Cycling in Yorkshire
Cycling in Yorkshire
Last updated 15th August 2022
The Skipton to Bolton Abbey cycle route is Stage 5 of the Sustrans Slow Tour of Yorkshire. It starts in Skipton, goes to Embsay, then takes a back road to Bolton Abbey.
There is nice scenery, a rolling road - always up a bit or down a bit - and an interesting destination with plenty of café options.
If doing this as a family ride, I recommend starting from Embsay so as to avoid the busy roads as you leave Skipton. There's a free car park on Main Street, Embsay, by the Elm Tree Inn.
Distance: 7 miles each
way, so 14 miles there and back
Time: 1h
The map shows the route from Skipton to Bolton Abbey in yellow, and a further short section to the Cavendish Pavilion café in green. An alternative return route is shown in orange, and a variation on the alternative return route in light orange.
This is the ride on Plotaroute; you can download a navigation file from there.
This is the Sustrans leaflet for the ride.
If travelling by car, there's plenty of space at Skipton High Street car park - but it is quite expensive.
Leave Skipton on the A6131 The Bailey, passing the church and castle on your left. This is not fun because you're going steeply uphill on a busy road. If you're doing the ride with children, it might be best to ignore the 'no cycling' signs and use the pavement.
Near the top of the hill you pass The Bailey car park - also expensive, but it might be a better option so as to cut out part of the uphill section on the A6131.
Turn left off the A6131 towards Embsay on what is called Skipton Road. Although theoretically a minor road and a designated cycle route, this is also pretty busy. You go under the A65, then under the railway, and arrive at the village of Embsay.
Pass the pub on your right, the Cavendish Arms.
You also pass the entrance to Embsay Station, which is a stop on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.
Turn right by the paper shop and Post Office, on Shires Lane.
At the next junction, turn right on Low Lane. It's a narrow country road, with green and pleasant land either side.
Although it is quiet, you absolutely will encounter drivers going too fast, impatient drivers who are frustrated that they can't get past immediately, and close-passing drivers who refuse to wait for a passing place.
A little more than half way to Bolton Abbey, you reach the small village of Halton East.
At Halton East, there's an American diner and kids' play area called Billy Bob's Parlour.
After Halton East, it's mainly downhill. You pass Hesketh Farm Park on the way to Bolton Abbey.
As you come into the village, the main car park, visitor centre, and WC are on your right. There's a charge for parking at Bolton Abbey, but no entrance charge to the estate, so it's free to visit by bike.
A little further on is one of the cafés, Tea on the Green.
Turn left in Bolton Abbey onto the B6160. The first right (signposted for the Priory Church of St Mary & St Cuthbert) takes you down to the ruins of the Priory, and the stepping stones across the Wharfe. See Bolton Abbey's map of the site.
The GPS file and the green route on the Google map take you a bit further along the B6160 (which can by busy with traffic), under the narrow arch.
Continue as far as the Cavendish Memorial Fountain then take a right fork to the Cavendish Pavilion.
The Cavendish Pavilion is a popular place for coffee and cake, and is right by the river Wharfe.
Return by the way you came.
Instead of going back the way you came, there's an alternative return route over the moors. Head back up to the B6160, turn right on it, and continue north until you see Barden Tower. This is the orange route on the Google map.
Turn left up Barden Road, towards Halton Height.
It's quite a steep hill, and you reach 311m at the top.
Descend to Eastby.
If you live in a traditional Dales village and you're proud of it, why not announce it with a sign on a rock, a bench and some bunting?
On the other hand, since 2016, union jack bunting makes many of us feel queasy because it has a distinct Brexity flavour.
I don't think there are any cafés or pubs in Eastby but if there were I'd be sorely tempted to go in, order a drink, and ask if I can pay in euros.
Continue down to Embsay, and rejoin the GPS route there.
To avoid riding on the B6160 as much as possible, cross the Wharfe at the Cavendish Pavilion, and turn left on the single track road up through Park Plantation. This is the light orange route on the Google map.
Turn left and cross the river again, this time on Barden Bridge.
Climb up from the river to reach the B6160 at Barden Tower. Turn left on the B6160 for the short distance to the Barden Road turn. Here you're back on the alternative return route.
Most of the Skipton to Bolton Abbey ride is covered by the 1:50,000 OS Landranger map number 104. Skipton is on map number 103 Blackburn & Burnley Clitheroe and Skipton.
OS Landranger Leeds Bradford on Amazon.
Bolton Abbey, in Wharfedale, includes the ruins of an Augustinian monastery founded in 1154, known as Bolton Priory. At the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Bolton Priory closed (1540).
At the west end of the ruins of the Priory is the parish church (St Mary & St Cuthbert), which survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Work was done to its architecture in Victorian times, including windows by August Pugin. It is still used for worship today, and is Church of England.
From 1748, the Estate belonged to the Dukes of Devonshire (surname Cavendish), then the ownership structure was changed when it was handed over to the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees. The Devonshire family remain involved.
Bolton Abbey is involved in grouse shooting. They boast of 13,500 acres of land devoted to it on Barden Moor, and state that with 50 lines of grouse butts "high quality driven birds can be presented in all conditions".
They also sell "special and challenging pheasant days".
In general, it is strongly suspected that birds of prey are illegally shot or poisoned by some grouse moor gamekeepers or managers. The Chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park has said the Park Authority is strongly opposed to 'barbaric and persistent persecution of raptors' on grouse moors.
As well as any illegal killing of birds of prey, managing moors for the highest possible intensity of grouse involves the legal killing of other predators, including foxes, stoats, weasels, and crows, using traps and guns.
Grouse shooting estates continue to burn heather to favour new shoots that grouse like to eat. In burning, they kill insects, reptiles and small mammals, and they release carbon dioxide and dry out the land, contributing to global heating. They also damage peat and destroy mosses.
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The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway opened in 1981.
It uses the former Midland Railway route from Skipton to Ilkley, which closed in 1965.
There are steam and diesel locomotives, and an electric autocar.
Trains run every Sunday, and up to 7 days a week in the Summer.
Sustrans says bikes are welcome on the train, and suggests the railway as a way of returning from Bolton Abbey. Bolton Abbey Station is off the A59, though, and you would have to ride a mile or so of the A-road to reach it.