Successful tip: Winding lanes, Northamptonshire
I like to recommend a Northamptonshire countryside route that mixes winding lanes bordered by fields, chocolate-box villages, manor homes and the execution spot of Mary Queen of Scots, Fotheringhay Fortress. I wish to make a round route beginning in Fotheringhay as much as Nassington, on to Yarwell and Kingscliff, then head again by way of Apethorpe Palace and Woodnewton. This route is about 14 miles, however you may lengthen and shorten the route relying in your power degree by including in or taking out villages. I wish to depend on the signposts to navigate, quite than my cellphone. Be sure that to look out for hares, pink kites and fallow deer alongside the route, and post-ride there are some pretty native pubs with open fires.
Imogen Chappelow
Epping Forest, with refreshments
There's a route via Epping Forest from Epping to Loughton that's vast, well-marked and has sufficient flat and hilly terrain to maintain all talent ranges completely satisfied. Other than that, it's nicely served for refreshments by the Forest Gate Inn at one finish and the Victoria Tavern on the different. The wildlife is at all times beautiful, however in winter the quieter runs and stark magnificence means any encounter with wildlife is accentuated.
Keiran
Ice-free alongside the Thames
As a bicycle owner in London, I spend most of my summer season weekends escaping to the delights of the North Downs or the Surrey Hills. Nevertheless, in winter, the upper roads can keep icy, even when these on the town are clear. So to keep away from the winter highway roulette, I take to the Thames cycle path. This runs from supply to sea, however for a lunchtime or post-work coaching journey I have a tendency to absorb the sections between Tower Bridge and Woolwich. They're flat and nicely paved and have a tendency to remain ice-free, with loads of heat drink and snack choices to maintain these winter miles fuelled! You additionally get to admire a world heritage web site in Greenwich in addition to some spectacular engineering as you roll previous the Thames flood barrier.
Dan
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Guardian Journey readers' ideas
Each week we ask our readers for suggestions from their travels. A collection of ideas might be featured on-line and should seem in print. To enter the newest competitors go to the readers' ideas homepage
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Lord of the Rings in Snowdonia
My native “around the block” journey takes within the wonderful Dyffryn Ogwen (Ogwen valley), Dyffryn Mymbyr (Mymbyr valley) and Pen-Y-Move, in direction of Llanberis village. Setting out in winter is like heading into Mordor, with snow-capped peaks, moody purple-grey clouds, and the sight of Tryfan ridge, like a dragon’s again. Because it opens out, you may benefit from the pretty, regular descent to Capel Curig village, hanging a proper, you move the Mymbyr lakes with the Snowdon Horseshoe forward, earlier than developing and over the facet of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), and the exhilarating soar down the opposite facet. With drama and mountains at each flip, this journey by no means will get any much less breathtaking.
Marieke Hofsteede
A winter whirl round Lake Maggiore, Italy
The very best biking of my life was carried out a number of years in the past in the past once I retired, packing my baggage and a motorcycle to cycle round Italy, top-to-toe. Essentially the most energising, invigorating route was a winter whirl round Lake Maggiore. The microclimate and glowing January sunshine – glimmering on the lake on one facet and bouncing off snow-topped Alpine peaks on the opposite – had been an inspiration to maintain pedalling. Begin at Arona on the Piedmont facet, then head as much as Stresa, with its pretty belle époque lodges – be at liberty to cease for a warming cappuccino or grappa, as I did! You possibly can then bike around the lake, passing although Locarno in Switzerland, or put your bike on a ferry to the Lombard facet.
Invoice
Beautiful sea views, Dundee to Montrose
Blow the cobwebs away on a sunny winter’s day. Ranging from the V&A Dundee (schedule a go to earlier than or after your journey), watch the winter dawn over the Tay Estuary earlier than taking the coastal path north on Sustrans Route 1. The 35 miles to Montrose embody a mixture of devoted cycle paths and quiet nation lanes with attractive sea views retaining you firm the entire method. Have a picnic lunch sheltered within the dunes on the expansive sandy seashore of Lunan Bay earlier than ending on the Montrose Basin reserve, the place in October, round 80,000 pink-footed geese arrive for winter. Admire the ocean views as soon as once more on the return journey by practice from Montrose to Dundee.
Naomi Clarke
Bicycles throughout the Bosphorus, Istanbul
Istanbul is a scenic location for a winter bike journey and now you can journey 80 miles of designated cycle paths there. Town itself has an expansive biking route on its Asian facet. Beginning in Kadıköy, with views over to Europe, there's a almost uninterrupted landscaped path alongside the coast of the Bosphorus and Marmara Sea that takes cyclists via Caddebostan, Bostancı, and as much as Pendik. In winter the smog lifts to turn out to be glowing sunshine and you'll cease for a warming tea and sesame-seed bread alongside the route. I rented a motorcycle from Isbike and put it on a ferry to the car-free Princes Islands, for calm, simple biking with views over two continents.
Nick
Lancashire hotspot
Lower than a 3rd of the Bay Cycle Method’s 81-mile route is traffic-free, however the 16-mile part between Carnforth and Glasson Dock is generally off-road. It follows a canal towpath, Morecambe promenade and disused railway tracks, and presents the most effective views throughout Morecambe Bay. There are many handy locations to park, together with at Glasson Dock, Conder Inexperienced and in Morecambe. There may be additionally an abundance of refreshment stops, although not all of the cafes are open throughout winter (you’ll at all times discover one thing in Lancaster and Morecambe). As Morecambe promenade has been very busy over the last two summers as a result of an inflow of tourists, the journey might be way more nice in winter.
Graham Dean
East Midlands meander
The facility station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar could seem an unlikely focus for a ravishing winter biking route however the community of close by lanes make for beautiful views. I begin within the Derbyshire city of Lengthy Eaton, heading south throughout the River Trent into Leicestershire, the place a glance over the shoulder early within the morning will see the solar rising over the cooling towers. From there the alternatives are limitless, however why not make a three-counties of it? Head east and also you’re quickly throughout the Soar and into Nottinghamshire, the place snaking lanes and wooded hillsides await. The return westwards takes in some picturesque villages with tempting cafe stops, earlier than the turrets of Ratcliffe beckon the weary bicycle owner house.
Michael
Pedalling with persimmons, Spain
Not your common bike journey. Me, an OAP with my secondhand e-bike, on an epic journey: 4 weeks travelling westward forward of the encroaching winter, via awe-inspiring landscapes, from the sun-baked, Mediterranean-fringed mountains of the Cabo de Gata, excessive over the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, and down via the Serranía de Ronda’s huge cork forests to the Atlantic coast. Initially you’ll discover cactus and thyme-edged tracks, then Alpujarran methods with windfall treats of almonds, avocados, and persimmons, and eventually vultures circling over thick rainforest. Blue skies, nice meals, and pink wine – soul enriching.
John Martin
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