Nice Places To Ride for 2 / 3 Days ????

[Witterings]

Year after year I've been down to the The New Forest and have done a lots of cycling there over that time.

It's very flat which I like with about 100 miles of off road tracks, a lot of relatively quiet roads and is very scenic with a choice of B&B's, camping or hotels to cover most budgets.

Can anybody recommend other similar places for 2 / 3 day breaks, definitely flatter than hillier and ideally with some area's of interest / scenic routes without much traffic or with lots of gravel tracks.

Whilst we're based in the south of England near Chichester and would like some alternatives that aren't too far away .... am also interested in other areas as long as they fit this criteria for maybe longer breaks and any places in Europe that are fairly easy to get to and ideally could take the ferry / our own bikes.

Anybody who's not been to The New Forest and is into cycling / scenery I can thoroughly recommend it.

[PH]

The Peak District - yes I know the name indicates it wouldn't fit with your flat requirement, but there are enough converted railway tracks to get you most places without overdoing it, Tissington, High Peak, Monsal, Manifold, plus routes round some of the reservoirs and valley roads. Unless you go looking for them, most of the climbs are of the short sharp variety, I've pushed a bike up many of them and it doesn't take much longer than riding.
Plenty of accommodation to suite all, things to see, pleasant towns, good cafes and without the crowds you get in some of the other National Parks.

[Vorpal]

If you want flat, head to the East of England. Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire all lack extreme hills and there's plenty to see and do. If you like the New Forest area, maybe the Thetford forest area would suit? If you want to try something new, the Norfolk Broads are interesting (and flat!). Cambridge is cycling friendly and has plenty to offer. The rural lanes of northern Essex and Suffolk are generally quiet and picturesque without the dramatic scenery of the Peak District.

Do you want to do or see anything whereever you go? That might be abetter way to pick somelace?

[Oldjohnw]

Various Coast to Coast routes.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, then explore the Cotentin peninsula? It's not inordinately flat but it's certainly not mountainous, and it's full of quiet lanes and lovely coastal cycling.

[Witterings]

Do you want to do or see anything whereever you go? That might be abetter way to pick somelace?

Nothing really specific in mind, The New Forest is more just nice scenery, streams to stop and have a picnic by and some quaint towns to have a wander round.
Castle's / ruins are nice but not a must, waterways are always good ... just add a certain serenity, the odd decent pub is always a bonus as well
.... any places with theme parks are to be avoided like the plague ... not that I have anything against them but just not the sort of tranquil thing I'm looking for.

Actually as I'm typing this it concentrates your mind a bit ... waterways are a big plus, there are some old'ish towns / mills up North I would have thought are probably lovely to cycle round but I wouldn't know where to start looking.

Various Coast to Coast routes.

Had thought about this .... a lot of the ones we've walked though in Cornwall and Dorset and even around Eastbourne have been really hilly so I had kind of discounted ..... that may just be because I don't know where the flatter ones are.

[Bonefishblues]

Ride down the Wye valley from say Hay?

[roberts8]

My thoughts are Salisbury Plain and the River Kennet. I am also thinking Portsmouth Caen then tour Calvados area which is very quiet and pretty.

[peetee]

Romney Marsh in Kent.
Keep in the triangle between Ashford, Rye and Folkestone and you can't go far wrong. Lots of nice villages and scenery. The land is 99% flat although the prevailing wind can slow progress at times.

[Oldjohnw]

Do you want to do or see anything whereever you go? That might be abetter way to pick somelace?

Nothing really specific in mind, The New Forest is more just nice scenery, streams to stop and have a picnic by and some quaint towns to have a wander round.
Castle's / ruins are nice but not a must, waterways are always good ... just add a certain serenity, the odd decent pub is always a bonus as well
.... any places with theme parks are to be avoided like the plague ... not that I have anything against them but just not the sort of tranquil thing I'm looking for.

Actually as I'm typing this it concentrates your mind a bit ... waterways are a big plus, there are some old'ish towns / mills up North I would have thought are probably lovely to cycle round but I wouldn't know where to start looking.

Various Coast to Coast routes.

Had thought about this .... a lot of the ones we've walked though in Cornwall and Dorset and even around Eastbourne have been really hilly so I had kind of discounted ..... that may just be because I don't know where the flatter ones are.

I guess I was thinking further north.

[thirdcrank]

... definitely flatter than hillier ...

Sounds like North Norfolk to me.

[RickH]

The Northern loop of the Lancashire Cycleway.

Flat around the Fylde near Blackpool, much of the rest rolling country & a few big hills to give you a challenge. Mostly on quiet roads.

[Witterings]

Brilliant everyone .... thanks for all the suggestions so far, have briefly googled most and look exactly like the type of thing I was after and has given me a great starting point to do some more in depth research on the suggested options !!!

Maybe we should try and keep the thread going for a while with more suggestions as I'm sure others may find it useful as well.

[Hobbs1951]

The Lincolnshire Wolds and Marsh - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and also some of the most traffic free roads in the UK...lot's of interesting countryside, towns - whatever your interests.

John.

P.S I have a base in West Sussex, so know that area well.

[Witterings]

P.S I have a base in West Sussex, so know that area well.

Whereabouts ... I'm down in The Witterings as per my username ... if ever you're this way and fancy coming out with us for a ride with local knowledge give me a shout, there are some great places around here as well