DANBY LOOP "EASY" - ROUTE

THIS IS A NICE EASY 11 MILE ROUTE - STARTING AND FINISHING IN DANBY VILLAGE, NO REAL CLIMBS - NO REAL TECHNICAL CHALLENGES , BUT STILL A VERY ENJOYABLE RIDE - WOULD MAKE AN IDEAL BEGINERS LOOP OR A GOOD NIGHT RIDE - NOTE: DUE TO THE OPEN NATURE OF THE MOORLAND THIS RIDE COULD BE AFFECTED BY COLD STRONG WINDS OFF THE SEA !!! LAST RIDDEN ON 10/09/2015 -

BASICALLY :- PARK AT THE "DANBY MOORLAND CENTRE" AND HEAD WEST THROUGH THE VILLAGE PAST THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON PUB ,FOLLOWING THE RIVER ESK & ESK VALLEY RAILWAY - ON THE WOODLAND PATHS HEADING TOWARD COMMONDALE AFTER ABOUT 4 MILES THE OBVIOUS TRAIL STARTS TO DISSAPEAR BUT BASICALLY YOUR TRYING TO LINK UP WITH THE MAIN ROAD OUT OF COMMONDALE AT THE TOP OF SANDHILL BANK ( SEE MAP ) YOU MAY HAVE TO GO ROGUE AND CROSS A FEW COWFIELDS BUT ONCE YOU PICK UP THE ROAD CLIMB THE HILL AND FOLLOW IT EAST, UNTIL IT MEETS UP WITH THE MAIN "SMEATHORNS ROAD" ( THERE IS A BUS STOP WHERE THESE TWO ROADS MEET - COMPLETE WITH ITS OWN "BANKSY" GRAFITTI ) ) KEEP GOING STRAIGHT AHEAD WHERE YOU PICK UP AN OFFROAD TRAIL ACROSS THE MOORS , THIS IS A GREAT HARD PACK TRACK THATS PERFECT FOR MOUNTAIN BIKING - AFTER 2 MILES YOU COME TO THE MAIN MOORS ROAD THAT LEADS DOWN TO DANBY , FOLLOW THIS ROAD FOR QUARTER OF A MILE THEN TURN LEFT , ONTO THE NARROWER ROAD THAT LEADS UP TO DANBY BEACON - TURN OFF RIGHT AFTER ABOUT 200 METERS ONTO A SINGLETRACK THAT TAKES YOU DOWN TOWARDS CLITHERBECK FARM, TURN LEFT HERE ( SEE MAP ) , SKIRT AROUND THE FARM PAST A FEW OLD RUINS AND PICK UP THE SINGLE TRACK. WITH THE HIGH GROUND NOW ON YOUR LEFT , FOLLOW THIS TRACK RIGHT ACROSS THE MOOR UNTIL IT BRINGS YOU OUT NEAR TO "PARK BANK - LODGE LANE" WHICH CAN TAKE YOU BACK TO DANBY , BUT ITS MUCH MORE FUN TO DROP DOWN HILL TO "REDWAY" FOLLOWING THE FAST ROCKY FOOTPATH BETWEEN THE FARMERS FIELDS - FOLLOW "REDWAY" DOWN TOWARDS THE RAILWAY LINE PICKING UP "LAWNS ROAD" THIS ROAD WILL TAKE YOU BACK INTO DANBY, BUT THIS RIDE IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT A QUICK LOOK AT "DUCK BRIDGE" THE ANCIENT 13TH CENTURY PACK HORSE BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER ESK , AT THE BOTTOM OF "LAWNS RD" .



HARD ROUTE OPTION = THIS RIDE COULD BE MADE MORE CHALLENGING BY ADDING A FIVE MILE LOOP THAT TAKES IN THE TWO LOCAL LANDMARKS OF "DANBY BEACON" AND "SCALING DAMN" . IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP ABOVE YOU WILL SEE WE LEAVE THE TARMAC ROAD BEHIND AND TURN RIGHT ONTO SINGLETRACK JUST BEFORE THE INDICATOR FOR MILE 8 - BUT INSTEAD OF TURNING OFF , WE SHOULD STAY ON THE ROAD AND CARRY STRAIGHT ON UP TO DANBY BEACON, THIS HIGH POINT DOMINATES THE SUROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE AND AFTER ENJOYING THE VIEW WE LEAVE THE TARMAC BEHIND AND HEAD EAST ALONG THE WIDE GRAVEL PATH THAT DROPS DOWN TOWARDS LEALHOLM , AFTER 150 METERS THERES A FOOTPATH ON THE LEFT THAT IS A FAST BLAST ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE EASTERN END OF SCALING DAMN ,WE THEN HEAD TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RESERVOIR FOLLOWING THE LAKESIDE PATH BACKOVER TOWARDS THE "SCALING DAMN CLUB HOUSE" WHERE WE PICK UP THE FOOTPATH THAT CLIMBS BACK UP TO THE BEACON. ONCE BACK AT THE BEACON WE CAN PICK OUR WAY CROSS COUNTRY USING SHEEP TRAILS TO REJOIN THE ORIGINAL ROUTE JUST AFTER THE MILE 9 MARKER.

Load more