Cycling UK Forum

Hi I live in Scotland and want to go for one week's cycling in North of England . I was thinking, Yorkshire or Cumbria.
I would be grateful for any ideas anyone has.

I would maybe stay in Youth Hostels.
Mileage per day : guessing , about 50.

I saw this site http://www.lakesdalesloop.co.uk posted elsewhere which might be a start.

Alastair

Loads of choice. Dales maybe http://www.cyclethedales.org.uk/cycle-t ... s-cycleway would give you a start. There's the classic double crossing C2C followed by Reivers return. I also enjoyed the Yorkshire wolds cycle which could be tagged onto a Dales route.

Good luck with the youth hostels, I think if that's what you want to do the availability will dictate where you can go. I recently tried to book a route through Wales in May (Avoiding the Bank Holidays and Half Term) Four YHA hostels on the route, reasonably flexible up to a week either side and couldn't book a single night in a single one.

Lots of private hostels as well as YHA in the north and lakes.
Penrith Wayfarers is the cream of the crop but I use Kirby Stephen and Kendal too.
Keswick YHA is closed at the moment due to flooding. Claims to be opening at the end of the month but looked as if there is a lot of work yet to do.

You must of course visit the beautiful Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland. If you wear yourself out there you could part train it back on the settle carlisle rail line, well worth it if you have never been on it. I think they are pretty good with bikes. I can recommend a chippy in settle

Many years ago we went into The Naked Man cafe in Settle. Convinced Victoria Wood got the inspiration to write "2 soups" sketch from a visit there. The waitress was exactly like the sketch and we were well entertained.
http://youtu.be/Z6aYLOf8CUQ

Sweep wrote:You must of course visit the beautiful Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland. If you wear yourself out there you could part train it back on the settle carlisle rail line, well worth it if you have never been on it. I think they are pretty good with bikes. I can recommend a chippy in settle

I second visiting the Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland.. Rode over the Trough today and it was stunning in the Spring sunshine.

A couple of days on the Lancashire Cycleway, perhaps (esp. the Northern Loop) -- including the Trough of Bowland! -- and then the Way of the Roses to head back east?

Thank you very much for all your replies.
There's a few ideas there.
About the Lake district - is this popular for cycling too?
Thanks

Yup, though roads through the centre of the lake district tend to come in two varieties: busy or extremely steep. If hill climbing is your thing there's some of the best climbs in the country to tackle.

That loop you mentioned looks like mostly a tour of good quiet cycling lanes. I'll also second what the others have said about Lancashire Cycleway/Bowland/Ribble Valley areas. It sounds like there are quite a few of us able to suggest routes in the Lancashire/Yorkshire area.

Another route I love is the Pennine Cycleway (NCN Route 68). Along the Pennines following minor roads from Derbyshire to Berwick. Lots of climbing but great scenery and mostly very little traffic. At around 320 miles it's doable in a week even with a few detours.

Which month are you planning to go OP?

Lake district undoubtedly beautiful but it can be damn crowded. I gather you aren't planning to camp but i well remember one of my poorest "getting away from it" tours (admittedly car based) was in the lake district. The "camping" at a busy time of year was, let's say, somewhat regimented.

Sweep wrote:Which month are you planning to go OP?

Lake district undoubtedly beautiful but it can be damn crowded. I gather you aren't planning to camp but i well remember one of my poorest "getting away from it" tours (admittedly car based) was in the lake district. The "camping" at a busy time of year was, let's say, somewhat regimented.

I live between the Lakes and Dales. For me the lakes are better for walking than cycling. There are some great climbs if that is what you are after, and the routes around the periphery are fantastic, but the central lanes are either unremittingly steep or very narrow, or both. Traffic can be a problem and you can be 'holding up' long queues for miles. The Dales are on a bigger scale, the steep climbs are offset by some longer flattish valleys and the concentration of traffic is generally less.

I agree with the comments above about Bowland and the Lancashire cycle route. This is excellent cycle touring country.

geocycle wrote:

Sweep wrote:Which month are you planning to go OP?

Lake district undoubtedly beautiful but it can be damn crowded. I gather you aren't planning to camp but i well remember one of my poorest "getting away from it" tours (admittedly car based) was in the lake district. The "camping" at a busy time of year was, let's say, somewhat regimented.

I live between the Lakes and Dales. For me the lakes are better for walking than cycling. There are some great climbs if that is what you are after, and the routes around the periphery are fantastic, but the central lanes are either unremittingly steep or very narrow, or both. Traffic can be a problem and you can be 'holding up' long queues for miles. The Dales are on a bigger scale, the steep climbs are offset by some longer flattish valleys and the concentration of traffic is generally less.

I agree with the comments above about Bowland and the Lancashire cycle route. This is excellent cycle touring country.

I agree that the Lakes is an area better suited to walking than cycling, unless you are seeking out some very steep climbs. The Dales, on the other hand, has many great touring routes. One example is the lovely, quiet road up Arkengarthdale from Reith to the Tan Hill Inn, which is a nice steady climb with a couple of short steeper bits. It starts in a sheltered valley and gradually takes you on to an exposed moorland. The sensation of space at the top is remarkable, and the pub is a great place to refuel. There are overly busy roads in the Dales, but they are fairly obvious and usually avoidable.

If you get chance the moorland lanes above the Calder Valley are worth a ride. Some great pubs serving great food. Plenty of accommodation including Mankinholes YH.

I always thought a combination of the Way of the Roses and the Walney to Wear (Whitby branch) route would make an excellent circular weeks tour and allows you to start in and finish in York, so train connections are easier. I think you may have to average about 60 miles a day though to get it in.

Looking at it, you could also do the same with the Hadrians Cycleway and the C2C.