Summertime Blues

400km cycling event starting from York Knavesmire. Controls at Thirn, Hawes, Appleby, Watson Hall, Castle Carrock, Mickleton Village Hall, Barton Truck Stop and York Knavesmire., plus 3 information controls.

A well-supported midsummer 400 with hills, but not a hilly ride. Campervan control at Thirn, and two village halls with food to see you through the darksome overnight section. Starts and finishes at York Cycle Rally.

The route takes in the cycle paths south of York and crosses the Ouse at the Bridge of Dreams, twice across the Wharfe before heading west into the Dales with a campervan stop and food at the eastern end of Wensleydale, then to Hawes and an evening ride over Mallerstang Common, into the Vale of Eden.

Lanes along the edge of the Pennines take you to a village hall at Castle Carrock where a warm welcome and hot food await.

The route then heads east of Eden and hopefully not to the Land of Nod, as it's across to the Tyne Valley through Alston while the good folk are abed and over Yad Moss to a second village hall at Mickleton, with an optional bag drop and limited sleep space. Plenty of food, though.

Finally, it's out of the hills to Barton Truck Stop World Heritage Site and across the Vale of Mowbray on your way back to York with a final section along the river path to get you back to the Knavesmire.

This ride will be for you if you like: being fed at the side of the road or at village halls, bridges, rivers, County Durham, Cumbria and Yorkshire. There's a lot of Yorkshire.

This ride will not be for you if you don't like: cyclepaths, crossing the Pennines at night in midsummer with shooting stars across the sky (possibly), Barton Truck Stop World Heritage Site.