Good location for day rides????

[AMC]

No end of nice beaches, coves & cliff tops on Pen Llyn/Lleyn Peninsula, including the beach that squeaks but can't quite think where it is at the mo. Also within riding distance of Snowdon, Portmeirion etc.

[thirdcrank]

Sharpy

I suggested Skipton, but without any explanation. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is an historic market town - and still with a market, of sorts. It claims to be the Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales. Your wish for long rides (of any length) would be possible in just about any direction. It's well within reach of some beautiful parts of Lancashire (e.g. Trough of Bowland area) as well as the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The area to the south is also nice cycling territory. To the north-east you can head out towards Pately Bridge and beyond eg James Herriot's stamping ground. Depending on how long a long ride is, to the east you can head for York. The industrial part of the West Riding needs careful navigation these days but it holds a lot of our national heritage and there is plenty of good cycling around Keighley. Obviously, this is a hilly area so it's not for people who do not enjoy climbing.

The main downsides are the A59 and the A 65. Not impossible riding for an experienced rider, but IMO not the roads you would want to ride on for pleasure. Plenty of alternatives.

[Lawrie9]

Mid Wales is very good. You have vast swathes of deserted forest and mountain areas for off roading and hundreds of miles of quiet roads that see very little traffic. The hills are as brutal as Devon and Cornwall.

[Steve]

Knighton, Powys is a nice spot to stay, with plenty of scope for cycling on quiet roads & good facilities at generally sensible prices. Skipton would be a bit too busy for a good cycling holiday, in my opinion (I live a few miles down the road).

[minkie]

Minkie you're right of course ref Llyn peninsula - have looked at the map and Porthmadog is on it! I don't really know the rest of it very well and it may be that there are some beaches on there as well that I don't know about, might be more convenient than going all the way up to Anglesey?
Taffy

This http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/rte_porth_din.htm is a circular coast to coast trip across the peninsula, starting at Nefyn beach, which is top draw. The lanes are so quite there's grass in the middle of them .

There's also loads of other ideas on the same site for rides in Wales - I've done a few and they've all been good. A bit further south around Barmouth is also worth a go.

[Jonty]

I suggest somewhere in Eastern Leicestershire/ Rutland, such as Hallaton, if you haven't already visited. Good cycling opportunities in surrounding Eastern Leicestershire, South Nottinghamshire, Rutland, Western Lincolnshire, Vale of Belvoir and Nothern Northampts. Lots of hostelries, pleasant villages, undulating countryside, lots of off-roading opportunities and few cars and lorries.
jonty

[pioneer]

I forgot that area!

Oundle and district is good cycling country. Hillier than we expected,nothing major though. Perfect for a few days tour.

[sharpy]

Many thanks to all contributors, you have provide me with much food for thought.

The Hampshire/Shropshire area is high on my list but then, so are many more.

So many rides to do; so little time. Roll on retirement

[bodach]

Try Aberdeenshire. You have a choice of mountain,rural or coastal as well as towns and the city of Aberdeen which is relatively cycle friendly.Lots of possible small towns as well as campsites if you wish. Look at a map and then try the local tourist board.I stay often at Dingwall which is not Aberdenshire and further north near Lairg which gives a choice of several routes.You are in a foreign country without needing a passport tho' in Aberdeen you may need to learn a foreign language

[NUKe]

I'd second THirdcrank suggestion of Skipton.
I notice from your location Sharpy its not too far away.
I grew-up in Morley near Leeds and Sundays were usually get up early meet my friend Niel. We then rode to Skipton via Bradford for Breakfast and then would spend the day riding round the Dales before invariably finishing up at Chevin Cafe in Otley for tea before riding home. Everyone seemed to end up there around 4 o'clock.

The area offers so much to see Wharedale and Bolton Abbey. Malham Cove, Grassington. If you head toward Bradford you have Victorian Towns such as Saltaire. Leeds Liverpoool canal and such wonders as the Bingley Five Rise Locks . Or the Natural bueaty of Ilkey Moor and

If you don't like hills you could always try this area of the country East Anglia a bit differnet from My Native Yorkshire, But It goes from Flat in North Norfolk to gentle undulations of Suffolk. Its deffinately easier riding here but I do miss the Hills of Yorkshire. Still I doubt I could 100 mile days in the Dales these days but its not a problem in Suffolk.

[Manx Cat]

Gotta recommend Cumbria.

The lake district of course is stunningly beautiful. Many locations have lots of hills, hills = scenic beauty. Lots of places you can stop off at for a while, then cycle out from.

I cycled Forest of Bowland last spring and again last summer that was wonderful, and plenty of places to stay at as well. Nice single tracked roads too. Plenty of wildlife to see.


Britain has so many fantastic places to look at.


Mary

[eileithyia]

This just what a wondeful rich tapestry of countryside we have in Britain.

[Si]

another vote for Ludlow

[mountainman531]

You could try Lancaster where the CTC Birthday Rides were based in 1996. You can go to the South Lake District, Western side of the Yorkshire Dales, The Fylde and the Forest of Bowland AONB. Oh and Lancaster used to have the most entries in the Good Beer Guide but that was before Thwaites took over a couple of local breweries.......

Newton Stewart in Galloway, you can go South to the coast, North into the Mountains, West towards Stranraer and East towards Castle Douglas. Apart from the A75 there's very little traffic, the drivers are patient and courteous but you have to be able to stomachTennants and McEwans ale. However, Castle Douglas is home to the best micro brewery I have yet found, Sulwath brewery.

Thornhill 14 miles north of Dumfries near Drumlanrig Castle, again very quiet roads some rolling countryside and three mountain passes to the East, Mennock, Spango Bridge and Dalveen. As always in Scotland take food and drinks with you on a ride as cafes can be few and far between.

Steve

[thirdcrank]

... Skipton would be a bit too busy for a good cycling holiday, in my opinion (I live a few miles down the road).

Bearing in mind the numbers of cyclists who head for Skipton and the surrounding area (as in "Gateway to the Yorkshire Dales") where do you do your own riding when you are not on holiday?