Anyone in the Kirkby Malzeard / Grantley / Pateley Bridge area?

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Widgeon

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We've got a weekend away booked with the horses in this area and I'd like to know what the access is like on and around Dallowgill Moor. Obviously I have the maps and can see the PROWs but I could really use some local knowledge on the moorland access (or lack thereof). We're staying on a cattle farm so I don't think our host will know. If anyone knows the hacking in that area could you pop me a message? Thanks very much :-)
 
There is fairly limited hacking on the actual moor - but there are bridlepaths around. I would probably start by basing a route on the CXackpots Mosiac Trail (this is a circular walk)but much of it's on bridleways


There are plenty of quiet lanes to hack along - but much of the unmade tracks are very rough and stony (eg from Tom Corner over moor towards Bouthwaite).


Alternatively if you want off-road hacking I believe you can buy a day pass to Lindrick Livery (where I have my share - assuming they still do them) which will give you access to the private off road routes; and would include the cross country field. I would comment that currently the ground is hard - as I'm sure is almost everywhere).

https://www.lindricklivery.co.uk/

Message me if you want to know about specific paths - although I've not had a horse fit enough to hack over that way for a few years - so a bit rusty
 
Andrew657 said:
Message me if you want to know about specific paths - although I've not had a horse fit enough to hack over that way for a few years - so a bit rusty
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Thanks so much, this is really useful. Yes, we're on the edge of the NY moors and the ground's like concrete everywhere. I'm keen to avoid too much work on rough stony tracks as my horse is unshod (fronts off last autumn) and is struggling with them at the moment, although I'm hoping that doubling up on boot pads will help.

The Mosaic trail looks promising - we're actually staying right on it, so we can figure something out based on that. Would be nice to see the mosaics too. I'm not too fussed about Lindrick as we have plenty of nice off-road hacking where we live - I'd like to see some of the local BWs really. Re specifics (I'm sure they won't have changed too much - we'll be carrying a folding saw anyway so if there are overgrown bits we'll fight it out!) -
  • Do you know what the byways are like over the moor? Particularly the one from Stope Bridge over to Bouthwaite?
  • What's the BW like over Laverton moor? I.e. heading East from #1 on the Mosaics map.
  • The Nidderdale Way, both South and North of Ramsgill - is it nice? The Southern bit looks like an old railway, but has it been tarmacked and made "accessible"? Same question for the Northern bit I suppose, although that's not on the line of the old railway.
And finally.....any nice pubs or cafes you can recommend?! Sorry for all the questions, I'm shamelessly picking your brains here.
 
Stope Bridge towards Bouthwaite - have only done the Stope Bridge end but extremely rough stone track. I imagine if you get towards Bouthwaite the views will be great.

Sorry can't remember the bridlepath across Laverton Moor.

Pretty sure Nidderdale Way hasn't been tarmac'd - from distant memory the Southern part down side of Gouthwaite is effectively like a farm track. Don't know Northern part at all.

The track from Belford towards Skelding is normally very wey and boggy - so is probably a good option if you're there before the rain returns.

The track from Skelding through Skell Gill - and West across the moor (I have never managed to find the route across the moor).

Pubs - Pub in the area is the Galphay Inn which is pleasant/ depending on where you're staying as to distance Sportsmans at Wath (bottom of Gouthwaite) is very nice.

Cafes - The Olive Tree in tates Garden centre is nice but busy (Junction of Galphay Lane & Ripon/Pateley Road) - also closed Mondays - including Bank Holidays ; can also recommend G&T's primarly ice creams - but cafe too - at Risplith.

Grantley Hall I understand is special - if you want a second mortgage.

Another option is (and you would probably need to box to start) is to do a circuit round Fountains Abbey - there used to be designated horsebox parking at the end of car park A - in the visitor centre carpark. However I think they have now used this area for electric charging points. If this interests you I can have a quick check - drive past entrance en-route to the yard
 
Andrew657 said:
Another option is (and you would probably need to box to start) is to do a circuit round Fountains Abbey - there used to be designated horsebox parking at the end of car park A - in the visitor centre carpark. However I think they have now used this area for electric charging points. If this interests you I can have a quick check - drive past entrance en-route to the yard
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That is extremely kind of you - if you are going past and can poke your head in I'd be very grateful, but don't go out of your way. I may just phone them up, wave my English Heritage membership number, and ask them to help me out with parking! My in-laws live in Ripon so I've walked around Fountains lots of time, but I'd love to ride in that area. It's a pretty special place.

Thanks you very much for all the info on specific tracks - this is so good to know.

The track West from Skell Gill sounds like a challenge - if the weather stays dry with good visibility I might push to have a crack at that. We both ride a lot on the NY Moors so our horses are patient and long suffering when it comes to reversing slowly out of hideous gullies, etc 😆
 
The nice man at Fountains says that the coach / long vehicle parking is now in Car Park B, and it shouldn't fill up this time of year, so we'll go for that. Thanks for the suggestion - I wouldn't have thought of riding around Fountains!
 
Just a quick update should anyone find this thread in a search:
  • The BW / ROW in this area are fantastic - lots of work done by the local access officer to register upgrades of FPs - although the moorland tracks are (predictably) very rubbly and hard going
  • The lanes are quiet enough to ride on
  • Fountains Abbey very horse friendly - free parking in the coach car park and a small path at the side of the road to bypass some of the entrance drive; decent gates on the BWs and loads of routes accessible from the car park
Accommodation:
  • Little Seed Field glamping can sometimes take horses (nothing fancy, just a small spare farm paddock that is sometime available - worth a chat with the owner): https://www.yorkshiredalesglamping.co.uk/
  • West Leas Farm holiday cottages also has grazing (and more human creature comforts): https://www.westleas.uk/horse-friendly/
  • The hacking access from Little Seed is probably better - literally straight out onto a byway and into the BW network. I think West Leas requires a mile or so of roadwork before joining the BWs, but even so.....that's not bad!
 
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