Bike Route: Pay homage, enjoy the diversity

Exactly one week today the world's best cyclists will be competing in the Asda Women's Tour de Yorkshire and second stage of the men's Tour de Yorkshire. The action will take them on the exact same route from Tadcaster to Harrogate with the women heading off in the morning and the men in the afternoon. I decided to pay homage to that by tackling a slightly shortened loop, starting and finishing in Harrogate, where my car would be waiting for me once I was done.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Apr 2017, 10:01 BST
Updated 9th May 2017, 18:52 BST
Gouthwaite ReservoirGouthwaite Reservoir
Gouthwaite Reservoir

1I parked up outside the Harrogate Council buildings on Crescent Gardens and after riding out to the north of the town on the A61 I picked up the Tour de Yorkshire route at Ripley and headed straight past the stunning Ripley Castle. The climbing starts soon after that, and although it’s not particularly steep, it drags all the way to nearby Bedlam. From that point on the road continues to undulate steadily all the way to Pateley Bridge.

2 The town was awash with colour when I dropped down through it with bunting hanging up and bikes displayed in many of the windows. I pressed on up Low Wath Road and past the mammoth Gouthwaite Reservoir. This is Nidderdale at its very best. Just after the reservoir you’ll see The Yorke Arms in Ramsgill, one of six Michelin-starred restaurants in Yorkshire, and I made a mental note to return there when I wasn’t decked head to toe in lycra.

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3Mercifully, that section from Pateley Bridge to Lofthouse is relatively flat as you’ll need every ounce of energy to haul yourself up Trapping Hill, a brutal climb which has been renamed the Cote de Lofthouse especially for the Tour. It starts as soon as you turn right at the Crown Hotel. There’s no respite either I’m afraid and the gradient fluctuates between 12-18% for the next mile or so before finally flattening out. I know hardened riders probably won’t want to, but I’d advise taking a moment to survey the scenery back down the valley once you’ve made it to the summit – the highest point in this year’s race at 424m.

4What goes up must come down, and you’ll pass Leighton Reservoir, Healey and Fearby in a fast section which takes you all the way into Masham. With 31 miles in the legs at this point you could pause for a snack at any of the great eateries in town, but I ploughed on to West Tanfield and devoured a sandwich at The Bull Inn, which was awarded Yorkshire’s Favourite Pub in 2016.

5Back on the bike, I reminisced back to my childhood as I passed Lightwater Valley and also took a quick detour to check out Ripon Cathedral before climbing steadily up to Studley Royal Park. The descent down to Fountains Abbey straight after that was a sketchy one and I’d urge caution here as there are a few tight corners. The preceding lumpy section takes you to Shaw Mills.

6By this point my legs were beginning to tire, so I didn’t enjoy the trio of back-to-back climbs which came at Burnt Yates, Birstwith and Hampsthwaite, but my pace picked up as I turned left onto the A59 and then took a right back into Harrogate down the A61.

Related topics:HarrogateTadcasterPateley BridgeRipley