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Yorkshire offers a huge range of landscapes – including three National Parks, two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and many other miles of delightful countryside. In Yorkshire you can ride along canal towpaths, seaside promenades, moorland trails, disused railways or simply take a ride around town. The choice is yours and there is something for all abilities so you can enjoy as much of the region as you fancy!

There are great opportunities to explore Yorkshire by bike, both on its network of minor roads and cycle paths, and for mountain bikers in the forests, and on the byways, bridleways and ‘green lanes’ that cross the area.

Cycling is a great way to discover the region – travelling larger distances and absorbing more of the landscapes and surroundings. Whether you live close by or are on a visit to sample the famous great North Yorkshire outdoors, getting on a bike lane is a safe and swift way of exploring.  After such exertion you can be fully justified in stopping for a slab of cake or a pint of locally brewed beer at any one of the many fine cafés or village pubs.

 

Beginners Cycle Routes

Yorkshire is a great place to learn how to cycle and offers quieter routes for children so they can cycle in safety whilst being surrounded by little birds and trees.  These out of the way routes range from forest trails, to disused railways and canal towpaths.

Pedal and Puff
A leaflet with three easy to follow routes using the North Yorkshire Moors steam railway and your bicycle to explore the Park.

Selby to York
This gentle 15 mile ride along one of the first traffic-free cycle paths built by Sustrans takes you from the walled city of York south to the historic abbey town of Selby. NCN route 65 initially runs alongside the River Ouse past the famous Millennium Bridge, before turning away past York Racecourse. From here you follow the railway path to the village of Riccall, taking in "the planets" (a scale-model of the solar system) en route. From here the path runs parallel with the A19 and rejoins the river just before Barlby, for the last on-road stretch to Selby.

Whitby to Scarborough
Simply one of the most spectacular off-road trails in the North, this route runs alongside the Yorkshire Heritage Coast ensuring you enjoy the amazing scenery and really feel close to nature.  A mixture of good cinder tracks and some rockier sections make this a great route for more adventurous families, or if you feel like a challenge.  Although primarily along a former railway line, the route does have a number of climbs and descents. 18 miles (29km) one way.

Leeds – Liverpool canal towpath
Much of the towpath of the historic Leeds – Liverpool canal has been upgraded to allow cycle use.  The journey out from cosmopolitan Leeds takes you along a wonderful green corridor, giving easy cycling, and linking some great attractions.  There are interesting sights in Leeds itself, Kirkstall Abbey, the Saltaire World Heritage Site, plus the lovely Riddlesden Hall run by the National Trust.  Leeds is a place for shopping, dining out and experiencing the bustling scene many of Yorkshire’s cities boast. The distance out to Riddlesden (near Keighley) is 19 miles (30km), with the railway providing one way options with easy access to the stations at Saltaire, Bingley and Crossflats.

Forest riding
Forest Enterprise managed woods often provide great sites for beginner cyclists through to advanced mountain bikers.  The best places for beginners are:

• Guiseborough Forest has a good short blue trail 4.5 miles.
• Dalby Forest has well developed facilities and has a number of circular family routes of 6 to 12 miles with interesting diversions on route.  There is cycle hire on site.
• Gisburn Forest in the Forest of Bowland has a number of waymarked trails from the car park near Tosside.

Click here for further information

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Longer Cycling Routes

Opportunities for road cyclists range from short routes in the Wolds and along the valley bottoms (which are suitable for most families with some cycling experience) to challenging rides through the hills of the Moors and Dales.
 
For the experienced road cyclist, Yorkshire offers a brilliant choice of routes for a day’s cycle. You can base yourself in one of the main villages and pick off a few routes over a weekend. This is a great option and gives you the chance to enjoy local hospitality whilst adventuring in the outdoors.

Cyclosportives and audax rides
You can also sign up for one of the many cyclosportive or audax  rides in the area.  Cyclosportives often feature a number of different length loops as challenge rides.  They are organised events which follow way-marked routes, and have a number of refreshment stops along the way.  You are normally timed although they are not a race, and so you can always come back the next year to try and improve your time.  They can be really good social occasions with hundreds of riders out on course.

You can get a full list of this years events frm the above link, but below you will find the best known in the region.:

The Etape du Dales regularly features in the Top 10 of UK rides.  Taking in some classic Dales climbs this is 176km and 3450m of climbing that you will not forget.  The events are normally held in early May, starting and finishing in Grassington – a quiet and delightful town centred around a pretty cobbled square .  Early booking is recommended

The Richmond Cyclosportives take place towards the end of May and have a 50 mile, 80 mile and 100 mile versions.  These are challenging rides with plenty of hills.

Audax rides are organised events but you need to be more self contained, organising your own food and often doing some navigation.  Details of events can be found on

The White Rose Classic
Now in its 3rd year, The White Rose Classic is firmly established as one of the seasons must do events and a true classic in every sense of the word. There are 3 route distances to choose from, offering something for riders of all abilities on quiet roads in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.  The event starts and finishes in the antique town of Otley, giving you the chance to explore the River Wharf before setting of on your way. Located near Leeds and Harrogate, there is plenty of opportunity to extend your trip and enjoy the local spa facilities or visit one of the many entertainment venues for some musical relief or stand up comedy.

DEMAND Yorkshire Dales Challenge
This is a new event for 2008, and a good one for sampling the delights of cyclosportives and rolling Dales hills.  This has 100km and 50km routes, starting and finishing in the small and friendly market town of Skipton.

The 3 Counties Challenge
July sees the 3 Counties event taking in the quiet lanes of north Lancashire, the superb western Yorkshire Dales, and finally the unspoilt hills of the eastern Lake District.

