Are you caught up in the UK’s cycling frenzy? No wonder you are. The UK has some of the best routes for cyclists and motorists alike to enjoy. While these routes rarely overlap, you’ll be able to enjoy the sites all across the UK, whatever you’re preferred mode of transportation.
Now, make sure your tyres are treaded and filled with air. Fill your tank with petrol. As you’re heading out on one of these scenic road trips, you’ll need energy, enthusiasm, and a camera to take the beauty of the UK in.
Lake Coniston
If you’re looking for unbeatable views, then you’ll want to take your bicycle up to Lake Coniston. While a cycle ride isn’t going to be the easiest for your calves, the 65km round takes you all the way through the lakes and lets you get a better understanding of just what makes this segment of Coniston so beautiful.
This route is considered one of the UK’s toughest, but with the first few kilometres taking you right along the coast of Lake Coniston, the effort will be worth it. Don’t necessarily feel as though you have to do the whole thing! You can cycle a few kilometres in, take in the sites, and then head back to enjoy the views from a different direction.
Motorcyclists will also find the views around Lake Coniston spectacular. While you won’t be able to take the same paths as the cyclists will, you can still make the most out of the Cumbria Lake District’s long, weaving roads.
Surrey Hills
Surrey Hills is already considered an “area of outstanding natural beauty.” Understandably, cyclists and motorcyclists alike would flock to this place. If you’re a cyclist, you can readily spend your day on a 19km rural roadway, circling through the Surrey Hills area without worrying about tiring yourself out. You’ll be able to make it all the way up to the top of Box Hill and cast your sights over the River Mole with only a few shivers running down your legs.
Motorists won’t be able to visit these sites on their bikes, but you do have the opportunity to make the most of Surrey itself. Cycle past the major sites of the 2012 games before heading into town. The A283 will let you cruise for a few miles, all the while enjoying the gentle bustle of a picturesque village.
The Camel Trail
You were probably told not to play on railway lines as a child. Now, if you’re a cyclist, you have a great opportunity to when you head down to Padstow. You’ll be able to follow the Camel Trail with ease and enjoy the surprisingly smooth-surface of the railway tracks all the way to Wadebridge.
You can follow the trail even further, if you’re in the mood, down to Bodmin. Whatever your fancy, there are plenty of stops along the way, like The Camel Trail Tea Garden. There’ll also be enough gorgeous landscapes to whet your appetite for more.
If you’re already down in Cornwall and you want to take a spin on your motorcycle, you can move away from the Camel Trail – no motorcycles allowed – and instead make a visit part of a longer trip. The road that leads from Boscastle to Bude tracks along one of the most scenic coastal views in Cornwall.
The cliffs will be high, but the sights will be well worth the adventure. Make sure your bike is working properly before you head out! While the road isn’t especially demanding, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Settle to Yorkshire
With the fame of the 2019 Tour de France still permeating Yorkshire, this gorgeous fraction of the UK has become a hot spot for cyclists and motorists alike. If you’re interested in exploring the same kind of challenges some of the most ambitious cyclists in Europe did, you can take on the 62km stretch between Settle to Yorkshire for yourself.
On this route, you’ll pass by Arncliffe as well as Pen-y-Ghent, both of which offer you outrageous views alongside a healthy athletic challenge.
If you’re more interested in a leisurely motorcycle ride, you can head out onto the Dales Diamond. While this ride should only last your fifty minutes, you’ll still be able to see the beautiful rolling hills of God’s Own Country for yourself. The tight corners will keep your focus on the road for a while, but so long as you’ve checked the tread on your motorcycle tyres, you’ll be in the clear. Just make sure you stop once or twice to take in that view.
So, feel like you want to explore some scenic routes? Then by bicycle or motorcycle, head out into the great unknown and rediscover the beauty of the UK for yourself. Pack well, bring water, make sure you know how to change tyres in your bike or motorcycle (just in case) and... have a camera at the ready! These views are some that you’ll want to share forever.