Tan hill - Reeth
The Route
TanHill is the highest
Public house in the UK, it has a long history dating back
to when lead mining was a the major industry in this part
of Yorkshire. However it was coal rather than lead that
was mined at Tanhill, used to fire the furnaces in the
smelting mills of Gunnerside and other local lead mines.
The whole area is rife with the remains of an almost
forgotten past.
Reeth is a typical Dales
market town, it is built around a large central green and
has numerous Pubs and teashops, the idea place to end.
Start Point
(It is possible to continue back to Tan hill via a loop, see
end of “the route” section)
Starting at Tan hill, head
south on the Pennine way, on a vehicle track. After a
short climb to get your legs moving it soon turns into
single track with numerous lines on offer. After a Km or
so you start descending on more multi-line single track
which is excellent.
After approximately 2.5 km things can
get a bit wet depending on the time of year (I’d
advise you not to attempt to ride this section if it has
been very wet prior to your ride), for the next Km or so
you’re on open moor land until you pass through a
gate into a sheepfold alongside a barn.
Go out of the second gate and
continue along the following the signs for the Pennine
way, through a short sunken lane and more gates until you
start gently climbing out into open moor again with
lovely views to your west (right).
It wont be long until
you start to drop into the valley with Keld over the
River Swale to your right. It's time to leave the Pennine
way as it follows the southern bank off the Swale and we’re
staying on the northern side. Time to stop and have a
quick look at the falls.
Kisdon Force
Go through the gate after the
bridge and up a short, sharp, rocky climb and along the
bridle way with a fence to your right, you might be able
to hear Kisdon Force, a waterfall in the steep sided
rocky valley below.
After a few hundred meters you
should pass a tractor that is in serious need of some
attention, keep right. Be careful on the decent as
the rocks can be slippy and the robo-walkers have a knack
of jumping in your path on fast sections like this one.
It’s very simple now
cross the little ford at the bottom of the track then
follow it up around to the left, then it’s a fast
rocky ride for the next 2Kms along side the Swale.
When
you reach the footbridge that crosses to Muker bare left
up the track and keeps going until you hit a metalled road.
Follow this for almost 3Kms taking care of the sharp
corners as you pass Ivelet.
As on one occasion I rounded
the sharp corner that drops down into Shore Gill to find
a herd of cows coming the other way, much to the farmers
amusement as I skidded through the cow chocolate trying
not to over shoot off the bridge and into the stream
“bloody townies”.
Dykes Head Farm
It’s time to wake up
those legs because from here its over 3.5Kms of uphill,
on and off road, firstly just under a Km on the same road
your on, then turn left onto the bridleway opposite Dykes
Head Farm that is sign posted “Gunnerside Gill”
the rest of the way you stay on this track admiring the
view and spinning those pedals, nice.
After you’ve passed
through a gate and crossed a small stream bare right on
single track staying in Gunnerside Gill. Enjoy the ˝ Km
down as you descend into the valley, its possible to see
the extent of the mine workings over to you’re right
as you fly past, watch out at the bottom as the track
abruptly ends in a stream.
All around you is proof of the
industrial heritage of this area, its hard to believe
that 150 years ago the whole valley would be a hive of
activity, draped in a cloud of furnace smoke with
hundreds of people working above and below ground the
mill directly in front of you was abandoned in 1827, but
mining continued in Gunnerside up until the mid 1880’s.
Choose your route
From here there’s
a choice of 2 routes, firstly
(a). A technical single track
involving a bit of a carry, secondly
(b). A climb out up the mine
workings to your right on the opposite side of the valley
as you dropped in.
You should follow
the single track to your front heading up the valley, it
might be an idea to push this section however if you’re
quite competent it is ridable just take care not to fall
off to your right as it’s a bit of a drop to the
stream. When you reach the next mine workings cross over
the stream onto the flat area and choose your route.
(a). If your going via the
single track continue up this side in the same direction
until you reach a right fork about 500m along, it’s
a switch back that will bring you out on the top of
Gunnerside Gill facing south.
That’s the direction
you entered in. Just follow the bridleway south until you
reach a crossroads with a signpost, to your right down
the hill marked “Gunnerside” is where the other
option joins.
(b). The less technical option
but still hard work, is to head back down on the eastern
side of the valley, the opposite side to the one you come
in on until you reach the area of the mine workings /
hushes that you could see previously on your right, then
simply follow the sign post that directs you up over this
side of the valley.
Either way your now at the top
You should now be stood in the
middle of what looks like a lunar landscape, all gravel
no grass or heather. This is the left over waste from a
line of bell pits that stretches to the west for over 6
Kms, but when hard packed it makes an excellent ridding
surface, as the next 2Kms of downhill illustrates so
pleasantly making the climb out of the valley worthwhile.
When you reach a gate turn right and continue mostly down along the
bridleway to the road passing the Old Gang mill along your way.
Turn left on the road up a short climb, then down and through the ford
at the bottom, I’ve been told this is the ford seen at the beginning of
“All creatures great and small” the old vet series, for those of us of
advanced age, old enough to be able to remember it.
Climb up the steep road as far
as the first hairpin bend. Then go through the gate in
the dry stonewall and up the short climb on the bridleway.
Downhill again I’m afraid, too much fun for some I’m
sure, for 1 ˝ Kms (*for those with over developed thighs
going back to Tanhill you turn left, see notes below*).
As you approach the road take
the right fork as it saves about 200m climb on the road,
all-important after all. Turn right and pretend you’re
a roadie doing the “Tour de France” or
something else riveting like that all the way into Reeth
for tea and medals, hurrah!
The loop back to Tanhill
As mentioned
previously it’s possible to do a loop back to
Tanhill, it’s a very simple route. Turn left on the
road (*see above*) towards Langthwaite and follow the
road for about 2kms until you come to a Y-junction at the
top of a hill on the other side of the village
It’s
sign posted Tanhill left and Barnard Castle take the left
fork, go this way. Keep going for almost 2Kms taking the
second bridleway to your left, this should also be marked
Tanhill. Now it’s
simple stay on this same track all the way to Tanhill, there are 2
junctions of any consequence just stay right on both, it has a good
surface most of the way, 10 Kms.
Admin and Advice
I strongly advice against cycling alone but especially along here,
its not technical but is very remote and your unlikely to see any one
the whole time. It is advisable
to take the usual equipment but also a map and compass as
tracks change. It can also get extremely windy blowing
from the east usually, so even if it’s not
particularly cold after a shower and with a bit of a wind
blowing, well need I say more. Safety.
Map used –
OS Outdoor Leisure 30 1 : 25000 Yorkshire Dales northern
& central areas.
Date route last
ridden by myself – Aug 09 2000
Tanhill to
Reeth - 30 Km.
Tanhill loop -
40 Km.
Tanhill public
house - Can provide lovely food, accommodation
and has parking.
25 03 03
