THE Lake District is clearly the best place in the UK to ride a bicycle especially if you want to do some climbing, I may be slightly biased as i live there!, I do like a bit of Yorkshire riding though, the climbs aren't as steep as the lakes, but are more exposed, and very barren, nice in different way, But i love the lakes
The Cairngorms are pretty good but really the islands are the places I love if you can get out and do a loop of like Mull, Ardnamurcan, Lewis, Harris the Uists and Benbeccula and explore you'l learn that they all have very different slightly crazy characters to them… I'd say I've ridden round the highlands and Islands Scotland fairly extensively, its often pretty wet and windy and the road surface can ping you about a bit at points but if you ever need any advice about planning a route up this way give us a shout I might be of some use :).
Hi Katie, have you ridden much in North Wales? I grew up there (Manchester is home now) so many great roads and lots of climbs. You need to ride the 'old horseshoe pass – basically another road up the side of the horseshoe pass (behind the ponderosa cafe). The only hill I haven't made it up as yet.
Thank you so much for the recommendations and to the folks commenting as well. Planning on riding somewhere in the UK this fall just haven't figured out where. First time riding there.
Have to agree with all those especially the caingorms, went up there in a motorhome a few years back, & it was brilliant cycling around that area, as someone previously mentioned though, take MTB as off road is unbelievable round there.
Also if you want a good look at the Dale's try Le Petit Depart sportive, goes from Skipton at the beginning of June follows the route of the tour de France, really well organised event as well.
ive commented on your channel before when you had a meet up with the top 100 guys. ive done the top 100 hills which has taken me all over our amazing country. I to loved the gairn gorms, lakes , dales and of course the peak district. other great places isle of skye , north pennines ,dartmoor, north and south wales …the list just goes on and on.
some big highlights for me where baleach na ba (Scotland) , Spital of Glenshee (Scotland),harlech chimney (North wales),blea tarn(Lakes),stwlan dam(North Wales). Every one of these had something magic about them , the great views across Scotland and the isle of skye, the twists and turns of Stwlan Dam + Views. riding through the valley into a cul-de-sac of mountains then up the short but steep climb and Harlech chimney… just wow the view on a clear day accross the bay to Abersoch just amazing.
we are so lucky in the country, we have some many great places to ride a bike. All you have to do is put your bike on rack , head in any direction for a hour and you'll find something stunning.
Hi Katie Sorry for going off the topic, but I was wondering if you could do me a HUGE favour. I just started a cycling group (52 members on Facebook called Jumeirah Park Cycling Club) in Dubai and it's been hard getting women to participate. Do you have a video I could share with the group about your early days in cycling: and encouraging ladies to join a group? I believe most women aren't just comfortable about how the look weight-wise, it would be great for someone like you to encourage them. This would mean the world to me. Cheers
Hey Kid. Nothing wrong with the Dales – we find a lot of people prefer them for their vast emptiness and savagely steep gradients – the Lakes are amazing and unique but if you don't have (or make use of) local knowledge then they can seem quite busy in the Summer months. But anyway, we're actually equidistant between the Dales, the Lakes and the Forest of Bowland. It's a smorgasbord of cycling heavens up here! Happy to help any of your viewers that want a little magical local guidance – @ColdDarkNorth on pretty much everything.
Well here is a shout for the South. Tavistock/Dartmoor are lovely but for me it's got to be the Cornish coastal roads with the short but hideously steep climbs out of the old fishing coves.
Dorset, Devon and Cornwall if your're in the south west. Hilly, some lovely quiet country lanes and an oldy-worldly feel in some villages and towns….. Not forgetting pasties!!
I’m lucky enough to live in the Peak District, cycling around the Buxton area as often as I can. North Wales is also a target area with some winding climbs and scenery. Keep the vidz coming, it’s great to hear a straight talking northern lass on the Tube ! 👍👍👍
Hi Katie, you should try out a ride from Bala, North Wales, going south up the Hirnant pass, then down to Dinas Mawddwy and north back to Bala via Bwlch-y-Groes which is ranked as one of Britain’s hardest climbs. I think you’d enjoy that..great scenery, quiet, and tough climbing!
