THE national heritage cycle route will open a section in the North this weekend.

The 218-mile section, which takes in some of North Yorkshire's most picturesque landscapes, will be launched with a ride in memory of a North Yorkshire man in the Easingwold area.

The national cycle route, which will cover 4,000 miles along quiet lanes when it is completed in 2005, has more than 2,000 miles open.

The North Yorkshire section will join up the North-East with the East Riding of Yorkshire parts of the route.

The byway's purpose is rural regeneration and public health, and its focus is the countryside and heritage.

The section has been partly funded by the county council and Yorkshire Forward.

The route starts south of Malton and covers Ryedale, the Howardian Hills, Easingwold, the Plain of York, the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales and Richmond.

The Arthur Metcalfe Memorial Ride, which will take place on Sunday, has been organised by a group of friends of the Yorkshire cycling champion who died last year.

Mr Metcalfe rode twice in the Tour de France and also won the Milk Race tour of Britain. He was famous for his toughness and dogged determination, which made him much admired in the sport.

A number of former team-mates and rivals will take part in the ride. They include riders who have won Olympic medals and world championships, and stage winners of the Tour de France, and tours of Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Britain.

They include Yvonne McGregor, who won a bronze medal in cycling at the Sydney Olympics and went on to be world champion, and Brian Robinson, the first British rider to win a stage in the Tour de France.

The ride is open to anyone and starts and finishes in Easingwold. There is a choice of two routes, one of 25 miles and one of 62 miles. To take part, call (01636) 636818.