Where do you want to cycle today?
Follow the old Scarborough-to-Whitby coastal railway line, cross the high moorland above Rosedale Abbey, wind through the woods of Cropton Forest – where do you fancy riding today?
We've got family friendly off-road routes, longer road rides, the North York Moors Cycleway (road) and the Moor to Sea Cycle Network (off-road) that criss-crosses the National Park.
Pick a route, download the cycling guide, enjoy your day – it's that simple!
We’ve got the North York Moors covered, whatever kind of cyclist you are. Take a look at our cycle routes and choose your ride.
Explorer routes
For mountain bikes and hybrids – our family friendly ‘Explorer’ routes follow forest and moorland tracks and country lanes, and show you amazing parts of the National Park that you can’t see by car. It's 'slow travel' for cyclists, with moorland and valley villages, shady forests, river crossings and coastal tracks all part of the package. You might have to get off and push at times, but there’s always ice cream and cake and a country pub somewhere along the way.
Explorer routes are circular, and the downloadable 'Explorer' route guides provide all the details you need to find your way. Follow the cycling instructions for a great day out!
Road routes
Road bike, hybrid – or even tandem! If the open road floats your boat, check out our circular road routes through some of the National Park’s most outstanding scenery. Stunning views, big horizons and undulating rides show you the best of the North York Moors and the neighbouring Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Looking for something more challenging? The 171-mile North York Moors Cycleway guides cyclists in a figure of eight loop using quieter roads and past many of the landscape’s highlights.
We give you the basic route on a downloadable map – the rest is up to you!
Moor to Sea Cycle Network
The flagship Moor to Sea Cycle Network covers around 150 miles, through the very heart of the National Park – on quiet roads, woodland tracks and bridleways, as well as along the line of the former Scarborough to Whitby railway (the ‘Cinder Track’).
It's up to you how much you do. Download route guides to each of the 11 sections of the Network, whether you're after a half-day ride or a week-long adventure. Each Network section is a linear ride, but sections can be joined together to make a loop route – as with the Coast and Forest Circular.
Mountain biking
It’s Dalby Forest for woodland thrills and world-class mountain-biking, and Sutton Bank for ‘top-of-the-world’ family adventures and more challenging off-road bridleway trails.
Cycle centres in both places can tell you about the local routes and trails, and there's also bike servicing and sales, a bike wash and café at both centres.