Deeside Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Deeside Way runs for 45 miles, mostly traffic-free, from Aberdeen to Ballater, on the edge of the Cairngorm mountains. The route gets its name from the river Dee, and is loosely follows the course of the river for most of the way. It forms part of the … Read more
The Silkin Way is a 14 mile long (mostly) traffic-free route in Shropshire, linking Bratton with Coalport, via Telford. There are several on-road segments, along quiet roads, and in Telford also some shared pavements. If you’re going to do only half of this route, I’d suggest the southern half, as the northern half has a … Read more
Downs Link Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Downs Link officially starts in Guildford, and runs for 36 mostly traffic-free miles to Shoreham-on-Sea. Most of the route is on disused railway lines, so no steep hills to contend with. The route shown on the map below starts at Shalford, Surrey, and the reason for that … Read more
North Dorset Trailway Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The North Dorset Trailway is a 9 mile traffic-fee and stunning cycle route, built mostly on a disused railway. It links Sturminster Newton with Blandford Forum, and mostly follows the route of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway. All photos by TessOfTheVale. Also visit her rather good site. Surface … Read more
Oyster Bay Trail & Northern Seawall Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Running for 17 miles between Whitstable and Margate, this route is mostly traffic-free, with some sections along (normally) quiet roads. As a coastal route, you’re assured stunning sea views almost throughout. However, there’s a price to pay for all that: the route is very exposed and the … Read more
The Monsal Trail Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Monsal Trail, a traffic-free cycle route, is an idyllic destination for family outings, particularly when cycling with kids! This 9-mile scenic trail follows the course of the historic Midland Railway, offering breathtaking views and a serene cycling experience. With four tunnels along the route, each roughly … 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
Crab & Winkle Way cycle route overall rating: ⭐⭐ The Crab & Winkle Way is a 7.5 mile mostly traffic-free route. It takes its name from the old Canterbury – Whitstable Line, which ran between Canterbury and Whitstable in Kent. Most of the route today follows the old railway, but despite that, the route is … Read more
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 below includes some cycling on (usually) … 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
The Taff Trail runs for 56.27 miles, from Cardiff Bay to Brecon. The route as shown on the map below starts at Cardiff Central train station, and there are various other train stations along the route. Because the Taff Trail officially starts in Cardiff Bay, I added a section from the train station to the … 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
Consett & Sunderland Railway Path Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ The Consett and Sunderland Railway Path, as the name suggests, is a former railway line which was the Stanhope and Tyne railway. It is also the route of NCN 7 which forms part of the long distance Coast 2 Coast route which runs from Whitehaven in Cumbria … Read more
Escape The City is a route that runs from the Thames, up the Lee valley, all the way to the Hertford East train station. It is a 31 miles route that can be rough in places. Some of the route is on shared pavements along fast A-roads. In various places, the route is on-road, on … Read more
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 is quite a detour. The tunnels … Read more