Kettlewell, Fleet Moss and Park Rash, North Yorkshire by Tim and Laura Moss

Round-the-world adventure cyclists, Tim and Laura Moss head into the wilds a little closer to home with this spin around the Yorkshire Dales.

There are lots of reasons that we moved north after getting back from our round-the-world cycle but better access to the outdoors was one of the biggest.

We no longer had a house or jobs in London, having left both to do our big cycling trip, and we knew we wanted to be closer to wilderness. Work took us to Leeds and that, inevitably, led us to the Yorkshire Dales.

Ever since the Tour de France made its Yorkshire debut in 2014, the counties have gone mad for cycling and the now annual Tour de Yorkshire is one of the biggest events on the calendar.

The people of Yorkshire are very proud of where they come from. I’m a southerner and Laura’s from Lancashire so we have tried our best to argue that our homes are better, but Yorkshire’s enthusiasm is infectious. And it is hard to deny that they have some stunning cycling country, especially in the Dales.

This route takes in two of the Dales’ iconic climbs: Fleet Moss and Park Rash. It starts near Kettlewell and heads north-west, over the top of the big, lumbering Fleet Moss, before descending into Hawes where you are spoiled for choice with cafes, including Stage 1 Cycles.

Your legs get a bit of a rest next as you head east, past Aysgarth waterfalls and the Wensleydale Cheese Factory to Middleham before turning south for the second big climb of the day up and over Park Rash. All that is left is a steep descent back into Kettlewell.