Britain's best road for cycling...

rob_spedding

Does it exist? Where is it?

Monty Dog

The Isle of Man - some of the best cycling roads in the UK IME

barrybaines

I am off to Scotland for 2 weeks as of Sunday and am pretty sure I shall find a couple of beautys around the Elgin area, certainley found the best motorcycling roads I have ever come across up there on my last visit. This time I am taking my fixie.

holmeboy

Coming off of Kirkstone Pass! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! :shock: :x :oops: :roll: :twisted:

stephenballantyne

I suspect it's not in Hackney

nick hanson

.......that'll be the one leading to the best cafe

geoff_ss

Monty Dog wrote:

The Isle of Man - some of the best cycling roads in the UK IME

Strictly speaking, I don't think the Island is part of the UK. That's why it can close the TT course for racing. Most of my exploration there has been with a powered 2 wheeler but a circuit of the TT is a very enjoyable pedal too and there are lots of quieter lanes to explore.

With the aid of an OS map I think there are few parts of the UK, outside big towns/cities that don't offer some excellent cycling. Derbyshire is pretty good but I've enjoyed the quiet lanes of Norfolk and Suffolk which are rolling enough to be interesting without being really hard. South Devon disappointed because it's both very hard and unrewarding because high hedges often obscure any views.

The Lake District is very hard but beautiful. I've usually only been there in Winter - I would think it's not so pleasant in Summer because of traffic on the narrow roads and even the main roads can be very constricted.

Geoff

altern_8

barrybaines wrote:

I am off to Scotland for 2 weeks as of Sunday and am pretty sure I shall find a couple of beautys around the Elgin area, certainley found the best motorcycling roads I have ever come across up there on my last visit. This time I am taking my fixie.

so youre up near elgin for 2 weeks,my grandparents(rip)lived there,and my mam is from there,go up there once a year to visit my aunties and rest of family....so what takes you up there,apart from the drop dead countryside????

Tailend Charlie

Haydon Bridge to Penrith via Alston has got to be one of the best. The view of the Lakes from Hartside is phenomenal. (Pretty good cafe as well!!)

bagpusscp

Yep another vote here for Derbyshire,especially the Dales area.Further a field.The Shrophire Countryside is Wonderful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74418119@N ... 603692259/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74418119@N ... 603692259/
I have ridden miles in this area and once you start skirting the Powys/ Welsh border the rolling hills with their hill forts ,well.....
http://www.kc3.co.uk/~bicycle/sideways/csphotoswb.html

I hope the links have given some ideas of how lucky we are when comes the the simple pleasure of two wheels.

Monty Dog

There's some great roads I've experienced in East Cornwall too - you never get higher than 200m but a 80km ride ends up with 2000m of ascent - or maybe because I just tend to looking for hills?

softlad

Depends what constitutes a 'great' road. If you like climbing/descending, then the roads round here are awesome - as are the views....

Anonymous

Pretty hard to answer this one...who has cycled all the roads in the UK?

But my criteria would have to be:-

1. Very traffic Free
2. Country road ...and not Main Roads
3. Well surfaced
4. Beautiful scenery

For the places Ive so far cycled Id put the following 2 places at the top:-

1. Snow Roads in the Cairngorm....gorgeous and so well surfaced....really is just a joy to cycle up there (in the summer...NEVER in dodgy weather)

2. NY Moors...stunning...so quiet and blissful...and ridiculously hard.

But for my personal favourite and special piece of Road in all the UK...the road from Boot to Langdale in the Lakes :shock:

The Abergwesyn Pass is also one mesmerising experience.....also the loop around Applecross taking in the Bealach Na Ba...superb....Christ theres so many...the Dales/Pennines/ Wales?...too many.

garetjax

I love the ride along the coast from Padstow or Newquay down to Lands End.
Quiet, sea views and a surprisingly tough ride.

DaveyL

I would offer the road round Loch Katrine - it's a water board road so virtually traffic free, it's undulating and fairly challenging, and the scenery is gorgeous.

lfcquin

Good question...

