Cycling in Yorkshire
1st July 2019
Bradford Council have linked Shipley to Bradford, by adding the Canal Road Cycleway onto the existing Greenway.
The result is a usable route. It's generally safe and convenient. The Cycleway has priority over drives and side roads, except in places where the route designers lost their nerve, and made it give way.
Read about the Canal Road Greenway & Cycleway.
14th June 2019
Today marks 100 days to the start of the UCI 2019 Yorkshire Worlds.
For the occasion, Harrogate High School pupils created a human artwork, and Yorkshire 2019 CEO Andy Hindley presented official Yorkshire 2019 flags.
Read about 100 days to the UCI 2019 Yorkshire Worlds.
25th June 2019
I joined a cycling tour of York, and found it was an excellent way to explore the city.
It's really a history tour, much like walking tours of York, but it's a more relaxing and enjoyable way of getting between the sights, and adds and extra element of fun.
Read about York Cycling Tours.
The UCI 2019 road World Championships take place in Yorkshire from Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th September 2019. Harrogate is the central hub, where all the events finish.
The world's best cyclists in Yorkshire. Nine days of top-class sport, and a festival atmosphere. It's going to be brilliant!
The Hedgehog guide to the event includes:
Check Hedgehog's UCI 2019 Yorkshire Worlds home page.
8th June 2019
A new edition of the Bradt Slow Travel guide to the Yorkshire Dales has been published, written by Mike Bagshaw and Caroline Mills.
It contains some pleasing nature notes, worth reading for new tips even if you know the Dales quite well. It's organised into six chapters, representing six areas of the Dales, loosely defined. The final chapter is Nidderdale, Harrogate & around.
This well-researched and logically-ordered book will help you discover more about the Dales. You can pop it in your pocket when you head off there, and it works even where there's no wifi coverage.
Read about the Bradt Slow Travel guide to the Yorkshire Dales.
20th May 2019
There's been a change to the route of the elite women's individual time trial at the Yorkshire Worlds.
The original route was straight down the A61 from Ripon to Harrogate, followed by one lap of the Harrogate circuit. The new route forks off the A61 at Ripley, and takes in Bedlam, Clint, Birstwith, and Hampsthwaite.
The change results in a more challenging, technical, and interesting time trial course.
Read about the UCI 2019 elite women's individual time trial.
26th March 2019
Sustrans surveyed teachers about air pollution outside schools, as part of their Big Pedal event.
Read about Sustrans school run survey.
13th March 2019
Public Health England have reported on what local authorities and national government can do to improve air quality.
Read about Public Health England on air pollution.
18th May 2019
The challenge has been set: drag as many times your body weight as possible to the shops. With your 4x4, you're doing well, but follow my advice, and you could do much better.
9th May 2019
At the heart of Harrogate, bang on the Yorkshire Worlds route, there's a 36cm cycle lane. It's brilliant that Harrogate is welcoming the world in September, but what about everyday bike riders all year round?
Read about 36cm cycle lane.
Hedgehog's Yorkshire wildlife guides and this week's Yorkshire wildlife photo.
Bike lanes in the Netherlands are designed with thought and intelligence to create a joined-up, easily usable network. I took a few photos of cycle infrastructure in Zandvoort, and I've added some comments about the intention of the planners. In the UK, we should pay particular attention to the way they give bike routes continuity, instead of making them give way to every side street.
Read about inspiration from Dutch cycle infrastructure.
7th January 2019
Sir Gary Verity says 2019 will be huge for Harrogate, as it will be the centre of the cycling world. He wants local businesses to seize the opportunity.
Read about Verity: 2019 huge for Harrogate.
A summary of events so far in relation to a so-called relief road being promoted by an Executive on North Yorkshire County Council - in spite of overwhelming oppostion from Harrogate councillors - and four reasons why it is a terrible idea.
Read about Harrogate relief road; and the NYCC congestion consultation.
This circular road cycling route starts in Harrogate, and heads up to Pateley Bridge then Lofthouse. It climbs the Côte de Lofthouse, which featured on the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire, then returns via Grewelthorpe, Kirkby Malzeard, Galphay, Studley Royal and Ripley to Harrogate. It's on quiet, country roads, features beautiful scenery, and there's the challenge of a steep ascent.
Read about this Côte de Lofthouse road cycling route.
This circular road cycling route starts in Grassington, and heads north up Wharfedale then Littondale to Halton Gill. It climbs to Malham Tarn, then returns via Malham, Kirkby Malham, Airton, Hetton, and Cracoe to Malham. The roads are quiet, and the ride takes in lanes lined with dry stone walls, open fells, and villages of limestone-built houses, as well as views of Malham Cove.
Read about this Yorkshire Dales road cycling route.
The best and most popular cycleway in Harrogate, the Nidderdale Greenway goes about 4 miles to Ripley, using the trackbed of a disused railway. It opened in May 2013.
Our guide to the bike trail on Yorkshire Water's land at Fewston reservoir, through the Beecroft Plantation and Timble woods. Read about the Fewston, Beecroft, & Timble woods bike trail.
A new Hedgehog Guide to the Cinder Track cycle route, along the old railway from Scarborough to Whitby, with full-colour (!) photos, including lots of Yorkshire sunshine. This 21.5 mile route has beautiful views, and there's wonderful wildlife along the way, for example house martins and swallows at Ravenscar. Read about the Scarborough to Whitby Cinder Track.
There's a great cycle route from the centre of York to Beningbrough, partly on tarmacked path by the river Ouse, and partly on quiet roads. It ends up at Beningbrough Hall, an C18th National Trust property (where cyclists are entitled to a free cup of tea). Read the Hedgehog guide to the York to Beningbrough cycle route.
The latest in Hedgehog's Sustrans Slow Tour of Yorkshire series, Stage 6 is a nice ride on quiet back roads from Settle to Clapham. There's just enough hill-age to make it interesting, and there are plenty of options for a cup of tea or a pint of beer.
Read about Stage 6, Settle to Clapham.
