Cicerone Cycling In The Yorkshire Dales

Cicerone Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales

In 23 day rides, a six-stage 310km (203 miles) 'Vuelta a Dales' (based on the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway) and a 206km tour that follows the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ, this guidebook features varied cycling routes throughout the Yorkshire Dales.

The Vuelta a Dales takes in the best dales, passes and viewpoints as it passes through Grassington, Leyburn, Hawes, Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, Ingleton and Settle.

The Yorkshire Dales have always welcomed visitors who enjoy the views. For cyclists, the national park and the areas overlapping its boundaries provide a splendid mix of varied scenic landscapes, an extensive network of roads and peaceful lanes and many cycle-friendly cafés and tea shops. With almost every turn revealing yet another stunning view, the Dales are an ideal area to explore by bike.

Stage 1 of the 2014 Tour de France Grand Depart is just over 200km long, including some steep climbs and descents. It is described in the book in full, but can also be made into a slightly shorter circular route starting in Harrogate, joining the route in Wharfedale and avoiding the urban section in Leeds.

All of routes describes in the book are graded for difficulty as short, medium and long (referring to cycling time) and moderate, hard and challenging (based on the ratio of total climb to overall distance).

The nature of the terrain means there are no easy rides in the Dales, so the routes require certain levels of experience and fitness. With the exception of two, which include very short unsurfaced sections, all routes are on road. Racing, touring and hybrid bikes are fine for the rides described, with the exception of the Vuelta for which a more robust touring or hybrid bike may prove to be a better luggage carrier.

• 23 graded day routes throughout the Dales, one lung-busting one-day Tour de France challenge and a six-stage cycle tour
• all routes suitable for road bikes and graded by a combination of distance, climb and overall gradient
• with information about local facilities for cyclists
• GPX tracks of all routes available to download when you buy the book
• Seasons
  All year round cycling but the very best time is spring and early summer when the hay meadows are in flower and the birds of the high moors return to breed.
• Centres
  Pateley Bridge, Grassington, Ingleton, Settle, Reeth, Sedbergh, Hawes and Leyburn
• Difficulty
  Routes are graded as Short, Medium and Long and classified as Moderate, Hard or Challenging. There are no Easy rides in the Dales. The routes are suitable for all but the novice cyclist. Those with less experience may need to rest a little more often.
• Must See
  Cycling through Wharfedale, Swaledale, Wensleydale, Nidderdale, Ribblesdale, Malhamdale, Littondale, Dentdale and the Lune Valley. Challenging climbs over The Fleak, Birkdale, Tan Hill, Oxnop Head, Buttertubs, Greets Moss, Park Rash, Trapping Hill and Fleet Moss.