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From WhatMountainBike? MagazineLORD STONE'S LOOP

Distance: 19.3km (12 miles) Time: 2-4 hours Rating: Hard Maps: OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors (West)

Essentail Info

Best Time to go: There are some potentially boggy stream and sticky scree sections, so it's best left to times when it's either frozen or baked dry.

Maps: OS Explorer OL26 North York Moors (West)

Getting there: Unless you're local you'll be coming up or down the A19 to the A168 Stokesley road. After approximately 5 miles turn off at one of the two Carlton in Cleveland junctions.
Drive through the village and straight on (rather than bearing right) and up the stupidly steep bank. Lord Stones Cafe is tucked away over a cattle grid on your left just as the road starts to dip again.

Food and where to stay: Lord Stones cafe is open 9-5 every day except Christmas and New Year and serves hot food, cake, tea and draught beer. In summer there's often an ice cream van at Clay Bank too. There are farmhouse B&Bs at both Carlton and Chop Gate, with more in Stokesley or Great Ayton.

Tourist Info: Great Ayton 01642 722835

YHA: Nearest is Osmotherly 01609 883575

What to take: It's only a short ride but the ridges here are properly exposed, leaving you at the mercy of the weather, so dress accordingly. You can stock up with food at Lord Stones Cafe and the mid-ride pub stop, but take a get-you-home snack to avoid tears before hometime. We'd throw an extra couple of innertubes in too as the waterbars and rock steps aren't forgiving.

Bike Shops: Bike Scene, The Old Ambulance Station, Park Lane, Guisborough 01287 610735.

This might be one of the shortest routes we've featured, but it's got some very challenging climbs and technical sections and can also be extended very easily in either direction. Not only has the route got excellent riding, but it also has archaeology and stunning views in bulk plus one of the best cafes in the UK - which is where we start (and finish).

Before you ask who Lord Stones of the Lord Stones Cafe was, 'he' is actually a they, as the name refers to a set of three prehistoric burial cairns and associated standing stones on the site. Happily the excellent selection of cakes and hot food on offer are far from prehistoric, and the cunningly hidden oasis is open from nine till five right through winter.

The first section is fantastic roller coaster singletrack over the shale tips of the old mines, but watch out for the two soggy sections and if in doubt take the high line. The first real test is the steep climb onto Cold Moor, of which the centre section is a case of shoulder the bike and scramble, but the singletrack onto the top and along the ridge is well worth it. This takes you past another trio of barrows as you head towards Bilsdale transmitter mast, and then onto one of our favourite sections of singletrack downhill anywhere in Britain. Just watch out for the rocks early on and make sure you take the crucial line shift to the left near the top.

Cold Moor lane itself is often very sloppy so try not to face plant before you get to Chop Gate (pronounced Chop Yat). Pace yourself up the long climb onto Urra Moor too, as you'll need all your strength and skill to clean the section to the top of the wood.

Once you're on the escarpment though, the view into Bilsdale is fantastic, which explains why someone ancient went to a lot of trouble lining it with several miles of ramp and ditch earthwork. The trail along the top is classic Moorland sheeptrack, but watch out for the sudden rocky dive at the stream gully, before winding yourself up to the viewpoint on top of Jackson bank.

Although the sign at the top advises riders to dismount, the rough curved step section down to Clay Bank is rideable with care - but don't blame us if you stack it. Watch out for walkers and water bar punctures too.
After hoofing up the first half of the steps, the final big climb is an excellent technical test, though by this point we guarantee your legs will be feeling far worse than your mileage would suggest. From here it's not far back along the bank front, before a final gallop along the slag heaps towards a well earned pot of tea or pint at the cafe.

Route info

The start: Leave the north end of Lord Stones cafe car park and head NE between the copse and the duckpond, following the fenceline downhill.

1. 500m (0.31 mile) Trail splits, go left up short bank rather than following official markers. Don't worry, the land is owned by the cafe and they're happy to see riders using the trail.
2. 2.7km (1.7 miles) After following the contouring singletrack join the paved and water barred section through a small dip, then follow the trail to the north of the wall line to a steep gully. Use the stile over the fence rather than the signposted footpath to the south.
3. 3.3km (2.05 miles) Follow the trail between wood and wall until the bottom of a short rocky downhill at Garfit gap. Turn right through gate and climb SW over grassy mound to join paved trail.
4. 3.7km (2.3 miles) Ride through the gate (providing it's open) then bear left (SSW) off the paved footpath and follow bridlepath signs up a short steep scramble. Singletrack up to the ridge top, then turn S along the spine of Cold Moor.
5. 5.2km (3.23 miles) Follow the left fork of the trail as it turns downhill and rapidly becomes fairly rocky and technical singletrack.
6. 6.45km (4 miles) Grin foolishly then go straight through gate and down the (rather soggy) Cold Moor Lane.
7. 7.2km (4.47 miles) Watch the slippery farmyard tarmac as you drop into Chop Gate. If you're tired already take the back road north east to the cafe. If you got over excited by the downhill there are toilets in the car park just off the main road to the south. There's also a hotel/pub here, but it's a bit early for that...
8. 7.85km (4.9 miles) Follow the main Bilsdale road north for 600 metres before turning R after it drops downhill. Turn almost immediately right again through the ford (or foot bridge).
9. 8.1km (5.03 miles) Follow the mud and concrete farm road down and then up, ignoring the turn to the right. Up the steep scrabbly concrete bit and continue through East Bank farm up the lane to where it turns south at the wood. Double back through the gate then immediately through the small gate on your right, following the singletrack between the fence and the wood.
10. 9km (5.5 miles) Wind your way up through the wood, crossing straight over the first broad firebreak and up again following signs. Follow climb as it turns south then turn SE on curving firebreak before SP track due east. Through gate at edge of wood and shoulder bike up boggy gully to top of scarp.
11. 9.5km (5.9 miles) Follow well surfaced track northwards, keeping to this as it swings slightly in from the lip of the moor, as the original bridleway has disappeared.
12. 10.1km (6.27 miles) At sharp right (eastward) turn of hardcore track, turn left (westward) down short technical tussocky downhill for 150m. Turn right (north) just after North Yorks Moors noticeboard to follow singletrack trail round lip of moor. If it's wet just persevere and follow the wall line running north until you clear the bog.
13. 12.35 (7.67 miles) Be prepared for sudden rocky drop into stream gully. Jump across stream then follow singletrack NNE along top of earthwork.
14. 13.3km (8.26 miles) Stop to admire the view at the gate and mock or heed the warning sign. The steps are steep but perfectly rideable if you've got the skill. Hop and skip down stone pitched trail following top edge of wood down to B1257 at Clay Bank.
15. 14km (8.69 miles) Cross road and carry bike up first section of steps before riding/carrying up last section and final big climb. Follow broad trail westwards back past Garfit gap and retrace tyre tracks back to Lord Stones cafe.

Total Distance: 19.3km (12 miles)

This route was provided by WhatMountainBike? magazine.

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