Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

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boxelder
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Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by boxelder »

I've never written up a trip, but the YD300 route is great, and deserves more riders next year. If you're put off by the distance and worried you'll not make it in time, take a look at the shortcut that's possible on the first afternoon/evening near Bainbridge - it saves 70Km (from memory), missing the Swaledale and Buttertubs sections.
A couple of late night beers and the frustration of COVID disruption were to blame for my entering and, unlike most of these half cut commitments, this one was a winner. The plan was to sleep in the van in Skipton, but domestic commitments meant a later depart than expected. I didn't fancy trying to find somewhere quiet to park up late on a Friday night in town, so parked up in a picnic area/aire near Hellifield (I think), 15 mins from Skipton. A decent sleep and leisurely breakfast meant arriving in Skipton at 7.50am, still not kitted up or packed. Rather than rush, I headed for the 8am briefing, signed in, then came back and got ready.
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Rolling out of town at 8.45, I guessed I wasn't going to see anyone for a while, but was happy to avoid the urgency that mass starts can create. The early road miles to Appletreewick went smoothly, though showery weather meant regular stops to play the on/off waterproof dance. Being warm, it was hard to judge whether damp and rainy or warm and sweaty was best.
Onto the first off road section over Pock Stones Moor and I caught up a couple or riders I'd seen at the start. They too had set off late and after a bit of my turn/your turn gate opening, I descended away from them.
Past Pateley Bridge and Gouthwaite Reservoir, the rain cleared up, but the stiff headwind began to make its presence felt. 17Km or more average pace felt fairly easy to here and I stupidly started to wonder if I might just push through and finish in the early hours............
I began to catch and pass other riders on the trail to Scar House Reservoir, with the gravel bikes now being slowed by the terrain I guess. Some brief "that headwind can f^*+ right off" type chat and I pushed on. The Lodge is an interesting spot I'd never visited before and a few minutes were spent having a nosey and imagining what life must have been like here 200 years ago. A stiff push over the flanks of Dead Man's Hill and a rapid rattle down Arkleside had me feeling sorry for those on gravel bikes - and not for the last time that weekend.
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The road up Coverdale and BW over to Starbotton was into the wind all the way, and hard graft. Food and Coke was needed and the pub in Starbotton provided (2pm ish). One of the riders I'd passed earlier - Dave(?) from Stoke - also arrived there and we chatted as I enviously watched him sup cold beer.
Off again passing the 'Welsh lad on the gravel bike' again at Buckden, and onto the 'Cote du Cray', where I'd watched Jens Voigt lead the Tour de France over the top in 2014. I was going to be channeling his 'Shut up legs' order later in the day......
Off road once again and over Stake Moss towards Bainbridge, I caught another rider on a gravel bike of sorts (BB jersey and Singular Ti frame), who looked to be suffering from the hard, dry rocky trails.
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By Askrigg, I knew I'd be bivvying that night and began to worry about getting some dinner. Along to the impressive Castle Bolton and the very welcome water tap in the wall corner at the BW turn off.
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Lee Rowe from this parish arrived just in time for me to point out the tap and we set off on the climb to Apedale. Lee had apparently gone off route to clear the shop in Askrigg of pies and other baked goods. Surely an easy spin along the mine tracks would deliver us to Grinton's pub in no time. The wind had other plans. Apedale was like pedalling an e-bike in reverse and it felt like at least an hour of battling into it. Even over the high point, the start of the descent took considerable pedalling effort. At last the trail turned east and the wind was, all too briefly, transformational. It felt like you were being blown uphill at times.
Sat outside the pub in Grinton with more Coke and a chickpea curry (7.15pm), Lee joined me and then the 'Welsh lad on the gravel bike' passed. Speaking to him earlier, he was carrying all the food he needed, but was struggling for water. I didn't see him again, but must have passed him at some point - he either flew up the Fremington climb/push, or else sneaked onto the 'Van Slam' camper festival at the Dales Bike Centre for water.
Fremington Edge was even harder than I remembered and then it was into the wind again over to Langthwaite. That descent was fun and I knew I'd get over to Gunnerside in daylight. I always enjoy riding around the old mine working of Gunnerside and up past Level House was no exception. The gully descent to Gunnerside Gill wasn't so much fun though and I just walked rather than risk slashing a tyre, or worse. I remember clearing this in the past, but notice the actual bridleway is down the gully to the south. Perhaps continuing on the BW around the head of the gill and down the west side would be better?
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A beautiful sunset and eerily quiet roads made Swaledale, Muker and Buttertubs a pleasure. I didn't manage to shout "shut up legs" quite loudly enough though, so Shank's Pony was employed in parts (11pm).
Narrowly avoiding suicidal rabbits on the speedy descent in the dark kept my alert, but by the bottom I was cold and din't really warm up on the pedal to Bainbridge. I'd planned at lunchtime, to be here for a last orders pint or two before wobbling up Cam High Rd. Now, I wasn't sure how wise heading to the top would be - the sky was clear and I only had a light sleeping bag and bivi. Decision made, I kipped on the other side of the wall about 1Km up the climb (midnight). I was woken three times by riders passing on their way up the climb, between 1am and 3am. It had clouded over and was now pretty mild.
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4.30am and I was away and pedalling up the long drag that Rome's 'finest' produced all those centuries ago. Feeling refreshed, it was quite an easy spin all the way to the summit, with a decent sunrise at my back.
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My main focus now was breakfast and the map and clock revealed little chance. Avoiding the short footpath section in Dentdale by continuing along the road to the next bridge, I saw a few riders on the other side and then stopping for water from a stream at the start of the Great Wold climb/push, Gary from Bristol passed me, wondering where he'd get some food/drink. The descent to Ribblehead must have been torture on a gravel bike - rough at first, then a short section of nicely surfaced trail, which you'd assume would continue all the way down. It doesn't.
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Under the viaduct and past the tea van, which at that hour was still parked up the road outside the owners house :-( . Over and down into Ribblesdale, I passed Gary again and the guy on the Singular (who can't have had much/any sleep). Dodged a torrential shower near Selside and recognised the steep hike a bike up Simon Fell used on the 3 peaks CX.
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Through ever beautiful Crummockdale and a short detour to Austwick shop (brilliant place - friendly, well stocked and decent value).

