Climbing the 'backbone of England' — The Pennine Bridleway

The Pennine Bridleway is one of the most iconic long distance trails in the United Kingdom, spanning the length of the Pennine Hills from South to North, often referred to as the ‘backbone of England’. These ‘hills’ are not to be underestimated, and pass through the Derbyshire Dales, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria. From ancient Roman roads to grassy singletrack, woodland trails to spectacular connecting lanes, the Pennine Bridleway bikepacking route offers you some of the very best off road riding and views that the North has to offer.

Here we propose the entire length of the Pennine Bridleway in five riding days. There are also two additional loops that you can try, and if you’re looking for a longer adventure, the Pennine Bridleway is also the starting point of the Great North Trail that spans all the way up to Cape Wrath and John O’Groats at the Northern tip of Scotland! The Pennine Bridleway can certainly be completed in less than five days over this 186 mile (300km) route, but here we find five days to be a good balance of challenge on the bike, and time to explore off the bike. After all, the route is littered with historic ruins and quaint towns, all waiting to be explored.

It’s worth saying here that this is by no means an easy or beginner’s route. The climbs can be very tough in places and terrain anything but smooth, but don’t let that put you off trying a day ride or two in the area before committing to the whole route. You’ll need a good level of fitness to ride the Pennine Bridleway, and be well clued up on emergency procedure too as there are many remote areas that you’ll venture into, where emergency help could take some time to reach you.

The best bike choice for the trail is probably a rigid or hardtail mountain bike, as there are some technical and rocky sections along the route. You can certainly ride it on a gravel or adventure bike if you’re technically capable and don’t mind walking a few sections!

Accommodation along the route is plentiful, from hotels and inns, guest houses and hostels to many campsites. Remember that wild camping is not permitted in this part of the UK so you’ll need to overnight in a campsite if you’d like to sleep outdoors. Make sure you book ahead in any case, as the trail passes through many popular areas.

The Pennine Bridleway is best accessed via train, and here we’ve routed the start and of the route to local train stations in Wirksworth (South) and Kirkby Stephen (North). You can take your bike on English trains, but just check before you travel as you might have to book your bike onto your chosen service in advance.

The best time to tackle the Pennine Bridleway is in the summer months, although be aware that it is likely to be busy during July and August with the UK school holidays. Early and late summer offer good windows of opportunity, from May to June and September to October when it is hopefully a bit less busy but still with better weather. Or at least we hope - make sure you take your waterproofs just in case!