Where the sky stays light….

May 23rd to 25th gave the UK a rare gift: heat. Real heat. The kind where tarmac melts, every climb feels twice as long and even the sheep look exhausted. Naturally, Saul and I thought it was the perfect time to load up the bikes and disappear into the Yorkshire Dales for 2.5 days of bikepacking.

What followed was part adventure, part survival film, part love letter to northern landscapes.

We crossed into Teesdale under endless blue skies, climbed brutal gravel tracks, rattled through rocky descents and rolled past rivers, moorland and tiny villages that felt frozen in time. There were moments of complete silence apart from tyres crunching over stone and the occasional steam train drifting through the valley like something from another century.

The ride had everything: wild horses blocking trails, river crossings, dusty climbs and the legendary Tan Hill Inn appearing like a mirage in the heat. Every turn seemed to deliver another ridiculous view, another steep ramp or another reason to stop for five minutes pretending we were “taking photos” when really we were just trying to recover.

Night one was spent in a remote bothy high in the hills. Just two tired riders, basic shelter and skies that refused to go dark. Night two brought a campsite, cold drinks and legs that had officially filed a complaint.

127 miles. 15,000 feet climbed. Sunburnt noses. Dust everywhere. Absolutely worth it.