Not my regular stomping ground anymore, but I love the Lancashire lanes around the Ribble Valley, especially riding through the Trough of Bowland and then on to the cafe in Scorton. Must be one of the best rides anywhere.

Close seconds would be The Shelf out of Ruthin which is a lovely hill to climb or Worlds End coming out of Llangollen which is a hard ride, but has some of the best countryside you could imagine. All the best North Wales hills are covered in the Dave Llloyd Mega if anyone feels crazy enough to take them all on at once....

2 years living on the edge of the Peak District and I haven't found the same romance in my riding in the peaks, although I do love it. I think the hills tend to be steeper and for a 6ft 4" rider that makes things a bit tougher and the satisfaction comes in getting over the hills and not enjoying them. I did find some nice lanes and great scenery from Buxton through to Crowdicote a few months back, so maybe its just I haven't found the best of the Peak District yet...

marusches

anywhere around whitby but one ride i do think is amazing was one i got told about on holiday in norway.apparently they have a running and cycling race to the top of mount dalsnibba every spring from the village of gieranger



gieranger is at the ford in this distance FYI winning time was 1h40 the year i was there

the bus took 1h05

Monty Dog

It was mentioned in this month's magazine, Landslip Road from Coldharbour to the top of Leith Hill in the Surrey Hills is always pretty special - yesterday the low winter sun was coming straight through the pine trees and rhodedendrons, whilst you could look out across the rolling countryside towards the South Downs. Another fave is The Old Sarum Road from Winchester towards Salisbury - it's an old Roman Road that goes straight along the North Downs, along the top of Farley Down. I ride is regularly as part of a training loop to Stockbridge and back - plenty of short rolling hills means it can be great as a leisurely ride on quiet lanes or a group burn-up as you sprint for the tops of hills.
Finally, from my formative cycling years, it has to be the Crow Road from Lennoxtown over the Campsies to the north of Glasgow and down towards Fintry - you really feel as though you're climbing away from the hubbub of the central belt into the highlands.

a_n_t

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

But my criteria would have to be:-

1. Very traffic Free
2. Country road ...and not Main Roads
3. Well surfaced
4. Beautiful scenery

in that case...................the goyt valley.



us on sunday, it's actually closed to traffic most of the year!

Anonymous

a_n_t wrote:

RICHYBOYcp wrote:

But my criteria would have to be:-

1. Very traffic Free
2. Country road ...and not Main Roads
3. Well surfaced
4. Beautiful scenery

in that case...................the goyt valley.



us on sunday, it's actually closed to traffic most of the year!

Thats what its all about eh?.....is there anything more satisfying than ambling along a gorgeous wee backroad in stunning scenery on a nice summers day?....all the better with good company.....really glad you posted this as Im doing the Polkadot (Spud Riley route) this year....and after doing the original PDC a few years ago (which I loved) I simply cannot wait to experience the hidden treasures of the Peak....

Gav888

The A143 from Bury St Edmonds to Haverhill in Suffolk is a lovely road, im always hacking down it on my motorbike, sadly its a bit of a trek to get there on the road bike though....

Also the road from Ipswich to Sudbury is nice. And Sudbury to Halstead, again a bit far away for me.

They are busy-ish A roads but smooth and twisty.

trickeyja

I can only speak for my area but here are a few highlights.

Gospel Pass if you like a steep climb before gentle 10 mile downhill through Welsh mountain scenery in a picturesque steep-sided valley on a windy country road. Alternatively you can go the other way and have a less steep but longer climb up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2886112476/

I agree with the earlier post RE the Welsh Borders. Some fantastic roads round there, I spent a week exploring based in Ludlow. The Clun forest is very remote and expansive with stunning views, while the Long Mynd is a more obvious challenge if you like steep hills. I also cycled up to Lake Vyrnwy near the Berwyn Mountains in North Wales and on many roads I hardly saw a soul.

