mile (22km) mountain bike loop west of Bingley that includes sections of the Calder Aire link.

Rough time to complete: 2.5 to 4.5 hours

A 17 mile (27km) mountain bike route around Hayfield, Chinley & Rowarth that includes sections on the Pennine Bridleway.

Rough time to complete: 3.5 to 6.5 hours.

A great route for mountain bikers taking you up and down the hills around Hebden Bridge, with a section of the route following the Pennine Bridleway. Route length: 14 miles (22.5km).  Rough time to complete: 2.5 - 4 hours.

A choice of a 10 mile (16km) loop starting at Walsden or extending to a 20 mile (31km) ride starting at Hollingworth Lake.  Sections of the route are on the Pennine Bridleway.