Best British Cycling Routes
Spring is around the corner. With it, comes a surge of enthusiasm. It is time to ditch the blanket and enjoy the picturesque weather and the dramatic landscape. What’s better than cycling to do that! We bring to you a list of the Best British Cycling Routes to cycle on this spring.
Exmoor Cycle Route
Escape to the magical and peaceful Exmoor cycle route located in the Exmoor National Park. It has options for on-road as well as off-road cycling. You will find Exmoor pretty with its deep forests, sweeping moorland, and sandy dunes along the coast.
The Exmoor Cycle Route is a 60-mile circuit that runs through some of the loveliest parts of Exmoor, and it is a great introduction to the countryside of Devonshire. A beautiful chestnut forest starts at Minehead and along the North Devon coast, where you can see across the Bristol Channel to the South Wales coast. It must be said, there are some big hills, so make sure that you’re ready to work those legs.
The Lakeland Loop
In Great Langdale, lies a 69-mile stretch of a challenging loop for a cyclist to get that adrenaline running. It is on par with every road from coast to coast and is one of the Best British Cycling Routes. Lakes, mountains, valleys, and coasts are excellent in their diversity of scenery.
There are beautiful little villages with cosy little cafes as well. With the opening kilometres hugging Lake Coniston’s shoreline, it’s apparent that cyclists keep the loop in such high esteem. Trust the hysteria, often a cyclist would be induced into a pool of sweat by the simple words ‘Wrynose Pass.’ If you’d like to reach the pinnacle, don’t be afraid to fall into a grandma mode by touching gradients that reach 30 percent.
Lôn Las Cymru
A list of the Best British Cycling Routes would be incomplete without mentioning Lôn Las Cymru. But this one is not for the faint-hearted. Located in the Brecon Beacons National park, and passing through the heart of Wales, it makes for an adventurous cycle ride. It has one of the most rewarding terrain out there – Towering cliffs, rich green valleys and trees, old coach roads, and train lines. It will not fail to astound you.
The Camel Trail
Enough of the talk about adrenaline rush in this list of the Best British Cycling Routes. The Carmel Trail welcomes you to carefree cycling with your family. You do not have to worry about steep turns and deep valleys. It is an 18km long, traffic-free trail along the Cornish countryside.
Before taking the well-surfaced estuary route to Wadebridge, launch your ride at Padstow with a trip to one of Rick Stein’s many eateries. If your legs are sore, you may retire or continue to Bodmin, passing through serene forests and some of the most beautiful scenery of the southwest as you go.
Coast-to-Coast, Northern England
The prevailing winds and the gradient have forced the design of this trail from the west coast to the east coast. It is a 140-mile stretch and takes about 4 days to complete. It is one of the oldest trails in Best British Cycling Routes.
Go with the flow of the wind and the climbs will be easy for you. Betray the direction of the wind, and the hostile gradient will be unrelenting. Before finding its end on the shores of the North Sea, it passes from the scenic coast of north-western England across the Northern Lakes and the Pennines: take your pick from Tyneside or Roker Marina in Sunderland.
Yorkshire Dales
A cycling route in Yorkshire, often referred to as God’s own country. With a distance of about 87 miles and the total ascent being 7400 feet, this route calls for a dramatic ride.
There is hardly any flat road to ride. Not overlooking the lush countryside, arid hilltops, flowing rivers, ancient architecture, yeah, and the ‘grippy’ paths that UK cyclists have gotten so used to, as every race comes to visit, taking so many European pros by surprise.
The highlights of this route are the Butter tubs Pass and Fleet Moss. You can also catch a glimpse of the railway tracks fading in the distance if you manage to look up.
These are probably the most spectacular train routes in the UK located in one of the Best British Cycling Routes. Watching the train hurdle past is a great relief to the rising lactic acid in the legs after the enormous ascent.
Summary
Here are cycling routes for you to take this spring. Some of these routes are for adventure lovers, while others are for family recreation. Nonetheless, all of them are extremely beautiful and picturesque and a magical escape from the monotony of life. Check out a beginners guide to Road Biking at Road and Mountain Bike Reviews.
Article written by guest blog writer Michael Murray
Road and Mountain Bike Reviews
