So I want to get from Tan Hill to Kettlewell.

Current plan is to take the bridleway eastish over West moor and down to Feetham and on to Leyburn. Route here https://goo.gl/jLc4dC

Is it likely to be a bog fest and so am I better taking a more direct route via Keld and Muker?

Depends when you're going!

I was in Kettlewell all weekend. There is currently several feet of snow on parts of Great Whernside for example. Ground is saturated in Kettlewell, higher up it's still frozen under the water.

Do NOT take the BW east from Tan Hill. It simply doesn't exist on the ground, here "ground" is a synonym for bog.

In fact your route through the Dales takes in most of the horrible BWs in the area!

Here's a suggestion: Tan Hill, take BW south to just north of Keld then take the BW following the north bank of the Swale. This becomes a road which leads past Ivelet to Gunnerside. Cross the river and there's a choice of potentially wet track next to the river or a higher road, both lead to Crackpot. Go to Summer House and a steep BW to the road, over to Apedale and then Castle Bolton (as per your route). Head west on the BW and drop down to Carperby, road to Aysgarth then Thoralby. Climb on to Stake Moss and drop down to Kidstones. Head down the road to Cray but there's a BW that starts about 400m before the pub and takes you down to Buckden. Road to Kilnsey. Start up Mastiles lane but before the big climb turn left and take a BW onto Boss Moor then down to Hetton. The BW over Flasby Fell is hard work on the north side and boggy on the south side. Either go to Rylstone and down the road to Skipton or road to Gargrave and along the canal tow path to Skipton.

The first BW south of Skipton is probably better in the other direction but the one dropping into Lothersdale is nice if short. The road leading out of Lothersdale, Sidegate, is one of the hardest road climbs in the area! It's on one of my training rides so know it well.

Once you get on to the PBW after this you are generally on good going.

Lol.

Thanks Whitestone, I'll get plotting.

Oh, and I set off on the 28th so the last lot of snow should've gone.

The bog will still be there of course.

Thanks for the help.

Can echo what Bob says re Tan Hill to Keld ( I’ve done it several times but always south to north, as part of a big loop, so north to south is less climbing so it will be good riding)

And over to Castle Bolton... Thoralby over Kidstones is good riding, some good climbing to get onto Stake Moss then a wide track all the way over to drop down onto the B6160.

Another option instead of going over Flasby Fell (always done it opposite way) is when you reach Hetton, take the little BW which goes under the rlway (see Map) to reach B6265, cross the road and head for the church, then pick up BW as per Map near Rylstone (but NOT the red gpx line as that bit is the ( busy) road, this BW joins the red gpx route and takes you over Barden Moor (you’ve probably done it but if not it is brilliant (but a hard climb to get onto the Moor)

Then drop down to Skipton via Halton Height

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whitestone wrote:Do NOT take the BW east from Tan Hill. It simply doesn't exist on the ground, here "ground" is a synonym for bog.

Bugger. Always fancied doing that route as its a nice long trail.....

Phil, echo what Bob says re BW east of Tan Hill....
But what I’ve done (a few times) as part of a loop (starting west of Gunnerside cos it’s easy parking) then heading north to reach Tan Hill, is to take the road east of Tan Hill for about 3 miles then turn R into William Gill (rideable) to join the BW...
Some good technical riding follows, careful navigation required, (but I wouldn’t bother unless it’s dry and has been for a few days) eventually reaching Great Punchard Gill
Then BW south for 2.5 k to reach the track just before Moor Ho (OS 1:50000) - turn R and head for the infamous Blakethwaite Gill *** - keep going almost to where the Gill finishes, then drop into it.... ermmmm

A lot of the BW in Blakethwaite Gill is very good technical riding but don’t fall off (in the wrong place ) - after about 0.5k you can cross the stream and reach Gunnerside Gill... ST and a fall here is very serious cos at one point you could tumble down 40 or 50 feet to drop a steep 15 or 20 feet into the stream landing on killer rocks - ouch

Then plain sailing back towards Gunnerside
( from the start I would usually head north, east of the River Swale, taking the BW towards Tan Hill - some good technical riding... the climb from E Stonesdale to Shot Lathe is “challenging” if you manage it without a dab or a stop)

***
I came off once on that section - a bird’s eye view of my front tyre almost in slow motion as it came off the track just by an inch... an inch is too much and the bike slipped to the left and I came off, somersaulting twice ! On my second somersault I saw the bike flying past me, stuck a hand out, and miraculously caught the frame with one hand...
Very lucky for me too that after my second somersault I came to a stop...
I wasn’t injured a lot at the time but in the middle of the night I was in a lot of pain in my left leg and could hardly walk...

( so if anybody’s daft enough to try all this please be very very careful...)