More long distance options

[ianfitz]

While riding along on the fine gravel of North Yorkshire I was thinking that the north of engerland is a pretty good place. And that it deserves its own big loop taking in the peak, Yorkshire dales, the lakes, North Pennines, Northumberland, the North York moors.

A bit of gpx cutting and pasting this lunchtime saw me splice together the PBW, some of the EWE, some of the Borders 350, the sandstone way, and the woodcock C2C.

It ended up a 'bit' longer than I'd first thought. 1400km and 28,000m but if anyone fancies a go at it or would like to see the gpx please drop me a pm.

I enjoyed the spicing so much I did the same thing with EWE, PBW and the Scottish national trail to create an off road Plymouth to Cape wrath monster route.

That came out at 2400km and nearly 50,000m :-/

[Ben98]

As I've never done any of the routes you've used bar some of the pbw, what would the terrain be like? You mention gravel, would it mostly be nice and easy or more dales 300/bb200 type offroad?

[ianfitz]

As I've never done any of the routes you've used bar some of the pbw, what would the terrain be like? You mention gravel, would it mostly be nice and easy or more dales 300/bb200 type offroad?

there is a lot of both routes that I've not ridden! I would expect a bit of everything including the occasional hike a bike section.

It would be good to work out a more manageable northern loop that had a bit more thought behind it. This one is just a lot of existing routes tagged together. I'm sure it would be good though.

How much of the summer holidays have you got left? Give it a go!

[Ben98]

Unfortunately not enough for such an undertaking, as much as I'd love to give it a try. A week would probably be doable, but not enjoyable
Will have to be next year sometime, but I am up for an attempt

[ZeroDarkBivi]

The Dartmoor/Exmoor bit of EWE isn't as god as it could be - the Plymouth-Minehead-Taunton route that Alan G posted on here earlier this year is a bit better, IMO.

Time to ride is too precious for me to dedicate riding 2400km in the UK, but I'd love to hear about the adventure / best bits.

[GregMay]

*cough* I've a 200km loop around Calderdale that I've been working on *cough*

Not entirely legal though...about the same climbing as the LL200...and way, way more technical in sections.

[Chew]

*cough* I've a 200km loop around Calderdale that I've been working on *cough*

Not entirely legal though...about the same climbing as the LL200...and way, way more technical in sections.

Interested in seeing that at some point

[Ian]

*cough* I've a 200km loop around Calderdale that I've been working on *cough*

Not entirely legal though...about the same climbing as the LL200...and way, way more technical in sections.

Have you "ridden" Scarth Gap and Black Sail passes?

[ianfitz]

*cough* I've a 200km loop around Calderdale that I've been working on *cough*

Not entirely legal though...about the same climbing as the LL200...and way, way more technical in sections.

Have you "ridden" Scarth Gap and Black Sail passes?

Danny macaskill has

[GregMay]

*cough* I've a 200km loop around Calderdale that I've been working on *cough*

Not entirely legal though...about the same climbing as the LL200...and way, way more technical in sections.

Have you "ridden" Scarth Gap and Black Sail passes?

Not all of them no, but then I haven't ridden all of my local trails either :)

Edit: That came across a bit prickish. Yes I've ridden down both of those, not up them, and yes they are hard. Blacksail isn't that bad, just sketchy - frankly the descent in towards Wasdale is stunning, one of my favourite in the Lakes. But there is harder both in the Lakes and otherwise.
I ride in the Lakes quite a bit, and there are descents around here that are worse, mostly due to the nature of the terrain and the big cliffs - but, they tend to be done at slow speeds, so are easy to unclip - step away - not die. Not so much the high speed crash fests that the Lakes can give.