Wrap Up

Day 3 - Zero Plastic and Chippy Dinners

Day 2 - Winner winner!

Day 2 - Clear Skies and a Hot Cross Bun

Dales Divide Day 1 Early Antics Update (More to Come!)

Rider Preview

Race Preview

And that’s it for another edition of the Dales Divide! All the dots have made their way back to Arnside after an exciting weekend of racing and will be on their homeward bound journeys for some well deserved rest. What better way to spend your Easter weekend?! All our dots have surely earnt their Easter eggs now!

This edition of the Dales Divide will be known for its extreme weather. A cool start on Friday morning quickly gave way to sunny and warm conditions which left many riders sunburnt and some even faced the early signs of sunstroke if they’d misjudged their physical effort, necessary water and food intake and the heat. After resurfacing from winter in the UK, this heat was welcomed by many riders across the isle for the bank holiday weekend, however, for those who spent all day out of the exposed moors on Yorkshire, the glaring sun took its toll. From the glorious weather on the first day to the winds on the exposed sections to almost zero degrees overnight and freezing fog in the mornings, this race threw many challenges at riders and their kit lists. Nonetheless, it was the bog and the conditions under tyre that tested their perseverance more than any other factor after the wettest March on record.

This is only the fourth edition of the Dales Divide and in each year since its inception in 2020, the record has been broken. Former Highland Trail 550 winner and local lad, Alex Pilkington, laid down the gauntlet in a time of 47H 9M which has been lowered each year and now stands as __Justinas Leveika's__ time of 33H. This notable record setting trend is a product of the increased competition both in the sport and at the Dales Divide. The double edged sword of Justinas’s triumphant ride also means more fast riders will be aware of the event and will attempt to crack his time next year.

The riders from second to sixth position laid out a fine dotwatching spectacle and had us on the edge of our seats. By the time their rubber touched the pier back in Arnside again, there was less than two hours between the five riders which is very little over 38 hours of racing. __Ollie Hayward__ and __Liam Yates__ lay down a stellar time to complete the podium only 11 minutes apart, according to the tracker.

In the women's race we saw the unusual phenomenon of an accidental win. Jade Field overtook Sarah Rose a mere 500m from the finish without realising she was her contender. Wearing her trademark sandals and smile, Jade managed her effort well in the varying conditions and finished the Dales Divide for the second time, bettering last year’s ride by a little over four hours moving up a few positions overall. Jade and her sandals will be lining up at the HT550 in a few weeks’ time, as will Molly Weaver, who scratched on the second day of this race when she was leading the women’s field and top 20 overall. A fellow scratcher on the second day was our very own Nicky Shaw, who was the second woman on the road at the time and going well until a stomach issue struck. For more information on these riders, their contenders and some excellent photos, scroll through our previous posts.

The first pair to make it back to Arnside were __Angus Young and Megan Casebow__ (pictured below) after an excellent ride and they finished in 52 hours. Angus attributes their success to his acceptance of his role as “Gate Bitch”. We imagine he was kept busy enough. Only last year’s pairs winner Lorah Pierre and Tom Hall have ever bettered this time. Megan’s time beats the fastest female solo rider by a little under seven hours, excellent work for a first race!

![WhatsApp Image 2023-04-09 at 07.07.33](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/38eweak4mPdHhbLdPcDBea/a39e0297688933904dbf574d42ea85a8/WhatsApp_Image_2023-04-09_at_07.07.33.jpeg)

*Photo credit: Chris Ellison*

Alongside __Tamzin Dewar, Varun Jyothykumar__ also completed the 400km event plastic free. With enough preparation and carrying capacity, these riders were able to finish their rides without intentionally buying any plastic-wrapped items. They took more time to rehydrate meals or for sit-down meals which they both claim means they ate better food and felt better fuelled than in any other attempt. It’s just a shame Tamzin sacrificed her white socks to the bogs of Yorkshire! This more mindful and better fuelled approach is in keeping with [Gail Brown’s “nutrition-focussed” approach](https://www.tailfin.cc/blog/how-to-fuel-for-an-ultra-race/?v=79cba1185463), and we suspect to see more of it over the coming seasons as riders look for new ways to challenge themselves in line with their values and objectives.

