Mountain Bike routes from Shipley

I suggest a local OS map to aid navigation

Esholt/Apperley Bridge – 10 miles (Easy)

Ride down to the canal and head eastwards on the towpath towards Leeds. Go under the bridge carrying the main road to Otley and, after a quick look in Ellis Briggs cycle shop, continue along the towpath. An old pack horse bridge is soon seen ahead either take the cobbles to the left or slippery stone flags by the water edge. The path is narrow here so show due care for any pedestrians. On reaching the swing bridge follow the tarmac road alongside the canal. After the railway bridge hop back onto the canal towpath. Keep with the canal to the next swing bridge and then a quick left and down to the bridge which crosses the River Aire. A short uphill brings you to the main road. Turn right for 200 yards and then right again for Esholt. Follow the country lane into Esholt village. Look out for the seat just before the ‘famous’ pub. On its right there is a track which you need to ascend. At the top turn right and follow the road. On your right is the sewerage works so you may need to hold your breath. At the road end carry on the track ahead for 100 yards bearing right and then go straight on. Eventually you will reach a staggered junction. Turn left and then immediately right into some woods. Follow the track, which can be quite muddy after rain, until its end. You are now at the main road between Bradford and Harrogate. Turn right and descend the road (take care – very busy). At the bottom (Apperley Bridge) turn right, right again after the bridge, follow road to canal swing bridge. Turn right onto towpath and follow this back to Shipley.

Cullingworth/Harden – 18 Miles (Hilly)

Find the best route to Staveley Garage near Nab Wood School. Take the bridleway which goes through the school grounds to Cottingley Cliffe Road. Turn right then left into Cottingley old village. Keep straight ahead, through the gate, and follow the tarmac. At the very top bear right, then take first left and then right keeping an eye open for a track (100yds) towards a farm. There is a cattle grid to cross then follow the track to the farm. Go through the farm and follow a track up towards Blackhills. At the road turn right and keep with this until a reaching a T junction by Blackhills Scout Camp. Turn left and after 200 yds take the track ahead of you. Follow this and descend a narrow technical single track littered with boulders. A bold approach will get you down this better than a slow descent. On reaching the main road in Wilsden turn left for 100 yds then turn right just before the church. Follow road up a steep hill and take first right. Follow this slightly downhill then up a steepish pull to a house. Straight ahead is a very narrow single track which ascends to Wilsden Hill. Full marks if you manage this without stopping. Contour the hillside (nice view) to a country lane and turn right down the hill. Look out for a turn left which takes you down to Hallas Bridge. Cross the bridge and climb steeply towards Cullingworth. Keep ahead on the rough unmade road until reaching the main road. A quick left and then right joins another bridleway which climbs past a quarry and local rubbish tip. At the top you are now near the Five Flags pub. Just before the main Halifax-Keighley road a bridleway on your right leads down to a farm and continues by a little café and eventually to another road. Turn left here and then left again after 200 yds. Follow the grassy path back to the Halifax-Keighley road. Turn right and follow road to X roads. Turn left by the Flappit pub and ascend slightly to road summit before turning right onto another bridleway. This is a nice descent down a singletrack to Cross Roads. At the main road turn right and immediately left, follow this road uphill for a mile or so to X roads. Straight across and first left onto Harden Moor. Keep with the track to its end. Turn left, then over a stile on the right. Cross the field and follow a track between narrow stone walls. Eventually you will come to a road. Cross over and follow the unmade road ahead. At the end swing right and keep going for a couple of miles. This is a superb downhill which is very fast but keep an eye open for walkers. St. Ives estate is just on your right hereabouts. At the bottom (your hands and arms could be feeling it after the descent) turn left and drop down into Bingley. Various options are open to you now but I suggest a blast back along the canal.

Hawksworth/Guiseley – 20 Miles (includes a short stretch of very busy moor road - requires caution if riding with scouts).

Head for Saltaire Village and cross the footbridge over the River Aire. Don’t enter Robert’s Park but go to the Coach Road and turn left, after 200 metres turn right for Shipley Glen. Ascend the track beside the Glen Tramway to the top. Go past the funfair and turn right on reaching the Glen. Follow this road (West Lane) all the way to Baildon centre. Turn left at the roundabout and head for the moors, over the cattle grid, keep straight ahead and then down a steep hill. Where the road narrows turn left into Sconce Lane and ascend towards Sconce campsite. Keep on this track until reaching Faweather Farm. Where the track splits go right and follow this to the moor road. Turn right here, beware this road is extremely busy with fast moving traffic, continue ahead until reaching a road on your right. Turn right and follow this road through Hawksworth village. After leaving the village behind you will pass a large residence on your left. Take the next left and keep going until reaching Harry Ramsden’s fish shop. Turn left and follow the main road towards Otley. Just before the traffic lights there is a bridleway on your right. Take care crossing the road and descent this track. At the bottom the track starts to ascend through trees to a road, cross over and keep following the bridleway. The track becomes quite steep and rough but is ridable. At the top there is a seat nicely placed for those who have just found the last mile a bit tough! At the road turn right, descend for a short distance and then turn left. Follow this track all the way to the Chevin road, turn right and continue ahead until reaching a wood on the right after passing a pub. Look for a bridleway through the wood, this takes you south and meets a road. Turn right and keep going until meeting another road, turn left and descend to Guiseley. At the X roads turn right and follow to traffic lights, straight through to T-junction. Turn right and then second left, follow unmade road to tarmac. Look out for a bridleway on your right. Take this and descend rough path to tunnel. Keep straight ahead through woods to eventually arrive at a track junction with the woods just behind you. Turn right and follow track to tarmac road beside the filter beds. Turn left at the end and follow road through Esholt. Pass the cricket ground and turn left at the main road for about 100metres and turn left again. Descend track to cross a bridge over the river and a quick blast to get up the other side to the canal. Follow canal back to Shipley.

