DALES TRAIL
Self-supported bikepacking
Event Website
Dales Trail
Info: Entries for this event open on Friday 4th July 2025.
| Age 25 and Under* | £45.00 | |
| Adult* | £80.00 | |
| * All fees relative to Event Date (06/09/2025) | ||
Includes:
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The Dales Trail takes you around the perimeter of the Yorkshire Dales National Park on Drovers Lanes, farmers double track and moorland singletrack.
The routes crosses large areas of uninhabited upland terrain as well as through small villages in Malhamdale in the south to Swaledale in the north, Dentdale in the west and Wharfedale in the east.
There are iconic off-road bike trails through the Yorkshire Dales for example the Pennine Bridleway gong North to South and Dales Divide going East to West and back again but the Dales Trail is happy to stay within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and experience the diverse landscapes and superb tracks and green lanes that can be found around its borderlands.
The Dales Trail event is a three day self supported, long distance bikepacking adventure across 320kms (200 miles) of remote moorland, steep valley slopes, bogs, fords, streams, rock gardens, onto remote pubs, village cafes and a few welcome stretches of tarmac on narrow lanes. The route is approximately 75% off-road.
The field of riders will be limited to 40, the route is unmarked and there is no outside assistance. Expert navigation skills and experience of riding ‘rough stuff’ terrain are required. Highlights include:
Moorland singletrack through Bowderdale in the Howgill Fells
Miners tracks to Blakethwaite Mill in Gunnerside, Upper Swaledale
Limestone track on the slopes of Ingleborough
Quiet lanes across the Westmorland Dales
Drovers Lanes in Malhamdale
Descent from Tan Hill
Cam High Road and Ribblehead Viaduct
Double track to Dent’s Houses, Apedale
Podgill Viaduct, Eden Valley
Fremington Edge
Skyreholme Bank
The starting line is the 3 Peaks Cycle Cafe on Market Street in Settle. Riders register on Saturday from 7.30am with a group start at 9am. The Dales Trail forms part of the YD Triple Crown.
Maps, route info and a short film about the DT320 are on the Yorkshire Divide website: www.yorkshiredivide.co.uk
Feel free to ask any questions about the event to Adrian at [email protected]
The cost of entry to the 'Dales Trail' includes:
- GPX file - Sent to your email address a week before the start date.
- Event Hub - Every adventure needs support and so 3 Peaks Cycles in Settle will be our hub where all riders sign on from 7.30am.
- Breakfast - in the 3 Peaks Cycles Cafe riders can enjoy a meat or veggie sausage bap & tea / coffee from 7.30am
- GPS tracker - this ensures event officials and friends / family can see a riders progress through the YDNP
- Embroidered cloth badge - no hats, no T-Shirts, just a cloth badge stitched in Leeds.
This is a self supported ride using the gpx to navigate the route. The route is not signed posted / flagged with Dales Trail arrows. There are no manned feed stations as the route passes through Dales villages. There is no rescue vehicle. Riders are expected to follow the well established informal codes of bikepacking:
https://yorkshiredivide.co.uk/7-principles-of-self-supported-bikepacking
The route passes bothies, through several Dales villages with corner shops and pubs and there are train stations near the 130km and 280km point so riders are never entirely isolated.
The organisers do not provide insurance. Being insured through either British Cycling or Cycling UK would help cover for bike loss or injury. Personal insurance is advisable but not mandatory.
View the Event Disclaimer / Terms and Conditions.
View the Event Cancellation / Refund Policy.
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