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. […]
The Shropshire Union Canal cycle route
Shropshire Union Canal cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The part of the Shropshire Union Canal covered by this guide isn’t in Shropshire at all, but in Cheshire. This route stretches from Nantwich to Ellesmere Port, a distance of 30 miles. Cycling on canal towpaths can be blissfully serene, but comes with challenges. The rewards should […]
Whitehaven to Workington & Camerton Railway Path
Whitehaven to Workington & Camerton Railway Path cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Another routes built on a disused railway, the Whitehaven to Workington & Camerton Railway Path cycle route is 12 miles of scenic bliss. The route starts off on smooth tar, with spectacular sea views.Soon, the route will veer away from the sea. You […]
Lanchester Valley Railway Path
Lanchester Valley Railway Path cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Lanchester Valley Railway path runs for 12 miles between Consett in the west and Broompark, near Durham in the east. Like most longer distant paths in County Durham, it follows the route of an old rail line. The westernmost few miles are a very gradual […]
South Tyne Trail cycle route
South Tyne Trail cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐ Let me start this guide with an important notice: overall, the South Tyne Trail is not a family-friendly, easy route, though parts of it (notably between Haltwhistle and Slaggyford) can be family-friendly. This can best be described as a gravel route (with parts on tar) containing some […]
Chester Millennium Greenway
Chester Millenium Greenway cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Chester Millennium Greenway is a 10.7 mile almost completely traffic-free cycle route, built mainly on a disused railway line. As the name suggests, it runs right through the heart of Chester.Because it’s built on a disused railway, the route can feel very disconnected from its surroundings, […]
Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal cycle route
Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ This 25-mile, almost completely traffic-free cycle route links Stourport with Wolverhampton, using the towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal towpath had some TLC, and the towpath is mostly easy to ride. Nevertheless, it remains a towpath, with all the challenges […]
The Exe Estuary cycle route to Exmouth
Exe Estuary cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Exe Estuary trail is stunning, and mostly traffic-free, with some on-road sections. This 13-mile, mostly traffic-free cycle route is on the northern side of the estuary, leading to Exmouth. Especially in summer this route can get very busy, so if you’re planning on cycling it, you may […]
Brunel Trail
Brunel Trail overall route rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Brunel Trail is a 9-mile, almost entirely traffic-free cycle route. The route links Neyland with Haverfordwest, mostly via a disused railway line. The full route includes sections on the shared pavement, next to roads. In Haverfordwest, those roads can be busy, and you will need to be very careful […]
Alton Water cycle route
Alton Water overall route rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Alton Water itself is a reservoir in Suffolk, just south of Ipswitch. This traffic-free cycle route guide is for the route that encircles the reservoir. Depending on the season, and the maintenance schedule, parts of the route may be somewhat overgrown. An initial art of the route is along […]
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 […]
Deerness Valley Railway Path cycle route
Deerness Valley Railway Path overall cycle route rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Deerness Valley Railway Path is another old railway line in County Durham that was repurposed as a traffic-free cycling and walking trail, after the railway closed in the mid sixties. The path runs for 8.5 miles between Broompark near Durham, westwards to Crook. At Broompark it […]
Formartine and Buchan Way cycle route
Formartine and Buchan Way overall cycle route rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Formartine and Buchan Way follows a disused railway from Dyce (near Aberdeen) to Maud. At Maud, it branches, and you can opt to ride east to Peterhead, or continue north to Fraserburgh. As you’d expect from a former railway, the route is relatively flat. As […]
Alban Way cycle route
The Alban Way cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alban Way is a six mile long traffic-free cycle route along a disused railway line, linking St Albans with Hatfield. As is usually the case with routes along old railway lines, it’s very flat. With limited on-road cycling, it is possible to combine this route with the […]
Rutland Water cycle route
Rutland Water cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rutland Water is an artificial reservoir, created in the 70’s. There is a mostly traffic-free cycle route that circles it, offering stunning views along the way. Though not extremely hilly, the route still contains some hills that will challenge you a bit. Surface off the Rutland Water cycle […]
Nun’s Cross Trail cycle route
Nun’s Cross Trail cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐ Nun’s Cross Trail runs from Norsworthy Bridge, Burrator to Princetown, 4.5 miles away. It is graded as a Red route, because there is a stretch where you’ll be riding uphill, over loose rocks, some of which are the size of bowling balls. This route can be combined […]
Princetown Railway traffic-free cycle route
Princetown Railway cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Princetown Railway used to run from Plymouth to Princetown. The route that’s described here starts in Princetown and heads to Burrator Reservoir. It is possible to make it an almost entirely traffic-free loop by combining it with the Nun’s Cross Trail, from Burrator to Princetown. This is […]
Saltram Loop traffic-free cycle route
Saltram Loop Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Saltram Loop is a six mile, practically completely traffic-free circular route in Plymouth. It runs right through the Saltram Estate, using part of NCN 27, and is suitable for cycling with children (provided they can ride that distance). In places you will find it hard to believe […]
Crowd-sourcing traffic-free route guides
YOUR help is needed As you may know, I started creating route guides for traffic-free cycling routes in the UK. Though cycling infrastructure in the UK is overall generally quite poor, there are nevertheless some great traffic-free routes. But Sustrans already covers this, don’t they? Many of these traffic-free routes are part of the National […]
The Waskerley Way traffic-free cycle route
Waskerley Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Waskerley Way is a former railway line which was the Stanhope and Tyne railway. It is part of NCN 7 which helps form the long distance Coast 2 Coast route, from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Sunderland. The railway used to be the highest standard gauge railway in […]