Britain's Best Rides
We've pulled together 25 of the best rides to appear in Cycling Plus to say thank you for making us your cycling magazine of choice. We hope you enjoy riding them as much as we did!
Cycle route around Bristol – full circuit of the 101-mile Avon Valley Cycleway
Simon Greenacre discovers the mixed delights of the Avon Valley Cycleway – rural beauty mixed with industry
Road Cycling Route in the Scottish Borders – taking on the beautiful 55-mile Megget and Talla Route
Andy McCandlish enjoys the Megget and Talla Route in the Scottish Borders – a history-filled day out with fantastic scenery and quiet roads
Road Cycling Route in the Ayrshire Alps, Scotland – A testing 80-mile ride through Britain's first cycling park
Trevor Ward goes for a spin in the hilly region of southwest Scotland dubbed the ‘Ayrshire Alps’ to discover whether it’s worthy of such a famous name.
Road Cycling route in Kent and East Sussex – 58 miles including the Ashdown Forest
There’s more to the South East than Box Hill, as this challenging loop around Ashdown Forest, just 30 miles south of London, shows…
Road cycling route in the Shetland Islands – 152-miles on the most northerly stretch of the National Cycle Network
We celebrate the work of Sustrans with a visit to the National Cycle Network’s most northerly point - the Shetland Islands
Cycling route in the Elan Valley, Rhayader, Wales – 64 undulating miles in a beautiful part of Wales
We discover the surprising beauty and spectacular cycling of the so-called Welsh Lake District. Welcome to the Elan Valley…
Road cycling route on the Isle of Wight – 70 miles around the island
Forget notions of a genteel holiday – cycling round the Isle of Wight is a tough challenge, but while the legs might complain, it’s a feast for the eyes
Road cycling route in the Lake District – 45 miles on some of Cumbria's quieter roads
The Lake District’s stunning scenery can mean packed roads, so we hunt out the area’s quieter, less frequented routes…
Cycling route in western Scotland – 54-miles including some ferries!
If you’re happy spending as much time on a boat as on your bike, exploring western Scotland is a rewarding adventure as Trevor Ward discovers
Road cycling route in Northumberland – 57 miles around Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Lindisfarne
Northumberland offers beautiful rolling roads through a Neolithic landscape. Ric McLaughlin discovers if it can deliver a big mileage fix
Road cycling route in Wales – 300km on the Dragon Devil ride from Port Talbot and through the Brecon Beacons
At 300km through the Brecon Beacons, Dragon Devil is one of the UK's longest and toughest sportives
Road cycling route in the South of England – 74 miles in Berkshire and Hampshire
We bring new meaning to the idea of eating up the miles with this all-day-breakfast riding challenge of Olympic proportions
Road cycling route around London – 180 miles loop around the whole of the capital
Six counties, two Thames crossings, eight lanes (or more)… This might sound like a description of the M25, but David Motton's big loop around London shows there’s a far more attractive way to orbit the capital
Road Cycling route in Devon – 45 miles including the Tarka Trail around Barnstaple
In our search for Britain’s best ride, we taste some of North Devon’s finest coastal cycling
Cycling route in the South East of England – 88 miles of mixed terrain between Guildford and Shoreham
Keep your skills in shape and your interest levels high by adding a bit of rough to your usual riding – our route from Guildford to Shoreham takes in a bit of off-road revelry as it heads to the seaside and back
Road cycling route in South West England – 70 miles from Acton Turville to Bristol following the River Avon
Following a river from source to sea should mean it’s downhill all the way. We try it in the West Country: what could possibly go wrong?
Road cycling route in the Yorkshire Dales – 43 testing miles around Wensleydale and Wharfedale
The Yorkshire Dales, setting for James Herriot’s books and TV series about vets, will greet next year’s Tour de France. We take an early look, dodging suicidal sheep on a short but tough ride
Road cycling route from Lincolnshire to North Yorkshire – 157 miles from Skegness to Saltburn
One day, two seaside towns, more than 200km – an injection of pace is required to finish this ambitious challenge…
Road cycling route in the Welsh lake district – 103km around Bala
We circumnavigate the Welsh lake district in a Celtic celebration of singletrack road solitude
Cycle route on the North York Moors – 87-miles of tough climbing but stunning scenery
Guy Kesteven takes on an exhilarating compilation of brutal climbs, fabulous descents, minimal traffic and abbeys galore, gleaned from more than 25 years of North York Moors local knowledge.
Road Cycling Route in the Lake District – a short but stiff 40 miles including the fearsome Wrynose Pass!
Could Cumbria’s mountains and lakes host the perfect British bike ride? The locals think so, so Neil Pedoe joined them for a tour of their ‘manor’ to find out.
Cycling Route in Much Wenlock, Shropshire - 71 hilly miles on an Olympian route
David Motton heads to Shropshire to ride the route of the original Olympic road race. No really… Images: Tom Simpson
Cycling Route from Settle to Carlisle - An 88-mile road ride following an iconic rail route
Jon Sparks rides the route of one of the most scenic railways in England – Settle to Carlisle –for a wild and windswept day ride and then gets the train strain home!
Cycling Route Along The Ridgeway – a tough 44-mile mix of road and trail along Britain's oldest road
The Ridgeway is England’s oldest road, and today it’s mostly free of traffic – ideal for an off-road excursion on your cyclo-cross bike as David Motton discovers.
