Holiday Cottages on the Route of Tour de Yorkshire
Last week the route of all 3 stages of this year's Tour de Yorkshire were announced - and to our great pleasure we realised the cyclists would be enjoying all that the Whitby area has to offer (although they'll probably be too focussed on winning to stop and enjoy the view!).
The first stage is taking place on Friday 1st May and will take the competitors north from Bridlington, inland to Dalby Forest, then on towards Pickering, through Rosedale and into the Esk Valley. They'll then head back towards the coast, taking in Castleton, Danby, Glaisdale, Grosmont and Sleights before arriving in Whitby itself, then it's south to Robin Hood's Bay then down the A171 to Scarborough - culminating in an exciting dash to the line on Scarborough's seafront.
What a route! And this is only day 1:
A World-Class Event in a World-Class County!
It's fantastic to be able to welcome such a great event to our area. Being remotely situated means the Whitby area tends to miss out on visits from the world's top performers, athletes and events - but after the success of Le Grand Depart last year (in preparation of Le Tour de France), how could the organisers miss out on such an opportunity to cement North Yorkshire on the map as an amazing place to visit, cycle and spectate!
Aislaby Lodge - Close to the Action
Aislaby isn't quite on the route of the course (as you can see in the map above), but were as close as makes no difference! Within easy reach of our cottages you could enjoy the event at any number of locations. Here are our suggestions for a great view of the race, and more to make your day extra-special:
Enjoy Tour de Yorkshire in Pickering
Pickering is a wonderfully old-fashioned market town, about 25 minutes drive from Aislaby. There's plenty to enjoy on any normal day - fantastic museums, an amazing Flea Market, great pubs and restaurants and lots of independent shops. And with the Tour de Yorkshire passing through, it's bound to be a memorable outing!
Mix Cycling with Steam at Grosmont
Close to Aislaby you'll find Grosmont, home of the wonderful NYMR Steam Railway and Engine Sheds. If you fancy combining the experience of Tour de Yorkshire with a visit (or journey) on the steam railway, this is your best bet. If you're needing to pass the time before the cyclists arrive you'll find Chris Geall's fantastic art gallery a wonderful distraction, and there's also a great pub just next door to the station. The engine sheds are always worth a look - or, you can just sit on one of the station benches and watch the world go by.
Relax on the Coast - Go to Robin Hood's Bay
As the Tour de Yorkshire makes it's way back down the coast to Scarborough, it'll pass through the picturesque coastal village of Robin Hood's Bay - honestly, there's nowhere better on a sunny day! If you position yourself with a pint outside The Grosvenor, you'll be certain of a fantastic view of the riders as they race down the hill from Raw into the village below. However, if you want to see them sweat (more!) you could always walk up into Fylingthorpe and then head up Sledgates Hill. This is a 10% gradient lasting about 1 mile - it's probably the most gruelling climb on the course, and it'll definitely sort out the men from the boys! Here's the view from the top of Sledgates - need we say more?!
Head to Dalby - the Woodland Wonderland
The cyclists are also passing through Dalby Forest, which is home to some of the best mountain biking courses in the country. There's an amazing children's play area, visitor centre, woodland footpaths and Go Ape - the treetop adventure area. It's a great place to go to get away from the busyness of town (although it gets busy itself when the weather's good!) - there's always a shady tree to sit under, or a place to spread out a picnic blanket and while away an sunny afternoon.
Cycle Friendly Accommodation in Yorkshire
Aislaby Lodge Cottages is happy to welcome cyclists - we're sure you'll have a fantastic time exploring our wonderful area, even if you can't make it during the Tour de Yorkshire event! We've almost direct access onto the National Cycle Network, as well as the Cinder Track route which runs from Whitby to Scarborough.
If you don't have a bike but fancy hiring one, you can hire a bike from Trailways in Hawsker (on the Cinder Track route) or head over to Dalby and hire one from the bike shop there and enjoy a day out in the woods - they have a range of routes available for different abilities.
And when you get back to Aislaby you can be certain of a cosy cottage in which to relax, rest and recuperate - you'll probably be in need of a long hot bath or shower, and a hearty meal at the pub!
Welcome, Tour de Yorkshire - and everything else Whitby has to offer in 2015!
We can't wait for the Tour de Yorkshire to arrive - and it's not just stage 1 which is within easy reach of Aislaby. The other two routes are also accessible - admitedly with a little more travelling involved - but if you're looking for a break in Yorkshire, making the most of both coast and countryside, Aislaby Lodge could well be the place for you!
This is year is looking to be a fantastic time for the Whitby area, with all our usual big events, country shows, and a few more visits from global stars to both Dalby (as they continue to host some world-class musical performers this year) and Scarborough's Open Air Theatre.
Whatever you come to Yorkshire for, we hope you have a wonderful time - so go on, book your accommodation quickly, before everyone else finds out that Yorkshire really is the best place in the world!