Settle, Yorkshire Dales

Distance 23.6km (14.7 miles) Climbing 700m (2,296ft) Time 1hr 30mins to 3hrs 30 mins

Route summary An explorative trip into these limestone hills, where you can visit caves and waterfalls along the route. Good tracks, great views, easy navigation and some fun off the bike too

Start/ inish Greenfoot car park (grid ref SD 820/633, postcode BD24 9QS) 1

Go north out of the car park, to Chapel Square (crossroads) and turn right. Keep right at the fork, then left at the next (signed to Kirky Malham), on Albert Hill. Head left past the old chapel, signed Pennine Bridleway (PB), for 1.3km, keeping left on Stockdale Lane. Continue along the tarmac.

2

Just before Stockdale Farm, follow the PB through the gate on the left, climbing some rocky sections to reach flat grassland. Continue on this grassy track to the high point, where the Stockdale bridleway continues straight on but you turn left. Descend the grassy tracks down to Gorbeck Road and go left on a mix of grassy track and fast gravel.

3

The trail undulates and then descends past the Jubilee and Victoria caves to meet a road. For a shortcut, go left almost immediately onto another bridleway. Otherwise, turn right on the road/PB. Follow the PB signs left (on a dead-end road).

4

Cruise downhill and make a right before the farm. Cross the fields, between the walls, and go left across a field to and through another wall, where Catrigg Force waterfall is just o the route. Bear right into the trees. Keep ahead, between the walls, dropping down the Sett path to Stainforth. 5

Follow the PB signs through the village and into the car park, to pass under the main road (B6479) and railway. Turn left on the road, over the bridge (River Ribble). Stainforth Force (waterfall) and its pools are south along the river here. It’s also a great place to see salmon between mid-October and mid-November.

6

Turn left at the crossroads by the Knights Table campsite and cafe, on a singletrack road, to just past a big farm with huge barns. Go left, down past a house on a narrow track. Cross the River Ribble at the loch/weir and keep on to the main road, where you go right (take care here) to Langcli e. Head left on the Main Street.

7

Pass through the village, climbing steeply uphill, back to where you were earlier. Turn right through a gate when the road bears sharply left. This grassy singletrack descends into Settle. Continue down to the tarmac and turn left, then right at the fork, on Constitution Hill, to the town’s central square. Make a left, then go left again by 3 Peaks Cycles, back to the crossroads at the start. Continue straight ahead, back to the car park, to finish.