Introduction
Diehard mountain bikers who think nothing of 30 miles before breakfast need not apply: this one's not for you. If you fancy something easy enough for novice mountain bikers to enjoy, this is your route. The route takes you round the top end of Rosedale, and gives you a taste of what real mountain biking is about, without the extremes, or having to cycle round yet another forest trail.
Conditions
Most of the route is on a very quiet dead-end road. The offroad section is mostly on gravel surfaced bridleway; although the part along a farm track can get muddy. In dry conditions you could easily ride this route on a hybrid bike. The route is not flat, but none of the hills are particularly long.
Alternatives
If you found you had reached the halfway point and still want more, you can climb onto the Rosedale Railway (a permissive bridleway) at Dale Head farm, and carry on along the old railway to the southern end, before rejoining the route.
Hazards
Watch out for traffic during the last descent into Rosedale, as you can get quite some speed up down the hill.
The route
Park in Rosedale Abbey. Head to the south of the village, and turn right on to the road signposted for Hutton-le-Hole. Climb up the steep road, until opposite the hotel, there is a minor road on the right signposted for Dale End. Turn right onto this road and follow the road gently downhill along the side of the valley.
After a few easy miles the road ends at the hamley of Thorgill. Carry on along the bridleway which countines after the road ends. Carry on along the well surfaced gravel track, taking care to watch out for gates, until after a mile of easy riding, the bridleway passes a gate and the surface turns to a grassy, and at times muddy track. Carry on until you reach a tarmac road just below Moorlands Farm. Turn right and head downhill. The road crosses the stream at a ford, but if the water level is high, you can carry the bike over the footbridge. Countine up the short, but steep hill until you reach a cross roads.
If you want a longer and harder ride you can turn left and carry on up the road to Dale Head Farm, and climb up to the Rosedale Railway. Otherwise, turn right and follow the road back towards Rosedale Abbey. The road dips and climbs along the side of the valley, so it's harder work than you might think. You will pass small farms and the odd row of old miners cottages, before you reach a road junction two miles from where you joined this road. Carry straight on, ignoring the turn to the left, and head down towards Rosedale Abbey. There is some light traffic on this road, so take carry you don't get too much speed up on the bends on the final downhill into Rosedale.