Washburn Valley - Swinsty & Fewston Reservoirs

Join us for a challenging ride to the Washburn Valley, the fabulous reservoirs Swinsty and Fewston, Oversized Golf Balls and stunning scenery, our coffee stop is Fewston Farm Shop

PLEASE NOTE: this ride is not suitable for skinny road tyres

Leaving the train station we head down the A65 turning right at the roundabout onto Bradford road and head down to Otley, we turn left at the golf club onto West Busk lane and follow to the end, using the underpass coming out on Ilkley road, just past Waitrose we take a left and follow the path coming out by the river, turn left and follow over the river and up Billhams Hill, we turn left onto Weston lane and follow to Askwith turning right onto Askwith lane then Moor lane, this is a long climb, 1.4 miles, at the crossroads we head straight across onto Snowden Carr road (this takes out a chunk of main road) and follow round picking up Askwith Moor road, at the crossroads we turn right and follow the road through Timble then drop down to North lane crossing over both reservoirs and follow the road round into the village for our coffee stop

https://www.fewstonfarmshop.co.uk/coffee_shop.html

Leaving the cafe we head back into the village dropping past Swinsty reservoir, then its left for the climb up Smithson's lane, at the T junction we turn left then right onto Watson's lane then right onto Brown Bank road coming out on Broad Dubb road where we turn right and follow up to Stainburn Forest car park where we turn right and follow the gravel road for 1.4 miles, its just like the towpath (picture below), a few pot holes but nothing difficult, it cuts a very busy road section out We come out on an unnamed tarmac road and follow down to Pill White lane, right onto Cinder lane then its onto Lindley and Farnley before returning to Otley, we follow the route back to the underpass, here we us the A660 (you need to be confident with vehicles passing at speed, we turn left onto Ilkley road coming out at the Burley roundabout, turn left and head up towards Menston, turning right onto Menston Old Lane and follow up to the railway bridge where we turn left and follow back to the railway station