Routes

The Best Yorkshire Dales Cycle Routes

FOR 2025, WE ARE INTRODUCING A NEW SHORTER ROUTE AND REFRESHING THE 3 REMAINING ROUTES – FULL DETAILS TO BE RELEASE EARLY 2025

The White Rose Classic features three routes around the Yorkshire Dales. Any one of them makes for a great day out, affording beautiful views and significant challenges. Which one is right for you? It depends on your experience and your goals. Take a look at the routes and the profiles and that should make it easier for you to decide. No matter which route you chose when you registered, you can change your mind when you Sign On the morning of the Event. We’ll also be offering group rides for each route. It’s a great place to be for a supportive environment when pushing yourself to a new goal.

Routes are graded using Ride with GPS

*Routes are subject to change right up until event day – this could be due to roadworks/road closures, council guidance or other considerations. If in doubt, please follow event signage.

THE SHORT ONE

FOR THOSE WANTING A STEADY RIDE OUT

The Short one is perfect for those taking on their first sportive or for those regular sportive riders looking for something a little steady. Reduced to 46 miles and free of any major climbs the updated route takes you up one side of the Wharfe valley and back down the other side. As this is Yorkshire there’s no such thing as a flat ride but we hope the updated route, whilst lumpy will be more enjoyable for all.

When you leave HQ you will head towards Askwith and turn left up Moor Lane, then left towards the A59/Blubberhouses crossroads, you’ll cross over the A59 on to Thruscross & Greenhow before descending Skyreholme into Appletreewick and on to the 1st feed stop at Grassington. Once you’ve re-fuelled you will leave Grassington towards Cracoe and join the route back towards Burnsall the ‘Challenge’ & ‘Epic’ routes take, then down the Wharfe Valley towards Bolton Abbey and on to Beamsley back to the finish line in Ilkley.

Route graded using Ride with GPS:

46.9 miles (75.4km), 3631ft ascent (1106.7m)

GPX FILES

Ride with GPS Garmin Connect

The Challenge

For those looking for the next step up

This route takes you in to the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

When leaving HQ you will head towards Otley and the 1st named climb, Norwood Edge which the women’s elite race for the 2019 UCI World Tour went up. Once over this climb you then head over Greenhow on to the first feedstation in Grassington via the ‘Dibbles Bridge Descent.

From there you head towards Kilnsey in Wharfdale and on to Littondale & Silverdale where you will tackle the 2nd named climb on this route, Halton Gill. Keep an eye out for Pen-Y-Ghent, one of Yorkshires 3 peaks. You then drop into Ribbledale to cross the ancient single-lane (barely!) bridge just above Stainforth Force (or, as the locals would have it, Stainforth Foss) to take the back road to the market town of Settle.

Just before Settle proper is the Settle feed station (though if you look at on map, it’s in Giggleswick). Be sure to get recharged, as it’s still a long way home.

You can eat and drink here, or just grab some drinks, gels, and bars to enjoy before you take on the 3rd named climb and the steepest on this route, Albert Hill.

Once you crest the top you will enjoy a sweeping descent down into quiet Malhamdale before you wind your way back to the Wharfe valley, you will join up with riders on the ’The Short one’ before heading in to Burnsall, where you will climb out up a short but steep incline before heading down river to the final climb up Langbar and a welcome downhill finish in to Ilkley and on to the finish line at HQ.

Route graded using Ride with GPS:

84.1miles (136.3km), 7119 ascent (2169.8m) – Recommend minimum moving speed of 11mph.

GPX Files

Ride with GPS Garmin Connect

THE EPIC ONE

THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE FOR A SPORTIVE RIDER

The epic route follows the ‘The Challenge route’ towards Kilnsey in Wharfedale but instead of heading towards Littondale you head onto Deepdale via Kettlewell and on to the 2nd named climb on this route, Fleet Moss from the south side, (some say the easier side!) and on to Hawes where you can stop at the 2nd feed stop. From Hawes you then head towards Garsdale Head and onto the 3rd named climb, Coal Road, before turning west in Dentdale for the Deepdale/Kingsdale duo.

This is a climb that even a few locals don’t know about and provides magnificent reward of views from Morcambe Bay across the Forest of Bowland, and all the way to Pendle Hill. After dropping down into the classic Dales town of Ingleton, a few more quiet miles take you to the final feed station at Settle where you join the riders on the ‘Challenge’ route back to HQ.

Be sure to get recharged here before you tackle the 4th named climb, Albert Hill.

This route is tough but rewarding and by taking you deep in to the Yorkshire Dales and the edge of Cumbria you get to take in the most dramatic of all the Yorkshire Dales has to offer, with views of the famous Yorkshire 3 Peaks: Pen-Y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough. Riding the Epic Route you will know why the Tour de France came to ride these roads!

Route graded using Ride with GPS:

120miles (193.1 km), 10872ft ascent (3317.7m) – Recommend minimum moving speed of 13mph.

GPX Files

Ride with GPS Garmin Connect