We knew the Yorkshire Dales National Park was a haven for cycling due to a sticker in the window when we moved in saying, ‘Cyclists Welcome’, but with our limited knowledge and only having one mountain bike between us, we needed our cyclist friends from the Isle of Man to explain to us, just what makes the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria perfect for cycling.
There are roads smooth enough and wide enough for road cycling.
There are trails in the hills suitable for mountain biking with the Yorkshire Dales having over 900km of bridleways, byways and tracks.
www.mtbthedales.org.uk
Strava tells us there are some steep incline King of the Hills in the Cumbria area.
The Yorkshire Dales was chosen to form the central part of stage 1 of the Tour de France in 2014 and now annually holds the Tour de Yorkshire.
There are notable famous climbs to take including Buttertubs Pass, Fleet Moss and Tan Hill.
www.cyclethedales.org.uk
The Dales Loop takes in the Western Dales area where St Marks Stays is located.
Coffee and cake is in no shortage, certainly in Sedbergh, for one. Apparently, it is all about the coffee and cake with cyclists. Hey maybe this is a sport meant for us then after all!
The views are not dull and certainly not monotonous and there is something around every winding route for motivation to push through the barrier to a new personal best.
Finally, with bike storage available, cyclists can put their support socks up and relax in our surroundings.
