What is that you love about cycling? The muscle-popping ascents or the white-knuckle offroad downhills? The mammoth distances you can cover in exploring Britain from a new perspective? The thrills (and occasional spills) of bike parks? Or maybe the gentle family scoots along old railway lines?
Whatever your preference, the true appeal of cycling in all its guises — mountain biking, road cycling, gravel riding or bike touring — is time in the saddle, whether you’re solo or next to friends and family. There’s a freedom and camaraderie that only cycling can inspire, and in this feature we celebrate how cycling and hostelling, being outside and being with friends, can benefit both soul and body. That noise you can hear? It’s a bike calling your name.
Take a hostel-to-hostel bike ride
Whether it’s the Peak District or the Lake District, North Wales or southern England, there are endless opportunities to connect youth hostels by bike. The beauty of staying in hostels is that you only need to carry a few essentials, which can be easily packed up in decent luggage or panniers on a mountain bike, road bike or touring bike. It makes it easy to plan a few days in the saddle without worrying about baggage transfers — simply point your tyres in the general direction of your end-goal and enjoy the freedom of the route. One great tool is the online Ordnance Survey maps (they’re also a partner, meaning YHA members get a discount), which you can use to overlay the National Cycle Network.
Yorkshire biking adventures
Between YHA Malham and YHA Grinton Lodge lies some of Yorkshire’s best mountain biking and touring. From YHA Malham, you could follow the Pennine Bridleway north before spilling off to Hawes (where you can break up the trip at YHA Hawes), then take the National Cycle Network through Askrigg and across Askrigg Common, into Swaledale to arrive at YHA Grinton Lodge.
An alternative route is to follow the National Cycle Route to the east and Hebden before following Wharfdale to Kettlewell (and YHA Kettlewell) and branching off along the beautiful Coverdale to Castle Bolton. It’s then a slog up to Grinton Moor before a short descent to YHA Grinton Lodge (replete with bike facilities). Or why not spend a few days doing a full round?
Lake District road rides
Plot a route between any two youth hostels in the Lake District and you’re pretty much guaranteed a two-wheel adventure. Think high passes on quiet roads, long thigh-busting ascents up hills and rapid descents through valleys, all set against some of the UK’s most dramatic mountain scenery. One great link-up is from YHA Wasdale Hall or YHA Eskdale, which both sit at one end of Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass, to reach YHA Ambleside at the other.
Further north, it’s possible to ride a road bike loop along the B5289 from Keswick, a route that passes YHA Borrowdale, YHA Honister Hause, and YHA Buttermere. This challenging route climbs Honister Pass before turning north at YHA Buttermere and heading up Newlands Hause. A longer route travels through Brackenthwaite, returning back over Whinlatter Pass and through Whinlatter Forest Park, which itself is also home to incredible mountain biking routes.
On which note, by mountain bike it’s possible to connect YHA Wasdale Head over Black Sail Pass to reach YHA Black Sail. From there, a bridleway crosses Scarth Gap Pass by Hay Stacks and descends to YHA Buttermere.
Wales gravel and mountain bike routes
The secret is out… Wales is home to arguably (and it’s an argument we’re in favour of) the best mountain biking and gravel routes anywhere in Britain.
Traws Eryri
In numbers alone, the Traws Eryri (Trans Snowdonia) trail is thrilling enough, with 200km of off-road adventure and more than 4,000m of ascent, but when you add in sharp mountains and rolling hills in some of the least-visited parts of Wales, you have an extra dimension that makes this route one of the best in the country. It starts in the mid-Wales town of Machynlleth and ends at Conwy Castle but incorporates the mighty Eryri (Snowdonia) mountain range. The route skirts Cadair Idris before rising to Coed y Brenin, the first mountain bike destination in the UK (see more below), then heads to Betws-y-Coed, Capel Curig and Bethesda before paralleling the coast to Conwy. It’s worth taking three or four days to complete the route, taking in places such as Coed y Brenin along the way.
Coed y Brenin
Coed y Brenin is often described as a mountain biking paradise, something few would argue with. It was the first purpose-built mountain bike centre in the UK and has a range of routes for every level of ability. “The Beast” is a black route that extends an astonishing 35 kilometres, while the red Cyflym Coch is 12.6 kilometres of fast-flowing singletrack. The blue MinorTaur route, meanwhile, is perfect for beginners and youngsters experiencing singletrack for the first time.
Six great bike parks
There are dozens of dedicated bike parks and trail centres across the UK. Some, such as Coed y Brenin and Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, have visitor centres, cafés and bike rental businesses. Forestry England also runs more than 2,500 kilometres of signposted bike trails in dozens of forests. Here are some of the best that you’ll find near youth hostels.
BikePark Wales, South Wales
The biggest location with bike uplift in the UK has more than 40 trails from green to black, as well as two pro lines. Imagine a ski resort for mountain bikers and you’ve got BikePark Wales.
Nearest hostel: YHA Brecon Beacons
Dalby Forest, Scarborough
In the heart of North York Moors National Park, this park has six brilliant cycle trails, including a challenging World Cup route and a cycle skills area.
Nearest hostel: YHA Whitby
Forest of Dean Mountain Biking
Lots of care has gone into creating the Forest of Dean Mountain Biking Centre, which has lovingly made trails from red down to a green family trail. There’s also a beginners’ area and a pump track.
Nearest hostel: YHA Wye Valley
Gisburn Forest Bike Trails, Forest of Bowland
There are three well-established trails at this Forestry England site, as well as a skills loop. The highlight is a sweeping 18-kilometre red route.
Nearest hostel: YHA Malham
Coed y Brenin, North Wales
The first dedicated mountain bike centre in the UK, and still one of the best, with long, fun trails for every level.
Nearest hostel: YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass
Whinlatter Forest Park, Lake District
There are four trails in Whinlatter Forest, all well maintained and suitably challenging. One of them is a 19-kilometre red trail.
Nearest hostel: YHA Keswick
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network, created by Sustrans, is one of Britain’s greatest assets for cyclists. The idea originated in 1979 when the Bristol to Bath Railway Path was opened along a closed railway line. Since then, the organisation has designed and waymarked hundreds of kilometres of routes across the country. Sustrans website, is the best place to find quiet routes, with interactive maps and inspiration. As an overall network, we’re lucky to have it.
Read next: The wonderful world of wings
Discover more about YHA.
Photo credit: Harvey Hudson / janeevans35 / Monkey Business / RamblingTog / Sabrewolf / Adobe Stock