*Header image credit to Will Robinson, who finished twelth overall on the 600km.*

Since our last report we've seen 55 riders finish, all of whom have come in well under the three day mark. Riders have another six hours until the clock ticks past three days, however, there’s no cut-off time for the ride and we expect to see many riders come in during the day tomorrow. The positions of the current riders are hard to pull out as Trackleaders currently doesn’t make any distinction between riders on the 400km or 600km routes, although our leaderboard contains only 600km riders.
![WhatsApp Image 2023-04-09 at 15.07.14](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3Vppwsy5dCXH7TihVczj9w/d40c26b3f8f97b41af5bcbd83d747947/WhatsApp_Image_2023-04-09_at_15.07.14.jpeg)
Our first woman across the line is __Jade Field__, having accidentally overtaken __Sarah Rose__ a mere 500m from the finish. Wearing her trademark sandals and smile, Jade finished the Dales Divide for the second time, bettering last year’s ride by a little over four hours moving up a few positions overall, despite tearing her sidewall earlier today. Her AMR pair, training buddy and fellow gravel biker at last year’s HT550, __Carl Hopps__, also made it to Arnside earlier today for his third finish at the DD. We’ve no doubt he was spurred on by the beers left for him by fellow GBDURO veteran, Steve Wikeley, on the pier in Arnside!

A dot we’ve been unable to take our eyes off is __Tamzin Dewar__, pictured in the header image at the finish. She pedalled into Arnside earlier this afternoon having completed the 400km route plastic free as part of __Taylor Doyle’s__ recently announced [ultra-distance plastic resistance pledge](https://theradavist.com/ultra-distance-plastic-resistance-pledge/). We are both inspired and in admiration of Tamzin and Taylor’s spirit. We look forward to seeing Tamzin line up in Tyndrum, Scotland for a plastic free attempt of the HT550 at the end of May during which we suspect there might be a big order at the Lochinver Pie Shop!

It simply wouldn’t be an ultrarace in the UK without some chips! We’ve been waiting to catch a glimpse of a takeaway on rider’s social media and were treated by Ali Fraser and Claire Cartwright yesterday who shared a photo of a chippy dinner that a man bought for them in Northallerton. Northallerton is a typical Yorkshire market town which offers one of the final reliable resupply points before heading up onto the Yorkshire Dales for one final ride through the beautiful and exposed moorland.
![340154795 1365050104289710 688849227184522944 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/4a5c9kzhe35mhMpXtnOmxa/09be95cc80d9f94ebbfddce44fe14b90/340154795_1365050104289710_688849227184522944_n.jpg)

![339994677 181247128088948 353012797399712416 n](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/G6NLDri70fD2IDs1xYqho/3a5205d9c69efc5ea6d99c2b015c38d7/339994677_181247128088948_353012797399712416_n.jpg)
*Chris Simpson's contribution to our ever-growing collection of photos of chippy dinners*

__Liz Hughes__ was back to right the wrongs of her 2021 attempt and experience the latter parts of the route she missed during her first time round, but this time not on a cyclocross bike. Liz lined up with a back that’s been prone to cramping which meant she prioritised looking after herself and ensured she rode sensibly enough to make it to the finish. During her final day she popped into the family farm at Newby Head who took her in to their home in 2021 when the effects of the storm meant she needed to seek shelter and warmth as soon as possible: a noble moment for some closure on some unfinished business from two years ago.

A fellow commentator here at DotWatcher and cycling coach, __Niel Copeland__, reported a minor crash during the night which broken his front light mount on impact with his ankle. Ever the problem-solver, Niel took a trip to Tesco’s to MacGyver a mount with gaffa tape which surprisingly worked well. We have no doubt this gave him all the more reason to finish soon and avoid any more night riding. He made it to Arnside after a blink over 50 hours of racing without any sleep, bringing home a new personal best for him and a good helping of sunburn. Check out below what he had to say about his second time on the Dales:

[https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq0CK00hiRH/](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq0CK00hiRH/)

From the back of the pack, the camaraderie and support riders give each other makes these events much more sociable for many riders than if they were closer to the front. When the weather is good, being midpack or at the back of the pack can be a treat as you’re simply out there enjoying the delights of Yorkshire for longer! These stone wall lined tracks are typical of Northern England and stand as a piece of history from those who traversed these lands before us.
![image4](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/5vDYpuQNXgevk9ff2voXGN/b4a8d6f196a4d964a8d399c24d850c2f/image4.jpeg)
![image5 (1)](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/vqRiFSGtP1pijBmCcB34r/23465a93f4416e8c0a8f7cd6189d217d/image5__1_.jpeg)
Thanks to __Andreas Mayer__ for sending in these photos from the back of the pack.

