Cycling UK Forum

HI All,

My brother and I are cycling from Ravenglass (south of Whitehaven) to Scarborough next weekend and are on the hunt for some suggestions and advice on a route. We have 3-4 days, are pretty keen and fit cyclists, and will be riding on hartdtails with panniers and tent etc.

We are looking for a mix of road, trail and bridleway etc. Due to the weight on the bikes and the time we have we understand we can not do a full mtb trail route such as the "wheelright route", but equally we don't want to do a fast road route as we want to explore the best the Lakes, Dales and Moors have to offer as much as possible.

Suggestions for a route or even some must-do cycle stretches, villages and view points en-route will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Ross.

I did a home brewed coast to Coast a few years back, mostly on road from Lytham St Anne's to Scarborough. The route was planned by one of my riding companions. I doubt that Day 1 will be much use to you but subsequent days may be of interest:

Day 2 took us from Ingleton YH to Grinton Lodge YH via the back road to Chapel-le-Dale and on via Ribble Head to Hawes, up over Buttertubs and east along Swaledale.

Day3 Grinton YH to Helmsley YH via Sneck Yate Bank and Rievaulx Abbey.

Day 4 Helmsley to Scarborough taking in some of the North York Moors National Park.

You're heading way off the usual C2C route such as Hadrians' cycleway, so can only help on the first bit. Counter intuitively, I'd head North out of Ravenglass on NCN 27 at least up to Seascale/ Selafield (don't be put of by the name) or perhaps Whitehaven , then do a right turn into the lakes. Large sections of the NCN72 run by the railway right next to the sea here. It's only a few miles and is one of the best bits of the whole route, some of it on hardpack bridleway.

Loads of options!

Across the Moors, I'd be tempted to use the old Rosedale railway, which is all permissive bridleways. Something like this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28477708

There's not much on the route in the way of facilities, so you'd have to call into the Lion on Blakey Ridge (there's an ooutside tap, or go in and have a parmo). At the top of Rosedale Chimney, you could nip down into the village to one of the cafes/pubs/shops, then go along the valley to Cropton, but the permissive bridleway down towards Cropton is pretty good riding, if a tad rougher than the old railway.

The pub in Cropton has its own brewery and does food too.

There's a really rough bit down to the railway at Levisham, but once you're on the forest drive it's all good going, then there's a gorgeous bit of track alongside Hole of Horcum to the top of Saltergate. There's usually an ice cream van at the layby.

Then pick your own route through Dalby to Scab.

Dean wrote:Across the Moors, I'd be tempted to use the old Rosedale railway, which is all permissive bridleways. Something like this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28477708

I did this precise route across the moors a few months ago, and made a series of vlogs about it. This is the first relevant one: [youtube]VIN-yUZTJmg[/youtube]

Hi All,

With your help and some cycle route planning we made up an incredible 4 day route through the Lakes, Dales and Moors.

Thanks for all your help!

Ross and Craig.