Great Places to Live for Cyclists Across England

We are always looking for new places to visit in England where we can cycle as a family. This sent me down a rabbit hole of research on Great places to live for Cyclists across England.

Like many, we are always wondering if the grass is greener on the other side of the country. Is there somewhere we could live with more cycling infrastructure, does a specific county have more traffic-free trails? or can we find somewhere which is more accepting of everyday family cyclists like ourselves?

This is something we always ponder. The good news from my research is that every county has something to offer. It may be that you don’t have to move to a different part of the country after all (or you may still find the appeal of this).

It’s a fact that some places are more accepting of Cycling and those which are less densely populated (which aren’t cities) are easy to cycle; especially on the roads. I think the post we’ve produced here gives you a snapshot of each County and what may be on offer. It’s not exhaustive so I suggest you do your own research but it’s touched upon some areas we were unaware of as a family. We plan to start taking holidays in England to assess what each area is like for cycling and how it could improve your day-to-day life as a family.

If you have any suggestions please do let us know as we plan to expand each county out further and produce individual posts on each.

Bedfordshire

• Ampthill: A charming market town, Ampthill is surrounded by routes perfect for road cycling. The rolling countryside has scenic lanes that provide both challenging climbs and leisurely rides.
• Dunstable Downs: Ideal for trail and off-road cycling, this area provides beautiful open landscapes with panoramic views. The chalk hills are part of the Chilterns, making it a perfect spot for off-road enthusiasts.

Berkshire

• Windsor: Known for its beautiful Great Park, Windsor offers traffic-free trails ideal for families. It’s also a great spot for road cyclists, with winding country lanes extending into surrounding villages.
• Pangbourne: Nestled by the River Thames, Pangbourne offers excellent canal-side cycling as well as nearby hilly trails for mountain biking.

Buckinghamshire

• Chiltern Hills (near Great Missenden): The Chilterns are ideal for road cycling, with undulating roads and picturesque villages. Great Missenden itself is well-connected to multiple cycling trails, including those for gravel bikes.
• Marlow: Offers beautiful rides along the Thames, with plenty of routes into the Chilterns. Marlow is popular among road cyclists for its quiet country roads and climbs.

Cambridgeshire

• Cambridge: Famous for being bike-friendly, Cambridge has an extensive network of cycle paths and flat roads ideal for commuting and leisure cycling. The surrounding countryside also provides excellent canal-side routes.
• St Ives: A market town with a relaxed cycling atmosphere, St Ives offers flat trails alongside the River Great Ouse and easy connections to the guided busway cycle route leading to Cambridge.

Cheshire

• Delamere: Ideal for mountain bikers, Delamere Forest has multiple trails suitable for different abilities. Delamere village itself offers easy access to the forest.
• Chester: A historic city with a range of cycling options, including canal paths along the Shropshire Union Canal and road routes stretching into the rolling Cheshire countryside.

Cornwall

• Bodmin: Offers the Camel Trail, a popular, mostly flat cycling path suitable for families and leisure cyclists. Bodmin also serves as a great base for more challenging road cycling along Cornwall’s hilly terrain.
• Penzance: A coastal town with easy access to scenic coastal trails. The quiet country roads are perfect for road cyclists who enjoy dramatic sea views and challenging routes.

Cumberland

• Keswick: Located in the Lake District, Keswick is perfect for both road and mountain biking. Whinlatter Forest is nearby, offering a range of purpose-built mountain bike trails.
• Penrith: Penrith offers excellent road cycling, with routes that lead to beautiful areas such as Ullswater and the Eden Valley. The quiet roads and rolling hills make it an ideal spot.

Derbyshire

• Matlock: Surrounded by the Peak District, Matlock is a haven for road cyclists and mountain bikers alike. With steep climbs like Riber Hill and off-road trails in the surrounding peaks, it has something for everyone.
• Bakewell: A charming town that gives easy access to the Monsal Trail, a popular route for leisure cyclists with tunnels, viaducts, and stunning scenery.

Devon

• Tavistock: On the edge of Dartmoor National Park, Tavistock is ideal for both road cycling and mountain biking, offering challenging climbs and scenic moorland trails.
• Exeter: Provides access to the Exe Estuary Trail, a mainly traffic-free route suitable for families, as well as road cycling into Devon’s countryside.

Dorset

• Weymouth: Offers a great base for coastal and inland rides. Road cyclists will enjoy the quiet country lanes, while there are also routes following the Jurassic Coast.
• Wareham: Close to Wareham Forest, which provides excellent off-road trails suitable for beginners and intermediate mountain bikers.

Durham

• Barnard Castle: This market town is ideal for road cyclists looking to explore the quiet roads of Teesdale, with scenic routes offering climbs and breathtaking views.
• Durham City: The city itself has some great routes along the River Wear, with trails leading into the countryside, suitable for gravel and hybrid bikes.

Essex

• Dedham: In the heart of Constable Country, Dedham offers flat, scenic routes perfect for road cycling. The country lanes meander through some of England’s most iconic rural landscapes.
• Epping: Near Epping Forest, which has a variety of off-road trails for mountain biking as well as quieter country lanes for road cyclists.

Gloucestershire

• Cheltenham: Offers great road cycling opportunities, with access to the Cotswolds for picturesque hill rides. Routes are varied, with options for both challenging and leisurely rides.
• Forest of Dean: The villages surrounding the Forest of Dean are perfect for mountain bikers, with numerous marked trails and routes that cater to all skill levels.

Hampshire

• New Forest: Villages like Brockenhurst are ideal bases for cyclists. The New Forest offers miles of flat, family-friendly trails and quiet roads suitable for both mountain biking and road cycling.
• Winchester: Offers beautiful countryside roads and access to the South Downs, perfect for cyclists seeking challenging road routes.

Herefordshire

• