Way of the Roses

BridlingtonBiker

Hi All. Finished the Way of the Roses yesterday evening. 8 of us (mixed abilty) did it over three days Morecambe to Brid supported by a van. We set off at lunch time on Saturday and apart from day 1 I had a right good time. The climb out of Settle is nothing short of brutal and not to be underestimated.

We're all talking about doing it again next year. I'd like to do it in two days but the first day was just hell for me.

Parcelman

Hi, Am doing this route early August with a party of 27 of very mixed abilities. Slightly concerned about the downhill sections in the first two days near Aughton , Malham and Pateley Bridge. They looked quite fierce from the car when we drove the route, what are they like to ride down ?

BridlingtonBiker

The Pateley Bridge decent is definately the steepest. We were all on road bikes and all faired fine. You do go down quicker than cars and the rims get quite warm by the bottom but I was just pumping them and enjoying the 40mph+ speeds.

Day one is definately the hardest even though it's the shortest. Set off as soon as you can in the morning. Fuel your bodies. Don't be too worried about leaving any energy in the bank for days 2 and 3 as these have minimal climbing in comparison.

Parcelman

Many thanks for the advise

tim_wand

Into Pateley Bridge down Greenhow is the only real concern as theres are a lot of vehicles double parked (coming into PB) and usually quite a few HGV's and Buses coming up from Patley, Sure is fun fully panniered up on Cantis.

Also avoid Clapham tunnels and take the A65 road route unless you want to be shaken to death, its fun and the road is a bitch for traffic but if your on road bikes I d suggest the A65.

alanp23

I did it last year in a team of mixed ability over 3 days on MTBs. Great trip, but the bit after Driffield just seemed to be a zig zag crisscrossing the railway over and over.

It did inspire me though and this year I am doing it on road bikes with my cycling mates and we intend on doing it in a day. I've taken the route and trimmed it a little to 150 miles. We are hoping to do it in about 12 hours.

Fingers crossed for a prevailing wind.

pdstsp

Did this last Friday and Saturday and just wanted to reiterate what a fantastic route it is. First day Morecambe to Boroughbridge - hard day, lots of climbing - particularly the brute of a climb out of Settle! Second day so different with the long stretch over to York and then the gentle undulations in the Wolds.

Really enjoyed the whole thing. We missed out the Clapham Tunnels as on road bikes and also skirted York as we both know the city and preferred to ride the lanes meeting back on the route near Stamford Bridge (this also missed the bridleway/non-road section out of York which has been reported in the past as being difficult after rainy periods).

Only one issue which was the section just before the route crossed the A19 - the tunnel about 1/4 mile before the crossing was flooded to a depth of over 4 feet so we had to backtrack a couple of miles and then ride down the A19 for a few minutes.

Generally roads were ok though there were some sections, mostly on the steeper west facing hills, where surfaces were fairly badly scuffed up and pot-holed and on some of the descents there was quantities of mud and gravel so anyone doing this in the coming weeks be careful.

Overall though a great ride on peaceful lanes.

gloomyandy

Hi,
did this at the start of September camping and on my own so reasonably heavily loaded. Did an extended version over 5 days:
Day 1: Liversedge (my home, near Leeds) to Garstang (just south of Lancaster).
Day 2: Garstang to Morcambe then on to Cracoe
Day 3: Cracoe to Linton on Ouse
Day 4: Linton on Ouse to Hutton Cranswick
Day 5: Hutton Cranswick to Bridlington

I was going to cycle back home but the weather was so good my partner came over to the coast and we spent the weekend by the sea. I then got a lift home!

For me days 2 and 3 where pretty tough. The climbs after Settle, and then again after Cracoe are hard work with a loaded bike. There are not that many places to camp once past York. I ended up pitching my tent in the pub beer garden at the end of day 4!

I particularly enjoyed the section from Linton on Ouse to Hutton Cranswick. The route into and out of York is rather interesting. I met a party struggling with a number of punctures on the "off-road" section just before Stamford Bridge. The part through the wolds after Pocklington was fantastic. Oh and on day 3 the section that goes through Studley Park (just before Rippon) was a very pleasant surprise!

All in all whoever designed the route did a great job.

pdstsp

That must have been hard work fully laden - we were carrying very little - just a change of clothes for the night stop and we still found the hills tough - garmin had just under 8000 feet on the Morecambe to Boroughbridge day, though reduced it to 7500 when uploaded to the pc.

Agree about the Fountains abbey/Studley Park area - what a great road through the Park - felt even better knowing that the serious climbing was behind us!

Echo the design of the route - superb and highly recommended.

Ian5spot

The Way of the Roses is a great route; I did it on a tandem last year, linking it up with the Walney to Whitby making it a great circular coast to coast and back again ( http://ian5spot.wordpress.com/2011/08/1 ... by-tandem/ ).

You can worry about the downhill from Greenhow to Pateley Bridge, but try doing it the other way!

gazhilla

Did this in one day last weekend , tremendous route but brutal for 1 day, settle to ripon is hard going. Well, it was for me.

durhamwasp

Did it over 2 days (Morecambe-Boroughbridge then next day to Brid) and its an absolutely cracking route! Really well signposted and fantastic mostly quiet cycling roads!

Wobblehead

gazhilla wrote:

Did this in one day last weekend , tremendous route but brutal for 1 day, settle to ripon is hard going. Well, it was for me.

How long did it take, having a crack at it tomorrow

gazhilla

Just under 13 hrs ride time , 2 hrs of stops,