The Dales

Featured Image
Steven Swann
Published: March 18, 2025
The Bicycle Lounge

The Delightful Dales

On 16th March 2025 four HMCC riders Steve Nelson, Mike Moy, Steve Graham and John Pout took part in the Delightful Dales 200km Audax. 

Starting in Clitheroe at 8am, the route was exclusively on quiet country roads in the Yorkshire Dales. The day was characterized by stunning views, sweeping descents and numerous climbs varying from 0.2 miles to 5 miles in length. First ‘highlight’ was the formidable climb of Park Rash – see profile. The worst bit being a double hairpin with gradients of 33% and 28% respectively. If that wasn’t bad enough the unrelenting 18% gradient after that seemed to go on forever. The first third of the day was into a headwind, then crosswinds. After a gorgeous sausage and egg barm and coffee stop in Leyburn with 45 miles done, we climbed over Grinton Moor and into Swaledale going through idyllic villages like Reeth.

We rode all the way to the head of the valley, onto the deserted moorland above Keld, before descending to Kirby Stephen after 76 miles for a cake and coffee stop. Picking up a tailwind for the remainder of the ride the final 50 miles contained some amazing rolling countryside. A brutal climb and descent called Coal Road took us into Dentdale. We then completed the last of the major climbs called Newby Head. 

This brought us to the road above the Ribblehead Viaduct, an amazing piece of architecture, sat between the hills of Pen-Y-Gent and Ingleborough. Even though we still had 30+ miles to go this well-designed route, it was essentially downhill all the way home from here. Going through Settle we returned to Clitheroe @5pm for a welcome cup of tea, snacks and a peanut butter buttie.

Audax’s are long distance rides from 70Km up. Two of the biggest are London-Edinburgh-London (1400km) or Paris-Brest-Paris (120km). These ultra long-distance ones are not for me, 200km is my maximum. Taking part in an audax is great for your endurance, and zone 2 riding. They are non-competitive rides open to anyone. Your speed is not important, it’s a matter of completing the route. You are given a Brevit card to get proof of visiting key points. For this Audax signing in and out at the HQ, plus getting receipts in Leyburn and Kirby Stephen was sufficient. The routes are the key, the organisers always make sure they are on quiet, deserted roads in beautiful parts of the country. They also alert the key cafes / shops about the event so that they can expect intrepid cyclists. Why not try one out, visit www.audax.uk

Two forthcoming 100km Audax’s you might be interested in are