Length: 19.4 miles. Height change: 4,180ft. Time: 2hrs 46mins.
This is a moderate mountain bike ride with great views and varied scenery. Out of Strands, turn left and ride to Gunnerside. When you reach the edge of Gunnerside, take a sharp right to go back on yourself and up a hill. Sometimes this road is gated off, don’t worry, you can still go through it. You are then looking for a bridal way on your right. Do not ascend the hill on the road. This bridal way takes you up onto the Corpse Way for awesome views. You will then follow this to the high hamlet of Blades from where you descend down into Low Row. Here you will turn right back up the valley, then left upon leaving the village to cross it. Once you have crossed the Swale, you turn left and ultimately take a bridal way, followed by a road then a bridal way through fields always following the river. (Note: This section will ultimately become part of the Swale Trail, I think, but until then follow the map since it can be easy to loose the route). Once you arrive at Grinton you turn left, then it is a steep climb onto Harker side. From where you follow a cart track. It is easy to get lost on Harker Side, we do it all the time, so do follow your GPS or map. Eventually when you get to Whitaside, you’ll turn right and ride down onto High Lane. From here it is up the road, turn right onto a very stoney track – be careful – to Summer Lodge. From this point it is road all the way back, but with good views to Strands and Gunnerside. Good to do on a clear day.