10 race bike and gravel routes in England you’d like to ride

England, the United Kingdom, Great Britain. This destination and the name are often used interchangeably. For the residents of the British and Irish island, it can be quite sensitive which name you use. For us outsiders, that is often less serious. What is certain is the beautiful cycling destination that is England. Here are 10 beautiful race bike and gravel routes in England where both cyclists and gravel bikers can get their fix. The routes are all over 100 kilometers long with a nice number of elevation meters. The start and finish are at a nice café; most of the cafés are bike-friendly and they all have beautiful highlights along the way. We have also included a nice lunch tip for each route. Enjoy these 10 beautiful routes in England.

1. Peak District Circuit

When you think of cycling in England, there are a number of hotspots that immediately come to mind. The Peak District It might be the most popular. With wonderful climbs with even more beautiful names like ‘Mam Tor’ and ‘Snake Pass’, you have a wonderful cycling day ahead of you. Start your route in the charming town of Bakewell (famous for its cake) at SUMMAT Café, Where you can also leave your bike behind when you return and where the inner person is well taken care of. Along the way you pass by Chatsworth House and tackle the climbs of Mam Tor, Snake Pass and many more. Do you want to stop for lunch along the way? That’s very well possible in Hathersage, where for example Bank House has a very good menu. If you want something more ’typical English’, go to Cintra’s Tea Room. Extra tip: On Saturdays, SUMMAT also has a ‘ride out’. At 09:00 in the morning you can then join in.

2. Lake District Epic Loop

Together with the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District is one of the more beautiful places in England to go cycling. Even here, the average cyclist will not be disappointed. Windermere and Kirkstone Pass are among the English classics. Start your route in Ambleside, for example at Copper Pot Café With a delicious menu, where you can still enjoy it when you return. Please note that they only open from 09:30. After that, there is the steep climb ahead and these are some tricky English climbs. But the breathtaking views are truly spectacular. Would you like to stop for lunch or a quick bite along the way? Keswick, a typical Lake District town on our route, has a number of excellent stops (we have tagged them. Check out our Snack, for a good lunch).

3. Yorkshire Dales Grand Tour

In 2019, it was Yorkshire All about cycling. The 2019 World Championships were a great glimpse into the typical Yorkshire cycling landscape. Even earlier, in the 2014 Tour de France and in the Tour de Yorkshire, you could enjoy images of all the beauty of this county. In Yorkshire, everything is bigger, at least if we can believe local legend James Martin. Yorkshire portions are above average (and above average fat). This route takes you through Buttertubs, which is also a beautiful climb, and you pass the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct. Our route starts in Skipton, near Clubhouse Cycles & Coffee. Could it be better? It’s a challenging round, so if you want to stop for lunch, you can for example join The Wenleasdale Pantry in Hawes. English clichéd nonsense at its best, but oh so delicious. Check out their website too Cycle The Dales For more information.

4. South Downs Coastal Challenge

You can also enjoy beautiful cycling in the south of England. During the London Olympics, Box Hill and the surrounding area were a great inspiration for cycling in England. Of course, Zwift and the ‘London Circuit’ also helped with that. But even further south, along the coast near Brighton, you can fully immerse yourself in the beautiful white cliffs and dramatic coastline. We have laid out a (long) route from Brighton that covers most of the highlights via the ‘Seven Sisters Cliffs’ and Arundel Castle. Eastbourne is a nice stop for a coffee or lunch, although you will probably want to eat for a long time when you return! Our route starts at Carrier in Hove (which is connected to Brighton). For more information about cycling on the South Downs Way (an alternative to our route), see here.

5. Cornwall’s North Coast Adventure

Cornwall is ‘the other England’. The most western point of England is characterized by a different landscape than other parts. Cornwall is also proud of its own history. You could compare it to the province of Friesland somewhere. Here too, they have their own language, Cornish, which was extinct for a while but is now being revived. The landscape is very rugged. Land’s End It might be the most famous ‘Cornish Highlight’. Cornwall is also where you can find the birthplace of King Arthur, at Tintagel, which happens to be on our route as well. The King Arthur legend really does live here. Our route starts in Padstow. For viewers of 24kitchen, this is ‘Rick Stein country’. The famous English chef comes from here and at Rick Stein’s café You can eat fantastic food. The route takes you via Tintagel and the Bude Sea Pool to St Nectan’s Glen. This is typically the north coast of Cornwall. Stop in Bude at Electric Bakery for a take-away lunch. Or find somewhere to enjoy the delicious oysters or other seafood specialties that the region is famous for.

