north yorks moors - short tour recommendations

[Danny]

I think I may have spotted a route from Lancaster to Darlington.
What do you think of this.

Day 1: Lancaster- Dunsop Bridge - Slaidburn - Settle - Halton Gill - Kettlewell
Day 2: Kettlewell - Buckden - Newbiggin - Fremlington (along Wensleydale then turn left) - Hutton Magna - Darlington.

Now feeling sufficiently revived to give you a more sensible response.

Most of your proposed route would be fine, but the final section from Hutton Magna to Darlington might feel like a bit of a slog along busy roads through not very interesting countryside. I think quite a lot of the land around there might be reserved for military training, as there is a big Army base at Catterick.

I would also say that the North Dales where you would be going on Day 2 can be a bit bleak, but then you might like bleak.

A more scenic route might be to go South from Kettlewell to somewhere like Patley Bridge or Bolton Abbey and then Harrogate where you can get trains to Leeds or York. Or as CommedyPilot suggests you could ride across to Thirsk or Northallerton.

But basically it is all lovely countryside, and nice cycling so long as you avoid the main A roads across the Dales (e.g. A684 or A59).

However there is no seaside in the Dales

 

[jonathan ellis]

I'm just going to harp on about north Yorkshire.

I lived in swainby in the 80's just near osmotherly, lovely spot.

 

[gdean]

I'm just going to harp on about north Yorkshire.

I lived in swainby in the 80's just near osmotherly, lovely spot.

I came down scarth nick just the other day - it's still lovely

Graham

 

[postman]

Sorry just spotted this.As it 'appens i am going away friday on the bike till sunday lunchtime.We as a team are going to Oughtershaw near Buckden.To an activity centre called Swarthyghyll Farm.From Meanwood to the farm will be 45 miles.General route Otley-Ilkley-Bolton Abbey-Appletreewick-Burnsall-Grassington-Kettlewell-Buckden-Hubberholme and Oughtershaw.I intend to go into Hawes which is only five more miles.This may sound a bit naff.But this is my first staying out journey with my bike.A message for Kirtie here is a site for the Dales www.yorkshiredales.net just for a little taster of the beauty of the area.

 

[Bandini]

Going across the Moors can definitely be tough, particularly on the minor roads. However the Pickering to Whitby Road is beautiful and relatively easy to cycle, but quite busy.

An alternative, which I'm planning to do in a few weeks time, is to go round the edge of the moors. You can take Sustrans routes 65 from York or Thirsk along the east side of the Moors, and then cut west along the beautiful Esk Valley to Whitby. From Whitby there is a cycle track (cinder surface) down to Scarborough which offers some spectacular views of the coastline but can be a bit bleak in bad weather. From Scarborough you could pick up a train back to York, or cycle if you are feeling really keen. This route would be far from flat but would be much less hilly than some of the direct routes across the moors.

There are nice Youth Hostels at Osmotherly on NCN 65, Whitby, and Boggle Hole (which is one the cycle path from Whitby to Scarborough). There's also a Youth Hostel in Scarborough but haven't stayed there. Can also recommend a particularly nice B&B in Whitby if you fancy something a bit more up market.

Is this more like it? Oops - just realised that I posted on the wrong thread.