Don't be put off by the name is a bit tongue in cheek. Quiet roads, actually mostly dead and some great climbs and descents. Scenery is amazing. Especially around the village of Barr. You can climb a 4% for 7km drop down into the village and within a couple of kilometres, you have a choice of a 6% a 6.5% or a 7% climb back out of the valley floor. These are all average gradients with all of them having some step sections. Also If your in Ayrshire it would be rude not to jump on a ferry and do a circular or a figure 8 of the Isle of Arran. Or better still the 5 Ferry Challenge which has breadth taking views.
One of these days I'll visit some of these places so many of you wonderful people here mentioned. If I ever get bored with what I have on my own doorstep.
Hey, Katie, next time your up near Cairngorm, give the 3 Pistes route a go. Start in Pitlochry then take in the 3 Ski centres at Glenshee, The Lecht and finish off at the top of Cairngorm mountain. Its about 170km with 2800m of climbing and definitely worth doing. Also some cracking routes out to the west of Inverness towards Fort William and over to the West Coast. Just look up the NC500 route which includes the Bealach na Ba pass on the Applecross peninsula (600+ meters of climbing in 5 miles) 🙂
All very subjective and biased. I live on the border between the Lakes and the Dales, but also like South Wales,. The Black mountains and Brecons are magnificient. Rounds of Aberegavenny, Hay and the Gospel Pass are every bit as good as any Dales ride. Further West into the Carmarthen Fan has lovely mountain roads like the head of the Senni Valley over to Ystradfelte. My favourite Lakes rides take me over Birker Fell from Ravenglass, over Stickle Fell/Caw, then over Woodlands Fell to Ulverston. Daleswise, a round of Horton, Ribblehead, Dent, Barbondale and back via Ingleton and Clapham takes some beating.
I did Eroica Britannia in the Peak, all terrain for all types of cyclists. Particularly, Tissington & Monsal trail are good for family rides. I recommend country lanes in the Surrey Hills famous for 2012 London Olympics. Due to extended social distancing now, I discover unknown trails in local Commons and backroads around the Golf courses and farms. You often need to cyclecross 🙂
Im in Harrogate, been cycling 30 years, used to head to lakes as first port of call for 2 or 3 day adventure. Then as it got busier focused more on the dales. Now that is becoming more crowded the favourite destination is the North York moors, still some desolate areas, cracking cafes and quiet roads to be found.
Thanks for your recommendations. I planned a trip in the UK last month and really enjoyed riding in the Peak Districts. I planned a loop starting in Castleton with a mix of good climbing on quiet roads. Also stayed in the Lake District and also enjoy the riding up Hardknott Pass. Beautiful country!
49 Comments
Can you cycle from Liverpool to lake district without going on to ferry
Thank you
THE Lake District is clearly the best place in the UK to ride a bicycle especially if you want to do some climbing, I may be slightly biased as i live there!, I do like a bit of Yorkshire riding though, the climbs aren't as steep as the lakes, but are more exposed, and very barren, nice in different way, But i love the lakes
The Dales really caught my eye in this one. Beautiful. How is the traffic there?
The Cairngorms are pretty good but really the islands are the places I love if you can get out and do a loop of like Mull, Ardnamurcan, Lewis, Harris the Uists and Benbeccula and explore you'l learn that they all have very different slightly crazy characters to them… I'd say I've ridden round the highlands and Islands Scotland fairly extensively, its often pretty wet and windy and the road surface can ping you about a bit at points but if you ever need any advice about planning a route up this way give us a shout I might be of some use :).
Hi Katie, have you ridden much in North Wales? I grew up there (Manchester is home now) so many great roads and lots of climbs. You need to ride the 'old horseshoe pass – basically another road up the side of the horseshoe pass (behind the ponderosa cafe). The only hill I haven't made it up as yet.
Thank you so much for the recommendations and to the folks commenting as well. Planning on riding somewhere in the UK this fall just haven't figured out where. First time riding there.
