Yorkshire climbs within sweating distance of York

There are no end of awesome

There are no end of awesome climbs within spitting distance of York, the only limit is your time and fitness. You don’t need to actually get to the moors to experience great riding though. Personally I’d push north up through the villages and wolds heading to Nunnington and then north towards Kirkbymoorside. I’d head up past Fadmoor/ Gillamoor and north to Blakey bank. It’s one of the toughest in the moors and a real leg burner. Depeding on time and fitness you can turn right at the top and begin your return, or left, then right and descend the other side of the valley to Rosedale. A right in Rosedale turn will let you ride one of the steepest roads in the UK, the legendary Chimney bank a true 33% killer. A great descent follows to hutton le hole and then you can wind you way back home via Castle Howard.

If feeling really fit there are longer routes if you drop down from the top of Blakey bank into Castleton and select one of the many routes back over the moors from Danby or Egton Bridge. Any route back over will demand another 25% er and if planned could still get you into Rosedale and get the Chimney ticked off. These roads are seriously grippy and if you don’t do much riding shouldn’t be underestimated.

Alternatively as the previous poster suggests you could just surf the N Yorks escarpment and take in any number of classics, Boltby bank, Sutton bank (best avoided), White horse bank and Wass bank. A decent ride would be to ride to Ampleforth up Wass bank descend off the top down to Rievalx Abbey via Scorton,head to Helmsley, Harome, Castle Howard and ba through the flatlands. Wherever you choose you won’t be dissapointed. Enjoy!