WINNING TIP: Mawddach Trail Cycleway, Wales

This 10-mile track follows an old railway line from Dolgellau and finishes at the end of the beautiful Barmouth rail bridge (£1 toll). The route is fairly flat and utterly spectacular, with views of mountains, river and sea – and you can reward yourself with an ice-cream at Knickerbockers in Barmouth.
cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/mawd_cycw.htm
Montgomerymaid

Southern England

South Downs Way: Petersfield-Cocking
If you live in London, take a train to Petersfield, Hampshire, and a 15-minute ride takes you to Buriton and the latest National Park. Ride from Buriton to South Harting and back for a 10-mile route with spectacular views. Pedal on to Cocking and loop back for a brilliant 25-mile ride through woodland andchalk-white tracks.
nationaltrail.co.uk/Southdowns
passingcomment

Chilterns Cycleway
This 170-mile circular route dips in and out of the Chiltern Hills, through Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, home to chalk downs, red kites and the ancient Ridgeway. You can do a little or the whole lot. It's hilly, but with wonderful fast downhills, and lovely scenery. Mostly roads, but there are off-road tracks, and many pubs.
chilternsaonb.org/cycleway.html
MaryTebje

Foulness Island, Essex
Foulness Island is MoD land, but during the annual cycle event run by the Rotary Club (9 September this year), cyclists with tickets can ride the flat roads and see amazing birdlife and colonies of seals. Military satellite dishes and air raid shelters sit incongruously beside wind-whipped fields and the odd cow.
thorpebayrotaryevents.co.uk
Bowbank

Viking Coastal Trail, Kent
Join the mainly traffic-free and flat Viking Way at Herne Bay and you can cycle all the way to Margate, passing through marshland and sweeping sandy beaches. Finish at the amazing Shell Grotto (shellgrotto.co.uk, adults £3, children £1.50) before catching the train back to Herne Bay.
visitthanet.co.uk/viking
ClareSuter

The Crab and Winkle route, Kent
Leaving Canterbury, the Crab and Winkle cycle route mostly follows a disused railway line for which George Stephenson and his son Robert built the Invicta. The route passes through ancient woodland and the fascinating Winding Pond, dug in 1829 to store the water that the steam winding engines needed to pull the passenger carriages up the hill out of Whitstable. Whitstable, with its working harbour, alleyways and quirky shops has restaurants galore. There's a hill at each end, but the main part of the route is fairly flat and wonderfully relaxing.
crabandwinkle.org/past.htm
Pmartini

Corkscrew Lane, south London
A secret corridor leads from south London into winding, empty country lanes and villages. Dropping from Crystal Palace to Elmers End and through West Wickham you arrive at Corkscrew Lane, and suddenly it's all woods, valleys and rolling fields. The lane takes you to the top of the North Downs and on a good day you can see 30 miles. You might touch 40 mph on the exhilarating drop to Westerham. Then it's the big cogs to climb the elegantly named Hogtrough Hill (15%), heading north through Cudham and the pretty Downe to Keston. Cutting left down the steep hill by the Norman church takes you past fields and stables until suddenly you arrive back at West Wickham. The last push up Anerley Hill is helped by the thought of a double espresso at Café Paradou on Crystal Palace Parade.
Charlotte260898

West Country

Exeter Quay, Devon
Take a short and sweet bike ride from Exeter Quay along the canal past cows, a wildlife reserve and bird-filled marshes. The Turf pub has a lovely long view of the Exe estuary. You can continue your bike ride along the river to Dawlish and even get a ferry over to Exmouth and ride back up the river to Topsham.
turfpub.net
BirgitteThe Camel Trail, Cornwall

The Camel Trail, Cornwall
The Camel Trail rus along a disused railway track by the River Camel. Pedalling the seven miles to Padstow from Wadebridge was the highlight of our holiday. Our daughters were at the upper end of primary school and the flat ride beside the estuary provided plenty to see, and Padstow provided lots of choice for refreshment, a ferry trip across the estuary and a short spell on the beach.
tinyurl.com/cameltrailpdf, bike hire from bridgebikehire.co.uk, adult/child from £11/£6 a day
Gdeanouk

Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
The Forest of Dean has some of the friendliest and most exciting "blue" and "red" bike rides in the country. There are miles of hard tracks and paths, and some outstanding dedicated rides. A 20km waymarked family route follows old miners' tramway-tracks past rare skew-bridges and unique egg-shaped tunnels. There are lakes, bluebell woods, wild deer and boar – and ice-cream stalls. More hardcore are the 4.5km Freeminer single-track red trail which thrills with rooty drops and hairpin bends, or the blue Verderer's 11km cross-country route. Only the tough should tackle the aptly named downhill tracks. Hire bikes at the Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre which also has a smart café.
pedalabikeaway.co.uk, with cycle hire, maps, advice and a cafe
Veggegirl

Penzance circular ride to Land's End and Zennor, Cornwall
This must be one of the most beautiful, varied and satisfying of all cycle routes in Britain. It's moderately challenging, at 46.5 miles. The dramatic seascapes en route are exhilarating and there are many opportunities for fuel stops, such as independent cafes, bars with sea views, country pubs and farms selling their wares via an honesty box. The route runs from Penzance station along the seafront. Then climb up through the harbour towns of Newlyn and Mousehole into picturesque Lamorna Cove. Climbing out of the valley around Crean you make for Land's End – an optional detour – or follow signs for Sennan, one of the loveliest beaches in Britain.