Have to agree with all those especially the caingorms, went up there in a motorhome a few years back, & it was brilliant cycling around that area, as someone previously mentioned though, take MTB as off road is unbelievable round there.
Also if you want a good look at the Dale's try Le Petit Depart sportive, goes from Skipton at the beginning of June follows the route of the tour de France, really well organised event as well.
North Yorkshire Moors, some great climbs and amazing coastline.
ive commented on your channel before when you had a meet up with the top 100 guys. ive done the top 100 hills which has taken me all over our amazing country. I to loved the gairn gorms, lakes , dales and of course the peak district. other great places isle of skye , north pennines ,dartmoor, north and south wales …the list just goes on and on.
some big highlights for me where baleach na ba (Scotland) , Spital of Glenshee (Scotland),harlech chimney (North wales),blea tarn(Lakes),stwlan dam(North Wales). Every one of these had something magic about them , the great views across Scotland and the isle of skye, the twists and turns of Stwlan Dam + Views. riding through the valley into a cul-de-sac of mountains then up the short but steep climb and Harlech chimney… just wow the view on a clear day accross the bay to Abersoch just amazing.
we are so lucky in the country, we have some many great places to ride a bike. All you have to do is put your bike on rack , head in any direction for a hour and you'll find something stunning.
Agree Dales better than the Lakes, safer and quieter. Northumberland is great, coastal routes and countryside with some good hills.
Yorkshire dales is the best! So lucky to have the dales on my doorstep 😁
My favourite place to ride is in London behind the busses, breathing in charged particles. It’s such a buzz. 😆
Did a ride in North Wales on Friday, passing Llyn Brenig and then onto the Horseshoe Pass. Riding was incredible, definitely reccomend!
Just finished another audax, past through the Trough of Bowland- awesome views!
Hi Katie
Sorry for going off the topic, but I was wondering if you could do me a HUGE favour. I just started a cycling group (52 members on Facebook called Jumeirah Park Cycling Club) in Dubai and it's been hard getting women to participate. Do you have a video I could share with the group about your early days in cycling: and encouraging ladies to join a group? I believe most women aren't just comfortable about how the look weight-wise, it would be great for someone like you to encourage them.
This would mean the world to me.
Cheers
✌️✌️👍👍👍😊😊😊
Hey Kid. Nothing wrong with the Dales – we find a lot of people prefer them for their vast emptiness and savagely steep gradients – the Lakes are amazing and unique but if you don't have (or make use of) local knowledge then they can seem quite busy in the Summer months. But anyway, we're actually equidistant between the Dales, the Lakes and the Forest of Bowland. It's a smorgasbord of cycling heavens up here! Happy to help any of your viewers that want a little magical local guidance – @ColdDarkNorth on pretty much everything.
Well here is a shout for the South. Tavistock/Dartmoor are lovely but for me it's got to be the Cornish coastal roads with the short but hideously steep climbs out of the old fishing coves.
Angus Glens (Glen Clova, Glen Esk, Glen Prosen), Sidlaw Hills, Loch Earn & Loch Tay, Trossachs and Glen Lyon areas.
A typical road heading towards Loch Tay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_PzzCXkchI
Cairngorms is also a destination for petrol heads as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkAT82-R0S8
Explore Wales
Cairngorm mountain is brilliant… Did 3pistes ride. Amazing Pitlochry to Cairngorm
Dorset, Devon and Cornwall if your're in the south west. Hilly, some lovely quiet country lanes and an oldy-worldly feel in some villages and towns….. Not forgetting pasties!!
I’m lucky enough to live in the Peak District, cycling around the Buxton area as often as I can. North Wales is also a target area with some winding climbs and scenery.
Keep the vidz coming, it’s great to hear a straight talking northern lass on the Tube ! 👍👍👍
Hi Katie, you should try out a ride from Bala, North Wales, going south up the Hirnant pass, then down to Dinas Mawddwy and north back to Bala via Bwlch-y-Groes which is ranked as one of Britain’s hardest climbs. I think you’d enjoy that..great scenery, quiet, and tough climbing!
