Roman Road cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ This 12.8 mile route mostly follows the course of an old Roman road, hence the name. Starting in Cambridge, the route is initially on (normally) quiet roads, with a stretch on a segregated cycle path, but soon picks up the actual remains of a Roman road. The route … Read more
Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Exmouth to Budleigh Salterton cycle route runs for 5.6 miles, from Exmouth train station to Budleigh Salterton, mostly along a disused railway line. There is a short on-road section early on in Exmouth, along a 20mph residential road, and from the outskirts of the village … Read more
Manifold Way cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Manifold Way gets its name from the River Manifold, and that in turn started out as “many folds”, referring to the many meanders. It is a trail built on a disused railway, the old Leek and Manifold Railway, and stretches 8.5 gorgeous miles between Hulme End and Waterhouses. … Read more
Overall Rating for this segment of the Trans Pennine Trail: ⭐⭐⭐ The Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) crosses England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. This guide is for just one part of the overall TPT. It covers the 7.2 miles of traffic-free cycling between Altrincham and Warrington. This route is suitable even for … Read more
Cole Green Way Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Cole Green Way is a 5 mile route that runs along a disused railway line. The route as shown below starts at Hertford East train station, so you can easily get there by bike. Just be sure to first read my Bikes on Trains post. The route shown … Read more
Thames Path Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Thames Towpath runs through South West London for 23 miles, mostly traffic-free. Given its location, it is surprisingly secluded, well wooded and quite rural in places. Please Note: At the time of writing flood alleviation works are underway at Barnes and Putney resulting in towpath closures and … Read more
Two Rivers Cycleway Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Two Rivers Cycleway runs from the mouth of the river Wear at Sunderland to near the mouth of the river Tyne in South Shields. It is the route of NCN 1, too. The route is about 8 miles long. Getting there There are metro stations near the endpoints … Read more
Hayling Billy Line cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Hayling Billy Line mostly follows the path of a disused railway, from Havant onto Hayling Island, South East Hampshire. It’s quite a short route, at just 5.6 miles, and that includes a short stretch on quiet lanes, to end at the Inn On The Beach. If … Read more
Lagan and Lough Cycleway overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Lagan and Lough Cycleway is a (mostly) traffic-free route, running from Jordanstown, though Belfast, to Lisburn. There are some segments along busier roads, but on shared pavements alongside the road. There are also several short segments along (normally) quiet roads. The route shown on the map has … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Tissington Trail cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Tissington Trail is a disused railway in Derbyshire, and is now a traffic-free cycle path. It follows the route of the old Buxton to Ashbourne railway line, which opened in 1899. Stretching for almost 17 miles, from Ashbourne to Pomeroy, the route offers Victorian railway heritage in … Read more
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 … Read more
Cinder Track Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Cinder Track runs for 21 miles, from Scarborough to Whitby, along a disused railway line. As with most disused railway lines, it’s quite flat. The Cinder Track got its name because the track ballast was made from cinders, rather than the usual crushed stone. The start and end of … Read more
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 … Read more
Marriott’s Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Marriott’s Way is a shared path of 26 miles, linking Norwich with Aylsham via a circuitous route. As you’d expect from a trail on a disused railway, it’s very flat. There are sculptures or benches at every mile marker, and a bike shop inside the old signal box … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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, … Read more
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, … Read more