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 very challenging. However, while a […]
The Wirral Way traffic-free cycle route
Wirral Way overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Wirral Way forms part of the longer Wirral Circular Trail but this is by far the most popular section, being almost completely traffic free. It follows the route of a disused railway, from West Kirby to Hooton, and offers great views across the Dee Estuary to Wales, over a […]
Brampton Valley Way traffic-free cycle route
Brampton Valley Way Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Brampton Valley Way is another rail trail. Stretching for 18.6 miles, from Northampton to Market Harborough. The route as show on the map below ends at the Market Harborough train station, and it’s possible to catch a train back to Northampton, but that goes via Milton Keynes and […]
The Water Railway traffic-free cycle route
Water Railway Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Water Railway 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 drain. The route as shown […]
Lon Eifion Cycleway
Lon Eifion Cycleway Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Lon Eifion Cycleway is a 12.5 mile traffic-free route, running from Caernarfon to Bryncir. Offering a range of views, from rich woodland to spectacular mountains (at one point you can see Snowdon) it is cycling heaven. Disappointingly, there is no café of pub at the end, in Bryncir. The […]
Grand Union Canal – Paddington Branch
GUC Paddington Branch Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Originally built to link Paddington with the Grand Union Canal, the Paddington Branch is 13.5 miles long, and offers surprisingly serene cycling in the heart of London. It can get very busy at times, and further along can get rather narrow. Of course, when the Paddington Branch meets the […]
High Peak Trail traffic-free cycle route
High Peak Trail cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The High Peak Trail is an 18 mile traffic-free cycling route that follows the course of the old Cromford and High Peak Railway. Normally, trails along disused railway lines have gentle gradients, and most of the High Peak Trail is either flat, or has a very gentle […]
Peak Forest & Ashton Canals
Peak Forest & Ashton Canals Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ Stretching for 14 miles from Marple into the centre of Manchester, the Peak Forest Canal and Ashton Canal combine to form a delightful traffic-free route. As you’d expect from a canal towpath route, it’s mainly flat, but do take care at several of the bridges where you […]
Basingstoke Canal – Saturn Trail
Basingstoke Canal Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Saturn Trail is a 9 mile trail along the Basingstoke Canal towpath, in Woking, Surrey.It’s a largely a straight line trail, and as you’d expect from a canal towpath, flat but with gentle increase in height east to west. It is secluded and peaceful, passing houseboats, locks and wildlife. […]
Bowes Railway Path Traffic-free Cycle Route
Bowes Railway Path Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Bowes line is an old railway, which like many others in north East England was built by George Stephenson. It originally ran to carry coal from collieries around Dipton in County Durham down to ships moored on the Tyne in Jarrow. Most of it is now a walking […]
Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea Traffic-free Cycle Route
Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This stunning and mainly flat route of 15.2 miles winds its way from Prestatyn to Rhos-on-Sea, almost entirely traffic-free. I started the route on the map at Prestatyn train station, and ended it just past the Colwyn Bay station. That allows you the option of cycling it […]
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 one station to the other […]
Bristol and Bath Railway Path
Bristol & Bath Railway Path Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Bristol and Bath Railway Path (BBRP for short) was Sustrans’ very first shared path in the UK. It runs – unsurprisingly – between Bristol and Bath and is 16 miles long. Though most of it is entirely traffic-free, the route shown on the map below starts […]
Cloud Trail Traffic-free Cycle Route
Cloud Trail Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Cloud Trail runs from the close to the Derby town centre, and runs for 13 miles to Worthington. It starts off following the river Derwent, then follows the Derby Canal Path, before joining a disused railway path. I started this route right from Derby train station, meaning […]
The Gloucester Canal Path
Gloucester Canal Path Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Gloucester Canal Path is a 16 mile canal path along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal in Gloucestershire. It is a shared path and popular with walkers and people fishing. It runs from Gloucester to Sharpness. As is expected from a route along a canal, it’s very […]
Two Tunnels Greenway
Two Tunnels Greenway Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Two Tunnels Greenway got it’s name because (you guessed it!) the route runs through two tunnels. One of those, the Combe Down Tunnel, is just over a mile long, and is the longest tunnel on a traffic-free cycling route in the UK. For the purposes of this guide, […]
Colliers Way traffic-free cycle route
Colliers Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Colliers Way is a disused railway in Somerset. Sustrans says it stretches for 17.5 miles from Frome to Monkton Combe. However, from Radstock to Monkton Combe is mainly on-road, albeit mostly on (normally) quiet lanes. As a result, this guide covers just the segment from Frome to Radstock, […]
The Strawberry Line cycle route
The Strawberry Line is a 10.5 mile (mostly) traffic-free route between Yatton and Cheddar, Somerset.
Cuckoo Trail Traffic-free Cycle Route
Cuckoo Trail Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Cuckoo Trail runs from Heathfield to Polegate, passing through Hellingly, Horam, and Hailsham. The trail got its name from an old tradition of releasing a cuckoo at the Heathfield Fair, and offers 14 miles of traffic-free bliss in East Sussex. This is a disused railway, and so […]
Hornsea Rail Trail Traffic-free Cycle Route
Hornsea Rail Trail Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Hornsea Rail Trail links the centre of Hull with Hornsea, 15 miles further along a disused rail trail. Just over half of the route is tarred, with the remainder quite decent compacted gravel. This trail forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail, and is signed as […]