The Pennine Bridleway is a 205 mile (330 Km) long National Trail running through the Pennines. It starts near Wirkswoth in Derbyshire and finishes in the village of Ravenstonedale in Cumbria. This relatively new route was officially opened in 2012 by Martin Clunes. Specifically designed for mountain bikers and horse riders. It is of course also perfect for walkers. Independent hostels are a fantastic source of great value accommodation along the route.
Pennine Bridleway
THE BUNKBARN IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED. A NEW BUNKHOUSE RUN BY THE SAME OPERATORS MAY OPEN NEARBY AT THE BULL YARD IN LATE 2022 or 2023. WATCH HERE FOR UPDATES. CAMPSITES ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT BOTH LOCATIONS. Next to an award winning Peak District country pub, with direct access onto the High Peak and Tissington Trails. popular with climbers and walkers with limestone gorges and stone circles to explore. Campsite also available.
Kirkby Stephen Hostel is a great stop off if you are doing the Pennine Bridleway. As the hostel is in the centre of this small market town there are places for you to eat and shop. There's a lockable bike shed for you to use. Together with hot showers, good company, a comfortable bed and a remarkably low price you have the recipe for a perfect stop over.
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The newly refurbished Hebden Bridge Hostel, run by national arts organisation IOU, offers contemporary, comfortable & affordable accomodation at the heart of this vibrant independent town. Group accommodation, dorms and private rooms are available, all with ensuite facilities. Perfect for solo travellers, families or groups, everyone is welcome.
Great for groups of mountain bikers exploring the Pennine Bridleway, Ashbourne Gateway Centre, in the pretty market town of Ashbourne, provides accommodation for groups of up to 27.
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The Boarshurst Centre is situated on the north western edge of the Peak District yet with easy road and rail links to Manchester (12 miles away).
With 32 beds across 2 dorms and 2 leaders’ rooms the centre provides well appointed self catering accommodation for child, youth, adult and family/friend groups who seek to practice outdoor pursuits. BYO sleeping bags
With all of the Peak District National Park within easy access, the centre is an ideal location for activities and tourism and it welcomes a wide range of groups. 31 or 52 bed configurations can be booked.
The spacious centre includes; a large lounge with library, TV and wood burning stove, well equipped kitchens & dining areas. An extensive network of paths give access to the countryside. Adventure activities available, great for team building & courses.
With its own crags, streams, lakes & 600-acres of mature woodland, Shining Cliff Hostel has nature on its doorstep.
Access is half a mile from the nearest parking area along a woodland footpath. Paths lead through the woods to the A6 at Ambergate (20 mins’ walk) which has a food shop, pub, buses and trains to Derby.
The hostel is ideal for a wide range of groups wishing to enjoy time away in a peaceful woodland setting.
Situated close to the Golden Lion Hotel in the idyllic village of Horton in Ribblesdale the 3 Peaks Bunkbarns are available for groups or individuals. An ideal location for walking on the Pennine Way, Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough & Whernside. The main bunkbarn has 2 large dormitory style bunkrooms, each sleeping up to 20 people. In the brand new second bunkbarn, there are four bunkrooms each sleeping up to 6.
Close to the start of the Pennine Way with easy access to Kinder Scout and the village of Edale via a network of footpaths from the doorstep. Castleton, Buxton, Bakewell and Chatsworth House are all within 40 minutes' drive. There are 2 bunkhouses each with a fully equipped kitchen and available for sole use by groups. Bring your own sleeping bags.
Bradwell War Memorial Hall is in the pretty village of Bradwell in the heart of the Peak District. This community run hall offers low cost self-catering accommodation to groups of 6-42.
An ideal base for walkers, bikers, DofE students or climbers who wish to explore this popular area. There are no beds so BYO sleeping mat and bedding. The rooms are centrally heated, there’s a well equipped kitchen & hot showers.
A mile from Castleton in the Peak District, Pindale Farm offers a range of accommodation: B&B in the farmhouse. The Barn has 6 self-catering/self-contained rooms, 2x10-person & 4x8-person. The Engine House is a self contained self catering unit sleeping up to 8 people. Plus a campsite. Perfect for many outdoor activities. Instruction is available.
