key hubs

The whole of the Dales is great for mountain biking but there are some key hubs where you will be able to do great biking straight out of your accommodation.  These places have great places to stay, good public transport access, car parking, toilets, shops and cafes.  This means that once you get there you won’t have to move around.

Malham
Malham is a well known village in the southern Dales, with the big draws being the dramatic rock face of Malham Cove with some of the hardest rock climbs in the country, and the internationally important Malham Tarn.  The whole area has fantastic limestone scenery with fast drying trails and an awesome network of routes.
There is some cracking mountain biking including Mastiles Lane along an old monastic way taking in the remains of a Roman marching camp, and Arncliffe Cote with a beautiful crossing of limestone grassland and a stunning descent into the village of Arncliffe.  Then there’s Malham Moor, Weets Top and the routes to Settle, which all means you can devise routes to suit from epic days to short recovery rides.

Grassington
Grassington is the main town in Wharfedale but you are quickly away from the crowds and onto quiet trails.  There is the great rocky descent from the old lead mining area of Yarnbury, numerous trails over Malham Moor , Appletreewick pasture and the classic crossing of Barden Moor.
In the town itself there are numerous places to stay, a small supermarket, numerous shops and plenty of pubs and cafes.

Buckden
Buckden is the start of some epic routes which cross from Wharfedale into the surrounding valleys.  The days are long, the climbs are monsters, but the views and downhills are superb.  At the end of a Buckden route you will definitely be able to have a pudding with your meal that night.
The village itself is at the top of Wharfedale at the foot of Buckden Pike, and is hidden in a fold in the hills.  A shop, cafes and three pubs in the area – what more do you need.

Pateley Bridge
Pateley Bridge is a small town that acts as a gateway to the Nidderdale area in the eastern Dales.  It is a lovely historic town with a great variety of pubs, cafes, accommodation and shops.  There is a great variety of trails in the area including some relatively easy circuits, and long climbs and descents over the gritstone moors that surround the town.

Horton-in-Ribblesdale
Horton is a small village in the heart of the Three Peaks area of the Dales.  There is a great range of accommodation from a campsite, to a bunkhouse, to pubs and B&Bs.  The famous Pen-y-Ghent café is in the heart of the village.
There is a great variety of easily accessible trails in the area from the classic tour of Pen-y-Ghent to the stunning crossing of the Ingleborough Nature Reserve on Long Lane.

Hawes
Hawes is one of the highest market towns in England and is situated in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.  There are many classic routes including the old Roman road out of Bainbridge and the superb route down the valley to the dramatic Castle Bolton.
The town itself has plenty going on with plenty of pubs and cafes to choose from.  The area is famous for the wonderful scenery and some tremendous waterfalls including Hardraw and Aysgarth.

Reeth
Reeth is in the north of the Dales, is the main town in Swaledale, and has long been a mecca for mountain bikers.  There is a tremendous selection of tracks with some stunning rocky climbs and descents, some quick old mining tracks and a lovely riverside route.
The village itself is sited where Arkengarthdale meets Swaledale and surrounds a large village green.  There is everything you could need for an extended stay from pubs and cafes to a large range of places to stay.

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