Dick Hudson’s/Baildon Moor - 12 Miles

From your start point ride to Victoria Road in Saltaire. Go down to the bottom and turn left towards the canal. Don’t ride onto the towpath but go straight ahead and keep going towards the tennis courts and bowling greens. Ride between the greens and keep to the track between the cricket pitch and river. A couple of hundred metres along there is a bridge over the river. Cross the river into a housing estate – just keep ahead along pavements until reaching the Coach Road. Turn left and follow road which eventually changes from tarmac to hardcore. Ascend slightly to Milner Field gates. Turn right and ascend bridleway to renovated iron gateway. Turn left and climb steep cobbled track – this can be slippy when wet. The gradient eases and you follow an unmade road, turning first right after a barn, continue along bearing left past some houses. After a short descent turn right and down to gate. Through this and continue on track to Shipley Glen. At the road turn left and ascend hill until reaching an unmade track on right. Turn right here and look for a track which climbs straight up to Dobrudden caravan park on the hilltop. A bit of pushing will probably be required here but it’s not too far. At the top follow wall and then strike out across moorland to reach the track near the cinder holes. Descend track to the main moor road between Baildon & Bingley. Turning left and follow road over cattle grid and take the first right for Golcar Farm. At the farm look for a stile which allows you to navigate the farmyard, then follow bridleway to the second gate. Turn left and follow wall to gate. Cross the field, telegraph pole in middle, to another gate. Go through this to next gate in line. Here you are back on tarmac – just follow to main moor road. Turn left to reach Dick Hudson’s pub. Turn left and descend road keeping a watchful eye open for a bridleway on your right. Having located this bridleway follow it down the hill and then up the other side on large gritstone slabs. Turn right and follow unmade road to reach T junction. Turn left and continue to roundabout, straight ahead to Gilstead. Turn left just after the football field and descent road. After about 150 metres turn left into Milner Field woods. Keep with the track all the way through the woods – it’s a good fast ride but watch out for pedestrians. At the gate you are now back on the Coach Road.

Start point is the canal at Saltaire. Head along the towpath towards Shipley - the path is narrow here and there are usually plenty of people walking so take care and give way to them. Keep with the canal under the Otley Road bridge and, if you feel like a quick look, Ellis Briggs cycle shop is on your left. Keep following the towpath between the old buildings and on reaching a packhorse bridge either go under it or go up and over the cobbles. You soon reach Dockfield Road swingbridge. Don't follow the towpath but take the road to its left and keep going to railway bridge. Swing back onto towpath and stay with it until reaching the next swingbridge. Turn left and descend to river, cross over on old iron bridge and ascend track to Otley Road in Charlestown. Turn right and then first right towards Esholt. You didn't read this here but I usually nip along the pavement to save encountering the heavy traffic. Follow road into Esholt village. When the road swings left, turn right and immediately left by village seat. Ascend short track to tarmac road and turn right. Follow road with the filter beds on your right. Go through barrier and follow track bearing right at first junction. Keep along this track which is flat to track junction. Turn left and then right into wood. Stay with the bridleway through the woods (usually wet and muddy) to the end. At the house turn left and then right down Apperley Bridge road. This is a very busy and major route so do take care. Note the obvious right turn chevrons, ignore these and take the road on your left after the playing field. Continue along here and cross over the canal. In front of you should be a steeply wooded hill. The track you want ascends directly up this hill. It is steep and difficult in places and may need the odd push but you soon come to Calverley. Turn left towards Leeds and continue down and round a couple of bends. After leaving the built up area of Calverley look out for a Y junction (the main road starts to descend at this point). Turn 90 degrees right and go up slight hill amongst expensive looking houses. At the top you will find a bridleway sign. Follow the track which is narrow, rocky and quite pleasant to ride. Eventually, you will come to a track junction, turn right and follow the cobbly track uphill. At the road junction go straight ahead and descend a long and wide track to the bottom. Here you will find a pub tucked in a corner. Turn right before it and follow bridleway through the woods. This is the Leeds Country Way and gives a fairly long, if bumpy, ride down to New Line, Greengates. Cross over the main road and continue to follow bridleway down to Apperley Bridge. You meet the track where you started that steep climb to Calverley. Retrace your steps back to Apperley Road and cross over to pass the George & Dragon pub. Follow road to meet the canal. Turn onto towpath and follow canal back to Saltaire.