Pennine Bridleway National Trail
306 km / 190 miles
Opening in stages over several years, the Pennine Bridleway is a new National Trail that has been designed specifically for horse riders and mountain bikers and will also form a major new route for walkers. Broadly parallel to the Pennine Way National Trail, the full route from Middleton Top in Derbyshire to The Street in Cumbria travels through some of the finest scenery in England passing through the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, using old tracks, quiet roads and newly created sections of bridleway, taking a generally lower line in valleys and on hillsides and across moorland.
New sections of bridleway have been created in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and elsewhere along the route. Please see the detailed route maps which are now available from the Pennine Bridleway National Trail website http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/penninebridleway/downloads.asp?PageId=114
The section north of the Mary Towneley Loop was opened in June 2012 with 164 miles of continuous route from Middleton Top in Derbyshire to The Street, just south of Kirkby Stephen. A feeder route from West Yorkshire, the Calder-Aire Link, is open and two more are under construction from the West Pennines at Bolton and the Northern Peak District from Penistone.
The elevation profile shows the bridleway between Middleton Top and The Street and using part of the Mary Townely Loop.
Future plans are to extend the Bridleway to Bryness but in the current economic climate this may take some years.
The 190 miles shown here is made up of 69.5 miles from Middleton Top to the Mary Towneley Loop, 44.5 miles of the Mary Towneley Loop and 76 miles from the Mary Towneley Loop to the Street just south of Kirkby Stephen. To qualify for inclusion in the LDWA register of long distance paths these three parts will need to be walked. We have not included the link routes Dark Peak Link, Calder Aire Link, West Pennine Link and the Settle Loop.
The LDWA National Trails Register offers certificates for completers of several British National Trails.
Details:
| Path Type: | National Trails (England & Wales) | |
| Waymark: | National Trail Acorn | |
| Attributes: | Challenging; Horse Ride (Multi User); Moorland | |
| Start: | SK274551 - Middleton Top, near Carsington Reservoir, Derbys  |
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| Finish: | NY738015 - The Street, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria |
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| Open Date: | 2002 | |
| Web Sites: | National Trail - Pennine Bridleway |
Publications, Badges and Certificates:
| Certificate: | Certificate for National Trails (Long Distance Walkers Association - 2009) |
| Hardback: | Pennine Bridleway (South): Derbyshire to the South Pennines (National Trail Guides) (Aurum Press - 2004) |
| Illustrated Map: | Map of England and Wales Walking Routes (Arty2 Ltd - 2010) |
| Book: | Walking the Pennine Bridleway in Derbyshire (John Merrill Foundation - 2006) |
| Leaflet: | Pennine Bridleway - An Adventure on Horse, Bike or Foot (Natural England - 1995) |
| Paperback: | National Trails: The National Trials of England, Scotland & Wales (Cicerone Press - 2007) |
| Paperback: | Big Walks Of Great Britain (Summersdale Publications - 2007) |
| Booklet: | Mary Towneley Loop: A Pocket Guide to the 48 Mile Loop of the Pennine Bridleway for Horseriders, Cyclists and Walkers (Forest of Rossendale Bridleways Association - 2004) |
| Leaflet: | Pennine Bridleway - Mary Towneley Loop Guide (Natural England) |
| Leaflet: | Pennine Bridleway - Settle Loop Guide (Natural England - 2007) |
Maps: |
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| Purchase Ordnance Survey Maps (path is named on OS maps): | |
| OS Landranger: | 91, 98, 103, 109, 110, 119 |
| OS Landranger Active: | 98, 110, 119 |
| OS Explorer: | 1, 2, 19, 21, 24, 41, 277 |
| OS Explorer Active: | 1, 2, 19, 21, 24, 41, 277 |
| Other Paper Maps: | |
| Harvey Map (Stripmap): | Pennine Bridleway South: Derbyshire to South Pennines (Harvey Maps - 2004) |
Walking Support Providers:
| Support Providers: | Baggage Carrying Service (Trekvan) |
Group Accommodation within 5 Km of this Path:
| Bunk House: | Fell End Bunkhouse, Ravenstonedale, Sedburgh | 4 Km |
| Bunk House: | Whernside Manor Bunkhouse, Dent, Sedburgh | 5 Km |
| Bunk House: | Clapham Bunk | < 1 Km |
Additional Images: |
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Connected Paths:
Downloads:
| GPS Exchange Format Route File: | Pennine Bridleway National Trail GPX Exchange Format Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| MemoryMap Route file: | Pennine Bridleway National Trail Memory Map Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| Route Desc (PDF): | Route Description MTL to Cumbria | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| Tracklogs Route file: | Pennine Bridleway National Trail Tracklogs Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
Route Profile:
| 263.1 Km (163.5 miles) 6,684 m (21,929 ft) ascent 574 m (1,883 ft) maximum height |
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