Cycle Touring
Yorkshire Dales Cycleway
 The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway 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.
There are challenging climbs through wild areas which will test your limits, swooping descents and stunning quiet dales to explore. The route follows country lanes for its length including many where you will see more sheep than cars.
The Cycleway is a challenging 210km (130 mile) circular route visiting most of the major dales which is designed to be started and finished in Skipton. However the route can be started at any point, or divided into sections to suit every cyclist. Many will find it is ideal for a leisurely 6 day tour, while others may wish to cover more than one section in a day. An alternative link to Ilkley (unsigned) has been included for those wishing to start or finish here. A specific map of the route is available from www.harveymaps.co.uk.
Getting here
Being a circular route you can start and finish the route wherever you wish. The official start is in Skipton with an alternative beginning in Ilkley and it is easy to access either by train. The trains from Leeds to Skipton and Ilkley carry bikes at no charge and with no need to book, although it is worth avoiding rush hour services. There is also the famous Leeds – Settle – Carlisle line which can take you to Settle, Clapham and Dent stations. Again your bikes are carried free but it is a good idea to book a place. There is also the Wensleydale Railway from Leeming Bar to Leyburn and Redmire, which carries bikes free of charge in a guard’s van. For full details contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50.
There are also a number of bike carrying buses, see www.traveldales.org.uk for details.
Places to stay
There is a wide variety of different accommodation along the way. From hotels and guest houses, to family run bed and breakfasts and pubs, to youth hostels, bunkhouses and campsites. There is a free guide to accommodation available from Hawes National Park Centre (01969 667450), or look on www.yorkshiredales.org.
Places
The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway passes through many wonderful towns and villages which offer a warm welcome and a chance to pick up refreshments.
 Highlights
The highlight for most people riding the route is the wonderful scenery of high heather clad moors and limestone uplands, contrasting with the valleys with their drystone walls and barns, and beautiful traditional villages. These are just some of the marvellous places and features of interest that lie on or close to the route.
- Barden Tower
- Parcevall Hall
- Bolton Abbey
- Malham Cove
- Malham Tarn
- Gordale Scar
- Dent Head viaduct
- Hardraw Falls
- Castle Bolton
- Grass Woods Nature Reserve
Route description:
Section 1: Skipton to Malham (36km)
The route starts in the busy market town of Skipton, ‘Gateway to the Dales’. The wooded area of lower Wharfedale is visited before the route crosses spreading farmland to Malhamdale. The destination is the popular village of Malham with its world famous Cove and Tarn.
Section 2: Malham to Ingleton (38km)
The highlights of this part of the cycleway are the peaceful upland waters of Malham Tarn, the town of Settle, and the villages of Clapham and Ingleton. In Clapham you could take the opportunity to visit Ingleborough show cave, and Ingleton is the start of the magnificent waterfalls walk.
Section 3: Ingleton to Hawes (39km)
This section takes you through five of the Yorkshire Dales: Kingsdale, Deepdale, Dentdale, Widdlae and Wensleydale. Each has its own distinctive scenery and character. The route reaches into some of the quietest corners of the National Park before descending into the lively market town of Hawes.
Section 4: Hawes to Grinton (30km)
From Hawes the route lies down Wensleydale to the beautiful village of Askrigg which featured in the filming of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. A steep climb takes you high onto the moors of Askrigg Common. The descent into Swaledale and the trip down Dale will make it clear why this Dale is held by many to the most beautiful of all.
Section 5: Grinton to Kettlewell (36km)
This section marks the start of the return journey south, returning to Wensleydale over the high moors before making the long climb up Coverdale and over the watershed to the attractive village of Kettlewell (featured in the film of the ‘Calendar Girls’) in Wharfedale.
Section 6: Kettlewell to Skipton (36km)
The final stretch travels along Wharfedale to Bolton Abbey. The contrast between the wide, limestone dominated middle reaches of the dales seen in the early section and the narrow gritstone valley closer to Bolton Abbey will be apparent as you travel to your final destination of Skipton.
|