If you do decide to head north do yourself a favour and schedule in a stop here
http://www.ayrshirealps.org
Don't be put off by the name is a bit tongue in cheek. Quiet roads, actually mostly dead and some great climbs and descents. Scenery is amazing. Especially around the village of Barr. You can climb a 4% for 7km drop down into the village and within a couple of kilometres, you have a choice of a 6% a 6.5% or a 7% climb back out of the valley floor. These are all average gradients with all of them having some step sections. Also If your in Ayrshire it would be rude not to jump on a ferry and do a circular or a figure 8 of the Isle of Arran. Or better still the 5 Ferry Challenge which has breadth taking views.
One of these days I'll visit some of these places so many of you wonderful people here mentioned. If I ever get bored with what I have on my own doorstep.
Love the videos Katie. Keep them coming.
Devon and Dartmoor, on my door step.
I love the Yorkshire dales, born and bred here, a magnet for cyclists 👍
Pitlochry…you will love it promise (Scotland in case your unsure where it is lol)
Hey, Katie, next time your up near Cairngorm, give the 3 Pistes route a go. Start in Pitlochry then take in the 3 Ski centres at Glenshee, The Lecht and finish off at the top of Cairngorm mountain. Its about 170km with 2800m of climbing and definitely worth doing. Also some cracking routes out to the west of Inverness towards Fort William and over to the West Coast. Just look up the NC500 route which includes the Bealach na Ba pass on the Applecross peninsula (600+ meters of climbing in 5 miles) 🙂
Hi Katie can i ask what giant you're riding? keep up the good work and content
Just subscribed, now I will see if I made a wise move. Lol! Good on yer and power to your pedals. Old, old John in Brum.
perfect accent … lovely
Nice to see Yorkshire on the list! I really want to get to Scotland to go cycling too, the risk of bad weather keeps putting me off though.
All very subjective and biased.
I live on the border between the Lakes and the Dales, but also like South Wales,.
The Black mountains and Brecons are magnificient.
Rounds of Aberegavenny, Hay and the Gospel Pass are every bit as good as any Dales ride.
Further West into the Carmarthen Fan has lovely mountain roads like the head of the Senni Valley over to Ystradfelte.
My favourite Lakes rides take me over Birker Fell from Ravenglass, over Stickle Fell/Caw, then over Woodlands Fell to Ulverston.
Daleswise, a round of Horton, Ribblehead, Dent, Barbondale and back via Ingleton and Clapham takes some beating.
You should visit Canada one day
Birmingham is rubbish for cycling
I did Eroica Britannia in the Peak, all terrain for all types of cyclists. Particularly, Tissington & Monsal trail are good for family rides. I recommend country lanes in the Surrey Hills famous for 2012 London Olympics. Due to extended social distancing now, I discover unknown trails in local Commons and backroads around the Golf courses and farms. You often need to cyclecross 🙂
Definitely not Essex Southend and abouts there. There is no respect from the drivers.
Im in Harrogate, been cycling 30 years, used to head to lakes as first port of call for 2 or 3 day adventure. Then as it got busier focused more on the dales. Now that is becoming more crowded the favourite destination is the North York moors, still some desolate areas, cracking cafes and quiet roads to be found.
Do you guys ever get to the Spotty cafe at Langsett at the north end of the Strines. Great biking country.
St Ives to st just in Cornwall. Fantastic
Dales 100% well i am living in dales
agree！the peak is really nice！
Katie. Please do a top 10 cycling place. For intermediate cyclist.
Thanks for your recommendations. I planned a trip in the UK last month and really enjoyed riding in the Peak Districts. I planned a loop starting in Castleton with a mix of good climbing on quiet roads. Also stayed in the Lake District and also enjoy the riding up Hardknott Pass. Beautiful country!
The majority of this video is of you. A few videos of the routes – more pictures of you, a map of the routes would be really helpful.
The Ayrshire alps, it’s a hilly route in south Ayrshire scotland, you can take some gravel routes through the Galloway goriest aswell