In the heart of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks country right on the route between Pen-y-ghent & Whernside & close to the Dales Way, Dales High Way, Pennine Way & Pennine Bridleway. This warm comfortable bunk barn sleeps up to 13 in three rooms. Living room with cosy wood burner, spacious well equipped kitchen & garden with stunning views. Dogs & breakfast by arrangement. 4 bed annex also available. All bookings are for sole use of either the bunkbarn or the annex.
Renovated to a high standard including double glazing and insulation, the Reckoning House is situated 3 miles from Bakewell. It is on the edge of the Lathkill Dale National Nature Reserve, full of interesting flora and fauna as well as outstanding geological features.
Horse riding, fishing, golf and cycle hire are available locally. Local walks include the Limestone Way. Facilities include: cooking area, 4 calor gas rings (gas supplied), hot water for washing up & showers, storage heaters in all rooms.
The Glenorchy Centre is on the edge of the Peak District National Park in the historic market town of Wirksworth. The High Peak Trail for walking & cycling, and Black Rocks for bouldering & climbing are close by. Nearby Cromford has Arkwright’s mills, a World Heritage Site, & Cromford Canal. Suitable for self-catering groups, the accommodation includes a spacious multi-purpose hall.
Mount Cook, a fantastic purpose built centrre, offers groups of 8 - 180 the perfect base for an exciting weekend or holiday in the Peak District. A whole range of outside activities can be organised on- or off site for a min of 8 people. Popular with schools, clubs, corporate team building, weddings and gatherings of friends and families. B&B, full or half board. Self catering with sole use bookings.
Sheen Bunkhouse is in a quiet corner of the Peak District, close to the beautiful Dove and Manifold valleys. It has a well equipped self-catering kitchen, lounge, two bunkrooms and separate toilets & showers.
The Manifold Track, Tissington Trail and High Peak Trail give easy access to beautiful countryside, ideal for families and cyclists. Dovedale and the moors offer stunning walking. Buxton, Leek and Bakewell are within 12 miles and Alton Towers is 20 minutes away by car.
There is a racked secure bicycle store for 20 bikes. Dorms for 2, 2x6 and 1x7. Matt, who runs the hostel is a keen cyclist and has all the kit should a running repair be required. He is happy to cook evening meals to coincide with arrival, or breakfast. As well as packed lunches. Lovely pub just 300 yards from the Hostel. What more could you want?
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The Pennine Bridleway is a 205 mile (330 Km) long National Trail running through the Pennines. It stretches from Derbyshire to Cumbria. This relatively new route was officially opened in 2012 by Martin Clunes. Specifically designed for mountain bikers and horse riders. It is of course also perfect for walkers.
Happy cyclists after a night at Earby Hostel The Pennine Bridleway follows a variety of surfaces including minor roads, aggregate tracks, grassed stone tracks, stone setts and worn flags. While some of these have been newly created specifically for the Pennine Bridleway others are drovers’ roads or packhorse trails that have been in use for centuries.
The route takes you through a wonderful variety of landscapes from open moorland to steep-sided wooded river valleys. It passes thorough both the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. You will pass a number of reservoirs which bring another dimension to the route. These were originally constructed to service the canals and the needs of the developing industrial cities of the north. More interest is provided by the evidence of the industrial heritage of the South Pennines. You will see derelict mills, dismantled railways, soot blackened gritstone walls and tall ivy-covered chimneys. It’s a route of contrast. It’s an adventure and a challenge and brings a great sense of achievement to those that complete it. For more details see the Pennine Bridleway’s own website .
All along the route there are a selection of independent hostels, bunkhouses and camping barns offering low cost overnight accommodation. Many have secure bike storage and drying rooms provide or hire out bed linen. Some provide breakfast and evening meals, others will point you in the direction of local shops and pubs. Read each hostel’s feature to be sure they are suitable for you.
Photos kindly supplied by the Pennine National Trails Partnership and Earby Hostel