This waterfall took me by surprise: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2972896044/
Typical Welsh Border country: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2972044541/
View from a remote road in the Clun forest: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2972888280/
Clun countryside: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2972886604/

Closer to home the Cotswolds have some decent climbs on the Western escarpment; notably the lanes around Woodmancote are very steep with 25% gradients ie Bushcombe Lane. Decent downhills include Leckhampton Hill (up to 48mph so far) and Birdlip Hill. Pretty little villages as well, though they don't have the remote feel of the other places mentioned. One of my favourite roads in the area goes through the valley south of Kilkenny, through Hilcot to Colesbourne. Not a great surface but I don't often see many cars there.

Road to Whittington, on Cleeve/Aggs Hill just East of Cheltenham: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/3158985757/
Road through Hilcot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2916373650/
Bushcombe lane (very very steep): http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2530867606/
Road near Upper Coberley: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jtrickey/2893968749/

holmeboy

A896 between Shieldaig and Tornapress, HAD! to get of me bike to look at the view. WOW1 :shock: :roll:

Anonymous

The descent of Kirkstone Pass towards Windermere was my most fave bit of riding in 2008.

Fantastic reward for the climbing done the other side - Long long descent, Zero traffic, sweeping bends and Tarmac as smooth as a billiard table

lloyd_bower

Be difficult to beat either the Outer Hebrides, Barra to Harris. Though the West Coast road south from Mallaig continiung on round down to Ardmurchan comes close.

coco2

Anywhere in Glenlivet - Anside area, the almost traffic free roads and scenery are stunning. If your visiting Elgin why not pop up and experience them.

wiffachip

Quite like the Coquet Valley in Northumberland from Alwinton to Chew Green, over the military range (when the red flags aren't flying obviously) and back via Harbottle. Would be great if it could be incorporated into a sportif

Toonraid

Although I live in London I do cycle around Oxford a lot during Spring and Summer as my in-laws live there. I thoroughly recommend all the quite country lanes around Oxford in particular north & west Oxford – the Chiltern hills to the east of Oxford are also great if you like climbing. I did a credit Card tour from London to Forrest of Dean last summer via Amercham, Thame, Oxford, Cheltenham, Cinderford and returned via Cirencester, Fairford, Cumnor, Oxford and pretty much enjoyed the whole route once I got out of London – the only unenjoyable bit was on the busy A40 from Witney to Cheltenham and as luck would have it I got caught it a heavy shower the whole way on that stretch of A40, but I suppose it was a small price to pay for a great trip. I Have also done a bit of cycling in Norfolk and also love the terrain and quite roads there too.

andyxm

West coast of Scotland, North of Ullapool. Fantastic scenery, nice roads, no traffic, easily the best place I have ridden.

Toonraid

Is wind an off-putting factor in Scotland - personally I hate wind but have never cycled in Scotland so not sure how bad it is.

GarethPJ

The IOM is most definitely part of the UK, but not part of Great Britain. As such it has it's own parliament, who meet outside and as such are only in session in good weather. Surely that can only be a good thing. Anyway they generally consider legislation from Westminster and accept or reject it as they see fit. Hence their ability to close roads for whatever they feel like, they've even been known to close the mountain road for Top Gear to do some testing.

Anyway one of the problems with Manx roads for cycling is that it is a popular destination for riders of performance bikes and drivers of performance cars taking advantage of the quality of the roads, the lack of traffic and most importantly relaxed speed limits. Dealing with traffic on my local roads in Yorkshire is something I can cope with. However dealing with a bunch of idiots in Porkers and EVOs travelling on the limits of their abilities (although usually well within their car's cababilities) is something I find harder to stomach.

Anyway to add my 2p to the debate I don't think there's such a thing as the best riding road. Which road I like the best depends upon my mood, which bike I'm riding, the weather, the time of day and probably the colour of my socks. I tend to think more in terms of my favourite routes. There may be one great stretch of road on a ride, but the rest of the route may let it down, as may getting to and from the ride. Personally I don't believe in driving miles to get to a riding spot, to my mind it kind of defeats the object.