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Hi!
We're currently booking the accomodation for a multi-day multi-family trip around King Alfred's Way at the end of August. Super excited. https://www.cyclinguk.org/king-alfreds-way
Now thinking that we could do another trip earlier in the summer and looking for inspiration! Actually, no, just looking for someone to say - do this, it's great, the gpx's are here!
Has anyone done a UK trip they'd like to recommend? A loop would be helpful car-wise - for St Alfred's Way we'll have one car carrying bags, with that day's driver jumping on their own bike and pedalling back along the route to meet the main party coming towards them. The loop means that the other families' cars are already in position at the end of the journey!
Thanks in advance!
I'd look at what Sustrans has to offer. Stuff like the TransCambrian and Sandstone Way have too much climbing
Not as a family, but as very easy touring we've done:
If you're happy with a mix of road (mainly little lanes) and off-road, we did a great trip two rivers trip down the Wye, criss-crossing the river at various place, then across the Severn Bridge and back up the start.
Or there's the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway (we did it on three days) - https://cyclethedales.org.uk/route/yorkshire_dales_cycleway/
Or the Mary Townley loop, done that over a couple of days.
Devon coast to coast?
https://thebikeshow.net/all-aboard-cycle-touring-with-kids-on-the-devon-coast-to-coast/
I think you can get a train back to one end but if there are two adults with two cars may be better to leave a car at one end?
The Smoke Ring? Roughly follows the M25 around London, but incorporates lots of green bits so it's a little more inspiring than it sounds.
Thank you all, they look great! Will check out more fully now!
How old / fit / distance can the family cope with? A big difference between 5 year olds on tag-alongs and 15 year olds...
I did the Great Glen Way with my 11 year old, not circular but it was an amazing trip over 2.5 days using the Sleeper train system, start at Fort William and Finish in Inverness
I have the GPS route if you need
Caledonian Way from Campbeltown to Ft Bill. Leave your transport in Glasgow, take the local train to Ardrossan and the (summer only) boat across to Campbeltown. Ride N with the prevailing wind, passing Oban along the way. Another boat at Corran, then another (a tiny, local boat) from Camusnagaul into Ft Bill to finish. Train back to Glasgow. Job done.
Lots of coastline riding, signposted, some flat cycle paths, amazing views out to islands (diversions possible), castles, seafood in several places...
@boblo The KAW kids will both be 12 and are keen cyclists (my daughter is currently aiming for a Tron bike on Zwift, and believes that cyclo-cross is her kind of sport, for example). We have all done multi-day trips before, just not our two families together.
@matt_outandabout For this 'to be planned' trip, there would be two 12 year olds (one of which is mine, obvs) and a 10 year old, all active FWIW (they're an adventurous family for sure!), but still just kids (as is mine, I know!)!
@ElVino That sounds a fantastic experience, I'd v much like the GPX if okay... how did you find the sleeper train? We cycled along the Danube two summers ago sleeping on a boat which chugged along through the night - it had its charms but also its annoyances!
@highlandman that sounds glorious! Diversions (and especially castles!) are always welcome! Seafood too! I'll look into it tomorrow.
I did the Devon coast to coast in October.
It's more than 50% off road with only one or two main road crossings. Quite undulating, 170ish km with about 2000m of climbing, but max elevation is only about 280m. IIRC, there was one particularly steep bit just after you come off the tarka trail & the worst is from there to Okehampton, which is mainly on small roads. That is where I suffered most with tiredness/lack of calories though (also a lack of cafes there :-))
The downhill from Tavistock into Plymouth seems to last for ever & is a good end, quite busy paths, but everyone seemed to get on.
The drivers in Plymouth were psycho, so I'd be apprehensive with kids on the last mile or 2.
I did it on a road bike, which was not ideal as alot is type 1 surface, in 9.5 hours moving time. If you Google, there are a few people have done it with kids over 4-5 easy days.
It rains alot in Devon.
There are stations at Plymouth & Barnstaple (hence many people miss Ilfracombe to Barnstaple & go from there), but I don't think they are easily joined. Probably easiest to leave a car at one end.
We did a loop based on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the Trans Pennine Trail. We took two days but not too taxing. Leeds to Wigan on the LLC then the Bridgewater canal into Manchester to pick up the TPT in Stockport. Follow this over the Pennines to Penistone and Barnsley then head north past Wakefield to the Calder Navigation and follow this back to Leeds. The only real climb is the one over the top of the Woodhead tunnels.
Depends where you are based and where you are prepared to travel to.
This loop may suit you, as it's mostly quiet lanes/backstreets, combined with the seafront bike paths and Cuckoo way/forest way/worth way which are all repurposed railway lines.
We did it in a day, but is begging to be broken into chunks, for those who want to do that.
If you can park somewhere between Heathfield/Groombridge, then you could do the overnight stays at Crawley, Brighton and Seaford.
Lots to see along the way, and lovely Sussex countryside to travel through.
https://strava.app.link/guzc0mobydb
There are stations at Plymouth & Barnstaple (hence many people miss Ilfracombe to Barnstaple & go from there), but I don’t think they are easily joined. Probably easiest to leave a car at one end.
We left a car at the Plymouth Ferry port - cheap and perfectly placed
As above sustrans, bear canals in mind.
We’ve done(*in separate holidays) portishead to Bristol, railway path Bristol to bath, bath to Reading along canal, ridgeway is well sort of not too far’ to Kennet And Avon canal.
Loop idea reading station - ridgeway to Swindon , chiseldon railwaypath Swindon to Marlborough, lots of option s to canal (savernake, Avebury type area, can use ka) canal back to reading, other stations with cheaper parking are @vailable e,g theale, etc along canal)
That sounds a fantastic experience, I’d v much like the GPX if okay… how did you find the sleeper train? We cycled along the Danube two summers ago sleeping on a boat which chugged along through the night – it had its charms but also its annoyances!
Sleeper was amazing, we loved it as the scenery as went through Rannoch Moor etc. on the way to Fort Williams and came back through the Cairngorms. We didn't bother with a cabin as seats were comfortable and way cheaper. First night we stayed in Youth Hostel in Fort Augustus, 2nd night we found a glamping pod in Drumnadrochit night. I understand there is an easier Sustrans route south of the lake but we were happy we took the higher route. Will PM you a link to the route
I noticed this the other day, Somerset Loop.
http://www.thestrawberryline.org.uk/index.php?section=vision.
A vision rather than a complete path but you may be able to link it with lanes. I've not ridden the loop, but have done the sections between Frome and Bristol and the Strawberry line itself. More tarmac or Gravel cyclepath than offroad so not difficult going.