Old packhorse routes for horse and bike across three national landscapes, easy to join for a short loop
Built with horses and bikes in mind first, walkers second, the Pennine Bridleway is something a little different from most long-distance paths. It runs 330 kilometres from around Middleton Top or Hartington Station up to the A683 near Cote Moor, largely following old packhorse trails and drovers’ roads that have carried traffic across the Pennines for centuries, long before it became a route for its own sake.
Because it was designed for hooves and wheels, the surface tends to be kinder underfoot than a typical moorland footpath, which is good news for anyone bringing a family out on bikes for an afternoon rather than tackling the whole thing. There’s no need to ride it end to end — plenty of access points along the way mean a loop of an hour or two is just as legitimate a way to use it as the full 205 miles.
Along its length it crosses three different national landscapes: the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland, so the scenery shifts from gritstone edges to limestone dales to open moor without ever feeling repetitive.
Being shared use, courtesy goes a long way — horses and bikes sharing a path with walkers means slowing down and giving way where the trail narrows. Moorland sections can turn wet and exposed quickly, so check conditions locally before a long ride, and carry a layer even when the valley looks settled. A well-maintained bike or sound tack matters more out here than it would on a town cycle path, simply because help is further away if something gives out.
