The Way of the Roses links the Irish Sea at Morecambe with the North Sea at Bridlington. Its name brings together Lancashire’s red rose and Yorkshire’s white rose, while the journey crosses a changing landscape of valleys, uplands, historic towns and farmland.
From Morecambe into the Dales
Starting on the Lancashire coast, the route reaches Lancaster before heading inland through the Lune Valley. Its sequence of places continues via Clapham and Austwick to Settle, where the landscape changes from the coastal plain to the hills of the Yorkshire Dales.
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, formerly Sustrans, describes the route as a project created to celebrate 15 years of the National Cycle Network. It includes sections outside the network, so riders should follow the Way of the Roses as a complete itinerary rather than assume that every section belongs to it.
Across Yorkshire to the sea
East of Settle, the itinerary continues through Cracoe and Pateley Bridge towards Ripon, then on through Boroughbridge and York. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, near Ripon, offer a heritage stop; York provides another opportunity to spend time in a historic city.
Beyond York, the route passes Pocklington, Hutton Cranswick and Driffield before reaching Bridlington. The wider journey takes in Nidderdale, the Vale of York and the Yorkshire Wolds, ending on a different coast from the one where it began.
Choosing a direction and preparing
The route is signed in both directions. Walk Wheel Cycle Trust says many riders travel west to east, which can offer a tailwind, and notes rail connections at both coastal towns. Check the details of your own train journey when arranging travel.
Direction affects the climbing. Travelling east, the trust identifies the stretch between Settle and Brimham Rocks as the hardest for hills, with the climb out of Settle particularly demanding. In the opposite direction, it highlights the climb of Greenhow Hill from Pateley Bridge. Its route page lists distances between intermediate towns, useful for dividing the journey around preferred stops.
Take extra care at railway level crossings, particularly Mingledale and Harpham, and allow enough time and space for everyone in a group to cross safely. The trust also highlights the B6265 between Appletreewick and Pateley Bridge, especially the descent of Greenhow Hill, and crossings of the A61, A166 and A165. Route conditions can change, so check current information before setting out.