UK best gravel bike routes

Elterwater in Lake DistrictGravel Biking
in the U.K.

Riding the rocky Tracks & Trails

Our selection of some of the best gravel bike routes in the U.K.

The forests of the United Kingdom, and our vast National Parks are filled with endless miles of some of the best gravel biking trails in Europe, if we link them together in the right way. Whilst we can’t provide the endless trails of geographically larger and less populated countries, where we do have gravel bike trails, the scenery is usually quite spectacular. The South Downs for example, has some of the very best gravel biking routes in the U.K. and elsewhere, with the South Downs Way. Further up-country and towards the Welsh Borders, Offa’s Dyke provide an epic gravel bike trail ride; and Northumberland has Kielder Forest, with some of the best forestry gravel bike routes anywhere.

Over the next year or so, we’ll be trying to bring together a great selection of what we believe to be the best gravel bike routes in the U.K… Working alongside our industry leading partners and friends, who due to the specialism in the field of gravel bike engineering and design, we believe make some of the best gravel bikes in the world. We want to explore the U.K. tracks and forests and trails on gravel bikes and map out our own choice of the best rides – and list them for you, here at Pedalnorth!


GRVL.CC Gravel Clothing Partnership

For 2025, we’ll also be working closely with specialist Gravel Biking Apparel brand, GRVL.CC; a group of passionate gravel bikers set on creating the finest high-quality and high-performance gravel biking clothing available today.

Ride into adventure

Gravel biking is still on the rise here in the U.K., and it shows no signs of slowing down. Routes such as the famed Nidderdale Loop in the Yorkshire Dales, provide an epic opportunity to find adventure, close to the urban centres of Leeds and Bradford; allowing the masses to enjoy this amazing scenery on 2-wheels. Gravel biking with panniers also allows you to take a weekend break into the hills, staying at Youth Hostels or elsewhere. It’s allowing people to recapture that sense of adventure that thrived in the 1950’s, when cycle touring was widespread in the U.K… Now, it’s bike-packing using a gravel bike; and we want to help you out, with a great selection of the best gravel bike routes in the U.K., taking in areas such as Wales, the Scottish Borders, Yorkshire Dales and elsewhere. Gravel certainly rocks, with the U.K. having some of the best trails in Europe.

Focal Events

Added to the accessible trails all over the U.K., Focal Events are also creating a series of epic gravel biking festivals across the country, such as Dirty Reiver, Gravel Rocks and the Frontier 300. There’s a new sub-culture evolving and it’s super exciting. We’ll be bringing you lots of information about events such as these too; enabling you to test yourself and your own gravel bike, on trails that are not usually accessible. For now though, thanks for supporting us, and we’ll do our best to map out one of the best gravel bike route selections in the U.K. – so, join the gravel revolution, with Pedalnorth and Focal Events in 2025!

Join the gravel bike revolution!

Masham Moor Gravel Route

A superb introductory gravel bike route from the historic Dales market town of Masham. It takes you across high moorland, along tree lined lanes and through woodland, as you taste the gravel biking opportunities of this epic cycling location.
February 6, 2025/by Pedalnorth Website

UK best gravel bike routes

The U.K. has a wealth of rocky bridleways that create awesome gravel bike routes for the adventure seekers. We want to bring together the very best of these, for you to easily create your own gravel biking vacation in the U.K. Here's our growing selection of the best gravel bike routes in the U.K.

Gravel Bike Coast to Coast Moors Section

Ride through the North Yorks Moors on some of the best gravel bike trails in the U.K., as you take on our Gravel Bike Coast to Coast route, with Voom Nutrition
June 6, 2022/by Pedalnorth Website

Gravel Bike Coast To Coast Lakes Section

Our U.K. Gravel Bike Coast to Coast route starts at the beautiful coastal hamlet of Ravenglass, before entering Eskdale and the Lake District. This technical section brings epic views and a mixture of easy gravel riding and more technical terrain, as you ride your gravel bike towards Sedbergh and the Dales.
May 2, 2022/by Pedalnorth Website

Gravel Bike Coast to Coast Dales Section

Ride through the Yorkshire Dales on some of the best gravel bike trails in the U.K., as you take on our Gravel Bike Coast to Coast route, with Voom Nutrition
March 1, 2022/by Pedalnorth Website

Gravel Bike Coast to Coast Route

From inspiring Eskdale in the west, through to the historic Roman Cam Road in the Dales and Wensleydale and the magnificent beauty of Jervaulx Abbey,onto Rosedale in the North Yorks Moors, this Gravel Bike Coast to Coast route has something for everyone. It's also the very first U.K. Gravel Bike C2C - and we think that it'll be the best too 😉
January 24, 2022/by Pedalnorth Website

Wensleydale TrailFest

While this is a reasonably short 2 hour ride, it packs a punch, and is probably one of the very best rides in the National Park. With hard climbing, the rider is rewarded with epic descents and superb views across the hills. This is definitely a favourite ride with the team here.
October 14, 2021/by Pedalnorth Website

Nidderdale Loop

Nidderdale is one of the most beautiful places in the Dales, and home to some epic gravel bike riding, and awesome mtb routes. It's an adventure playground for all cyclists, and a place that all off-road riders ought to visit

Malham Tarn

The limestone tracks around Malham Tarn are a great place for a short trip on the mtb or the gravel bike. This route is a great introduction to off-road riding, and close to the spectacular Malham Tarn.

Settle Loop mtb

The Settle Loop is a classic off-road cycling route in the Dales; and is epic on either MTB or gravel bike. Drop down to the village of Malham, or extend it to Kilnsey - each option is incredible

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