Discover the UK’s best traffic-free cycle routes

Below are some of the most recent route guides, but be sure to visit the UK-wide map, showing all the route guides. All routes have a custom WillCycle map, from which you can download the GPX for the route, and where you can see the route profile in detail.

The route guides include an up-to-date weather forecast, and lots of information about the route. It even tells how how long it would take to cycle, at your preferred speed.

Featured routes

These are just some of the stunning routes I have highly-detailed guides for. Refresh the page to see more routes.

Tarka Trail – Ilfracombe to Willingcott

The Tarka Trail offers some of the very best traffic-free cycling available in the UK. This 3.5 mile segment is disconnected from the rest of the Tarka Trail though. Starting adjacent to the site of the old Ilfracombe railway station, the route follows the track of the old Ilfracombe branch...
Read More

The Waterrail Way traffic-free cycle route

Waterrail Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Waterrail Way is a traffic-free cycle route of 16 miles, linking Lincoln with Kirkstead. It was built on the course of a disused railway, from which it got the name. The trail is sandwiched between the river Witham and the South Delph...
Read More

River Wey Navigation traffic-free cycle route

River Wey Navigation cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐ The River Way Navigation links the Thames Path with Guildford, on a mainly traffic-free route. Most of the route is on the towpath, and towpath cycling can be tricky in places. Especially after rain, and in mid-winter, most towpath routes can be...
Read More

The Swiss Valley Trail

UPDATE: Due to a landslip just before Tumble (roughly 10.5 miles into the route) the Swiss Valley Trail is partially closed. You can still cycle the 10 miles to the closure, but to continue beyond that will require some on-road cycling. This is a long-term closure. Mostly following the old...
Read More

Middlewood Way Traffic-Free Cycle Route

Middlewood Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Middlewood Way is a disused railway line, running for 10.4 miles between Macclesfield and Marple. As is the case whenever possible, the route starts right by Macclesfield train station, and ends at Marple station. Do note that to catch a train from...
Read More

Even more value

WillCycle Supporters gain even more value, including achievement badges, and more, as well as Strava integration.

These route guides are all made with 🚲 in Devon.

Latest from the blog

  • Basingstoke to Benidorm, by Craig Killick
    When a book starts with the sentence “Life’s a funny f*cker”, you just know you’re onto something different. This book tells the story of when Killick, aged 53 and somewhat overweight, decided he needed a big adventure in his life. Well, he made that decision years before, but various things, including the Covid lockdowns, interfered … Read more
  • Police Failure
    For a long time now, I stopped using WillCycle to do direct cycling advocacy, but something happened recently that forced my hand, hence this post. Devon and Cornwall Police and I have a bit of a history. When I originally started making complaints about bad driving, with supporting video, I was laughed off. An Inspector … Read more
  • The future’s so bright
    I haven’t posted anything new on WillCycle for what feels like an eternity. I haven’t been slacking though. No, I’ve been extremely busy on the back-end of the site. New features WillCycle now has what I can honestly describe as a superb mapping system. It started off as an idea, quite some time ago, to … Read more
  • Bicycle Counter – the beginning
    In London, on some kerb-protected cycle lanes, they have large, digital, real-time bicycle counters. Those work really well, and people can see the counter increment. Superb as they may be, those counters costs many thousands of Pounds to install, and requires planning permission. Unless you’re filthy stinking rich, and can afford to finance all that … Read more