Create an account sign-up-diamond

Start your adventure today.

Already a member? Login

Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour

Chat with us on our contact page or fill out the form below!

Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour
From $1,225USDBook Now
Your itineraryDates & pricesReviews
9 days from $1,225USD
Easy quote
The Dales from Conistone Pie (c)John Millen
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

The iconic Yorkshire Dales National Park has extraordinary natural beauty derived from the Iceland rain sculptured limestone. It has over thousands of years been fashioned into a range of shallow and deep ‘Dales’, gorges, rocky pavements, waterfalls and gushing rivers, caves and woodland glades. Human interaction with the landscape has moulded the geology to create farms and fields lined with miles of dry‑stone walls, the ribbed ruins of abbeys, medieval castles, pastures glowing with multi‑shades of green, sitting below wilder lands of heather and sedge, home of red grouse and deer. The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway follows a circuit of normally quiet lanes that are ideal for cycling.

Each stage is suitable for most levels of riders, however riding in Yorkshire is hilly and there are some long steep ascents where you may want to walk your bike. You will climb approx 4000metres /13,100 feet in total, with up to 800m / 2,600 feet elevation gain in one day. However our days are fairly short in distance, in fact you maybe in the saddle only three or four hours giving you plenty of time to recover from climbs, visit the beautiful villages, castles and churches and if necessary, lock up your bikes and walk to features such as waterfalls, rivers or museums. You will find many eateries en route to keep you fueled including the home of Wensleydale Cheese, as well as plenty of friendly pubs.

England, Europe
Happiness promise

Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour

Cycle from village to village through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales
4.70
(45 reviews)
9 days from $1,225USD
Easy quote
Duration
9 days
Season
Mar-Oct
Standard Biking
Type
Self-guided, Private
Accommodation
Hotels
Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
From $1,225USD (see prices for this tour)
Get a quote
Got any questions?
Ask a question
National Geographic
Guardian
FodorsTravel
Time
Backpacker
National Geographic
Guardian
The Dales from Conistone Pie (c)John Millen
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

The iconic Yorkshire Dales National Park has extraordinary natural beauty derived from the Iceland rain sculptured limestone. It has over thousands of years been fashioned into a range of shallow and deep ‘Dales’, gorges, rocky pavements, waterfalls and gushing rivers, caves and woodland glades. Human interaction with the landscape has moulded the geology to create farms and fields lined with miles of dry‑stone walls, the ribbed ruins of abbeys, medieval castles, pastures glowing with multi‑shades of green, sitting below wilder lands of heather and sedge, home of red grouse and deer. The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway follows a circuit of normally quiet lanes that are ideal for cycling.

Each stage is suitable for most levels of riders, however riding in Yorkshire is hilly and there are some long steep ascents where you may want to walk your bike. You will climb approx 4000metres /13,100 feet in total, with up to 800m / 2,600 feet elevation gain in one day. However our days are fairly short in distance, in fact you maybe in the saddle only three or four hours giving you plenty of time to recover from climbs, visit the beautiful villages, castles and churches and if necessary, lock up your bikes and walk to features such as waterfalls, rivers or museums. You will find many eateries en route to keep you fueled including the home of Wensleydale Cheese, as well as plenty of friendly pubs.

rating
Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.
Trip highlights

Enjoy a classical circular ride through the beautiful nature of the Northern England

Take in the characters of different valleys, such as Wharfedale, Swaledale, Coverdale and Wensleydale

Conquer some challenging climbs to look at some extraordinary views

Visit numerous great pubs and perhaps the best beer in the UK

We are Australian
We know Adventure
10Adventures only does Hiking, Cycling and Adventure Holidays. Its our mission to help you explore the world!