The Roses Round
The Roses Round takes place in July. The event starting from Sawley village hall near Clitheroe heads North via Slaidburn, crossing Catlow Fell before crossing the border and continuing to Settle. From here the short route heads home via Wigglesworth whilst the longer event climbs close to Pen-Y-Ghent and passes through Grassington before returning via Bolton by Bowland. The longer route is approximately 130k whilst the shorter route is closer to 90k.

The Ryedale Rumble
Held at the end of July the Rumble now takes in the climbs of Boltby Bank and Hawnby before heading through Helmsley to the North York Moors in what promises to be a very challenging route. The date in July, is a time of year when the North York Moors are at their scenic best. It will feature the usual BC Yorkshire fare of a well signed route with tee-shirt and fully stocked feeding arrangements.
http://www.ryedalerumble.co.uk/

Scotton 100
This is one for those who want to try something a bit different.  Over a third of the 100km route is off tarmac using a mixture of bridleways, farm roads and white roads. The route can be done on mountain bike or road bike and there is a 60km version.  Takes place on 13 April 2008 and starts near the historic spa town of Knaresborough. Click here for further information.

Touring routes
For long distance adventures that can last as long as you do, choose from a variety of cycle routes. Cycle along the White Rose Cycle Route part of the National Cycle Network or explore sections of the Trans Pennine Trail. Absorb the beauty of the rugged Heritage Coastline or enjoy a relaxed cycle through the heart of the walled-city of York, with its countless attractions, riverside paths and pavement eateries. Why not plan your visit to coincide with one of the many markets here and combine an active break with some craft shopping, or a chance to sample fresh local produce.

Trans Pennine Trail
The Trans Pennine Trail is a 350-mile coast-to-coast route from Liverpool to Hull.  Unlike most other long-distance cycle routes in the UK, the Trans Pennine Trail is mostly off-road. The trail is for walkers, cyclists and horse riders with many sections having easy access for people with disabilities and particularly suitable for families.

White Rose Cycle Route
Cycle along the River Ouse, the quiet country roads of the Vale of York and on to the foothills of the North York Moors.Click here for further information. 

Yorkshire Dales Cycleway
Starting and finishing in historic Skipton, this cycle route can be divided in to six day-stages of 20-25 miles each. It’s a great way to see the best of the rolling Yorkshire Dales, as it takes you through six of the finest valleys. With countless hidden guesthouses and family run B&Bs, the dales is a great place to stay and enjoy friendly service and first hand accounts of the great outdoors. Click here for futher information.

West Yorkshire Cycleway
A 150-mile circular route that roughly follows the West Yorkshire county boundary. Primarily for leisure cycling, the route is mainly on-road and is intended for use by all roadworthy bikes. Click here for further information.  

Moor-to-Sea Cycle Route
Linking the coastal towns of Scarborough, Whitby and Pickering this route features 80 miles of forest tracks, lanes and the former coastal railway. This route takes you through some of the most picturesque scenery in North Yorkshire, with views of the gothic Abbey on Whitby’s clifftops and the stone ruins of Scarborough’s castle. The diversity of this landscape is amazing - heather moors, forests, farmland and cliffs overlooking the sea - and along the way many places to stop, rest and take in the views. This route is now open and is signed with way-markers and information boards. You can find out more by visiting the Moor to Sea Cycle Route website.

Walney to Wear & Whitby (W2W) Cycle Route
You can now cycle ‘coast to coast’ from Walney Island in Cumbria to the fishing town of Whitby via Tan Hill, thanks to the opening of Regional Route 52 between Barnard Castle and the historic North Yorkshire port. This well signed route is 171 miles (275km) long and is fully mapped.
Add to the adventure by cycling an extra 20 miles (32km) along the coast-hugging ex-railway track to Scarborough.

For more information on road cycling in the Yorkshire Dales click here 

For more information on road cycling in the North York Moors click here

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Mountian Biking

Both the Moors and the Dales are known as having some of the UK’s finest adventurous mountain biking. There are over 1600 km (960 miles) of bridleways, byways and green lanes to explore, often taking you up into remote moorland areas. Tough climbs and technical descents, all in remote, unspoilt countryside.

Many trails have a great sense of history as well as being great fun to ride. A mixture of Roman roads, monastic highways, mining tracks and drovers roads it is partly the variety which makes biking around Yorkshire so much fun and so interesting. Most are on gradients that keep you in the saddle rather than off and pushing!

For information and mountain bike routes in the Yorkshire Dales click here 

Forestry Commission sites
Forest Enterprise provides some great cycling opportunities in Dalby and Guisborough Forests, as well as at a number of other forests in the region.  A range of graded routes is available catering for children and families as well as experienced mountain bike enthusiasts.  For beginners these routes offer trails that are car free and are fully signed, and for more experienced riders there are more challenging routes with many miles of technical single-track, as well as north shore features.

For more information contact Dalby Visitor Centre or click here  

The Pennine Bridleway
The Pennine Bridleway will be a new 350 mile (560km) long National Trail in the north of England. One of a family of 15 National Trails in England and Wales and the first to be designed specifically for horse-riders, off-road cyclists and walkers to enjoy, the entire Pennine Bridleway will eventually run from the High Peak Trail in Derbyshire to Byrness, Northumberland.

It follows an interesting mix of old pack horse routes and drove roads, often sensitively refurbished and upgraded, linked with newly created stretches of bridleway. The trail takes in some of the best scenery of the North of England and passes through the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Parks.

The Bridleway is a massive project and the route is opening in stages. The first 120 miles from Derbyshire to the Mary Townley Loop in the South Pennines is already open, whilst the first major section in the Yorkshire Dales – the Settle Loop – opened in August 2005.

For information about the whole of the Pennine Bridleway visit the Pennine Bridleway website.

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