Other cycle touring

While the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway takes you around the whole of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the Way of the Roses and Pennine Cycleway pass through the National Park and the Lancashire and West Yorkshire Cycleways bring you into it.

Yorkshire Dales Cycleway

The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway (YDCW) takes you on a fantastic tour of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, crossing a wonderful landscape of heather moorland, dramatic limestone scenery and linked together by beautiful valleys and villages. The Dales are famous for their flower filled meadows and high fells, scattered with stone barns, dry stone walls and an abundance of waterfalls.

Detailed information and route descriptions are available on our dedicated YDCW section.

Way of the Roses

Britain's newest 'coast-to-coast' cycle route opened on 11 September 2010. The Way of the Roses route runs for 170 well signed miles between Morecambe on Lancashire's Irish Sea coast and Bridlington on Yorkshire's North Sea coast. It passes through the historic cities of York and Lancaster, and lesser known gems such as Settle, Pateley Bridge and Ripon.

Between the broad sweeps of Morecambe and Bridlington Bays, you'll be cycling across a beautiful, changing landscape comprising the Lune Valley, Forest of Bowland, Yorkshire Dales, Nidderdale AONB, Vale of York and the Yorkshire Wolds. The route consists of traffic-free paths, on-road cycle lanes, country lanes and quieter roads, all part of the National Cycle Network.

It's a challenging, but rewarding cycle touring break or longer holiday, and both end points (as well as several points in between) can be reached by train. You can find out more on the Way of the Roses website, and the map is available from Sustrans.

Pennine Cycleway

The other major cycle route that passes through the Yorkshire Dales National Park is part of the National Cycle Network Route 68. The Pennine Cycleway is a magnificent 580km (350 mile) route running from Derby on the southern edge of the Peak District to Berwick on Tweed on the Scottish border. It enters the National Park at Gargrave and runs through Settle to Clapham, then follows the same route as the YDCW to Ingleton and Dent, before carrying on to Sedbergh and Appleby. Details are available from the Sustrans website or the online Pennine Cycleway Guide.

The route is served by trains on the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle route with stations at Gargrave, Settle and Appleby.

The West Yorkshire Cycle Route (WYCR)

The WYCR is a 150 mile circular route that roughly follows the West Yorkshire County Boundary. It connects with the Yorkshire Dales area at Ilkley and comes very close around Skipton. Primarily for leisure cycling, the route is mainly on road and is intended for use by all roadworthy bicycles. The route is signed in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, and is identified by the route logo, a white rose with a green background.

It is supported by a very attractive laminated map that is available free on request from Leeds City Council. Send an A5 sized stamped addressed envelope to:

Dept. of Highways & Transportation
Leonardo Building
2 Rossington Street
Leeds
LS2 8HB.

The Lancashire Cycleway

The Lancashire Cycleway comprises two circular routes which meet in the historic village of Whalley in the Ribble Valley. Where possible it follows minor roads and takes you through a host of different landscapes from the rugged Bowland Hills and West Pennine Moors to the rich pastures of the Fylde Plain and the outstanding coastal scenery at Silverdale. You can find out more by looking at Lancashire Cycleway.