A NEW challenge has been added to a popular cycling series for this year.

The team from Bikewright, Easingwold’s local bike shop, are behind the Yorkshire True Grit rides that take place across the North Yorkshire Countryside.

This season, due to popular demand from last year’s True Grit participants, the team are adding a night-time trail that will also form part of the 2018 Dark Skies Festival organized by the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

The night ride will set off at sunset from Newburgh Priory at Coxwold, and use a mix of public and private trails through forests, open moorland and farmland.

The route will be around 50 miles long.

Course planner and event director, Andrew Wright, said: “Riding at night brings a whole new dimension to cycling – we’ve been riding under the dark skies of Yorkshire for many years and it’s great that there was such enthusiasm from entrants to Yorkshire True Grit for a night-time event.”