Buckingham Palace, Central London

 

 

Cars have largely been excluded from the roads in the vicinity of Buckingham Palace, but cyclists can still weave their way past the plentiful traffic furniture and tourist throngs.

Cycling Beddlestead Lane in the Snow, near Tatsfield, Surrey

 

A fairly gentle climb, with few cars, Beddlestead Lane is about 3km long and takes you up to one of the highest points on the North Downs.

The Cycle Lanes, Southwark Bridge, Central London

 

Restored in 2009, green and gold Southwark Bridge is an arch bridge linking Southwark and the City across the River Thames. It was originally designed by Ernest George and Basil Mott and opened in 1921. Segregated from the traffic, Cycle Superhighway 7 runs across the bridge.

Cycling South over Westminster Bridge, Central London

Riding south across Westminster Bridge offers a great view of the London Eye and the grandeur of the former County Hall (once home of the Greater London Council). But avoid running over the tourists spilling into the cycle lane as they take pics of the Houses of Parliament

Cycling in Richmond Park, South West London

 

Partially closed to traffic, Richmond Park's road circuit attracts scores of cyclists on weekend mornings, even when temperatures are close to freezing.

Cycling Around Kobarid, Slovenia

 

It's pretty straightforward to hire mountain bikes in Kobarid. One of the best places to get a well-maintained machine is Positive Sport on the North West side of town. The staff can show you some potential routes, taking in a mixture of trails and minor roads, around the Natisone Valley. As it's pretty hilly in these parts, the going can get tough, if you don't opt for an electric bike. Either way the scenery is pretty special and you can dip into the local rivers to cool off.

Cycling around Stara Fužina, near Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

 

At the eastern end of Lake Bohinj you can hire bikes and follow some of the scenic lanes and trails east of the village of Stara Fužina. This is the kind of peaceful landscape where you can cruise  through rolling green hills without a care in the world, at least until you encounter a steep descent on a gravel path.

The Nower, Kent

 

A quiet lane in the North Downs, The Nower's lower section has far-reaching views south. If you are on a bike, it's a good place to catch your breath before you descend Brasted Hill at high speed or after you've dragged yourself up this demanding climb.

Cycling around Richmond Park, South West London

 

Thanks to the partial closure of the ring road to cars, cycling in Richmond Park early on a summer evening is a joy.

Blackmere Road, Staffordshire Moorlands

 

East of Stoke-on-Trent, the Staffordshire Moorlands are criss-crossed by serene roads perfect for road cycling

E-biking in Naxos, Greece

 

Cycling across the hilly interior of Naxos can be hard work on a push bike, particularly when the wind strikes up. But exploring this sizeable and scenic island on an e-bike is a lot of fun, particularly if you find yourself on the many roads with virtually no traffic. The winding Epar Od Naxou-Chalkiou road from Halki  to Naxos Town is particularly empty and exhilarating, as you swoop through the craggy countryside.  You can hire e-bikes from several places in and around Naxos town, but Aurelia Bikes is both friendly and informative. And they have an arrangement with a restaurant in Filoti that enables you to recharge your bike batteries while you have lunch.

Brasted, Kent

 

Although it is somewhat blighted by the busy A25, Brasted is a handsome village on the fringes of some timeless Kent countryside - great cycling country. From Toy's Hill to the south, the fast descent down shady Chart Lane is fun, but make sure you slam on the brakes as you arrive at the T-junction. Some foolhardy cyclists ride north up Rectory Lane, which bleeds into Brasted Hill - a fearsomely steep climb on to the ridge that overlooks London. Fortunately, this lane is almost car-free, meaning you can zig-zag your way across the gradient.

Cycling a Circuit through Le Bar Sur Loup and Gourdon, Alpes-Maritimes, France

 

With just over 600 metres of climbing in less than 30km, this scenic, and sometimes spectacular, ride is one big up and down. The long drag up to Gourdon is rewarded with sweeping views across the thickly-wooded landscape down to the Med.  Although the clifftop village is a tourist trap, it is a dramatic one with some charm. The ride back down to Le Bar Sur Loup is fun and fast.

