The Pennine Bridleway is the very first UK National Trail planned and designed specifically for horse riders, mountain bikers and walkers. The 52 mile Yorkshire Dales National Park section opened in June 2012.
The trail - connecting the Peak District, South Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria - provides 200 miles of fantastic riding or walking.
Following a mixture of old packhorse trails, drovers roads and newly created bridleway sections, the Pennine Bridleway travels through stunning scenery. It is fully signposted and has good surfaces and gates, so you can get on and enjoy the trail.
Equally brilliant for those ready to take on the big challenge – the full length - or an afternoon's mini-adventure. Just take your pick and get going.
Fact file
Distance: 52 miles (80km) from Long Preston to the Fat Lamb Inn near Ravenstonedale.
Access: Car parks and railway stations along the route are marked on the map. There are excellent train connections to the Pennine Bridleway in the Yorkshire Dales using the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle line. These trains do carry bikes but it is wise to book ahead and avoid rush hour services out of Leeds. Full details of train times are available at www.nationalrail.co.uk. or by calling 08457 48 49 50.
Terrain: there are a mix of surfaces from limestone grassland to stony tracks, as well as sections on quiet tarmac roads. There are some big climbs on the route and it traverses some exposed areas.
Maps: the route is not shown on 2012 OS maps but they are still a useful reference. OL2 and OL19 are the relevant ones. More information, maps and other downloads showing the exact route can be found on the Pennine Bridleway website.
We hope that you find the trail in good condition, but if you encounter any problems please contact the Pennine Bridleway Project Officer.
Peter Lambert, Pennine Bridleway Project Officer
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
Colvend
Grassington
North Yorkshire
BD23 5LB
Call 0300 456 0030
Email pennine.bridleway@yorkshiredales.org.uk
