Yorkshire Dales

What's included

  • 3 nights accommodation

  • Breakfast and snacks each day

  • Extra meal on two selected days

  • Fully guided trip

  • Support Vehicle and luggage transfers

  • All repair & first aid equipment

Tour dates: July 4th - July 7th, 2024

Duration: 4 days

Distance: 225km

Grading: Intermediate-Advanced (see below)

Trip Overview

The Yorkshire Dales is a wonder of the UK and a must visit. It has some of the finest limestone scenery in the UK, consisting of a series of spectacular hills and valleys with each ‘dale’ having it’s own distinct character, set against expansive heather moorland tops. You’ll ride through the picturesque Yorkshire countryside with it’s stone-built villages that sit amongst traditional farming landscapes, drystone walls and flower-rich hay meadows. To add to this, we will visit the bustling cities and towns of York, Harrogate and Leeds, making use of the numerous cycle friendly paths and greenways that are dotted throughout the region.

DAY 1 - Harrogate to Kettlewell (60km)

Our first day is a tough but wonderfully scenic start to the tour. After arriving at Harrogate train station we commence riding along the Bilton greenway until we reach the start of the Yorkshire Dales. From here we pick up a series of bridleways and back roads up and over Nidderdale, an area of outstanding natural beauty offering all the quintessentials of The Dales including quaint traditional villages, spectacular rock formations and far-reaching moorlands.

DAY 2 - Kettlewell to Bingley (59 km)

Saturday has a great adventure in store for us on what will be the toughest day of the tour. We will be once again riding over the spectacular ‘Dales’ before reaching one of Yorkshire's great historical sights, Malham Cove. You’ll get the opportunity to explore the magnificence of this natural rock formation. After lunch the scenery becomes even more specular as we ride up Wharfedale and along the ridge to Skipton. A 10 km flat ride along the Leeds to Liverpool canal our hotel sees a tough but rewarding day done.

DAY 3 - Bingley to York (52 km)

A much welcomed respite from the hills on this day sees the tour continue along the Leeds to Liverpool canal. It will be canal-side riding from Bingley to Leeds with stops along the way at the numerous locks and traditional pubs. After a stop in Leeds we take the Aire and Calder Navigation passing through the tranquil St Aiden’s nature reserve before reaching Micklefield where we catch the train to York.

DAY 4 - York to Harrogate (54 km)

After a great evening out in York, we start riding a pretty much flat route through the rural pastures of the Vale of York. We’ll link up with the great traffic-free cycleways and bridle paths between York and Wetherby. From there, we join the Wetherby Rail Trail to the picturesque town of Knaresborough where we stop for lunch and a punt down the river (optional) before a short ride to Harrogate.

Distance

225km (4 days cycling)

The Yorkshire Dales is a cyclists’ heaven, home to the 2014 Tour de France

Grading

Challenging Adventure 4/5. This ride is graded as ‘Challenging’ because whilst the distance is manageable for a semi-regular rider with medium fitness, there are hilly days of riding.

Terrain and Elevation

Day 1 & 2 encounter hilly sections which are steep in parts. The average amount of uphill riding per day is 610m and the highest elevation is 590m although this is only encountered on days 1 & 2. The other two days are pretty much flat. We’ll use either back roads, country lanes or tarmac/gravel cycling paths.

Logistics

The Wetherby Rail Trail offers traffic-free cycling

The trip officially starts at 11:30am a meeting point in Harrogate Station. If you are driving we will supply parking options after booking. Once everyone has arrived we will load all luggage into the support set off on the first day’s ride. On Sunday we will leave for Harrogate at 9am and aim to arrive in Harrogate at around 4pm. If arriving and leaving the tour by train, please book a train that leaves Harrogate after 4:30pm on Sunday.

Accommodation

Hotels are 2 and 3 star accommodation. Bikes storage options will be explained on tour.

Highlights

- Experience the wonder of the Yorkshire Dales.
- Visit the natural wonder of Malham Cove.
- Visit the historic spa towns of Harrogate and Skipton.
- Experience a vibrant night out exploring the streets of York
- Enjoy easy riding along the Leeds to Liverpool canal.
- Ride along the river Ouse and magical Yorkshire countryside on quiet roads and traffic-free paths

What to Budget for?

  • Train tickets to and from Harrogate (start/end point)

  • Extra food, snacks and other purchases

What to Bring?

Water bottle, money for dinner, extra food and refreshments, spare inner tube for YOUR bike, cycling equipment (bicycle, bike lock, compulsory bike helmet, cycle jacket, sunglasses, gloves and suitable activity footwear/clothing - no jeans please)

Price

Earlybird Single £470*
Earlybird Twin £395pp*
Full Payment - Single £525
Full Payment - Twin £440pp
Deposit £250

*book before 15th May, 2023