And we have a winner and an unconfirmed FKT! Justinas Leveika followed up on his first place finish at GranGuanche Audax Gravel last month and second place at Atlas Mountain Race in February. What a start to the season! He’s lined up at one race per month for the past three months and podiumed at each one. This early season form bodes well for his first attempt at the Tour Divide in two month’s time.

Justinas’ dot was stationary in Arnside 150km until it eventually pinged 150km in to the route and he cropped up, unsurprisingly, in the lead; a lead he never conceded and drew out to ultimately finish 3 hours and 20 minutes ahead of Ollie Hayward.

We've seen from social media that he may not have been so fond of the many many gates en route, but they're all behind him now!

The race to complete the podium has been tantalisingly close as five riders have jostled for position for the whole race. Without sleep or major obstacles, they’ve all ridden consistently and rarely allowed an inch to a competitor. With only 60km to go at Newby Head any rider was able to put some distance between themselves and a competitor, as shown in the screen grab of the race flow. Ollie Hayward eventually pulled away, while Liam Yates and Bryn Davies settled in to take third and fourth positions, respectively. Liam was able to better his brother’s time on the course by a respectable six hours and he finished in a total time of 1D 14H 32M.

There are currently 31 scratches of the 164 dots on the map and 125 still out on the course, most of whom have made it past Scarborough which means they’re over the hurdle of the halfway point and on their return leg back to the west coast. We’ll have more information from the midpack tomorrow.


Current race leader __Justinas Leveika__ is a mere 0.4km ahead of where Angus Young was after the same length of time racing last year so it’s anybody’s guess whether he’ll make it to Arnside with a new record to his name. His current lead of 32km with 100km to finish which means this race is all but won so it’s just the record he’s chasing now. This race was designed by Chris as a preparation race for the longer off-road races on the calendar and has recently served as a leg warmer for the Highland Trail 550 as there are 6 weeks between the two. A win here would bode well for Justinas’ Tour Divide campaign in June.

There is only 7km between second and sixth position and they’re jostling for a podium spot. It’ll be between __Joe Thomas, Liam Yates, Sam Davidson, Bryn Davies and Ollie Hayward__. All of these riders are ambitious British men whose names we expect to see plenty more of this season.

__Liam Yates__ is currently sitting in third place. He’s scratched all other ultra races he’s entered and has publicly written about whether he’s a racer at heart. He’s currently proving himself capable enough and has made it further into this race than any other. Godspeed to Arnside, Liam!

In the pairs category, last year’s winner and record holder, __Angus Young__ and his partner __Megan Casebow__ sit 19th overall. It’s rare to see a pair sitting in the top 20 and we await their verdict for their success, assuming they make the next 200km in one piece.

# That Glorious Sunshine

The glorious weather we were reporting on yesterday seems to have taken its toll on a few riders. The clear sky in the day beat down on riders and they stripped off many of their layers early on. It’s high and exposed  As a result, many have struggled with sunburn, however, that same clear sky meant for a very cold night last night. With reports of temperatures down to 1 degree, this broad swing from daylight to darkness temperatures can be hard on a body and lungs, especially a body under the stress of racing, regardless of whether they’re sleeping or not. For any rider who’s not been treated to a warm weather training camp, these warm conditions can be the first exposure to such warm conditions after winter, making it a real shock to the system.

One rider who’s admitted to poorly managing their water and food intake on the first day is race organiser, __Chris Ellison__. He’s a Tour Divide veteran and no bikepacking amateur which is proof that these slip-ups can happen to the very best of us. Wishing Chris and all other poorly riders a swift recovery.

We are hearing reports of a few scratches from problems such as stomach issues and the cold at night, including our very own __Nicky Shaw__. __Molly Weaver__ is another woman who’s pulled out of the event as her focus lies on the Highland Trail later this spring. Northern England isn’t an easy place to scratch so many riders still have a distance to go to get themselves back to Arnside, via train or not. Both these women cite not believing it worth it to carry on and dig themselves into a hole at the expense of future riding, which is some excellent responsible decision making!

With Nicky and Molly both out of the race, our current women’s leader is Sarah Rose.

