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The Swale Trail Family-friendly cycle route

B9 – Cycling

Promote and encourage responsible cycling by supporting world class events that showcase the National Park, enabling the development of four ‘cycle hubs’, and creating at least one further family-friendly cycling route by 2024.


How the local partners are doing on this objective

Progress: 2 ‘cycle hubs’ have already been developed (Reeth and Settle). Public consultation was completed in June 2022 on the proposal for a possible new family-friendly, multi-user route running along the former rail line from Hawes to Garsdale. The National Park Authority is currently in discussion with potential partners to develop the proposal further.

Press Releases & related articles:

17 June 2022Strong Public Support for Hawes-Garsdale Proposal


Rationale: The 2014 Tour de France dramatically raised the profile of cycling as a way of enjoying the National Park.  The Tour de Yorkshire and 2019 Cycling World Championships will continue to showcase the area. Facilitating the development of cycle hubs – places with cycle hire, good routes and supporting businesses – should be encouraged, along with more family-friendly and off-road routes for the benefit of visitors and residents

Lead partners:  North Yorkshire Council; Westmorland & Furness Council

Supporting partners:  Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority; North Yorkshire Council; Westmorland & Furness Council; Welcome to Yorkshire

Further information:  Cycle the Dales;

Cost over 5 years: £700,000

Funding shortfall:  £600,000

Related objectives: B2; B8, E2; E3

Ecosystem services:  Recreation

Trade-offs:   Cycling events and heavily-used routes have the potential to have impacts on tranquility (A2); priority habitats (C1) and species (C2). Management and mitigation of these are guided by principles set out in the Special Qualities, Special Experience.

Baseline: No cycle hubs; 3 ‘family-friendly’ cycle routes