A guidebook to 24 graded day cycling routes and a 6-day cycle tour through the Yorkshire Dales. Exploring the beautiful scenery of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale National Landscape, the routes are suitable for all but the novice cyclist.

Day routes, all easily accessible from Sedburgh, Settle, Reeth and Grassington, range between 24 and 92km (15–58 miles) in length. La Vuelta a Dales is a multi-day tour that takes 6 days and covers 305km (190 miles). A stage of the 2014 Tour de France, a 206km (128 mile) loop from Leeds to Harrogate, is also included.? 

• 1:100,000 maps and profiles included for each stage 
• GPX files available to download 
• Refreshment and accommodation information given for each route
• All routes suitable for road bikes
• Detailed information on bike maintenance

Overview map

Map key

Introduction

Geology of the Dales

Human habitation

Wildlife

Getting there and getting about

Money

When to go

Accommodation

Food and drink

What to wear

What to take

Choosing your bike

Maps

Emergencies

Using this guide

Pateley Bridge

Link Route Leeds Bradford Airport to Askwith

Route 1 Nidderdale, Washburn and Wharfedale

Route 2 Brimham Moor, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal

Route 3 Masham and Burn Valley

Grassington

Route 4 Round Barden

Route 5 Malhamdale and High Limestone Country

Route 6 Malhamdale by way of Bordley

Route 7 Malhamdale, Silverdale and Littondale

Ingleton

Route 8 Dentdale and round Whernside

Route 9 Ribblesdale and round Ingleborough

Settle

Route 10 Dales and Tarn

Route 11 Langcliffe Scar and Malham

Reeth

Route 12 Tan Hill

Route 13 Wensleydale, Mallerstang and Tan Hill

Route 14 Richmond

Sedbergh

Route 15 Lune Valley and Barbondale

Route 16 Circuit of the Howgill Fells

Route 17 Barbondale and Holme Open Farm

Hawes

Route 18 The Big Cheese

Route 19 Semerwater

Route 20 Coverdale and Langstrothdale Chase

Leyburn

Link Route Northallerton to Leyburn

Route 21 Swaledale and The Fleak

Route 22 Aysgarth Falls

Route 23 Jervaulx Abbey and Middleham

Tour de France 2014

Route 24 Tour de France 2014 Stage 1: Leeds to Harrogate

La Vuelta a Dales

Stage 1 Settle to Pateley Bridge

Stage 2 Pateley Bridge to Leyburn

Stage 3 Leyburn to Hawes

Stage 4 Hawes to Muker

Stage 5 Muker to Sedbergh

Stage 6 Sedbergh to Settle

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Useful contacts

Appendix C Campsites along the Vuelta a Dales

Appendix D Cycles on public transport

Appendix E Basic bike maintenance

Seasons

all-year-round cycling but the best time is spring to early summer when the hay meadows are in flower and the birds of the high moors have returned to breed

Centres

the routes are centered on 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 throughout the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Routes include all the major dales and challenging climbs of The Fleak, Birkdale, Coal Road, Tan Hill, Oxnop, Buttertubs, Greets Moss, Park Rash, Trapping Hill and Fleet Moss

July 2021

Route 6

December 2019

Link Access Sedbergh

August 2019

Updates

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