Cycling - information and advice

Hambleton is blessed with some beautiful scenery which by careful management can be enjoyed for outdoor activities, such as walking, cycling and orienteering.

The best places to cycle are traffic-free or lightly trafficked routes. Country lanes in many parts of the district offer this sort of environment, and there is also a growing number of dedicated traffic-free paths being built for cyclists and walkers. In addition, the development of the mountain bike has opened up the bridleway network to the increasing band of off-road riders.

This page shows you where to get hold of the information about the on and off-road cycle routes which exist throughout the district and the rest of the UK and how to get the most pleasure out of riding them. The White Rose Cycle route is a 68 mile link of the National Cycle Network linking Beningborough in the south of the District with Middlesbrough to the north of the District. It provides 3 alternative cycle routes, easy, medium and challenging. Guides and route maps are available from Tourist Information Centres and Leisure Centres.

Hambleton District Cycling Plan

The production of the Hambleton District Cycling plan is a target of the current District Leisure Strategy. The actions proposed in the plan will determine the Council's approach to cycling initiatives during the next 5 years, with an annual review to take account of progress, new opportunities, ongoing consultation and usage patterns.

The plan is available here to download. Opens in a new window

Hambleton District Council works on a number of different fronts to improve the quality of outdoor recreation across the District

Purchase and development of land
To provide local opportunities for informal recreation the Council has a programme of acquisition and development of recreational land. The local Parish Council has to be a partner in the management before a project comes into the programme. Current priorities lie in Hutton Rudby, East Thirsk, Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe and Husthwaite.

Securing space within new housing developments
When a house builder develops a new site the Council seeks to ensure appropriate provision for outdoor recreation is made within or near to the site.

Links with Forest Enterprise
There are two Forests (Silton and Boltby) in the District which have good public access. Silton Forest has a permanent orienteering course, whilst Boltby specialises in mountain bike terrain with three graded courses available on maps from Forest Enterprise

Ten Tips for Cyclists

  1. Wear bright clothes and have bright lights at night.
  2. Wear a cycle helmet at all times.
  3. Watch out for Road Signs.
  4. Do not zig zag in and out of traffic.
  5. If in doubt get off and walk.
  6. Be considerate to pedestrians, especially to elderly people. Use your bell if necessary.
  7. Use proper cycle routes where possible.
  8. Look all around and signal in good time before making a turn.
  9. Ride in single file on busy roads and only one on a bike.
  10. Keep your bike in good working order.

Use Your Map

As you gain experience of cycle touring, its likely that you'll want to explore Britain's highways and byways for yourself. You'll need to know what routes you can - and cannot use. The different types of route are indicated on Ordnance Survey (Pathfinder and Landranger are the best sizes) and other maps. Its advisable to carry a compass - learn to use it properly beforehand! The main types are:

  • Highways - cyclists have a right to use all A, B and unclassified (C, D and E) roads, unless they are specifically designated and this is extremely rare.
  • Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPPs) and Byways Open to All traffic (BOATS) are open to cycle use, but they are also legal for 4WD vehicles and trail motorbikes
  • Bridleways - cyclists must give way to walkers and horse riders - motor vehicle traffic is banned
  • Footways - cyclists are not allowed to ride a bicycle on a designated footpath!

You should be aware that not all bridleways, RUPPs, BOATs and E roads will be well maintained and in good condition - some sections may even be unrideable.

Sources of Information

A very useful guide is 'Cycle A-way!', a neat booklet available to download from the Cyclist Touring Club (CTC) website. It contains a county-by-county list of published route guides and where to get hold of them. www.ctc.org.uk Opens in a new window

'Quiet Wind-Assisted Cycle Routes'.
This delightful guide describes a series of relatively easy routes between British Rail stations that take advantage of the prevailing winds. 150 routes of varying lengths are described. Priced 5.50 inc P+P it is available from the CTC and Sustrans or directly from R Hutchins, 171 High Street, Clapham, Bedford MK41 6AH. www.sustrans.org.uk Opens in a new window

Sustrans and the National Cycle Network
Sustrans is the Bristol based charity that has pioneered the development of traffic-free paths for shared use by cyclists and walkers in the UK. The organisation now has the Government's backing for a 6,500 mile Network of continuous routes throughout Britain, to be completed by the year 2005. Some parts of this Network are already completed or in development. www.sustrans.org.uk Opens in a new window

National Parks and Forestry Trails
Britain's 10 National Parks are marvellous places to enjoy cycling. Trails and routes have been developed to encourage bicycle use appropriate to the delicate balance of the environment. Many of the Government's forests, administered by Forest Enterprise, are also now open to cyclists. Look up your local Forest Enterprise or Forestry Commission office in the telephone directory, or contact The Forestry Commission (Tel: 0131 334 0303) www.forestry.gov.uk for further information.

The Countryside Code

On bridleways and shared use paths, the cyclists must give way to walkers and horse-riders. Cyclists are likely to be the fastest travellers on these routes, and must be careful not to disturb other users. You should also observe the Off road Code:

  • Keep to rights of way - use maps to plan your route in advance.
  • Check your bike before you set out.
  • Take adequate supplies of food and drink, waterproofs, tools and spares.
  • Give way to horses and walkers.
  • Ride in small groups of twos and threes.
  • Be kind to plants and creatures.
  • Prevent erosion.
  • Close gates behind you.
  • Take your litter home and guard against fire.

Footpaths - North Yorkshire County Council are responsible for footpaths throughout the district, the Footpaths Officer can be contacted at North Yorkshire County Council on 0845 8 72 73 74

Useful links

 

How do you rate this information / service?

Find out how we use your feedback to improve our services.

Bookmark this page using:

Find out more about social bookmarking.

These sites allow you to store, tag and share links across the internet. You can share these links both with friends and people with similar interests. You can also access your links from any computer you happen to be using.

If you come across a page on our site that you find interesting and want to save for future reference or share it with other people, simply click on one of these links to add to your list.

All of these sites are free to use but do require you to register. Once you have registered you can begin bookmarking. Each of the sites works slightly differently so use the links below to find out which service best suits your needs.

Find out more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia.

Hide this information.