Your next great ride
BUTTERTUBS PASS
AS WE WHILE away winter compiling a checklist of breathtaking views and mind-blowing roads to tick off in 2019, motorcycling minds naturally default to Scotland, Wales or far-flung continental mountains. Yet there’s plenty of stunning scenery in England — and few better places to start than the Yorkshire Dales. Not only do the Dales offer tons of incredible riding, they’re also surrounded by beauty — the Pennines to the north; the Lakes to the west; the Moors to the east; and the Peaks to the south.
If the Dales sit at the heart of England’s luscious landscapes, then its left ventricle is the small market town of Hawes. Less than five minutes away is the Buttertubs Pass — once described by the world’s punchiest motoring journalist as “England’s only truly spectacular road”. And while he’s wrong about most things (and he’s wrong about this; England has loads) it certainly is spectacular.
Its meagre 5.5 miles are dense with drama. It climbs north from Hawes, skirts alongside a petrifying precipitous plunge, then tumbles downhill into the hamlet of Thwaite. It’s narrow, blind in places, and occasionally busy – it’s one to relish, rather than race.
Oh, and if you Google “Buttertubs Pass”, you won’t find it — its less-interesting name is Cliff Gate Road.
WHEN TO GO Its 500-metre elevation means it’s not a natural choice for cold days, though winter sun adds to the beauty. Can get busy in the middle of summer too but it makes a perfect destination for that first warm spring ride. HOW TO GET THERE The A684 and B6255 are equally brilliant ways to get to Hawes. To start from the Thwaite end, the A6108 and B6270 lead you in from Scotch Corner on the A1. WHERE TO STAY Lots of choice in Hawes. The Fountain is cheap and cheerful, with parking out back, while the Stone House Hotel (just out of town) comes wellrated. Probably not for winter but Britain’s highest pub — the Tan Hill Inn — isn’t far away either. WHERE TO RIDE From Hawes, you can’t go wrong. Whether you aim for Sedburgh, Settle or Leyburn, you’re in for a fantastic ride.