Farndale, North York Moors

Distance 30.5km (19 miles) Climbing 826m (2,709ft) Time 2hrs 30mins to 4hrs

Route summary A loop over little-ridden, not-too-technical North York Moors singletrack, accessed by doubletrack and some tarmac, with sharp climbs and continuously undulating terrain. It can get sticky in winter and overgrown in summer, so pick your poison.

Start/ inish Car park on Fadmoor Bank above Gillamoor (grid ref SE 675/893, postcode YO62 7JZ).

1

Head north on doubletrack (Rudland Rigg), ascending continuously. Continue for approximately 8.5km, until you’re about 200m before Bloworth Crossing.

2

Look for the farm track heading east towards Farndale, to access the shooting butts. Head east into the gully. The bridleway here can be hard to spot and follow, but it gradually improves. Proceed to a gate, pass through it and cross the stream. Head for an abandoned barn, then to Daleside Road and eventually to Elm House.

3

After riding for around 200m on tarmac, bear right onto Pryings Lane and head to, and across, a wooden bridge over a stream. Bear right, and head steeply up a sunken valley to some gravel doubletrack at the top. Go left and you’ll eventually reach a road past Spout House. 4

Proceed along the (sometimes broken) tarmac, occasionally up but mostly downhill, until you reach Monket House. Turn right through a gate and head steeply uphill along another smashed-up road past a quarry for almost 2km of hard climbing. Rejoin Rudland Rigg and turn left.

5

Look for a bridleway o to your left (which crosses the Rigg). Make your way down this long, fun descent to rejoin the tarmac, then make a right to Low Mill. Turn right and continue steeply uphill, then ride for 4km to Harland Beck Farm. Use the bridleway through the wood to rejoin the road from Gillamoor back to the start.