![WhatsApp Image 2023-04-08 at 02.47.31](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3LAsC2WOqRIExZULkl4YBj/c3f37e7ff042000ec3a62354434e87fe/WhatsApp_Image_2023-04-08_at_02.47.31.jpeg)

*This is not a hot cross bun. This is a Nicky Shaw*

# Ultra Distance Plastic Resistance

We doff our dotwatching caps to __Tamzin Dewar__ who is attempting to ride the event without using any single use plastic, inspired by her good friend Taylor Doyle and her principled ride at the Pan Celtic this year. Tamzin is carrying a flask and will be cold-rehydrating meals she prepared before the event, alongside 1.5kg of flapjacks and additional bars. She was the first rider to make the pledge in the newly created Ultra Distance Plastic Resistance Pledge, founded by Taylor in the past week. You can learn all about this [pledge here](https://theradavist.com/ultra-distance-plastic-resistance-pledge/). Two other riders at the DD who made the pledge are Varun Jyothykumar and Renee, who we believe is riding untracked.

# 400km or to 600km?

One uniqueness about the Dales Divide is the option for the York-Osmotherly shortcut which cuts off ~200km of riding. Riders don’t need to commit to either distance before the start which makes this option both a temptation and a relief. The tracking leaderboard doesn’t differentiate between those who are on the 400km and those on the 600km. As an example, __Chris Simpson__ took the shortcut but now appears to be 8th position on Trackleaders. We’ll tidy this up once the results come out, but for now the replay is the best way to differentiate.

__Update from our ground team yesterday afternoon:__

The weather is incredible. Despite some poor forecast everyone is delayering with kit dangling off every bungee possible.

__Justinas Leveika__ (who currently isn't tracking and pictured below) is in the lead but not showing up on the tracking. He's riding with __Joseph Thomas__ who also is showing as Adrian O'Sullivan. A confusing but exciting start to the race. Behind them there’s a decent front group making solid time - reaching malham tarn before 1400. Notably, __Liam Yates__ (post picture) is making some good progress, only a few minutes behind Justinas. __Carl Hopps__, is one to note, he is doing well, hopefully looking to breach the top 10 this year after his 10th place last year.

![IMG 8400](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3CgJd91plsxDLEJffS2OLy/2cbca93e84a558769f50f8bbd9cd365e/IMG_8400.jpg)

In the women’s race - __Molly Weaver__ is well towards the front with the next woman being __Megan Casebow__ who is riding with last year's winner __Angus Young__ in pair with him. Our very own legend __Nicky Shaw__ (pictured) is close behind and smiling all the way. There is a then a significant trickling of women riders throughout, with __Holly Seear__ making great time on her second Dales Divide with her pair __Steve Davidson__.

![IMG 8517](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/46xKRPSQZreAFUUNmsja7w/d01384f71b2c8e14df9389891acf0dbd/IMG_8517.jpg)

There’s a lot of riders taking it more leisurely towards the back of the bunch but plenty of competition between groups. There’s probably a rider every minute or two within the pack so plenty to see! However, don't let anybody's pace fool you. This race has plenty of gates, hike-a-bike, bog and unrideable descents to make 40km feel like 100! With the most riders the race has ever seen, it is incredible to see such an array of riders throughout. __Liz Hughes__ aka Bikepixi is doing strong in her race, returning after the horrific weather in 2021.

![IMG 8605](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/6IPz5a2Sw3PZcA94mNC2Q5/c5e525c1fdd8b35143eeec3ba6f4431b/IMG_8605.jpg)

A few people have definitely packed for a rainy weekend and seem to regret it! Whilst others are definitely doing a rain dance and hoping their minimal setup will get them through. Editor's note - more to come on clothing soon!

One thing that could be slowing everyone today is the foot traffic. The bridleways are extremely busy with riders having to dismount for dogs and walkers all around. With the pleasant surprise of perfect weather, the walking tourists are out in full force. Hopefully the riders remain in good spirits and enjoy the company!

Our favourite update, __Jade Simpson Field__ is a staple of the UK off-road ultra scene. She is known for her sandals that power her around the routes, but this year she has a problem. Her block of cheese is too big to eat!

![IMG 8312](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/Mju1nJ0HIVSolZsYrFSKk/a2cd51e954a046a26487d3ada2171c05/IMG_8312.jpg)

There are currently 162 riders signed up for the event on TrackLeaders and we suspect a few spontaneous stragglers to add their names to the line up. Amongst this motley crew of bikepackers are a few race favourites and some recognisable names from elsewhere in the sport, a phenomenon we’ve seen over the past few editions of the Dales Divide.

At the pointy end of the race we suspect to see a few familiar faces including __Justinas Leveika, Chris Simpson, Joseph Thomas, Tom Marshall__. However, the most exciting thing about speculations is that they’re rarely complete and we’re often proven wrong by the sunset of the first night. We look forward to seeing the dots we’ve never heard of bobbing their way along the course over the weekend.

