Fleet Moss is one of the Yorkshire Dales’ most famous cycling climbs, and holds the prize for being the highest road in the county. It’s worth doing for that reason along – and once you’re at the top you feel on top of the world.
It’s an interesting to note that it wasn’t included in the 2014 Tour de France stage or the 2019 World Road Race route – presumably because it’s considered too steep, narrow and dangerous.
Note: for Fleet Moss from Hubberholme, read this.
Highlights
Conquering Yorkshire’s highest road!
The spectacular road up Fleet Moss
The gruelling first section
Expect some leg-burning gradients!Fleet Moss ride log
You leave Hawes, heading south and pass the home of Wensleydale Cheese, before crossing the river in Gayle. Soon after the climb begins – and you’re hit in the face by a not so subtle ramp up for a short double digit lung-buster.
The climb then levels out and you suddenly see, stretching ahead of you, with barren moorland either side, a long road galloping off into the distance. You can see it turns a corner before hitting an unnerving looking climb up and over a hill.
As you approach the “hill” you realise it’s more similar to a wall than a hill. In this desolate landscape, there’s nowhere to hide – both physically and metaphorically speaking. You slog up, switching down through the gears. There’s a flattish section and then, after a left-hander, another steep kick up to the top. You’re now at the top of the highest road in Yorkshire. Congratulations!
No room to hide!
Wild moorland
Steep gradients and an imperfect road surface
Yorkshire Dales: not keen on hairpins!
Before the final push to the top
At the top of Fleet MossCafé stops
Hawes, at the start of the climb, has loads of refuelling options. There’s nothing at the top of the climb – and nothing for a while to come since from here you’re heading into the middle of nowhere!
Accommodation
Hawes is the obvious place to base yourself to do this climb. There are lots of accommodation options here and in the neighbouring towns and villages.
Check out the Accommodation section of our guide to cycling Yorkshire Dales for lots more information.
Tips
Read our tips for cycling in the Yorkshire Dales before you set out.
A compact chain-set is a very good idea for this climb.
Watch out for sheep and tractors.
The climb is very wild and exposed.
Once you’ve left Hawes, you’re heading into the depths of the Yorkshire Dales and won’t find too many shops and cafes – though there are quite a few village pubs.
Want more?
Don’t miss our main guide to the Yorkshire Dales, which has links to all our rides and information on where to stay, when to visit and bike hire. You can find links to more of our route guides in the Articles section below. Happy riding!
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Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels - and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they're there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.
All metrics in this article are approximate.
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