Trip map

Travellers love 10Adventures

View all
Day by day itinerary
Expand all days
Day 1
See more
Arrival in Skipton
Make your own way to Skiption. Picture perfect, without a stone out of place, in 2016 Skipton was voted the best place to live in England for the second time, in a poll by the Sunday Times. Literally meaning ‘sheep-town,’ the Norman castle was started here in 1090 being strengthened in the 13th century against the Scots. It is now one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England and worth a visit if you have time. The town also has one of the oldest mills in North Yorkshire, High Corn Mill, powered by the waters of Eller Beck and dates to 1310. From medieval times Skipton became a prosperous market town, trading sheep and woollen goods and in the 19th century, it became a small mill town connected to the major cities by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Today of course, tourism is the main draw aided by its historic architecture and proximity to the Yorkshire Dales and great walking and cycling routes.
Distance None
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Skipton
Included Meals None
Day 2
See more
Cycle to Malham
Introducing the moors, hills and rivers and dales of Yorkshire, the cycle ride gets underway from Skipton. The ride starts through the lovely village of Embsay and then with a long hill climb up to 300m /984 feet along Barden Road giving superb views across Embsay Moor and as far as Ilkley Moor. Then descends to the babbling beauty of the River Wharfe and Wharfedale. You pass charming Appletreewick, essentially a medieval village with gorgeous stone cottages reflecting the limestone nature of the surrounding geology. Indeed some of the buildings seem to have grown out of the ground having been there since the 12th century. Perhaps pause at the pub, the beautiful ivy covered Craven Arms with a long trestle table terrace. Then continue along the river as it flows through Burnsall, a dramatic village with an imposing stone bridge, as well as a Grammar School built in 1601. Have a riverside break here before ascending Elberton Hill the last major climb before a gentle downhill into the village of Airton, where you join the River Aire in Upper Airedale. Continue up through Kirkby Malham to reach the popular village of Malham. This is a pretty place, surrounded by limestone dry-stone walls, with a stream running right through the middle of the village. It has been a settlement for at least a thousand years and once a place of mills and mines. Nowadays, Pennine hill farms and tourism are the main activities. Mind the ducks as you walk to the pub. Either tonight or tomorrow (if the weather looks better), walk up the valley to the beautiful and dramatic limestone amphitheater of Malham Cove. If you can manage the footpath above it, you will end up on the rocky pavement – and a setting in Harry Potter - with great views back down the valley.
Distance 3.5 hours, 38km, 533m of ascent, 475m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Malham
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 3
See more
Cycle to Settle
A cycle ride deep into the Dales. Prepare for about 15km of wild and remote riding before you reach the first village! Steeply ascend Malham Rakes to the rippling waters of the glacial Malham Tarn. You now have some quiet hilly moorland riding before descending into Stainforth the ancient ‘Stony ford’ once a colliery town, on the River Ribble. Following the river, the ride pass the old milling village of Langcliffe before arriving in Settle. The market place is surrounded by a variety of glorious buildings, most notably the Shambles (1675) and the Town Hall (1832) now housing a great selection of shops, galleries and places to eat. The Victoria Hall opened as a music hall in 1853 and still has regular shows making it the oldest continuously-operating music hall in the country. If you are a railway enthusiast, visit Settle Station with its working signal box and water tower. The iconic Settle-Carlisle Railway is a heritage treasure trove.
Distance 2.5 hours, 26km, 457m of ascent, 495m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Settle
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 4
See more
Cycle to Dent
A day of riding, passing limestone caves and waterfalls and a leg testing amount of elevation gain! The route follows gentle hills through peaceful countryside to the village of Clapham - perhaps a coffee stop before riding into Ingleton, a pretty village which has a beautiful gorge and waterfall walk (entrance charge). To do this just lock up your bike and spend a couple of hours exploring. From here the route heads up into the glacially formed Kingsdale Valley with the highest Yorkshire Peak of Whernside on your right and with wide and wild views which you can contemplate on the long ascents. At last you roll down into Dentdale and Dent Village hidden between the Howgill Fells and Pennines, with its own little brewery and a couple of pubs and tea shops. There are delightful cobbled streets and a fountain of pink granite in the village centre (where the three cobbled streets meet), commemorating Dent’s links with Adam Sedgwick, (1785-1873), one of the greatest field geologists of his time. Dent is also famous for its ‘manic’ knitters. In the 18th century, both men and women knitted, often while walking to the fields to work. Their output of hand-knitted gloves and socks was enormous, providing an important supplementary income. The large 12th century St. Andrews Church is also worth a visit.
Distance 4hours, 42km, 746m of ascent, 764m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Dent
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 5
See more
Cycle to Askrigg
