Ilkley-Edinburgh mini-tour

[robjh]

I have time for a few days away on the bike in the next week or two, and with a careful choice of trains I could get to the Leeds area, and back from Edinburgh, for surprisingly few ££.

I'm thinking of a route something like this, from Ilkley to Edinburgh, taking 4 or 5 days en route. Ilkley seems like a good starting point as it avoids a slog through the Leeds suburbs, and gets me straight out to an attractive area. I got the route by just entering start and end points into ridewithgps, then directing it via Hawes and the Buttertubs road, and Kielder Water, but have not otherwise preferred any particular routing. There are several different variants at around 210 to 220 miles.

I'm happy with hills, want some wild moorland roads, and will be looking mostly to wild camp/bivi, though I am not averse to hostels, bunkhouses or campsites as the need or opportunity arises. I'll be on a tourer with wide tyres, and a little (dry) off-tarmac may be OK too within reason.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the route - roads to take or avoid, things to see or miss, tips for any of these areas?

 

[Vegan1]

From Barnard Castle I know what route I'd take.

As I don't know the area I cant really comment but the route looks good.

 

[ColinJ]

I would prefer to cross the Wharfe at Cavendish Pavilion just after Bolton Abbey and go up the lovely undulating lane to rejoin your route further up Wharfedale.

Wharfedale is lovely, and I especially like Langstrothsdale Chase at the end of it after Buckden. Fleet Moss is a tough climb and I would be particularly careful on the descent - HERE!

 

[robjh]

I would prefer to cross the Wharfe at Cavendish Pavilion just after Bolton Abbey and go up the lovely undulating lane to rejoin your route further up Wharfedale.

Wharfedale is lovely, and I especially like Langstrothsdale Chase at the end of it after Buckden. Fleet Moss is a tough climb and I would be particularly careful on the descent - HERE!

Thanks for the warning Colin! I've read your link - I'm hoping that my tourer will be too heavy to leap 3 or 4 feet into the air

 

[Tigerbiten]

From Kielder I'd probably drop one or two more junction before heading for the Ettrick valley and the LEL route north.
If you drop as far south as Langholm you can then pull passed the Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery.
Otherwise it's the next turn to Hawick and then head west.

From Weardale I'd be more inclined to pull over to the Allendale.

The pull through Kielder Forest on route 68 is very rough macadam forest track and is probably not what you're after.

 

[robjh]

I'm off on the train to Ilkley tomorrow morning, and the weather, to put it nicely, does not look good.

I was just about packed up but I'm now back on the old bivi bag vs tent dilemma. I'm still tending towards the bivi with a home-made tarp for extra rain shelter, that I've made from an old tent outer, but some of those raindrop symbols do look alarming. I'm also packing some extra layers, and not skimping on the waterproofs.

North Yorkshire here I come

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm off on the train to Ilkley tomorrow morning, and the weather, to put it nicely, does not look good.
View attachment 359231
I was just about packed up but I'm now back on the old bivi bag vs tent dilemma. I'm still tending towards the bivi with a home-made tarp for extra rain shelter, that I've made from an old tent outer, but some of those raindrop symbols do look alarming. I'm also packing some extra layers, and not skimping on the waterproofs.

North Yorkshire here I come

Pack a liferaft!!!

 

[robjh]

Pack a liferaft!!!

I'll keep a spare inner tube inflated at all times as a buoyancy aid.

 

[Blue Hills]

Have fun rob.

Do report back. I'd be interested in how it goes, your impression of your chosen route, and, if it was good, a copy of the gpx.

Also of your camping experience in what may be dodgy weather. I have bivvied a few times - but luckily managed to dodge rain. But I don't trust my luck so am practicing tarping.

It might make a nice loop for me. Up to Edinburgh, across to Glasgow, back down towards Settle.

 

[robjh]

Have fun rob.

Do report back. I'd be interested in how it goes, your impression of your chosen route, and, if it was good, a copy of the gpx.

Also of your camping experience in what may be dodgy weather. I have bivvied a few times - but luckily managed to dodge rain. But I don't trust mt luck so am practicing taping.

It might make a nice loop for me. Up to Edinburgh, across to Glasgow, back down towards Settle.

Day one of the tour was aborted, but a lot of time was spent on trains.
I left home under low grey skies but no rain, and made it onto the 1055 train from Stevenage bound for Leeds, with the intention of arriving at Ilkley at 1339. The weather got steadily rainier as we headed north, and shortly before Newark the train stopped, and waited. And waited. The problem was a broken-down freight train that was blocking the busy main line, and we clearly joined a queue of disrupted trains. We drew into Doncaster about 1h45 late, and our train was terminated there. The train guard announced that due to the delay, all tickets would be refunded 100%, and as a plus, anyone whose plans for the day were now in tatters could just catch a train straight home without paying more. With the unending rain and the cold, and my later arrival, I made a snap decision to forget it for today and go home. The train manager on the southbound train was rather surprised with my one-way northbound ticket but demurred graciously.
So here I am back at home after 9 hours away, with only 16 miles ridden. I've claimed my refund, but am still thinking of heading out to Ilkley or thereabouts again, possibly on Friday, to salvage what I can. I still have a return from Edinburgh on Tuesday afternoon, and I reckon that 3 whole + 2 half-days should be plenty for this route if I cut out some of the zig-zagging I had planned.

 

[robjh]

The tour started better 2nd time round. The trains behaved this morning and I was in Ilkley at 1.30.
It was overcast but dry, and I followed Wharfedale up through Bolton Abbey, Grassington (tourist honeypot) to Buckden. Despite the clouds I enjoyed the classic Dales scenery, all little green fields and dry stone walls below moorland and rocky outcrops.
I then turned up the minor road to Oughtershaw and over the top to Hawes in Wensleydale. This was a tough climb and the top was in thick, cold, cloud. I saw nothing till I was halfway down the other side. I got to Hawes about 7 feeling rather chilled, and wondering where I would camp in the rain.
All was well in the end after a fish and chip supper, and I tried the YHA which had a spare bed. I'll camp tomorrow

Bolton Abbey, the fog and dinner

View attachment 359708 View attachment 359709

 

[robjh]

Day 2 started with a 5.15 fire alarm in the youth hostel, and as we all trooped outside I met an old work colleague who I hadn't seen for 20 years who was staying there too.
There were plenty of cyclists out in the Dales that morning, though mostly on road bikes and my luggage got a few comments. I started with two steep climbs, first over the Buttertubs road, and then from Keld to Tan Hill.

I stopped at Tan Hill inn for a coffee - supposedly the highest pub in England.

more later when I've got a better connection

 

[robjh]

Well, it's been a really enjoyable and sometimes rather wet few days with lots of hills, big scenery and 3 nights wild camping, but I've now arrived in a rainy Edinburgh and am drinking coffee until it's train time.
I'll add a few more details of the ride once I'm home, but for now it looks like this

 

[Blue Hills]

ah the wonders of yorkshire weather -that fog in July

Looking forward to some pics and reports on your wild camping spots/experiences.

 

[ColinJ]

ah the wonders of yorkshire weather -that fog in July

Looking forward to some pics and reports on your wild camping spots/experiences.

It isn't ALWAYS foggy up there in July ... here's a picture of me leaning against the side of a photo taken at that same sign in July 2016!