__Liam Yates__ will be looking to better his brother’s (Jesse Yates) time of 1D 20H 27M from his inaugural bikepacking race last year. There’s nothing like brotherly love to keep the fire lit and pushing through.

A rider whose 2023 calendar is as packed as a holiday suitcase is __Molly Weaver__, however, she’s open about approaching different events with differing levels of competitiveness. She is instead using this ride as part of her preparation for the HT550 at the end of May, nonetheless, we’re looking forward to seeing how Molly’s more relaxed approach compares to those who are racing.

We’ve allowed our very own Race Coordinator __Nicky Shaw__ a weekend off on the condition she goes one better than last year and brings home the bacon of first female. No pressure Nicky…

![Nicky Shaw 2](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/7kSDZmamtFIwGL2RkiqVh6/025f2a4179391c9bd6d5eb962ed7cc0c/Nicky_Shaw_2.JPG)
*Here's Nicky grinning her way through a town on last year's ride*

The Queen of Sandals is back and with renewed focus: HT550 2022 veteran __Jade Field__ has been quietly upping her off-road game over the past few years and is returning to the event to better her attempt last year with the intention of a racing approach and minimising stop time. We love to hear it! [https://www.instagram.com/p/CqoJZdKMijL/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CqoJZdKMijL/)

Last year’s winner, __Angus Young__, is lining up to ride as a pair for the first time with his partner, Megan Casebow, having toured together in the past. We always enjoy seeing riders who embrace a new way to experience a familiar route.

![Angus Young 8](//images.ctfassets.net/6hyijb95boju/3tdgjbAxEGc7M0Ao0dLCwV/7653799bef90ec1f2a3e6c8428d02e0e/Angus_Young_8.JPG)
*Here's Angus on his way to his win last year.*

Other organisers:

Race organiser, __Chris Ellison__, will be lining up alongside three fellow organisers from elsewhere in the sport. __Alan Goldsmith__ is the man who takes the blame for the Highland Trail 550 and Lakeland 200 and has been bikepacking long before it was even called bikepacking! __Adrian O’Sullivan__ is the organiser behind the legendary TransAtlantic Way over the pond in Ireland, and having just completed the GranGuanche Audax Gravel a few weeks ago time will tell if the legs have recovered enough. As of last year, __David Ayre__ is one of the Race Coordinators at Lost Dot, organisers of the Transcontinental Race and TransPyrenees Race. This is David’s first bikepacking race so it’ll be interesting to see how he fares this side of the table!

Hot tip: change the basemaps on Trackleaders to Landscape.

Another Easter weekend in the UK means only one thing: Welcome to the Dales Divide 2023!

Before we delve into this emerald of a route, here is Chris Ellison’s, race organiser, advice to new riders: *I’m definitely not thinking about York, or Scarborough or anything else. They will come and go in their own good time irrespective of whether I worry about them so I don’t!*

While these are wise words for rookies, they’re not how we’ll be tackling our dotwatching so settle in for a rundown on the highs and lows of the Dales Divide route.

<iframe src="https://ridewithgps.com/embeds?type=route&id=42429441&metricUnits=true&sampleGraph=true" style="width: 1px; min-width: 100%; height: 700px; border: none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>

The 600km route leaves no stone unturned and has all you could wish for in an off-road route in Northern England. The early tarmac and bridleway kilometres will tick over mindlessly as there’s always someone to ride with and it’s fast rolling. Once they’re lured into a false sense of security, the Yorkshire Dales, which is the first of the two national parks en route, always slows riders’ progress. If it’s not the hills then it’s the gates, this event might easily be mistaken for a treasure hunt of Yorkshire gates. The Gates Divide, you could call it. The succeeding 120km stretch of the route is stunning and quintessentially English with its rolling green hills and farmyards. It includes Ribblehead viaduct: an iconic monument of English industry and synonymous with riding gravel in Yorkshire. Passing through its arches is something of a right of passage for gravelleurs in the UK. After the viaduct, riders turn off the busy tourist road onto Cam High Road heading north and they’ll have firmly shaken out any early race nerves. They’ll later join the high road again only a mere few kilometres further north on their return leg to Arnside in 480km time, but that will feel a long way away at this point.

The succeeding kilometres on the Pennine Bridleway are keynote off-roading in the UK and it’s known as the “backbone of the country”. It’s along this way that the organiser lays out food and water for riders at his house, High Bark.

