MTB Sutton_Bank and Boltby

About trip

Character: The route takes you along the escarpment overlooking the Vale of York, before diving down Thirlby Bank at speed. This is a technical line, with twists and turns over rocks. A climb back up via Boltby village will test your fitness, before a rolling passage along the Cleveland Way, before a great descent across a moorland meadow. Climb easily back up through woods and then enjoy the rolling singletrack across the escarpment all the way back to the car. Time now for tea and cake. 

1. From the car park head along the lane towards Cold Kirby for a short distance, alongside the horse gallops. At Dialstone Farm turn left onto the bridleway that skirts the edge of fields before turning  onto the Cleveland Way. Go through the small gate and head along the scar before a bridleway sign to the left, guides you steeply down through trees. This rocky singletrack is technical, with some dips, twists and drops. Towards the bottom, stick to the left, avoiding the uneven horse tracks in the gully. 

2. At Southwoods Lodge take the bridleway through the gate whcih leads north towards Tang Hall. This rolls down on good double track, before swooping across a grassy meadow to the farm. At the farm (Tang Hall) turn right over the cattle grid and climb the track to Greendale, passing through the farm to the left and steeply to the woodland, joining the BW junction at the bottom of Little Moor.

3. Take the lower BW, which speeds you down through trees (keeping to the upper left edges of the gully), before a fast descent across the meadow to the lane which leads into Boltby village. Turn right at Boltby and climb Boltby Bank nearly to the top, before heading left into the woods and along the bridleway to High Paradise Farm. Avoid the lower road to the farm, as the extra climb to this BW is worth the effort.

4. At High Paradise Farm turn left along the Cleveland Way, passing the first BW to the left (in the woods), rolling along gently to the next bridleway to the left (gate in wall), which twists left before descending the moorland meadow at speed to the BW junction at Gallow Hill. Go through the gate and take the bridleway left, through Boltby Forest and back up to the Cleveland Way. Turn right onto the track and cycle along to Sneck Yate.

5. As you reach the road, descend Boltby Bank for  200 yards before joining the bridleway left onto the Cleveland Way. This climbs across a smooth grassy meadow, before singletrack rolls you along the top of Boltby Scar. The riding now flows, with gentle descents that twists along the singletrack before climbing up and back towards Dialstone Farm.

6. At Dialstone Farm turn right and head back to the visitor centre and nice cup of tea...or a pint at the Hambleton Inn.