Day 1: York to Whitby 

We start the tour with a run to Whitby via the coast and the Yorkshire Wolds. There is plenty of time to explore Whitby, a historic whaling port, also infamously mentioned as the place where the Demeter was wrecked carrying Dracula to English shores in Bram Stoker's famous story.

Day 2 North York Moors National Park

We cross the North York Moor National Park, England's driest national park. A Landscape dominated by Heather heathland.

Ancient and working Abbeys await, passing through numerous villages, expect sheep grazing lazily on the village greens, before heading to the brewing town of Masham for a beer and evening meal at the Black Sheep Brewery

Day 3: Yorkshire Dales National Park

We enter a completely different landscape, the moors give way to the green rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, an area dominated by sheep and cattle farming.

The roads in the Dales are narrower, twisting and confined than the Moors, so be careful, as it's not unusual for agricultural machinery to be coming the opposite way around a blind bend.

We visit some iconic sights, including the Victorian Ribblehead Viaduct, the Tank Hill Inn, England's Highest Inn, but mainly, we are here for the roads.

We also have some fantastic Adventure bike options available for those with suitable bikes that will take you along ancient unsealed Roman Roads, and over the high moors that usually only walkers and mountain bikers get to visit. 

Day 2 ADV Options

Primarily rocky roads and loose gravel surfaces, some steep climbs and descents (avoidable), and some muddy roads (avoidable). 

Day 3: Lake District National Park

Today we head into the heart of the Lake District National Park, the most mountainous region of Northern England. Riding all the great passes between the peaks, expect awesome scenery and brilliant roads.

We visit an ancient Roman Fort on one of the passes, and a working quarry (for lunch). Before hitting the motorway and heading south to our overnight stop in the Walled City of Chester

Day 3 ADV Options

An optional detour takes along "The Old Coach Road" and a few other minor unsealed roads; these are primarily rocky roads, the Old Coach Road providing great views of Blencthra, one of the most northerly hills in the Lake District.

Day 4: Snowdonia National Park

They say there is a dragon that sleeps under what is the tallest mountain in Wales, Yr Wyddfa (Mt Snowdon), which we circumnavigate today. 

.  

We call in at Llanberis with an opportunity to explore the brilliant mining museum, or maybe take the train up to the top of Mt Snowdon.

We optionally call in at Conwy, a beautiful little town that was in a strategic military position guarding the entrance to the river Conwy. This is an ancient walled town built primarily for defence, with many independently owned shops and cafes. Much of the defensive wall still stands to this day; it is possible to walk along the top of the old wall in places. There is also the Conwy Castle, which UNESCO considers to be one of the finest examples of late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe.

Day 5: Southern Snowdonia National Park

A much shorter day today, with time to sightsee as we ride through wonderfully scenic valleys, past Lakes, and drop in at the Historic Harlech Castle before arriving at our overnight stop on the Welsh Coast.

 

Day 5 ADV Options A1 & A2

Not for the beginner, it is very steep, rutted & rocky, extremely slippery, even when dry.

Day 5 ADV Option B

Beautiful road, very little travelled due to being in the middle of nowhere! One very small boggy patch in the middle and 2 gates.

Day 5 ADV Option C

Easy, mostly hard-packed surface with some loose gravel, rideable on almost any bike.

Day 6: Brecon Beacons National Park

Today we have a longer day riding, a little over 400km, 

Our route takes us along the absolute best biking roads in South Wales through the Brecon Beacons, the birthplace of the Wizard Merlin according to Arthurian legend. 

There are a couple of fantastic Adventure bike options today, including what is considered the best Green Lane in Wales, with road riders also treated to some truly great, quiet country roads, bends, and scenery.

We then cross the River Seven over the iconic Seven road bridge to leave Wales and re-enter England. 

Day 6 ADV Option A (85KM)

This ride takes you through woodland along the route of an old Roman road and along what is considered to be the best green lane in Wales, the Strata Florida

Doable on large Adventure bikes, it has been raining heavily recently, so avoid the large mud holes.

Day 6 ADV Option B (70KM)

Same as Option A, but with a detour along Claewen reservoir removed, rejoining the main route at the Devil's Cauldron.

Doable on large Adventure bikes, if it has been raining heavily recently, avoid the large mud holes.

Day 7: Free Day in Bath

Free day to relax and explore at your leisure. Here are a few suggested options.

Day 7 Option 1: Chill and Relax

Explore the historic city of Bath, made famous by its natural healing spring waters, so much so that the Roman Baths (Yes, they were built by the actual Romans during their occupation of England) are an absolute must-visit. The Victorians also built some stunning architecture that still exists today. 

Day 7 Option 2: Neolithic Road Loop

Take a 205km ride and visit some of the local Neolithic and Druidic history, including famous landmarks such as Stonehenge and the numerous Chalk White Figures carved into the hillsides. 

Day 7 ADV Option: Salisbury Plain

An easy ADV Option on almost any bike, best when it is dry, as the route is mainly unsealed flint and chalk; in the wet, it can get very slippery.

Day 8: Devon 

Our journey takes us through the beautiful Cheddar Gorge (not made of cheese) before following the coast south west from the ancient Roman city of Bath.

We visit the castle that is purported to be the seat of King Arthur, Camelot, actually called Tintagel Castle. 

We optionally call at one of our favourite and stunningly beautiful Cornish villages (warning, you will be doing a little walking as no vehicles are allowed in the village, and it’s on a hill, but there is a pub at the bottom). You can change your motorcycle boots into walking shoes and leave the boots in the support van. 

Day 9: Cornish Coast

We tour to the beautiful coastline of Cornwall, stopping off at the most southerly and westerly tip of England, appropriately named Land's End. 

In the 18th century, this part of England was a smuggler's paradise; many of the small coves and villages were used to smuggle contraband into the UK, hence the term the Smugglers' Coast.

We also have to opportunity to visit some of the local tin mining history along the way for those wanting to explore more of this area's cultural history.

Day 9 ADV Option

5km Detour along the old unsealed byway. Easy, level surface, Hardpack road with broken sealed surface in places.

Day 10: Dartmoor

Dartmoor, an ancient heathland that has taken the lives of several unwary travellers through the years, is also the setting for the Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles. 

We visit the famous Beaulieu Motor Museum in the New Forest, stop for coffee in Wareham on the shore of the river Frome, and optionally visit the Sammy Miller Museum. 

This day also has us visiting the famous Cerne Giant outline and Victorian seaside towns before our overnight stay in the heart of the New Forest.

Day 11: Naval History

Today, our last day, we travel through the New Forest, one of the largest tracts of unenclosed Forest, Heath, and Pasture in Southern England, to the town of Portsmouth and visit the Royal Navy Historic Dockyard, which includes HMS Victory, the oldest naval vessel still in commission by any naval force (245 years of continual service)