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
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
Lincoln to Fledborough Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Cycle from the heart of Lincoln to Fledborough, along a Roman towpath, then a disused railway. This traffic-free route of 11.6 miles is perfectly flat, and can be combined with the Waterrail Way (link below) for a nice day out. Credit to Dan for the photo and … Read more
Waterrail Way Cycle Route Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ The Waterrail Way 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
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. The name simply means Eifion’s Lane. The name is from the district in … 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
The 16.6 mile long 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 from Ashbourne to Pomeroy, the route offers Victorian railway heritage in abundance. From tunnels to bridges, and spectacular views … 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
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 … Read more