West Burton & Coverdale
Route Overview
This route has a hard climb over to Coverdale and a good downhill finish with terrific scenery all the way. Start this route from the long village green in West Burton. Head south on the road for 3k and 150 mts of ascent. Turn left through a gate and follow a stony track climbing all the way. After 400m the track bears left through a gate onto another rutted track.
Follow this track over the top, soon becoming a much better firm track with fine views over to Great Whernside. As the track starts to cross Fleensop Moor it becomes rutted and soft and is hard going for 400 - 500 metres. After the ruts the going gets easier and then descends to a gate before the final rough descent to Braidley.
Turn left at the road for 1.5 k then right onto a lane dropping over bridge to Arkleside. Follow the lane through to a gate and a rough track turning left and then right. At this point the prospect of a long daunting climb appears ahead and it is a tough 700mts climb up to the bridleway on Arkleside. Turn left through gate and cross Arkleside Gill. It's a short push up the other side to where you pick a good single track. This track is easy to follow for 3.5k, a little boggy in parts and broken only by a technical crossing of the gully Hindlethwaite Gill.
Eventually a tarmac lane is reached leading to West Scrafton. Turn left here on the road and follow through to Carlton. Turn right in the village and then left at junction after 1k to Melmerby. Turn left again at Melmerby for a long crossing of Melmerby Moor passing the gallops to the right. The road then descends turning left at Penhill Farm above Witton Steeps. At the next right bend go straight ahead on to a wide firm track.
Follow this track now all the way along the front of Penhill with views along Wensleydale. After 3k the track bends towards the south and becomes loose as the gradient steepens for an exhilarating finish along Morpeth Gate down to the road. Turn left at the road to West Burton.
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