Spurred on by Team Green Britain Bike Week – not to mention the warmer weather – we’ve been getting on our bikes in the easycottages.com office recently and comparing our favourite cycling routes.
Along with the obvious health benefits, a really good cycling route allows you to soak up some of the country’s most beautiful locations at a pace where you can really appreciate the natural beauty on display. Though, if you’re anything like us, you may get a little sick of seeing the same view as you breathlessly make your way up a gentle slope!
Still, undeterred, we’re going to list a few of our favourite riding routes below. There should be something for everyone, from challenging climbs to put your mountain bike through its paces to safe, slow and scenic rides for all the family.
The Tarka Trail ticks all the boxes for a great family bike-riding route. This 180-mile loop follows the same path through rural Devon as taken by the titular hero of Henry Williamson’s novel. You’ll find plenty of beautiful scenery along the way and what’s more, the route is completely free from traffic so you can concentrate on enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Grizedale Forest is an unlikely combination of first-class mountain biking and artistic heritage, but as anyone who’s cycled there will attest: it works! The trails range from woodland paths to steep gravel slopes, so there’s something for everyone. We’d recommend stopping for a little on-foot exploration though, and if you’d prefer a better view, checking out the ‘Go Ape’ course.
As Britain’s first National Forest Park you perhaps wouldn’t be surprised to find the Forest of Dean offers some of the country’s most beautiful and tranquil woodland. You might be surprised, however, to find that it offers one of the best family cycling routes. The custom-built cycle paths in the Cannop Valley will keep you safely away from traffic, but if you fancy something a little faster-paced, the forest tracks provide an excellent dedicated off-road area.
If you fancy heading further north, you’ll find Perthshire offers some of the best off-road riding in Scotland. With rugged tracks that make the most of the Highlands – not to mention rolling rural pathways – there are many ways to take in over 2000 square miles of beautiful Scotland.
Perhaps better known for its waterways, the Cotswolds also offers some of the Britain’s best cycling, with stunning scenery to match its routes (hardly surprising from the UK’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty!). You’ll find both gentle slopes and more challenging ridges – not to mention plenty of sleepy villages to explore and enjoy.
Do you have your own favourite route? Leave us a comment below!
