North Yorkshire Moors Ramble: Yorkshire cycle route named among best for gravel biking in the UK by experts

Gravel cycling, also known as gravel biking or gravel grinding, is a sport in which people ride bicycles mostly on gravel roads or rough terrain.

Occasionally, specially designed gravel bikes are used and in other cases, any bicycle that can withstand the terrain can be used.

The term ‘gravel cycling’ has only been used for around a decade and originated in the US before arriving in the UK, though the sport itself has been practised for longer. It mixes the efficiency of road cycling with the ability to ride on rough and loose terrain of mountain biking and bridges the gap between road and mountain biking.

There is more freedom with gravel biking as cyclists can choose their most preferred routes than with road cycling and it doesn’t require many of the physical and equipment-related barriers of mountain biking.

The review website Merlin Cycles has listed its top 10 gravel biking routes in the UK and North Yorkshire Moors Ramble came in second place.

A list of gravel trails from across the country were analysed on Instagram to identify which of them had the most hashtags and which are the most photographed on the social media platform.

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The North York Moors is known for its varied textures from heather moorland to its impressive cliffs of the North Sea coast.

There are plenty of routes for people with varied interests whether they enjoy hiking, cycling, driving or just admiring the scenery while having a stroll.

The land consists of a moorland plateau, split by a number of deep dales or valleys that contain cultivated land or woodland.

The North Yorkshire Moors Ramble route begins and ends in Whitby and has been hashtagged on Instagram 200,875 times.

The looping track is ideal for long weekends away and extends 199 miles with mixed terrains including inclines, open stretches, and medieval flagstone trails. The route is suitable for experienced cyclists and is thought to take around four days to complete.

Along the way, you will observe stunning views of the cliffs and the North Sea coastline.