Dodd Fell, (Hawes) Yorkshire Dales MBR Route

[markrussell78]

Found this little easy going route in a mag from a few months back. Tore it out stuffed it into my camelbak along with an OL30 explorer map. Drove to Hawes and set off. Within 20 minutes was cursing MBR as the climb was a bit more than what I would say suitable to be classed as 'easy. Anyway battled on and kept thinking to myself 'this would be much better being ridden the other way round'. Again carried on swearing away on their classification of easy and how I was going to send them a good email whinge. Once about 45 minutes in decided to check the map and see where I next needed to turn. It was then I noticed I was riding the trail in reverse........................................... ...............

It was too late to turn back and start again so I completed it this way. It did mean I could change the route slightly as I remembered part of the Pennine way was a fast stony descent going in the direction I was going. Sadly it was so windy today it was almost impossible to get any decent speed down it.
So in future I will look at the map a little closer and follow it in line with the numbers printed on it. Had I have done it the other way it would for sure have been an 'easy'.
Stupid boy.

[DaMilkyBarKid]

Guilty of that too (not an MBR route though!). Went out in the Elan Valley years ago following a map I'd been given by a local rider, thought all the ups would make a good down and vice versa. Went home and only realised my mistake a week later!!! Went back and did it the right way round just to right the wrong

[Agent Orange]

I stayed in a cottage outside Hawes a few years back, the slope in question was across the Valley. I didnt pay much attention to the direction either when I saw the route but did think easy was a tad optomistic. Real nice scenery and seriously jealous that you are in easy driving distance.

[markrussell78]

Aha, glad its not just me! Yes very lucky to be so close to the Dales and Moors. Hawes is 45 minutes from the door. Reeth is even closer.

[PMC101]

you pillock, no sat-nav mark?

[markrussell78]

Nah didn't bother with the gps. Only good thing that came from it was the extra exercise!! Still good to be out though.

[Agent Orange]

Id never get anything done if I lived up that way, if i wasnt out ridding it would be walking.

Know Reeth quite well, last time we were up there we went up onto the ridgeline on the southern side of the valley on what started out as a sunny day, just as we reached the halfway point the cloud came over the ridge and chucked it down, proper cats and dogs, got back to the village green just as it stopped and the sun came back out.