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Welcome to the Yorkshire Dales 300, brain child of local rider and cycle mechanic Stuart Rider. The official route is ridden annually as a participation event from Stuart’s workshop in Skipton, Riders Cycle Centre - but is also available to ride year round for cycle tourers or racers fancying a challenge with a timed Individual Time Trial (ITT).
If you’re looking for a straight-forward A to B route then this is not for you. But if the idea of a wiggling trail taking in all the most hidden off road gems, toughest climbs, most exposed moorland estate roads and testing singletrack is more your cup of Yorkshire Tea, then you’re in the right place. A total of 186 miles (300km) doesn’t sound like much, but don’t be fooled: this is one challenging route. You should consider your fitness level before attempting the Yorkshire Dales 300 as there are many testing climbs, even spread over five days.
The official route passes by many of the quaint towns of the Yorkshire Dales, so don’t be afraid to go ‘off route’ a little to visit these and sample their delightful tearooms and pubs! By splitting the route into five days here, there should be ample time for exploring the local sights, especially in the summer months with more daylight hours.
The best bike for this challenge is probably a hardtail mountain bike or similar. It certainly can be attempted on a gravel bike although some parts of the trails are quite technical so be prepared to walk a little! Remember that wild camping is not legal in this part of the UK so if you’d like to camp you’ll need to seek out campsites. Thankfully there are plenty to choose from in the Yorkshire Dales. It’s important to take a survival bag and other emergency equipment with you whether you’ll be camping or not, as some of the areas you reach are very remote which means emergency help could take some time to reach you.
Perhaps the best time to visit the Dales is late summer or early autumn - September and October. Here it will be less busy as the school holidays will be finished and the purple heather should be blooming - marvellous! Be aware that severe weather can strike year-round so make sure you’re prepared with good quality waterproofs and plenty of spare layers.
