This 29.5km mountain bike route starts at Richmond which can save travelling into the heart of Dales but still gives a challenging workout. Most of the climbs are on tarmac roads and the downhill sections mainly off road bridleways and tracks. The route starts at the Round Howe car park just outside of Richmond, there are toilets if you want somewhere to change into your cycling clothing. The route takes you up in the hills north of Richmond to High Moor, through Gilling Woods and down into Gilling West, returning to Richmond via Kirby Hill and Aske Moor. The route is very easy to vary or shorten and there are a few pubs you may not want to pass.

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Parking: From Richmond take the A6108 towards Reeth on the outskirts of Richmond, you will see a cemetery on your right, soon after you will need to take a left turn signposted Round Howe. Go to the Car park, there is a nominal parking charge.

Round Howe Car Park to Richmond Out Moor: From the car park take the road up the hill to the A6108 and turn left onto the road. After a 100 metres or so you will see an opening on your right, take this track. Along the track there is a right turn uphill on a dirt track, climb this track to a right turn towards a small cottage then take a left turn up to the road. At the road turn left and continue to follow uphill and you will soon be travelling on dirt track. This is a well beaten bridleway as it is part of the Wainright Coast to Coast route so it’s difficult to get lost just follow the signs and gates and will take you through Whitcliffe Wood to Applegarth. At Applegarth you can either continue along bridleway to the road on the planned route or climb the tarmac farm track to the road which reduces the ride by about 3km. At the road turn right and head towards Richmond Out Moor, pass the radio masts and 200 metres or so after you will see on the left a gated entrance to the woods.

Richmond Out Moor to Gilling West: Go through the gated entrance onto a single track, this area can get quite boggy; follow the track over a beck and up a small incline to the gate. The gate is a crossroads of four paths, go through the gate and take the path on the right over the fields and through a series of gates, you should skirt Black Plantation to the road. Cross the road and take the rocky track downhill through Gilling Woods, on exiting the woods continue on the path towards a wooded area go through the wooded area to open fields and continue towards Hartforth. As you approach Hartforth you will cross a stone bridge then follow the service road through the village to the main road (B Road) and turn right and take the road to the B6274 to Gilling West. Follow the road to the right and enter Gilling West

Gilling West to Kirby Hill: As you travel through Gilling West you will pass two pubs, first The Angel Inn then The White Swan Inn. After the White Swan there is a red telephone box on the left, you will need to take the next right turn up Waters Lane after the box. Travel up Waters Lane and passing Crabtree House Farm, after the farm you will come to a dirt track junction turn left then right and follow the track over Smelt Mill Beck, soon after the beck you will come to a field. Take the bridleway through the field then right up the road to Whashton. Travel through Whashton to the road junction, turn right then left and climb the road to Kirby Hill and the Shoulder of Mutton Inn.

Kirby Hill to Round Howe Car Park: From the Shoulder of Mutton turn right and continue on the road for about 200 metres. On the left you will see a dirt road marked as a bridleway. Take this bridleway and bear right as you come to the farm buildings and continuing to follow the Hergill Lane bridleway uphill through a field. Go through the gate at the top of the field and follow the track to the road. At the road (M.O.D Road) turn left over the cattle grid and follow to the next cattle grid. Once over the second cattle grid turn right up the road and travel for around 500 metres, then turn left into Green Lane Farm, Follow the bridleway through the farm and over High Moor to the north edge of Richmond Out Moor woods. Go through the gate and take the path to the left and follow along the edge of the woods to the beck and a gate. It is often waterlogged around this gate. Go through the gate and follow the dirt track up the hill and down to the road. Turn left and follow the road for 500 metres and you will see the entrance to Natural Retreats on your right, go through the entrance and travel over the grass to the right of a walled area in the hill top. When you reach this you should see a faint trail going down the hill, follow it. As you come the bottom look left for the bridleway over the dirt road follow the bridleway along the wall then left on the dirt track to the gate. Go thorough the gate and turn right and ride up the incline, then turn left onto the Green Lane Bridleway (this is the road you first climbed) and follow the track right, then left down the hill. Take a left at the bottom, then left onto the A6108 and right back to the Round Howe car park.