Cycling
There are great opportunities to explore the Yorkshire Dales by bike, both on its network of minor roads and for mountain bikers on the byways, bridleways and ‘green lanes’ that cross the area. To find out more about this lovely way of exploring the countryside visit the cycling page within the Getting active section of our website.
Cycling initiatives
The National Park Authority is keen to promote cycling as a sustainable way to visit the Dales, and for this reason have developed a number of initiatives to help with promotion. These include:
- Provision of cycle stands and securing rings at over 100 sites through the Dales
- Publishing with Harveys Maps high quality maps showing graded mountain bike routes
- With North Yorkshire County Council undertaking the re-signing of the 210km Yorkshire Dales Cycleway
- Developing cycle friendly accommodation
- The launch of www.mtbthedales.org.uk and www.cyclethedales.org.uk (websites open in new windows)
- Leading a partnership to bring a summer bike bus service to the Dales from Leeds
- Carrying out works to repair eroded sections of bridleways.
This has been achieved with funding from Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund, and has led to further joint working with North Yorkshire County Council on continuing this work including the development of a sub-regional cycle tourism strategy.
YDNPA are also leading on the development of the Pennine Bridleway in this area.
In the summer of 2005 the first section of the Bridleway was opened called the Settle Loop, with the full 52 miles being completed by 2008. This work is being funded by Natural England.