The day starts with a steep climb through Dentdale, following the river Dee. There are great views over rolling fells and the Arten Gill Viaduct. You reach the high point of the day at 435m / 1,427 feet and then the route becomes much easier as you roll into Hawes - England’s highest market town (259m /850 feet). Hawes was granted a charter to hold markets by King William III in 1699 then in 1887 an auction market was established for cattle sales and sheep fairs. Soon after this, cheese fairs also became a regular event. Cycle to Gayle next to Hawes and visit The Wensleydale Creamery - they have been making this kind of cheese since around 1150, involving traditional recipes following those first created by French monks. Nowadays there are many different varieties of the eponymous Wensleydale which you can try. There is also a traditional rope factory where you can become more entwined in the history of the area. After your Hawes break, you cross over the River Ure and follow a quiet road which runs parallel to it for a final relaxing stretch through Bainbridge a village with extensive greens and cascading river. Finally arrive in Askrigg a viking settlement named ‘The ridge where ash trees grow.’ Once a knitting, milling and clock-making village, today it is a place of tea shops and pubs, with cobbled streets. Fans of James Herriot and the TV show ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ will recognize Skeldale House, as the vet’s surgery.
Distance 3 hours, 35km, 478m of ascent, 411m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Askrigg
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 6
See more
Cycle to Redmire
Today there are two big hills. The first one is from rom Askrigg to Cross Top, (495m / 1,624 feet ) with up to a 15% gradient at times. However once over this there is a gorgeous descent down into the valley of the River Swale. The old lead mining village of Gunnerside is one stop for a coffee and cake although it is slightly off the route. You continue along the river until Grinton with a popular pub and historic church that is known as the ‘Cathedral of the Dales.’ A worthwhile short detour is the interesting village of Reeth, with it’s nice large green, shops and also the nearby Dales Bike Centre – with tasty food and drinks as well as equipment if you need stocking up. Then is your next steep climb back up to 450m /1,476 feet to cross Grinton Moor and then down into Redmire - another village used in the James Herriot series. Castle Bolton is nearby; built from 1378 and left largely intact from the Civil War in the 1640s. You can visit old kitchens, dungeon, nursery, armoury, great chamber and Mary Queen of Scots’ bedroom - she was imprisoned here for a while on the way to Fotheringay Castle. About one third of the rooms are fully intact and the rest of the castle is almost completely accessible giving visitors great insight into its turbulent past.
Distance 3 hours, 34km, 810m of ascent, 800m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Redmire
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 7
See more
Cycle to Kettlewell
Today is another hilly ride ride through postcard perfect landscapes and villages. The first place you get to is the historic village called Wensley, the place name for the Dale. Wensley comes from the Norse god - Woden. This was a plague village in the 1560s, and took a long time to recover. It is still home to a Grade I listed 13th century Holy Trinity Church, Wensley Mill and there are hidden waterfalls. After a look round, cross over the River Ure and climb along Gale Bank, which has beautiful woodlands and dry-stone lined roads. You cycle through glorious Coverdale now following the River Cover as it carves through the landscape threading its way through some tiny villages. Finally you ascend the Park Rash climb which averages 11% and climbs 230 metres. Be careful on the descent into Kettlewell, a gorgeous village, by the River Wharfe with quaint tea shops and limestone terraces. Kettlewell meaning ‘bubbling spring’ is a charming little place. Destroyed by a flood in the 1680s, much of the village reflects the success of lead mining and smelting here from the 1800s. Tea shops and a couple of pubs will welcome you through their doors. Accommodation: A traditional pub with newly renovated and individually styled rooms, making the most of the enviable Yorkshire Dales views, whether it be the pretty village church or the dramatic surrounding hills. They have ensuite shower rooms, flat screen TV with DVD player, tea and coffee making facilities with a complimentary selection of homemade Yorkshire biscuits!
Distance 3 hours, 30km, 548m of ascent, 495m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Kettlewell
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 8
See more
Cycle to Skipton
Your final stage and despite a bit of climbing is a much easier day! You continue with the river along Wharfedale, with its share of waterfalls and limestone caves. Cycling via Conistone with its 11th century church and limestone hillock called the Pie, and passing by Grass Wood Nature Reserve brimming with limestone scars and thick woodland you arrive at Grassington - a place whose name means what it says! However it also found wealth from lead mining and local quarry workings. The Old Hall here is reputedly the oldest house in Yorkshire. The village is an excellent place to stop for lunch with a range of tea rooms and cafes. Next, cross over the river at Linton Falls and wind through the countryside, passing more villages and perhaps a final fantastic break-spot at Bolton Abbey which was founded in 1154 by the Augustinian order, on the banks of the River Wharfe. The nave of the abbey church was in use as a parish church from about 1170 onwards, and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries which closed this one in January 1540. There is a final hill to Halton East, before reaching Embsay and then Skipton.
Distance 3 hours, 33km, 327m of ascent, 373m of descent
Overnight Location Hotel/BB in Skipton
Included Meals Breakfast
Day 9
See more
Depart
Today is the final day of your time in Isle of Wight, when you departure after your breakfast.
Distance None
Overnight Location None
Included Meals Breakfast

