Cycling Holidays UK

[FirtreesinJune]

Hello,

Could anyone personally recommend a great spot for a cycling holiday in the UK? Preferably as traffic-free as possible with good scenery. Coastal is a bonus! I am a novice, but my partner is an experienced cyclist- so trails/paths to suit mixed ability if poss. The internet is a minefield of information, and would rather go on personal recommendations...

Thanks in advance!

[hayers]

Tarka trail in Devon - easy riding - lovely area.

Tissington and high peak trails - but not so coastal!

[Paulatic]

Dumfries and Galloway...coastal....hills and quiet roads if you stay off the A75 A76 A701

[bogmyrtle]

Where's your starting point?

[keyboardmonkey]

Hello,

Could anyone personally recommend a great spot for a cycling holiday in the UK? Preferably as traffic-free as possible with good scenery. Coastal is a bonus! I am a novice, but my partner is an experienced cyclist- so trails/paths to suit mixed ability if poss. The internet is a minefield of information, and would rather go on personal recommendations...

Thanks in advance!

Road bikes? MTBs? Hybrids? How many days do you have? How far will you travel each day? Camping, B&B, pub, Youth Hostel or other? Hills or flat? Where do you want to start your trip? Are you limited to some particular areas?

[FirtreesinJune]

Thanks everyone....

@ Keyboardmonkey: Thanks for the delving-

I have a Hybrid Trek bike; my partner has both a mountain and road bike.

We have about 5-7 days

I've never ridden further than about 40 km in a day so far, but I think we'd probably aim for between 30-40km a day ...perhaps more/perhaps less depending on how tired/saddle-sore I get.... This is a holiday intended to enjoy the scenery, improve general fitness, but mainly just recreational/leisure.

I was hoping to book Air B&B in one location, if close to lots of cycle routes, so we don't have to carry all of our stuff from site to site. Open to other sensible/interesting suggestions.

I am happy with a mixture of hills and flat

I'd like to start the trip anywhere in the UK, but preferably the South/South-West or West of England...... Was hoping for some recommendations for Devon/Cornwall/Wales etc, if possible.

Thanks again, everyone! ..... further suggestions readily welcomed

[crazydave789]

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map

[eileithyia]

New Forest; somewhere central will give some varied routes on forest trails, option to catch Lymington ferry to IOW spend a day there, potential to take in the Tennyson trail.

[chris_suffolk]

Dumfries and Galloway...coastal....hills and quiet roads if you stay off the A75 A76 A701

+1 - yes I know not Devon Cornwall, but excellent area.

[Cyril Haearn]

Plus One, positive thread alert

Wales is good, there are a lot of railway cycle ways in the south

[robing]

Yep Wales and the border areas of Shropshire and Herefordshire are great too and very quiet apart from the A49.

[horizon]

New Forest; somewhere central will give some varied routes on forest trails, option to catch Lymington ferry to IOW spend a day there, potential to take in the Tennyson trail.

+1 or even longer on the IOW
-1 to Devon and Cornwall. I cycle camped south Cornwall last week - a wonderful three days but I wouldn't recommend it

[gregoryoftours]

Coast to coast Whitehaven to Tynemouth is nice, mix of quiet roads and decent off road cycleways, 5 days is a comfortable time to do it in. Hilly. Or yes, Scotland somewhere. I'd recommend islands like Skye etc but can be a pain logistically getting to and from.

Newcastle to Edinburgh (so called coasts and castles route) is also quite nice. You can overnight on Lindesfarne on that one.

I went up the Suffolk and Norfolk coasts from Felixstowe to kings Lynn a few years ago too, that was nice. One River ferry in Suffolk was a lady and a rowing boat. She spent her down time reading a sun bleached Stephen king novel, and was the 5th generation of her family to run the service! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/magazine- ... -ferryboat

[Cyril Haearn]

There is a thread on here about Skye, apparently it might not be so good, lots of traffic
There are plenty of lesser-known isles reached only (?) by boat

[Norman H]

I'd like to start the trip anywhere in the UK, but preferably the South/South-West or West of England...... Was hoping for some recommendations for Devon/Cornwall/Wales etc, if possible.

The Devon Coast to Coast, between Plymouth and Ilfracombe, would be a good west country choice. Its around a hundred miles, mostly on traffic free trails or quiet roads, so doable in 2 days but a more relaxed three day ride.

There are train connections at Plymouth and Barnstaple, or you could cycle it both ways. That's what we did last year, returning to Plymouth via a different route.

There's a variety of accommodation along the route, including camping, hostels, and B&B's.