Introduction
Don’t be fooled by the short distance, this is a very hard technical route, featuring rocky descents which are more ‘freeride lite’ than XC, and very hard road climbs. There’s also some great moorland single track and a few miles on the more technically interesting part of the Rosedale Railway. All in all, ride short in miles, but long in variety.
Conditions
Just like anywhere else, conditions can be muddy, and the top part of the Rosedale Railway is wet pretty much all year. But, with care you should be able to attempt this all year. Although bike choice is a personal matter, a full suspension bike or at least a long travel HT, equipped with disc brakes is highly recommended. Wide, grippy tyres able to handle rocky conditions are worth the extra effort they will cost you on the climbs.
Alternatives
If time is short and you want to cut straight to the hard stuff you can park at the road junction on Rosedale Head and skip the Rosedale Railway section. Conversely if you want a much longer ride you could include the rest of the Rosedale Railway, and even the Lastingham loop for a truly epic day out. If you only want a bit more offroad distance you can add in the BW which runs along the top of Danby Crag and come back along the one which runs below it.
Hazards
This is a very technical route in difficult, and at times, remote terrain. There is the possibility of severe injury if you crash on some difficult sections. For this reason we’d recommend not doing this alone.
The route
Park at just south of the Lion at Blakey at the car park at SE 683 989. Head east to the Rosedale railway path and turn left. After a flattish section, the trail starts to head gently downhill. Keep following the course of the old railway towards the head of the valley. Just as you start to get bored of the easy and fast surface the trail starts to become washed out and you’ll need to avoid some minor obstacles. After this the old rail bed becomes boggy and you’ll need to follow a narrow path along the side of the cutting. After crossing a massive embankment, the trail becomes very boggy and difficult to ride, although you’ll have no trouble following the trail. You then do a short climb up the side of a cutting, where the narrow path squeezes between the fence and edge of the cutting. Then you’ll descend back towards the railway in a nail-bitingly steep section with a few small drop offs. After this your progress becomes easier and you can build up some impressive speed as you head along the railway down the valley. Above Dale Head Farm turn left uphill, ignoring the first path and instead choosing the one which runs beside a small stream directly opposite where the BW comes up from the dale.
Keep heading uphill, following the BW which runs to the left of the small stream. You’ll almost certainly end up pushing the bike before long. Near the top of the steep climb, make sure you follow the path as it crosses over to the right hand side of the stream. The ground becomes very boggy and the ‘path’ difficult to follow, but keep looking out for the posts, cairns and occasional marker stones which should help keep you going in a north east direction. If you lose the path don’t worry, if you head north east you will hit the road at some point. Eventually the slope eases off and you’ll be able to ride on the sheep tracks to arrive at the road at NZ 702 002. On the opposite side of the road look for a metal BW marker pole (if you have lost the path you may have to ride along the road a bit to find it).
Take the BW which starts at the marker and heads in a north eastern direction over the moors on some narrow but pleasant single track. After a while the surface changes to a series of stone slabs constructed to help pack horse traffic over the moors long before there were proper roads. Although you will avoid the mud, the riding is not always easy and at times it becomes quite a challenge to stay on the bike. Follow the path which is sometimes peat and sometimes stone slabs, until you get to wide muddy path. Turn right at the path, and look for an obvious stone cairn on the left which marks the top of the next BW.
Warning. The next section is very steep, rough and has a dangerous drop to the side. If this sounds too scary for you, simply carry on along the big wide BW to the north west and then take the BW which heads over the edge and down to Great Fryup Lodge where you can rejoin the route. If you do decide to ride this section, be prepared to walk the very steepest part to save damage to yourself, your bike and the trail.
Head cautiously head down the hill until the ground drops away before you. The path zig zags down the very steep slope with lots of rocks, and a scary looking drop to the right. You’ll probably want to chicken out and walk at least the very top section. After a comparatively short distance the slope eases and you can follow the path to where it crosses a stream by some trees.
After climbing up from the stream follow the BW across the heather, through a gate and then along a fine swooping, grassy single track which follows the fence line. Eventually the BW turns into a grassy farm track which heads downhill towards Raven Hill farm and a minor road.
Once through the gate, turn left on the road, and head up the road which has some short but brutal climbs. At the junction by the woods, turn left and carry on up the hill before you start to descend again. You can extend the route by using the BW at NZ 718 049 to head NE to Danby Crag and then return on the BW which runs parallel at the base of the ridge. Carry on along the road which descends before climbing climb again. By the cattle grid at NZ 711 054 turn on to the BW to the left, which heads west and uphill on a faint series of sheep tracks. Cross the road by the metal BW marker pole and head uphill on the narrow, rough track up to the ridge. Stay on the path as it crosses the top of the ridge, on some fine moorland single track, before the ground starts to drop away. The best way to get down the hill is to try to follow the widest and most distinct path of the many sheep tracks which all head downhill. If you are lucky you’ll be able to ride all the way to the bottom, but some of the tracks can get very rocky and overgrown in places. Once through the gate in the stone wall carry on down the field to East Cliff farm. The path has been diverted and you must pass a series of gates as you skirt round the edge of the farm yard. Then carry on down the driveway to arrive at the road at NZ 695 048.
Turn left on the road and carry down into the valley. Make sure you turn right at the junction just before the bridge over the stream. Head up the punishing steep hill to eventually arrive at a junction on top of the ridge. Turn left again and carry on up the ridge on the wide road. After a long but easier hill and a few curves to the right, start to look for BW sign (not the footpath just before this) at NZ 682 028. Turn left onto this path which heads due south over the moors. You may want to stay on the road back to the start if conditions are really boggy. Cross the minor road by a moorland cross and follow the BW downhill over some nice moorland single track. The BW gradually turns SW across the head of the dale before climbing up toward the road on Blakey Ridge. Although the path is better drained than you might expect, it can become very boggy in winter. When you arrive at the road, turn left and head down the road past the Lion Inn and to the car park and the start. The Lion Inn is open all day year round and worth a stop for a well earned break, as they tolerate muddy bikers.