Circular route from Gargrave

1. Start

Leave Gargrave by the lane alongside the car park (West Street).

Easting: 393161, Northing: 454313

2. Gargrave to Bell Busk

Cross the canal and you'll very soon reach a junction, where you go straight ahead (Mark House Lane), past the No Through Road sign. Half a mile or so after passing the houses in the grounds of Gargrave House on your left, the surfaced lane becomes a stony bridleway. Now the real off road biking begins (Bridleway sign at this point). The track undulates gently before turning sharp left and dropping down towards Bell Busk.

Easting: 390580, Northing: 456425

3. Bell Busk to Coniston Cold

Cross the bridge and turn left when the lane is reached. Cross over a 2nd bridge to a T junction and turn left (Signposted Gargrave, Skipton). Continue on this lane, alongside the stream. Pass under the railway bridge and climb gently up to the church before descending to Coniston Cold.

Easting: 390380, Northing: 455065

4. Coniston Cold to Stainton Hall

Stop at the T junction. You have now reached the A65, which you need to cross with care and turn right. If you don't want to ride this short section, there is a wide pavement on which you can push your bike. Fortunately, you're only on the A65 for 100 yards or so before turning left into the sanctuary of Moorber Lane.

Note the sign pointing up Moorber Lane for the Craven Country Ride. It refers to a horse ride not a bike ride, but it does serve to remind that this is horse riding country. Cyclists should remember to always give way to horse riders and pass slowly and carefully, giving as wide a berth as possible. A friendly "Hi" to the horse rider is always nice.

Carry on up Moorber Lane, continuing straight ahead at the bridleway signs. After Pot Haw Farm, the made up surface becomes a rough track. The red and white marker flags hereabouts are for the horse riders, you continue straight ahead, passing over two cattle grids. Immediately after the 2nd cattle grid you are on a made up surface and it may feel like you are on a private drive. Don't worry; it is a bridleway, as the blue arrow on the gatepost testifies. Pass Stainton Lodge on your right and, as the driveway to the impressive Stainton Hall turns sharp right, you take the unsurfaced track straight ahead, towards a small wood.

Easting: 388580, Northing: 452762

5. Stainton Hall to East Marton

Pass through two gates (with blue bridleway arrows) and on through the wood. As the trees give way, the track passes through another gate and on to open fields. Continue on the track through the fields. Leave the fields at a further gate where you turn left onto a farm track. This gated track drops down to a lane where you'll see from the Bridleway sign that you have just ridden 1.75 miles from Coniston Cold.

Turn left along the lane and then right at the T Junction (Signposted West Marton). Start climbing the hill, but don't worry - you don't have to go all the way up. As the road swings to the right, a Bridleway (Signposted East Marton) cuts off to the left. Take this bridleway, which is a made up surface as far as a farm and then becomes a rough track. It turns sharp left at the bottom of the hill and then climbs gradually until it reaches the A59 at East Marton.

Easting: 390555, Northing: 451029

6. East Marton to Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Turn left onto the A59 for a very short distance before turning 1st left off the main road, to reach the Cross Keys pub. Take the lane which runs behind the pub, which drops down, past a cafe, to reach the canal. Cross over the canal bridge. Note the sign that advises that the towpath is unfortunately not suitable for cycling at this point. If you've not seen it before, it's worth locking your bikes up here and walking on the towpath to the right for a short distance to see the 'bridge on top of a bridge' that carries the A59 over the canal.

On returning to your bikes, take the narrow lane with the canal on your left. The made up surface soon becomes a track and eventually becomes surfaced again. Note the canal towpath joins the lane on your left, with a further reminder that that part of the towpath is prohibited for cycling (presumably because the towpath is quite narrow under the bridges).

The lane soon passes over the canal, at which point you can drop down, on your left, on to the towpath and under the bridge.

Note this is a 'roving bridge'. The towpath changes from one side of the canal to the other and the bridge is designed to allow the towing horse to cross over without unhitching the canal boat. You'll probably have to think it through!

Easting: 391017, Northing: 451521

7. Leeds and Liverpool Canal to Gargrave

Continue on the towpath past the cottages and locks at Bank Newton. The towpath disappears for a short while after Bank Newton and you have to take to the lane that runs alongside - but only as far as the next bridge (which is another roving bridge). Cross the bridge and rejoin the towpath through the gate on your right and drop down under the bridge. The towpath takes you back to Gargrave, passing under the A65. Leave the towpath at the next bridge (Bridge 170) and turn right, back to the car park.

Easting: 393114, Northing: 454418