Over the last few years, we’ve fallen in love with cycling all over again. Quiet roads and bridleways, beautiful scenery and cycling friendly places to stop off for a bite to eat, the North York Moors is a fantastic place to explore on a bike.

We have to admit, that with the hills around us, getting electric bikes has made all the difference. Ian describes it as having a lazy Chris Hoy riding tandem behind you. If you put the effort in, he will give you that extra boost and give you more power. He won’t help if you’re not pedalling and the harder you work the more he helps you. He isn’t a speed demon and he quits helping at 25km per hour so at that point it’s all you. The difference our bikes have made is that we can now cycle up hills that previously we’d have pushed our bikes up. Its also meant our range has increased, so we can cycle further. Jackie has to confess that overtaking a professional looking lycra clad cyclist going up a hill has been an added benefit.

We are classified as Cycling Friendly by the North York Moors which means we go the extra mile for cyclists. There is space in the West Barn for you to securely lock up your bikes; we also provide tools, bike wash facilities and a puncture repair kit. Our boot room has more than enough space to dry off any wet lycra if needed. We’ve just upgraded some of the tools we offer to include a bike stand should you need to do any repairs.

We have an agreement with Big Bear Bikes in Pickering who hire out their bikes and will arrange delivery to the Long Barn. They supply all sorts of bikes from road, hybrid, mountain and e-bikes. They also run the bike hub at Dalby Forest, where you can also hire a wide range of special cycles that suit people with balance difficulties,  mobility problems or other health issues.

Big Bear Bikes are super helpful; they even helped a guest who stayed with us one Christmas, and needed help setting up a Christmas present for his son (The bike was delivered to us ahead of time so we could hide it away and make sure it was a surprise) We can also recommend cycle routes to you as well as places to stop off for that all important tea, coffee, cake (or perhaps something stronger) Whether it’s a day at Dalby Forest trying out some of their trails, a gentle ride round the countryside near us, or trying one of the routes the pro’s tackled as part of the Tour De Yorkshire, there really is something for everyone.