6. Hadrian’s Wall Explorer

Hadrian’s Wall is world-famous. The 100-plus-kilometer-long, historic wall that beautifully illustrates the history of the Romans on the English island. Emperor Hadrian had his legionaries build this defensive wall against the north. From 117 to 138 AD, they were busy laying this wooden wall. Now you can find beautiful historical sites. The forts, Vindolanda, Sycamore Gap (where the famous tree toppled in September 2023), and the statue of Hadrian. Our route starts in the beautiful city of Carlisle. Start, for example, at The Espresso Hub or at Brewed Awakenigs. Then you head towards Hadrian’s Wall. Bring your good camera because this is a feast for the eyes. Lunch ideas? Stop in Hexham and try one of the historic pubs. At the Beaumont Hotel you’ll find a lovely Sunday Roast, a typical English tradition. But for the real pub experience, head to The Heart of Northumberland.

7. New Forest and Jurassic Coast

Another part of England. Hampshire is often forgotten. Bournemouth and the surrounding area are less well known than, for example, Southampton and Portsmouth a little further east. Bournemouth is more well known for its football club, but the Bournemouth Pier is a well-known hotspot. However, we cycle into the countryside, to the beautiful Beaulieu Palace, Hengistbury Head and Durdle Door. Our route starts in Lyndhurst, near The Greenwood Cafe. Don't stay too long because you have quite a few kilometers ahead of you. Lunch is lovely in Swanage, where the Salt Pig Too stands out. Otherwise, the 1859 Pier Café a nice alternative, even if only because of the location.

8. Norfolk Broads and Coastline

Norwich is on the long distance route EuroVelo 12. This route runs along the entire North Sea (so also in the Netherlands), and you can almost be sure that you will be presented with a beautiful route. In the city we start at The Bicycle Shop Café. This is perhaps the most flat route of all. With only 800 meters of elevation over 160 kilometers, you are almost in the Netherlands! Anyway. You go past Blickling Estate to Holkham Beach, heading north. The Broads National Park offers beautiful scenery and the sea is always something to look forward to. Wells-next-the-Sea is the place to be for fresh North Sea fish. Platten’s Fish And Chips Is the typical place to start. If you want something a little more hip for lunch, Well’s Deli is your go-to place.

9. Cotswolds Classic

Have you ever watched ‘Escape to the Country’? This BBC program follows couples who want to escape the hectic city life and buy a house ‘in the countryside’. Where do they often go? To ‘The Cotswolds’. Here you’ll find beautiful cottages, stone-walled roads, flower gardens and lovely tearooms. That said, you’ll definitely want to take a trip there at least once. From Chipping Campden you’ll head straight for one of England’s most beautiful climbs. After that, you’ll cross through the beautiful Cotswolds countryside towards Bourton-on-the-Water, where you’d like to stop for coffee or lunch. This is a tourist highlight. The Mousetrap Inn on the way to Bourton is a wonderful stop. The terrace of the Rosetree House, You'd like to stop there for a moment. Start your route at The Bantam Tea Room and when you come back, you don't want to leave here anymore.

10. Exmoor and Quantock Hills Challenge

If you’ve ever been to a darts match, the name Minehead will immediately ring a bell. The local (for some, sadly-looking) Minehead resort regularly hosts major tournaments. If you’re looking for a cool gravel route in the Exmoor park, this is a great challenge. From Minehead, where you can start from Cafe Cream, Once you get to the fields, you’ll be tackling a challenging gravel route. So be careful, as you’ll need all your skills here. Especially because you’ll encounter some steep climbs. Dunster Castle, Porlock Hill, and other beautiful spots are the highlights of this route. Hungry for lunch? Porlock is a lovely place to stop.

Extra tips for our 10 beautiful cycling routes in England

Each route offers a unique experience with beautiful landscapes and challenging terrain. Important additional tips:

1. England does indeed have a number of challenging climbs and routes. It’s ‘by no means’ comparable to the Netherlands or Belgium. So keep in mind that there’s some serious climbing involved, with percentages that quickly reach double digits.
2. The weather is always a factor. Although London has more sunny days than Paris, other parts of England, especially the north, are much wetter. Dress accordingly (and check our Winter clothing list of ours tips for the rain)
3. Would you like to travel with a guide sometime? Then take a look at the website of Cold Dark North. They do a lot of beautiful routes, as you can probably guess, in the north of England.
4. Some routes are in more remote places. There aren’t always bike shops open there, or shops where you can buy something. So make sure you have enough food and drink for a long route. Also bear in mind that traffic may not be used to cyclists quite as much.
5. More information about tourism in Great Britain can be found on the website of the Local tourism agency.
6. In addition to our 10 beautiful cycling routes in England, there are many sites that offer local routes. If you still haven’t been helped by our information, then Google ‘cycle the…with your destination’ and you’ll find a world of information.