Causeway coast
This 280-mile route around the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland – from Ballyshannon to Larne – passes lakes, valleys and rivers on the way to the walled city of Derry. Further on are the sandy beaches of the north coast, in Portstewart and Portrush, the Giant's Causeway and magnificent views of the Mull of Kintyre and beyond. The Cycle NI website suggests a few shortcuts, ensuring the route can be comfortably completed in six days.
• cycleni.com
Alpine race
Serious cyclists looking for a new challenge might be tempted by the first ever Haute Route, a seven-day, high-altitude race from Lake Geneva to Nice. The 730km ride features 14 alpine cols and 17,000m of climbing, the equivalent of climbing Everest twice. Organisers optimistically suggest it could be a "family adventure" – you'll need one fit family.
• 21-27 August, £554 per rider to enter, hauteroute.org.
North Sea circuit
Explore northern Europe on the North Sea Cycle Route, a 6,000km circular ride that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To complete the circuit, start in Shetland and make your way down through Scotland and England, over to Belgium, through the Netherlands and Germany and up to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, following the coast all the way – ending with a ferry back to Shetland. Take advantage of schemes such as the Netherlands' Vrienden op de Fiets (vriendenopdefiets.nl), where for an annual fee of around £9 cyclists can stay cheaply in locals' homes.
• northsea-cycle.com
Border line
History buffs can cycle the former dividing line between east and west Europe on the Iron Curtain Trail, a 6,800km route along the continent's cold war border. Pedal from the chilly Norwegian-Russian border to the warmth of northern Turkey to experience the thawing of international relations for yourself. The trail passes through many national parks, and connects historical monuments and museums.
• ironcurtaintrail.eu
European rivers
Cycle across Europe the scenic way: along the banks of its rivers. This route begins in St Nazaire on France's Atlantic coast and ends in Constanta, Romania, on the Black Sea. You'll follow the path of the Loire, Rhine and Danube, as well as some smaller waterways. The whole trip is 8,000km but is divided up into 13 more manageable stages, so it's easy to plan a shorter trip.
• eurovelo6.org
