Although we’re based firmly in Lancashire, the Yorkshire Dales border is closer than many visitors expect – Settle sits only around 15 miles from our Dunsop Bridge hire base, making it a very achievable day out for riders wanting to sample a different national landscape.
The Route to Settle
The ride typically heads north-east from Dunsop Bridge via Slaidburn and Tosside, crossing quietly from the Forest of Bowland into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The scenery shifts noticeably as you go – Bowland’s heather moorland giving way to the more dramatic limestone scenery the Dales are famous for.
Settle Itself
Settle is a genuinely handsome market town, with the striking Georgian terrace known as “The Shambles” dominating the town square, and a good range of independent shops and cafes for a well-earned break. It also sits at the southern end of the famous Settle-Carlisle railway line, if you’re interested in combining your ride with a spot of trainspotting.
Nearby Highlights
If you have time and energy to spare, the limestone scenery around Malham and Attermire Scar is within easy reach for those wanting to extend the ride further into the Dales, although this adds considerable distance and climbing to an already substantial day.
Practical Considerations
At around 15 miles each way, this is a longer ride best suited to a full day’s hire and a reasonable level of fitness, even with electric assistance. The climbing is spread fairly evenly across the route rather than concentrated in one big ascent, which makes it feel very manageable on an e-bike – a steady, rolling ride rather than one brutal climb.
Crossing County Lines
There’s something satisfying about riding from our Lancashire base into Yorkshire and back in a single day – two very different, equally beautiful landscapes separated by only a modest ride. It’s a route we’d particularly recommend for visitors staying in the area for more than a day or two who want to see beyond the Forest of Bowland itself.
Browse our hire bikes or get in touch to plan your ride out to Settle and the Dales.