All our 2022 events are being organised in a brand new style of cycling event – our Bellions are a cross between an Audax and a Sportive – using modern technology to reduce the need for event numbers, signage, marshals, timekeeping, mass starts and feed stations – using GPX, Strava and local facilities en route instead.
This is a temporary measure (while we catch our breath like Glastonbury Music Festival) and our full blown, fully supported Sportives WILL RETURN IN 2023
Cycling Events
Come and take part in one or more of the cycling events we organise throughout the year. Discover some of the best places to ride in England.
We don’t need to close the roads for any of our cycling events, as they are truly remote and practically traffic free. All our routes are among challenging terrain and breath taking scenery. Participant numbers are limited to 250 per event this season – to preserve the friendly feel of the events – so don’t delay – book your place today.
We choose to locate all our cycling events at welcoming and interesting venues in and around the North West of England. Because this is where we live and ride our various bikes regularly.
Come and discover some unforgettable places to ride your bike. We are a bit biased – as we live here – but we think that the cycling in North West England is among the best in the UK, if not the world.
Lancaster
The majority of our cycling events are based at the fantastic 3-1-5 Health Club, in Lancaster, which is very accessible by both road – M6 Junction 34 – and rail – main line to Lancaster Station. We have 2 x great places to stay right on the start line – Holiday Inn and Premier Inn . Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire and straddles the River Lune. The House of Lancaster was once a branch of the English royal family, now the Duchy of Lancaster holds large estates on behalf of Elizabeth II, who is also the Duke of Lancaster.
It is a lively university city, dominated by Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Priory Church and the Ashton Memorial. It is home to Lancaster University and a campus of the University of Cumbria. with many welcoming places to spend an evening, most have live music at weekends.
Cycling Areas
On our doorstep we are blessed to have several stunning National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, all are just a short ride from our event HQ’s – and offer some of the best cycling in North West England.
Shap Summit – Lake District
The Lake District National Park
Also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in the county of Cumbria. A popular holiday destination, it attracts over 18 million visitors from all over the world each year. The region is famous for its lakes, forests and mountains (or fells), which offer some great cycling routes, and its associations with William Wordsworth and other Lake Poets as well as with Beatrix Potter and John Ruskin.
The Lake District National Park was established in 1951 and covers an area of 2,362 square kilometres, and some classic hill climbs like The Struggle, Kirkstone, Honister, Wrynose passes. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, and is home to mile after mile of secluded lanes. Some of which we use for our events.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park
A stunning upland area of the Pennines in the historic county of Yorkshire, often simply called The Dales, most of the area is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park which was created in 1954.
The Dales comprise of many river valleys and the hills rising from the Vale ofYork westwards to the hilltops of the Pennine watershed, the riding here is fast becoming known worldwide with Le Tour de France, UCI World Championships and The Tour of Britain all having stages in the area in recent years. Cyclists now enjoy the benefits of some incredibly well re surfaced roads due to these events, and you will generally see many more sheep than cars when out riding.
Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, but with a small part in North Yorkshire (before 1974, some of the area was in the West Riding of Yorkshire). It is a western spur of the Pennines and was once described as the “Switzerland of England”.
Jubilee Tower – Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964. Bowland survives as the north-western remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest , the New Forest and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire) . The remote country lanes are fantastic for cycling, and the well known ascents of Cow Ark, Waddington Fell and The Trough of Bowland will test many riders.
Silverdale and Arnside Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1972, on the border between Lancashire and Cumbria, and bound by the Morecambe Bay coast on one side and limestone fells on the other. The area is one of the smallest AONBs, covering just 29 square miles (75 km2) between the Kent Estuary, the River Keer and the A6 road.
Arnside Sea Front
The Leighton Moss nature reserve (recently seen on BBC’s Springwatch), owned by the RSPB, is the largest area of reedbeds in North West England, and is an Important Bird breeding ground. The seashores and rolling limestone hills make for some memorable riding in and around Arnside and Silverdale which are the main villages in the area.
The Howgill Fells
Are the remote fells often seen from the M6 motorway, between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, lying roughly in the middle of a triangle made by the towns of Sedbergh, Kirkby Stephen and Tebay. The name Howgill derives from the Old Norse word haugr meaning a hill or barrow, plus gil meaning a narrow valley.
The Howgill Fells
The Howgill Fells are bounded by the River Lune (and the M6 motorway to the west), to the north by upper reaches of the River Lune, and to the east by the River Rawthey. The old roman road that we follow on our events rarely sees any traffic at all, and the hills above are home to several herds of semi wild fell ponies, who will happily stand and watch you ride past.
Team Top Dog
Join us for a special cycling adventure.
We look forward to meeting you soon, and helping you to enjoy some of the very special places we get to ride on a weekly basis.
Contact
Please let us know any ideas, query’s or feedback we can help with, or to volunteer at an event
