Holiday Highlights
- Eric Morecambe’s statue on Morecambe waterfront
- Cycling through the Forest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales
- Yorkshire ales and great pub food
- York – flat cycling, big Minster
- The Wolds, chalky rolling hills, with big country views
- Fish & chips on Bridlington’s waterfront to celebrate your achievement!
Itinerary
York is our chosen rendezvous point for the Way of the Roses self-guided ride. It has excellent rail connections, and for those arriving by car, you will be able to leave your vehicle at or near the accommodation for the duration of the trip.
The historic walled city of York is home to an impressive 13th-century Gothic cathedral that dominates the city. The cathedral was begun in 1220 and took 250 years to build and is now widely considered to be one of Europe’s finest medieval buildings. The city of York is like stepping back into the middle ages, the overhanging timber-framed houses and traditional shopfronts of The Shambles makes it one of the UK’s most historic (and picturesque) streets.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1000m
After an early breakfast we make our way to Morecambe (approx 3 hours) to the start of the Way of the Roses. We soon leave the sweep of Morecambe seafront and its promenade and begin our way eastwards on traffic-free cycleways.
As you would expect, the first few miles are quite flat as we make our way to the vibrant city of Lancaster, a place with a rich industrial and cultural history. Following the valley of the River Lune we soon leave Lancaster via the Crook O’Lune viewpoint and head towards the Dales. We’ll now be following quiet country lanes as we traverse the Forest of Bowland. The cycling gets a bit more challenging now as we start to tackle the hills of the Dales, with stunning views of Ingleborough, Pen-y-Ghent and Whernside, the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks.
The day’s first big challenge is at Far End, where we tackle the climb onto Swarth Moor, the highest point of the day at around 265 metres. From here you are rewarded with a downhill descent alongside the River Ribble to Settle, your final destination for today. Home of the famous Settle – Carlisle Steam Railway, Settle is a bustling market town boasting a wealth of interesting shops, welcoming cafes and historic buildings and a great place to spend your second evening.

- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 1100m
A shorter day than yesterday, but today we are in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and yes – you’ve guessed it; a few more ‘cheeky climbs’ to negotiate along the way. With your hearty full Yorkshire breakfast no doubt weighing a little heavy our start to the day is a corker of a climb out of Settle and in fact the toughest of the entire route and even has a cobbled section at the start for good measure! Upon reaching the top at the appropriately named High Side, you can see Rye Loaf Hill (547metres) to your left. Your reward for the effort is a speedy downhill of around two miles to the village of Airton.
Continuing along on an undulating route we cycle to Cracoe and then Burnsall. The route then follows the River Wharfe before tackling the climb onto the Nidderdale Moorland (AONB), passing the famous Stump Cross Caverns and on to the highest point of the entire route at Greenhow (402 metres) on Bewerley Moor. Our destination for this evening is Pateley Bridge just a couple of miles away and you’ll arrive there courtesy of a steep downhill (take care!) that deposits you in this Yorkshire village.

- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 900m
Although today’s mileage is the longest of the trip, the steep hills of the Dales are now behind you and with your cycling legs geared up for another day in the saddle you’ll soon be eating up the miles. It wouldn’t however be a Skedaddle trip without a little morning climb, so first thing you’ll head up to the famous Brimham Rocks, known for their weird and wonderful formations that are scattered over a wide area, and are apparently associated with the druids, Mother Shipton and even the Devil!
After Brimham the gradients ease off all the way to York. On the way we’ll pass Fountains Abbey, then down to Ripon. From here quiet country lanes take us through the numerous small villages of the flat Vale of York as we follow the River Ouse to York and our finish point for the day.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 600m
A fairly easy day of cycling with just one hilly section (but not like those of the previous few days) as we climb into the Yorkshire Wolds and head to our destination for today, the market town of Driffield. After winding our way out of York we leave the city behind and head out into the farmland, making our way towards Pocklington.
After Pocklington, there is a climb up to Huggate (200 meters), through the pretty Millington Dale. From here on in, you’ll be in the Yorkshire Wolds, threading through pretty little valleys and across the wide rolling expanses of the Wolds. This section of the route is an undulating, easy paced route to our accommodation in Driffield, known as the capital of the Wolds.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Ascent: 200m
A relaxed start today on your final day of the trip. Just 19 miles to go on a lovely meandering route through the pretty villages of this part of East Yorkshire. At the mid-point of the cycling why not stop at Burton Agnes for a short break at which point you’ll be able to see the impressive Burton Agnes Hall and Manor House. Burton Agnes is also famous for its annual Scarecrow Festival, so make sure you wear your best cycling clothes to avoid any confusion! From here, the route rises up a little onto the Woodgate Roman Road, with its impressive views of the North Sea.
The ride then descends through Bridlington’s Old Town for a final spin along the promenade. With its views of Flamborough Head, famous for its stunning white cliffs further to the east this is a fitting end to your Way of the Roses cycling journey with Skedaddle. Handshakes and slaps on the back accepted and photos dutifully taken its time for a well deserved lunch and ice cream. You will then be transferred back to your car in York or York train station.

