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Most charming regions of the UK?

Posting in general Europe because I'm open to England, Scotland and/or Wales.

Next summer I'm strongly considering doing my family's usual 3 week bicycle intensive trip to the UK. I'll probably stay another 3 weeks or so.

Been a long time since I've been to the UK, and as a younger person was more city focused. In addition to major cities though, have though been to SW England, Yorkshire, a few rural regions of Scotland. But as I said it's been quite a while and memory is failing me. For our sort of travel we prefer charming areas with smaller historic cities, beautiful villages, and countryside with some interest for the eyeballs. Quieter roads, ideally some cycle infrastructure (or at least cycle ubiquity - much easier/safer to tour where people regularly ride) appreciated. Rolling hills are generally doable with the less strong riders on ebikes, but really mountainous is a bit much.

On the continent for instance Alsace is a perfect fit, or Alto Adige, or the Green Heart of Holland.

As usual entire trip won't be cycle touring. It will be cycle intensive, about half the days on bikes.

Which regions should I start looking at? Broad or specific, your input is appreciated :)

Posted by
437 posts

We camped beside 2 English cyclists in Thornhill Scotland in 2016. We subsequently follow each other on strava. They return to that area (Dunfries/Galloway) several times a year for cycling holidays. Nice area. I did some nice runs around there. Not a particularly popular tourist region. Not as brutally steep as up the NW and the roads seem a bit better.
Might be worth checking out.

Posted by
1945 posts

Thanks for the ideas.

Britain has a lot of bike paths, but interestingly not so many well protected very long distance bike paths like Europe.

This should be a fun trip to plan!

Posted by
9436 posts

I just spent a week with friends on the south coast of England in West Sussex and East Sussex. Beautiful area, and flat.

Posted by
8164 posts

We have been all over England, Scotland and Wales.
The British countryside is amazing. We love it. It seems that everywhere you go there is scenic and historical stuff.

The Cotswolds are great, as are Yorkshire, the Lake District, South Wales, New Forrest (small area), and the north of Scotland, loved Inverness and Loch Ness. There are many more great places that I didn't mention.

Posted by
1339 posts

Much as I would like to dispute ramblin’ on’s assertion that Yorkshire isn’t England’s best county (well said Nick, spoken like a true tyke!) I can’t disagree with his suggesting Norfolk and Suffolk as good bases for a cycling holiday. I have friends who live near Brighton and who cycle far and wide in South Downs country, but as a determined non-cyclist, I have no idea whether that area is as kind on the limbs. Suffolk and Norfolk are comparatively flat and seem have excellent rural scenery, villages etc.

Posted by
33719 posts

Whilst I'd chime in for East Anglia for the reasons above, another fab alternative, especially if you'd like to wind the clock back a half or even three quarters of a century, is a fairly large chunk of the Isle of Wight. Bicycles are welcome on the passenger ferries as well as on the car ferries. Hovercraft (Southsea to Ryde) also takes bikes free of charge but only 4 per flight first come first served, non reservable.

Not as flat as East Anglia, but some magnificent views from those downs...

Posted by
2568 posts

cyclinguk.org has a lot of info. I liked cycling n East Anglia but that was way too many years ago !

Posted by
1041 posts

I love it when East Anglia gets a mention on the forum as it's usually not on the international tourist map besides Cambridge. As I grew up in the North Essex/Suffolk area, I will suggest the neighboring county of Norfolk. The Norfolk Broads are flat with pretty villages and countryside. Check out this site for ideas on bike routes: https://thebroadsbybike.org.uk/routes/. There are several companies that offer bikes for hire in the area. Combine this with a day on the broads by renting a boat for the day or longer.

Margaret