Cycle Ride East of Le Bar-sur-Loup, Alpes-Maritimes, France

 

Taking in the medieval settlements of Tourettes-sur-Loup (pictured below), Vence,  Sant-Paul-de-Vence (pictured above) and Le Colle-sur-Loup, this 40km circular route from Le Bar-sur-Loup is both scenic and stimulating. However, the traffic can get a bit dicey in places. 

L'Escala to Pals by Mountain Bike, Catalonia

 

The best part of 50km, the round trip between L'Escala and Pals is a flattish ride through a relatively peaceful part of the Costa Brava. Once you leave L'Escala, you can take a back route that follows minor roads and dusty tracks to skirt the stark hills that overlook Torroella de Montgrí. After you pass through the pleasant town, you'll need to take the busy C-31 down to Pals. However, the road is safe enough for cyclists and, for the last stretch, you can follow some tracks into the medieval village of Pals - a fine place to stop for refreshments before retracing your route. 

L'Escala to Cadaqués by Mountain Bike, Catalonia

 

If you have a mountain bike, you can mix and match roads and trails on the 100km round trip between L'Escala and Cadaqués - a charismatic and picturesque seaside town nestling below the hills north of the Bay of Roses. For the challenging stretch between Roses and Cadaqués, you can take the mountain road (GI-614), which carries a fair bit of traffic, or a rocky trail closer to the coast. Both routes through the Cap de Creus Natural park are very scenic, but the latter (marked as cycle route 12 on the local leisure map) has the edge when it comes to broad vistas and you don't have to worry about cars.  As the trail is tough and long - it goes up hill and down dale - it is probably best to only take it in one direction, particularly in the heat of summer. In any case, make sure you refuel properly, while enjoying the cobbled streets and handsome white-washed buildings of Cadaqués. 8/10 

More cycle routes in Catalonia can be found here.

Cycling around Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka

In the immediate vicinity of Nuwara Eliya, the family cycling options seem to be pretty limited. The roads in the town itself are the domain of maniac drivers, while the surrounding countryside quickly gets very hilly. There is one fairly safe, but quite short, ride you can make down the track, through the woods, to the Boburuella Reservoir, which is quite a nice spot. You can ride back past Lake Gregory, with its swan-shaped pedalos and other kitsch Victoriana, but you won't want to take your eyes off the road for too long.

Cycling the South Downs Way, Winchester to Eastbourne

Even over two days, a 100 mile off-road along an undulating ridge strewn with scree and punctuated with steep climbs will be tough. Welcome to the South Downs Way, a glorious trail/bridleway running across south east England.

Hadrian's Cycleway, Newcastle to Tynemouth

You can now ride from Newcastle Central Station to the coast at Tynemouth almost entirely off-road using a stretch of the Hadrian's Cycleway route. From the station, you need to traverse a main road or two to get down to the Quayside from where you can ride past Newcastle's iconic bridges, the elegant Baltic Art centre and the eye-catching Sage cultural centre. The route soon leaves the river bank, rising up to follow a tarmac path surrounded by greenery, with occasional glimpses of the Tyne below. Be careful, as this stretch can be strewn with broken glass discarded by local drinkers. At Wallsend, you'll pass close to the remains of the Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum. On your way to Tynemouth, you'll also take in some fine landscaped parks, robust industrial architecture and the atmospheric waterfront of North Shields, as well as some featureless suburban backwaters. The final, typically blustery, stretch affords wide views across the Tyne to South Shields. At about 20km, this is the long way round, but it is much safer and more scenic than mixing it with the traffic. 8/10

Cycling in Battersea Park, Central London

Sadly, in Battersea Park, you are not supposed to ride along the riverbank path which faces Chelsea's handsome mansion blocks. Instead you have to take the road, which affords glimpses of the Thames, while taking you close to London's striking Peace Pagoda. As flat as a pancake, but plush and picturesque, Battersea Park is a pleasant place to go for a spin with the kids.