North Yorkshire Highs

North Yorkshire, a county of contrasting landscapes. The relatively flat vale of York, gives way to the rugged, remote and hill laden Dales in the North and East; and the scenic beauty of the almost-as-hill laden North Yorkshire Moors to the East. Perfect cycling territory.

I was staying in the North Yorkshire Dales, in a village just outside of the not so busy Reeth. I know this area very well as I grew up in nearby County Durham. This delightful North East corner of the national park is my favourite part of the Dales. With the scars of lead mining, heavy skies and treeless vistas, it's all moody and rugged-like.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=384842

Not a particularly long ride at a shade over 28 miles, but with over 740m of ascent and most of that coming in the first half on the way up to Tan Hill, Britain's 40th highest road (whoo-hoo!), I knew it was going to be tough and it proved to be just so.

The weather was uncharacteristically dry. Fresh, cool and sunny; at least on the way out to Gunnerside and Keld, from Fremington. At Tan Hill itself, the moor was in shadow and the eery bleak landscape was bitten by a chill wind which stayed with me all the way home.

Straight off the bat is a short, sharp climb through Reeth village and away out to Gunnerside. It's a steady climb al the way up to Tan Hill, requiring various levels of effort. Theres plenty of 10% grade out that way as you follow the River Swale; at some points it goes to 15%. Annoyingly, the road loses height many times along the way and so the final ascent is a bit brutal, combining two 25% inclines over a 4 mile stretch of all climb. The first 25% comes a little after Keld as you turn off the B6720. To add to the pleasure, the incline has 2 hairpin bends. Strangely, I made short work of this climb and once on top, where the gradient levels out to between 2 and 3%, the scenery was stunning. Riding to the sound of the curlew, the morning spring sun bouncing off of the tarmac and dodging the odd over-excitable lamb or two, it was by far the most stunnig place in Britain that I have had the pleasure to be on a bicycle. That being on top of the world alone kind of feeling.

Tan Hill itself came into view just as the final 25% incline had been tackled and by this time my legs could feel the effort being asked of them.

I'd like to say that the ride from Tan Hill to reeth was a cruise downhill, but there are still plenty of undulations, cattle grids and tight bends to keep you busy. A free ride home it most certainly was not. Well, maybe the last 3 mile section, where I hit 40 mph.