The best cycling routes in the UK
What better way to mix up your everyday cycling than by getting away and taking your two wheels on some of the greatest cycling routes across the UK?
To get your imagination clicking through the gears, we’ve put together four of our favourite routes…
Our top 5 cycling routes
British beauty — Yorkshire Dales
For rolling hills, rugged peaks and charming village pubs, there’s no better cycle route than the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway.
Taking in the majority of Yorkshire’s gorgeous Dales, this route is probably best spread over a few days with stop-offs at the quaint villages scattered across the countryside.
Starting and finishing in Skipton, this 210km route is a bit challenging, but it’s road-based so there’s less chance of a flat.
Cycle The Dales has some great routes you can use to get you around the dales, check them out.
Scottish seclusion — The Cairngorms
If you’re really looking to get away from it all, you can’t get much more remote than the Cairngorms mountain range in the Scottish Highlands. This scenic, remote area offers 64km of potential off-road cycle routes, making it perfect for a secluded bike ride. Best of all, you can take advantage of the “right to roam” laws of Scotland, which allow you to camp in the wild. Perfect for a solitary getaway.
If you’re looking for the best of the Cairngorms, check out the Visit Caingorms website as they’ve got a lengthy collection of cycling routes, both mountain and road.
The ultimate challenge — The End to End
There are loads of challenging routes across the UK, but they don’t come much more demanding than the route from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Caithness, northern Scotland!
The “End to End” trip was first attempted in 1873, and has been popular ever since with cyclists looking to travel the length of the UK.
But at over 1,500km, this north-south trip is not for the faint-hearted.
Interested but not sure where to start? Lucky for you there’s a whole host of websites out there dedicated to the challenge.
Hitting the heights — Applecross Peninsula Loop
To add to spectacular Scottish cycling routes is the Applecross Peninsula Loop.
This particular ride takes in the UK’s highest tarmac road, Bealach Na Ba, and encompasses hairpin turns, 626 metre climbs from sea level and serious wind speeds.
It’s all worth it though — the breathtaking views across the water to the Isle of Skye and the sight of the grey road winding ahead of you into the mountainous distance are unrivalled across the UK.
Looking for inspiration? Check out UK Cycling’s website where you’ll find the everything you need to know about this stunning route.
Now you know some of the best cycling routes in the UK why not grab yourself some bike accessories that will help you stay nice and safe whilst you pedal.
Want to reacquaint yourself with some cycling road signs before you head out on your cycling trip? We’ve got you covered, check out our post on all the road signs you need to know for cycling.