Gallery
The Cycling
Terrain
Following a National Cycle Network route, the Way of the Roses uses a combination of cycle paths, quiet country roads and some short sections of farm track.
Most of the surface is tarmac. There is an unavoidable short section of farm track, which can be tough when ridden on a road bike, especially after poor weather.
Almost any type of bike would be suitable for the Way of the Roses, with semi-slick tyres fitted on mountain bikes and hybrids, and touring tyres fitted on road bikes.

Leisure Cycling Grade
Distances generally between 20-45 miles / 32-72 kms per day
For the leisure cyclist with a good level of physical fitness
May include some steeper, cheeky climbs and possibly sections of varying terrain (eg. forest tracks, gravel paths etc)
Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!
For more information about our grading system click here.
Is this suitable for you?
Although you may not cycle everyday, you do keep yourself relatively fit and maybe enjoy an afternoon out on your bike at the weekend. Your preference is perhaps for flatter terrain but you don’t mind tackling some hills, and the occasional steep climb if you can take it at your own pace. For those happy to tackle some ups and downs, and possibly some sections of varying terrain (eg. forest tracks, gravel paths etc) we’d recommend our grade 3 trips. We’d generally expect those on a Grade 3 holiday to have a decent level of physical fitness and be comfortable with some longer days in the saddle.
Dates & Prices
Choose your own dates between April and mid October from £835.00 per person, just give us a call to check availability. Alternatively for a great value holiday choose one of our scheduled weekend departures below.
Whats Included 
A) Accommodation (shared twin rooms)
B) Meals as per the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
C) Skedaddle App to access holiday information and navigation
D) Detailed Skedaddle route notes and relevant maps
E) GPX files available upon request
F) Luggage transfer service
G) Skedaddle Local Representative
H) Emergency tool kit, pump etc. (if hiring your bike from Skedaddle)
What's not Included 
A) Personal clothing and equipment
B) Travel insurance
C) Bar bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc.
D) Bike & helmet hire (available if required)
E) Travel or flight costs and charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)
F) Single room option (may be available if required)
G) Entrance fees to cultural or historical sites and visitor centres
H) Other optional activities
The Essentials
News, Reviews & Stories
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Meet the guides: Rob Wood
We sat down with veteran Skedaddle guide Rob Wood to learn more about him and his passion for two wheels...
Yorkshire: 5 reasons to explore by bike
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Reviews
Fiona, London, UKExcellent!Our favourite day was the ride from Pately Bridge to York- it was the longest day of cycling but the scenery was varied and it was my husband’s birthday so we treated ourselves to a midday meal rather than the usual sandwich.
I found the app really helpful by being able to identify whether we were on the correct route. Also how close we were to amenities like cafe’s and shops.
I felt reassured that everyone was so careful in adhering to the government guidance.
Kathryn, Harrow, UKA beautiful routeThe Way of the Roses route is beautiful and so well marked, it wasn’t a problem getting around. The first day in particular was great, cycling from Morecambe to Malham. The sun shone, the route was well marked and took us along quiet cycle paths and beautiful scenery.
Carolyn, Shrewsbury, UKStunning viewsA lovely route – well way marked with stunning views.