Love cycling? You’re spoilt for choice in Ryedale
Whether you’re a keen mountain biker, a club cyclist or simply like spending a few hours exploring on two wheels, you’ll find Ryedale’s naturally spectacular geography is just perfect for all ages and abilities. We are spoilt for choice, with exhilarating forest tracks, peaceful country lanes, high open moorland and rolling fields – beautifully varied, equally stunning and all on your doorstep.
Ryedale also includes the finale of the mountain bike route and the cycle-way and road based route for the Coast to Coast, Moor to Sea cycle route and is crossed by the Sustrans National Route 65.
We’ve picked our favourite spots to get you started:
The Howardian Hills and the North York Moors
Wherever you venture in Ryedale, you’ll find the natural landscape is perfect for cycling. We particularly like The Howardian Hills and North York Moors, with renowned road challenges such as Rosedale Chimney Bank and Blakey Bank – both are classic road and mountain biking terrain.
Dalby Forest – world class routes
For award-winning off-road cycling, you can’t do better than Dalby Forest – its 2600 metres of way-marked cycle trails are considered to be among the best in the UK.
With its world class range of graded routes and miles of technical single track, north shore, 4X course, the World Cup XC course and green and blue trails, it’s perfect for advanced technical riding as well as family days out, beginner and intermediate riders. It is also an English CTC (the national cycling charity) centre of excellence, with an emphasis on tuition and training.
If you don’t have your own bike there’s a cycle hire centre, plus a great selection of picnic and barbeque sites for a rest along the way, as well as play areas for children, a visitor centre and other amenities.
Newbridge Park Woods, Pickering
This award-winning site is part of the legacy from the UCI world championships. The site has been developed by the people of Pickering, has cross-country cycle trails, jump park and pump track – perfect.
Malton – Pickering cycle route
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas
Ryedale District Council successfully bid for funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to develop a new cycle route linking Malton and Pickering. This exciting project opened in May 2022, providing additional opportunities for active tourism and outdoor activities.
Find out more about the routeCycle rack locations
- Malton Station
- Pickering Market Place
- Front of Ropery House, The Ropery, Pickering
- Kirkbymoorside Market Place
- Helmsley Market Place
Cycling events
Did you know that the area is also home to some pretty high profile cycling events?
Ryedale Cycling Forum
The forum is supported by Ryedale District Council and currently chaired by Cllr Michael Cleary. The group promotes cycling events, routes and safer cycling and is interested in increasing the number of routes between communities that are suitable for people of all ages, walkers, cyclists, prams, dogs, horse riders and nature lovers.
Find out more about the Ryedale Cycling Forum.
Want to join a club?
Check out the Malton Wheelers Road Racing Cycling Club
Other useful resources
- Looking to get a bike? There’s great information on the British Cycling website.
- Information on keeping your cycle safe and secure is available on Immobilise, the UK National Property Register
- Cyclescheme allows you to get up to £1k worth of bike and accessories through your employer through a monthly “salary sacrifice” scheme. Through the scheme you hire the bike and kit over 12 months with an option to buy at the end. Savings tend to be between 25% and 29%.
- We have a video on our walking page that highlights more outdoor activities and adventures you can enjoy in the area. Please note that the video does contain flashing images.