Mountain and road biking
Swaledale and the surrounding dales offer a good mix of both mountain and road biking. The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway passes in front of Strands View while the closeby 12 mile Swale Trail means there is a more gentle route up the Dale and avoiding traffic too. Here are a few of our favourite routes, which might seem tame to some, but are a good starting point. The Dales Bike Centre in Reeth not only has a phenomenal cafe and cakery, it also hires bikes and knows the best routes for all abilities. Check them out, they are a great source of knowledge.
Mountain Bike: Fremington Trail
This is a moderate mountain bike ride with great views, some technical descents and lots of industrial heritage.
Road Bike: Tan Hill
This is a great ride – we last did it in training for the London 100. It starts straight out of StrandsView and onto the Tour de France route which you follow all the way to Reeth.
Mountain Bike: Up the Dale
This is a moderate mountain bike ride with great views and varied scenery – a more “off road” version of the Swale Trail.
The Swale Trail
What is The Swale Trail?
The Swale Trail is a mainly off road mountain bike route which stretches from Reeth to Keld.
The Swale Trail is aimed at aspiring young mountain bikers and families who want to ride together. It is a unique facility in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – a valley bottom route 13 miles in length, of which 70% is on unsurfaced tracks.
To learn more, check out the
website.
What is the route like?
The route takes you on a low level journey along the valley on tracks and quiet country lanes with a few climbs in places.
Between Reeth and Gunnerside this is an easy mountain bike trail which sticks to tracks and quiet country lanes.
From Gunnerside to Keld the trail is a bit tougher with a couple of harder climbs, but with stunning views and a more remote feel.
The Trail is easy to follow. You can do different sections or the whole route and there is bike hire, cafes and places to stop along the way.
See our
Swale Trail Top Tips page for more information by clicking learn more below.