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The next section is typical Dales and was a joy in the sun and with the wind at my back. Langcliffe Scar to Stockdale Lane was further than I remembered, and Stockdale Lane was rougher (chuffed again to be on a hardtail MTB). joined some roadies on the White Rose Classic on the fast run into Malham and OMG - what a circus Malham has become it seems. I'd not been during the day for many years. Picking up the extra food in Austwick was a good move, as I couldn't get away from Malham soon enough. A quick fill of my bladder in the public loo, while Uncle Tom Cobbly emptied his, and I was away - away up the wrong route it seems, as the GPX I had took me up the tarmac to the west of the cove.
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I'd been thinking all morning that I might have to shortcut to get home at a decent hour for Monday's 7am start, but I knew now I had it cracked. I'm not sure why I remember Mastiles Lane being downhill all the way from Street Gate though, so those uphills felt hard and then it was down and along to Grassington. Avoiding ice cream temptations, I enjoyed the climb over from Threshfield, but not so much the steep bouldery push over Rylstone, which I remembered only too well from the Dales Divide. The last off road descent was knackered and in the process of being resurfaced - have I mentioned I was glad not to be on a gravel bike? - then it was just the last 'extra' 7Km into the wind through Embsay, as my Garmin had already ticked through the 300Km mark (4.30pm).
Great route Stuart and the soup and taties at the finish were just right. If you've thought about riding this, or even if you hadn't, I'd recommend getting it in the diary for next year. But choose your bike carefully.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by fatbikephil »

Good tale Andy, I think I know every inch of the route now. I'd agree that using tyres less than 60mm on the route will make some of the descents miserable. For me the main way of dealing with all the climbing is knowing there is a fun descent on the other side. Hope to be back next year!
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whitestone
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by whitestone »

Nice one.

We've bivvied at The Lodge a couple of times, can get quite midgey :shock:

The line of the BW down into Gunnerside mines is a bit odd, the "classic" descent follows it to this point http://streetmap.co.uk/map?X=394230&Y=501355&A=Y&Z=115 then bears round and right to drop into Friarfold Hush which is the hush that the YD300 follows in its entirety. The BW continues down the nose between Bunton Hush and the hush to the south, never seen any tracks on that! I've done the hush to the south, don't bother! Phil took the BW north then back down by the beck on his recent trip (see his report). Also the footpath that leads south from the text "Bunton Hush" is in the process of being upgraded to BW status. It's not particularly difficult, we rode up it years ago, but it's a different way down and has been used by the locals for years.

Malham's just got ridiculously busy these past few years - ride around on the tops and around the tarn and you might see a dozen people, drop into the village and it's like Blackpool beach :roll: Ride out to the café at Airton and it's quiet again.

The top bit of the last descent into Halton East used to be really boggy with some deep holes so I think it's just that bit that's been sorted out by the farmer, the rutted long straight blast remains.
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Leerowe76
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by Leerowe76 »

Great read mate, well done & good to meet up with you albeit only for a short time :-bd
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Lazarus
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by Lazarus »

As its on my to do list for this year - Mid August possibly is the consensus that its better on a MTB ?
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fatbikephil
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by fatbikephil »

I'd say so - folk have done it on a gravel bike but some of the descents are pretty rough (and a couple are very rough!) so you'd be hard on the brakes and picking your way down slowly. The descents help deal with the climbing so my theory was to ride a bike that was the most fun on the descents.
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whitestone
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by whitestone »

Lazarus wrote: Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:39 pm As its on my to do list for this year - Mid August possibly is the consensus that its better on a MTB ?
29er hardtail would be my ride of choice.
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Lazarus
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by Lazarus »

Cheers Lauf Hardtail it is then
Johnallan
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Re: Yorkshire Dales 300, 2022

Post by Johnallan »

Great read, thanks for the write up :grin:

I've rode it 3x now and don't understand why anyone would do it on a gravel bike. Not that it can't be done, I just can't imagine it'd be much fun at all
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