Visit Settle Cycle Route No.1
Settle - Wigglesworth Circular
This circular route explores some very quiet back lanes, well away from traffic, to the south-west of Settle.
Wonderful views of Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent and Pendle Hill.
Discover places with unusual names such as Wigglesworth, Tod Holes, Sheep Wash (Upper & Lower!),
Wham (Upper & Lower!), Rome and Farther Rome.
Approx. time to complete: 1hr 15mins
Shortcut: Waypoint 8 to Waypoint 4
Short Route: 10 miles
Shortcut: Waypoint 4 to Waypoint 8
Total Ascent
1221ft (372m)
Terrain
Easy to Moderate
Flat road and then gradual climbs and some satisfying descents.
The route crosses the busy A65 twice and so is not suitable for young children
Starting & Finishing Point
Settle Market Place
( can also be started and finished at Rathmell, Wigglesworth, Giggleswick)
This road is prone to surface water after heavy rain.
The clockwise direction has gradual climbs and the anticlockwise direction has shorter but steeper climbs.
Make a longer day of it ...
Link with Routes 4 and/or 10
(Waypoints refer to numbers on the Google Map above)
| WAYPOINT | DISTANCE (cumulative) | DIRECTIONS |
| START | 0ml | The route starts from Settle Market Place. Ride south down Duke Street (passed The Golden Lion) to Waypoint 1 at the junction with Station Road (just before Cottontail Crafts). |
| 1 | 0.09ml | Turn right and follow Station Road out of Settle to the mini roundabout at Waypoint 2. On the way you'll pass Settle Railway Station on your left, cross a bridge over the River Ribble and enter the ancient parish of Giggleswick. |
| 2 | 0.8ml | Turn left at the mini roundabout and follow Raines Road to the junction with the A65 at Waypoint 3. |
| 3 | 1.36ml | Turn left along the A65 and then immediately right under the railway bridge (signposted to Rathmell & Wigglesworth). Follow the road through the Long Preston floodplain (known locally as "Rathmell Bottoms" ) and then climb the hill into the Rathmell and Waypoint 4 in the centre of the village by the Reading Rooms. Be aware that the road may flood after a period of heavy rain and become impassable. |
| SHORT ROUTE: From Waypoint 4, turn right along Hesley Lane to Waypoint 8 and turn right towards Giggleswick rejoining the Long Route back to Settle. | ||
| 4 | 3.13ml | Carry straight-on through Rathmell and climb steadily towards Wigglesworth, crossing over a number of becks on route. Join the B6478 at the T-Junction, Waypoint 5, as you enter Wigglesworth. On leaving Rathmell, look out for Cappleside Woodland Burial on your left. |
| 5 | 5.16ml | Turn right at the T-junction and follow the B6478 through Wigglesworth to Waypoint 6 at the first turning on the right. Watch out for The Plough Inn and wonderful views of Pen-y-gent to the north-west. |
| 6 | 5.51ml | Turn right along Tod Holes lane. Ride through Hole House farmyard and after bearing left and then right, climb steadily along the narrow, gated lane to the T-junction at waypoint 7. Watch out for glimpses of Pendle Hill to the south. |
| 7 | 7.36ml | Take a right turn at the T-junction and join the Tosside to Rathmell road. Follow the road to waypoint 8 at a left turn signposted to Giggleswick and Wham. The steady climb continues and reaches the highest point of the route (771ft) close to Boostagill Farm (home of Peaks & Pods). You can often see kestrels and buzzards on this section of the route. In the fields by the road on the final climb to waypoint 8 you may see some llamas! |
| MEDIUM ROUTE: From Waypoint 8, carry straight on along Hesley Lane to Rathmell and Waypoint 4. Turn left and retrace route back to Settle via Waypoints 3,2 and 1. | ||
| 8 | 9.05ml | Turn left towards Giggleswick. The road climbs to a high point (750ft) just after the farms of Higher and Lower Wham and then it's downhill to the T-junction at Waypoint 9. Watch out for Rome Farm and Farther Rome as you approach Waypoint 9. |
| 9 | 13.39ml | Turn right onto Paley Green Lane and follow the road for short distance, passing under a railway bridge, to the junction with the A65 at Waypoint 10. Giggleswick Station (on the Leeds-Morecambe line) can be seen to the left, just before you pass under the railway bridge. |
| 10 | 13.74ml | Carefully cross over the A65 onto Brackenber Lane, passing the Craven Arms on the left. Follow the lane to the mini-roundabout at Waypoint 11. See if you can spot the Plague Stone set into the wall on the righthand side of Brackenber Lane just after the Craven Arms. |
| 11 | 14.21ml | Turn left at the mini-roundabout and follow Raines Road for a short distance to the junction with Bankwell Road on the right at Waypoint 12. |
| 12 | 14.30ml | Turn right along Bankwell Road and follow to Waypoint 13 at the junction at the bottom of Belle Hill. |
| 13 | 14.73ml | Turn right up Belle Hill to the junction with the B6480 at Waypoint 14. |
| 14 | 14.80ml | Turn right along the B6480 and follow the road downhill out of Giggleswick and into Settle and then back to Settle Market Place. |
| END | 15.34ml | The route finishes at Settle Market Place |
Safety
As always make sure your bike is in good working order and that you are suitably dressed and experienced for the ride you are doing.
Make sure you have drink and snacks to suit the weather conditions.
Check your route on a map beforehand and make sure others know where you are and estimated time of arrival.
Take care crossing main roads especially at weekends and bank holidays as tourist traffic can be busy.
CLICK HERE to view the route on OS Maps >>
CLICK HERE to view the route on Strava >>
CLICK HERE to download a gpx file of the route >>