Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Earlier this month, 45 people gathered on the east coast of North York Moors National Park to participate in the 2026 Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash. In this event recap, organizer Markus Stitz reflects on the event and the importance of community when traveling on two wheels…
Words and photos by Markus Stitz
There is no shortage of gravel events in the UK. Regulations vary from place to place, but most include at least an element of racing. Some are timed from start to finish, others offer timed stages. For many riders, that competitive edge is part of the appeal.
I understand that appeal well. I have raced the Highland Trail three times, the Silk Road Mountain Race, the Atlas Mountain Race and Mother North, and in October, I’ll be back in race mode at the Taurus Mountain Race. I love racing. It would be untrue to say I have never cared about a finishing time, but the more I race, the less important that number has become.
What has always drawn me to bikepacking and gravel events, even the most competitive ones, is the community of people I meet along the way. Races are often the only occasions where I get to see those people in real life. The Oslo and Edinburgh Dawn Patrols provide a wonderful way to meet others while cycling, and a welcome balance to the many long rides I do alone when researching guidebooks and magazine features.
Bikepacking and gravel events fulfill a similar role. Social media is a good way to follow what others are up to, but nothing beats a pre-race chat, a conversation at a checkpoint, or catching up properly over dinner.
While both bikepacking and gravel riding have continued along a predictable path of commercialization, a very strong community element has thankfully endured.
When I started the Dirt Dashes in Dunoon in 2019 with Charlie Hobbs, we created a Scottish equivalent of the Dorset Gravel Dash. Charlie’s event began in 2013 when gravel bikes first appeared in the UK, and Dunoon followed at a time when those bikes were becoming a popular choice here. More riders meant more opportunities to host events.
By North American standards, Dorset and Dunoon are not far apart. But once you factor in smaller roads, higher population density and a transport infrastructure that often leaves something to be desired, the journey from the south of England to Scotland can feel long. That was one of the reasons the Stans Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash came about, after I finished a route-planning project in 2023. Sitting roughly between Edinburgh and London, Whitby offers a start and finish that is within reasonable reach of many parts of the UK. Not quite in the middle, but close.
Yorkshire also has a rich cycling heritage. It is often referred to locally as “God’s Own Country,” thanks to its stunning landscapes, rich history, and the deep pride of its people. With three events in the calendar—the Cateran Dirt Dash, Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash, and Dunoon Dirt Dash—and only one person doing the marketing, planning, and everything else that comes with them, resources are inevitably spread thin. Instead of pouring everything into one bigger event, the route Charlie followed with his Gravel Dash after we parted ways on good terms, I wanted to keep all three Dirt Dashes. Each offers something different.
I do much of my work because I love cycling, but I also have bills to pay. That reality has changed how I think about the Dirt Dashes. What matters most to me is the community: meeting people who have attended for years and have become friends, while also welcoming new people into the fold. It is a community that grows a little each year, and it also helps me earn a small income. Sponsors like Stans, Carradice, and Komoot play an important role in this.
Rather than organizing one large event, three smaller ones make it much easier to welcome almost everyone by name. The Dirt Dashes feel less like mass-participation events and more like big group rides with a bunch of friends. The routes change year on year, and are freely available after the event.
Riders can speak to a real person before and after they sign up, not just an anonymous booking platform acting on someone else’s behalf. And because I don’t own a car myself, having accessible start and finish points matters too, with parking for those who travel by car, as well as realistic options for people arriving by public transport. The Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash has the best starts of all three: at the beautiful YHA in Whitby, right next to the Church of Saint Mary, whose graveyard is used as a setting in Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula.
I love plotting my own routes, but I equally enjoy following someone else’s local knowledge and experiencing a place I know little about from their perspective. Or seeing a familiar place through fresh eyes. For me, a good route needs a mix of terrain, memorable scenery and a few challenging sections to make it feel like an adventure. And based on the feedback from the Dashes, this is exactly what draws riders to the events.
Add to that a campsite with enough personal space, but also the opportunity to socialize. Plenty of good food for dinner and breakfast, so there is something to look forward to. And sometimes, as with this year’s Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash, the weather adds its own bit of magic.
When all of this resonates with the riders, that is the small spark I need to start planning the next event almost as soon as the last one has finished. But none of it would work without the most important ingredient: the people who make the events special.
As Alex, who joined Dirt Dash for the first time, and had a great time on the Yorkshire Coast:
“This was my first time trying gravel and doing an event. I couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming and supportive experience. I absolutely loved the routes. They were just the right amount of distance, challenge, scenery and fun. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, and I can’t recommend them enough if you are thinking of trying gravel riding.”
Tim joined with his 13-year-old son Alexander:
“We had a fantastic time exploring the Yorkshire Coast and Moors at the recent Dirt Dash event. It was windy at times, but that just added to the challenge on a couple of short but steep climbs. We were really enjoying some fast gravel tracks in the forest and on the moors. There was lots of time to chat to lovely people on the ride and at dinner. This route was no problem for my son aged 13, so if you have some cycling experience and are looking for a parent and child bikepacking challenge, this could be the route for you.”
Or Kev, who had never tried riding a fully loaded bike before:
“This was my first loaded bike experience, and I am new to gravel biking. Outstanding organization. Outstanding people. Outstanding route. Personally, I had many ups and downs, but I came away with invaluable experience and finished with more riding skill than I arrived with.”
And April signed up on her own, just before the event:
“I signed up for the Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash on my own. I was a bit nervous that it would be overly competitive. Instead, people were extremely welcoming and supportive. Everyone cheered each other on to the finish, great folks to ride with!”
For me, that is what the Dirt Dash is about. Not racing. Not chasing a result. Not scaling up for its own sake. Just good routes, good places and good people. All brought together for a weekend on bikes.
More information about the Stans Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash and other Dashes can be found at dirtdash.cc.
Further Reading
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