The climb out of Sennen towards St Just is practically a straight road where you can pick up some real speed. Through St Just, follow the B3306 towards Pendeen and Zennor. Turn right just before Zennor towards Newmill and Penzance. Head inland following signs for Trythall, Tredinnick/Bodrifty/Ding. The journey has more rural feel to it now. Turn right at the signpost for Tredinnick/Bodrifty, entering moorland and rocky paths. You pass on old engine house close to the road on the right, take a grassy track here. Continue past houses on the right and on to a well-defined track, passing a mine shaft warning sign post. Continue along this track as it swings left in front of another engine house to rejoin the tarmac next to Bosiliack Farm.

Turn left at next T-junction, and then head for Newbridge. Then turn right on to the A3071, following signs for St Just/Newbridge. Stay on the road for a mile or so before turning left on to a bridleway just past Jericho Farm on your right. Continue on the bridleway as it descends through farms back on to tarmac. Follow the road round to the left, then turn right at the T-junction and on towards Penzance, signposted all the way for the next 5.5 miles home. The final stretch is a chance to unwind along the harbour, St Michael's Mount visible in the distance.
blissters3

Northern England

Kielder Water, Northumberland
Kielder Water is the biggest man-made lake in Britain. It's also the UK's biggest outdoor art gallery. You'll never get round all the sculptures in one day on foot, so hire a bike and take in art works ranging from a fairytale cabin to a stone hut the shape of a pine cone, before returning to Kielder Castle tearoom (dukespantry.co.uk).
visitkielder.com, bike hire from purplemountain.co.uk
Cooperteacher

The Pennine Cycleway
We cycled from Manchester up the Rochdale canal on Sustrans Route 66 and continued until we met Route 68, which goes from Derby to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and cycled all the way to Edinburgh. My favourite areas were the Yorkshire Dales and the wonderfully pretty Northumberland national park. We treated ourselves to a hot shower in a hostel and a cold beer in a pub when we got to Edinburgh. It is clearly marked with signs all the way or you can buy a map. Of course you don't have to do it all, just pick a section and start pedalling.
sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/national-cycle-network/route-numbering-system/route-68tinyurl.com/sustrans68
Rosyandjim

The Wirral Way, Merseyside
The Wirral Way is a disused railway line from Hooton to West Kirby (with shops, cafes and beach) which provides a flat, car-free and scenic 12-mile cycle route, with a train station at either end. The route runs parallel to the river Dee with panoramic views of the estuary, Hilbre Island and Wales beyond. The village of Parkgate is a good stop for local ice-cream and birdwatching. There are picnic spots on the cliff side or at the Wirral Country Park visitor centre at Thurstaston.
cycle-route.com/routes/Wirral_Way-Cycle-Route-454.html
Toxictoe

Fleckney to Gumley, Leicestershire
Starting in Fleckney you cycle along footpaths over fields, over the canal and through a wood. After a few miles, you end up in a beautiful area of countryside called Gumley. There are hills and flat areas, farm land and land left for the wildlife – many birds of prey live and hunt here. The entrance is on Kibworth Road, and the footpaths are well-signposted.
hannahlw85

Lancaster canal and coast
Join the canal at Carnforth (accessible by train) or Bolton-le-Sands. A family-friendly flat ride to the south, with spectacular views across Morecambe Bay, brings you to the Hest Bank Inn for good budget eats. Then take the cycle path to Morecambe, with the art deco Midland Hotel and Stone Jetty.
alucard.co.uk/lancaster/cycle.htm
chriscoldwell

Coast to coast ride
For the perfect overview of northern England, not to mention 140 miles of great biking, do the C2C. Setting off from Georgian Whitehaven, in west Cumbria, you meander through the lovely lakes, head up and over the picturesque Pennines, across Northumbria and into the industrial north east, ending in Tynemouth. Do it in three fun-filled days or, for more of a challenge, try it in one (long) day.
c2c-guide.co.uk
Fellsangel

Rutland Water, Leicestershire
Head to Rutland for a 23-mile circular cycle ride that follows the shores of the Rutland Water Reservoir – for the young and less able, missing out the reservoir peninsula reduces the ride to 17 miles. The cycle track is mainly off-road across a varied terrain, and there are a few hills, which are occasionally steep in places. The views are spectacular as the route passes through woods, nature reserves and a bird-watching centre at Egleton (ospreys.org.uk) – home to the first ospreys to breed in England for 150 years. Go in April and cycle through Barnsdale Woods, when the ground is a carpet of bluebells, the air heady with their scent.
rutlandwater.org.uk
Badlypackedtraveller

Wales

Pembrey, Carmarthenshire
Pembrey country Park's 500 acres has miles of bike tracks through forests and fields. You could spend a day here and not bump into another human being. It's great for picnics and exploring abandoned second world war bunkers, but can also be transformed into a dirt bike dream.
www.sirgaerfyrddin.gov.uk
KaySmythe

Scotland

Loch Katrine
From Tarbet, take the ferry (cruiselochlomond.co.uk, adults £10.50, children £5.50) across Loch Lomond to Inversnaid. Cycle three miles to Stronachlachar on the banks of bewitching Loch Katrine, head clockwise and enjoy the 12 miles to Trossachs Pier on a well-surfaced, traffic-free route. Savour the scenery and admire the skills of Victorian engineers who transported clean water 30 miles from the loch to rid Glasgow of cholera in the mid-19th century. At Trossachs Pier, board the historic steamship Sir Walter Scott (incallender.co.uk, adults £12.50, children £8) and cruise back to Stronachlachar. From here, retrace your route, stopping for coffee and cake at the quirky Inversnaid Bunkhouse (inversnaid.com).
bootandbike.co.uk/2010/10/a-loch-katrine-odyssey
Jillap