“You have now crossed the divide and water no longer flows West to the Irish Sea but now flows East to the North Sea.” From Chris’s route notes about Malham Moor, 91km.

Once riders descend off the dales towards Bedlam, the place that is, they’ll tackle some fast and easy kilometres towards the vale of York. After the heights of the Dales, these lowlands of Yorkshire offer as much an archetypal picture of the county as the upperlands. The bridleways that pass alongside the edges of ploughed fields are as English as the exposed moorland of the earlier kilometres. At 178km, Boroughbridge will offer the first good opportunity for riders to replenish their supplies before riding into the night. Alternatively, many may choose to tackle the Easter crowds in York. 
Following the River Ouse, the  riverside path into York city centre taunts riders with the imminent dreaded social interactions and urbanism. A major resupply point with that handy 24hr McDonalds, York’s beauty is often lost on riders who are focussed on their quest of heading east.

If at this point riders have already had enough of the bogs, rough terrain and gate warfare, there is a very tempting option to opt for the York to Osmotherley shortcut. This will cut the route down to a more manageable 430km, but will also omit the opportunity to enjoy a well earned fish and chips at the east coast. It’s just as well there’s a great chippy at Osmotherley as a compromise for missing out on that remote stretch of bogland across the Yorkshire Moors (see below!).

Back to those riders taking on the full monty, their eastward odyssey is reversed once they reach Scarborough, a little over the halfway point as they begin their return leg heading west. The next notable section is the peat bog around 370km. Some parts are indeed rideable and some parts are deceptive: the kinds that make you think you’ll clear it but in fact end up knee deep in the bog with your front wheel parked in some mulch wondering where it all went wrong. And that’s if it’s been dry, if the weather’s been unkind before the event then this section will likely be a long walk. Only just visible in the far distance is the RAF radar listening station of Fylingdales; a large spaceship-like building that juts out from the empty moorland horizon, making no attempt to fit in. If you didn’t know it was going to be there, you’d think it was your mind playing tricks on you.

A blitz through Northallerton for a restock and riders head back up onto the Yorkshire Dales for one last serving of fun. The Cam High Road ascent is the final big climb for riders and the highest point of the route; a long steep off-road climb offers little opportunity for riding out of the saddle as rear wheel traction is paramount. Exposed, loose and slippery, a handful of riders fell victim to its unforgiving slopes in 2021 when the forecast storm hit and they bailed or descended to safety. There’s better weather this weekend, apparently.

The route calls for one final big off-road climb around Wold Fell, a whizz along another bridleway towering over Dent valley and a breakneck speed descent down to Dent railway station, England’s highest mainline station. There was a roadside barn half-full with sheep wool 2021 and was far too tempting for me to resist a lie-down.

For those assuming the final 50km from the moor to Arnside will be easy are in for a surprise. The elevation profile is dwarfed by the relative heights of the national parks and the GPX belies the terrain. Just when you’d like a fast roll in back to Arnside, Chris has snuck some more bridleways in. Gratuitous? Perhaps. Slow? Definitely.

In all this is an epic masterpiece of a route, taking in the best of the Yorkshire Dales. The paved / unpaved ratio is deceptive at roughly a 60:40 split, however it’s likely that a greater proportion of time will be spent on the off-road sections due to the slower nature of these parts. The gravel bike / hardtail / full sus debate is an interesting one and we always see a vast array of bikes at the start in Arnside. Whichever steed the riders opt for, there are sure to be some sections of hike-a-bike determined partly by the conditions to be expected…

The UK has just resurfaced from the wettest March on record which does not bode well for the riders and their bottom brackets. However, there is a slither of hope as the forecast this weekend is dry so it’s unlikely that riders will face bad weather from overhead, however, the conditions under tyre are likely to be treacherous as there’s been little time for the ground to drain. There are no major water crossings to worry about, but it’ll be the bogs that will have riders dismounting and cursing to the heavens.

Tune in later to read about some of the hardy souls taking on this Yorkshire odyssey.

Kitty Dennis

Beccy Waters

Dales Divide 2023 Race Tracking and Commentary: This 600km route traverses two of the UK's National Parks: The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. Unsurprisingly, the April weather in the North of England can easily help define this race.

Dales Divide 2023 Tracking

This 600km route traverses the UK from the west coast to the east, and back taking in two of the UK's National Parks: The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. Unsurprisingly, the April weather in the North of England can easily help define this race.

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