Way of the Roses - Coast to Coast
Discussion
Just signed up to do this in may (2 days) Looking forward to it.
Has anyone else done it? Just wondering what the best option for wheels and tyres might be. I'd rather use my fancy wheels but I'm unsure about the shared path parts.
Here's a link to the route.
http://www.wayoftheroses.info/
Has anyone else done it? Just wondering what the best option for wheels and tyres might be. I'd rather use my fancy wheels but I'm unsure about the shared path parts.
Here's a link to the route.
http://www.wayoftheroses.info/
Did it this year in 2 days and really enjoyed it. 3 of us did it, one on a MTB with knobblies, one on a road bike, and me on MTB with slicks. Agreement at the end was that I had the best bike for the ride.
Day 1 was excellent (stayed in ripon in a very nice pub, can't remember name but will find out if you need it). Day 2 was much much easier but quite boring compared to day 1. Some lovely climbs in the Dales on day 1.
So far I've done the Whitehaven-Sunderland c2c, reivers route and WOTR, and I'd say the WOTR is the best of the 3.
If you have any other questions please ask
Day 1 was excellent (stayed in ripon in a very nice pub, can't remember name but will find out if you need it). Day 2 was much much easier but quite boring compared to day 1. Some lovely climbs in the Dales on day 1.
So far I've done the Whitehaven-Sunderland c2c, reivers route and WOTR, and I'd say the WOTR is the best of the 3.
If you have any other questions please ask
Just to update, the pub we stayed at near ripon was called the blackamoor inn. Family run country pub, food was great and reasonably priced, breakfast was superb, good choice of beers, modern rooms, and a locked garage to store the bikes. Absolutely perfect.
We stayed over in morecambe the night before the ride so we could start early - I would avoid this if possible as it is a slum with no redeeming features.
The only bit I would avoid if you are doing it on a road bike is the section just before Stamford bridge after York. You skirt along a field on a dirt track for about 2 miles which is very rough, the guy on the road bike got 2 punctures on this section. He was on normal 23mm tyres. I believe the road section to avoid this is not much longer than the official route.
Key memories for me:
Getting lost within 20 yards of starting the route - there's a mini roundabout almost straight away where you should go right but appears like you should go straight on!
The scenery in the Dales is fantastic, and you pass through some nice villages in Wharfedale.
i had read about the descent of Greenhow Hill and how dangerous it was, but generally go gung Ho down hills. I cannot stress enough to take this with caution, I've never encountered a hill like it and I live in hilly County Durham.
The climb out of settle is fairly tough but worth it for the views
The ride through the grounds of the stately home just before ripon, passing the herds of deer
The Valley of Death - passed through on the second day. An old disused mining area (by the look of it), quite eerie, isolated and a bugger of a climb back out. You'll know where I mean when you've done it
The old private toll bridge across a river, getting stopped by the toll man and being given the full history of it. Very friendly, but not helpful when you've got many many miles to go
All in all it is a great route, but day 2 after York is not that exciting. We've talked about doing the route again but instead of carrying on after ripon, heading due north and going through Richmond etc. Happy days.......
We stayed over in morecambe the night before the ride so we could start early - I would avoid this if possible as it is a slum with no redeeming features.
The only bit I would avoid if you are doing it on a road bike is the section just before Stamford bridge after York. You skirt along a field on a dirt track for about 2 miles which is very rough, the guy on the road bike got 2 punctures on this section. He was on normal 23mm tyres. I believe the road section to avoid this is not much longer than the official route.
Key memories for me:
Getting lost within 20 yards of starting the route - there's a mini roundabout almost straight away where you should go right but appears like you should go straight on!
The scenery in the Dales is fantastic, and you pass through some nice villages in Wharfedale.
i had read about the descent of Greenhow Hill and how dangerous it was, but generally go gung Ho down hills. I cannot stress enough to take this with caution, I've never encountered a hill like it and I live in hilly County Durham.
The climb out of settle is fairly tough but worth it for the views
The ride through the grounds of the stately home just before ripon, passing the herds of deer
The Valley of Death - passed through on the second day. An old disused mining area (by the look of it), quite eerie, isolated and a bugger of a climb back out. You'll know where I mean when you've done it
The old private toll bridge across a river, getting stopped by the toll man and being given the full history of it. Very friendly, but not helpful when you've got many many miles to go
All in all it is a great route, but day 2 after York is not that exciting. We've talked about doing the route again but instead of carrying on after ripon, heading due north and going through Richmond etc. Happy days.......
I do recall an greasy cobbled section on the route but others in our group took a short diversion around this. Overall a really nice route on quiet roads. The start and finish locations are a bit manky but the rest of the route is great!
Greenhow descent - yes be cautious but also enjoy it. About 2 miles of descent. I usually ride up it though...
Greenhow descent - yes be cautious but also enjoy it. About 2 miles of descent. I usually ride up it though...
Thanks for all the replays. I am really looking forward to it.
Our accommodation is already sorted as it's part of a large charity ride. I'll remember the pub though for the second night as we're stopping in Ripon.
The bad section of trail that's been mentioned in this thread has as far as I'm aware been addressed so should be all good.
Our accommodation is already sorted as it's part of a large charity ride. I'll remember the pub though for the second night as we're stopping in Ripon.
The bad section of trail that's been mentioned in this thread has as far as I'm aware been addressed so should be all good.
If you're stopping in ripon, you'll almost certainly miss the blackamoor as its about a mile out of the town, not right on the route. Maybe next year when you do it again?!
More and more is coming back to me as the night goes on. Fountains abbey and studley royal is the stately home with the deer.
I'm doing the ripon tour sportive in July, looking forward to retracing some of the route (although not looking forward to going UP greenhow this time!)
More and more is coming back to me as the night goes on. Fountains abbey and studley royal is the stately home with the deer.
I'm doing the ripon tour sportive in July, looking forward to retracing some of the route (although not looking forward to going UP greenhow this time!)
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