Why book with 10 Adventures?

We know adventure

Founded by experienced travellers, active and adventure vacations are all we do.

Experience the trip of a lifetime organized by a team of travel specialists who combine knowledge and passion for adventure travel.

Self-guided specialists

With over 600 tours across 30+ countries, we specialize in self-guided tours.

Combine the freedom of travelling on your own with the confidence that all of your logistics are taken care of.

Packed with value

Get everything you need for your next vacation with one easy booking.

We take care of accommodations, luggage transfers, gear rentals, and more - so you can focus on making memories.

World Class support

Get unbeatable support at every step of your journey.

Whether you are planning or travelling, no matter what your question, a real human is always a call or click away.

Hassle free bookings

Have peace of mind for when travel plans change.

Explore our flexible booking, payment, and cancellation options, as well as our Lifetime Deposits program.

Reviews
5
33
4
10
3
2
2
1
4.70 (45 reviews)
Sort by: Newest
Dates and prices

This self-guided tour is always run as a private tour for your group only.

2024 Departures
The departures are available daily, from April 1st to October 20th. All the prices below are per person.

  • Single room: $1,725USD
  • Sharing a double room: $1,225USD
What’s included

Meals

8 breakfasts are included.

Accommodations

Accommodations for 8 nights are included.

Transportation during the Tour

This tour includes luggage transfers for your luggage; however, you are in charge of any personal transfers needed.

Also Included

  • Detailed documents, guides, route maps, and GPX tracks
  • Emergency telephone support hotline for the duration of the tour
  • Pre-planned route

Not included

  • Getting to or from Ryde
  • Guide services
  • Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
  • Travel insurance
  • Tourist hotel tax, payable each night at hotel
  • Visas if required
  • Airport transfers
  • Gratuities for drivers, servers, or other staff if desired
  • Bike rental

Optional Extras

  • Bike rental
  • Single occupancy upgrades

Accommodation for Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour

There is a variety of accommodation along the route ranging from bed and breakfasts, lodges, pubs and small hotels. They are run by cycling-friendly hosts offering en-suite or private facility rooms with a tasty breakfast to get you ready for the day ahead. Further facilities such as washing and drying facilities, packed lunches and packed lunches are available in some accommodations, you will be advised on your listing of what is available.

In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.

Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour?

We rate this tour as a 3 / 5. The cycle is moderate grade with daily cycles of between 26 and 53km on undulating to hilly terrain. The cycling is on low traffic side roads and cycleways. It is suitable for adults of all ages and fitness levels but not for children. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to participate fully in this adventure.

I’ve never been on a self-guided trip! How does it work?

Self-guided travelling is not difficult! For many, it is a preferred type of travel since you are in charge of your own time and pace. You are provided with all the information you’ll need to follow the route each day and often have access to phone support or other kinds of assistance. However, self-guided travelling requires good navigation skills and those who don’t feel confident in unknown places should consider booking guided tours.

Do I need a visa to travel to England?

Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.

Are meals included on the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour?

4 breakfasts are included.

Do I need insurance?

Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover cycling. Get your travel insurance.

How do I get to Skipton to start this tour?

By train: From London Kings Cross up to two trains an hour, change at Leeds. It takes 3 to 3.45 hours. From Manchester Airport up to two trains an hour, changing at Leeds. It takes around 2.30 hours. Trains also run from Scotland, Glasgow and Edinburgh via Carlisle and sometimes Leeds taking 3.15 hours to 5.45 hours. See www.nationalrail.co.uk for timetables and planning. You are advised to book tickets and reserve a seat (and your bike) in advance. Tickets are usually more expensive if bought on the day of travel. By flight: The nearest Airport is Leeds/Bradford, approximately 20miles away. It is possible to get a to Skipton by bus or taxi from here. Manchester Airport is approx. 2.5hrs away by train. By Ferry: Hull is 60miles (100km) away and takes approximately 90minutes to drive from to Skipton.

Where does the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway Tour end?

This tour ends where it starts, in Skipton.

Can I rent a bike?

Yes, you can rent a bike during the booking process.

Can I bring my own bike?

Yes. If you bring your own bike, it should be a road bike suitable for the demands of the tour. If you are bringing your own bike, make sure to include it in any public transport tickets you reserve.

Do I need special vaccines to travel to Scotland?

Check with your family doctor.

Are there any travel restrictions for England?

Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.

Back to top
Why travellers choose this tour
At 10Adventures, it’s easy to make memories with the following six optional inclusions on this tour:
We're Canadian
Book with a Canadian company whose mission is to help you travel the world.

Bike Tours in England by Region

Get travel inspiration and discounts

Join our weekly travel newsletter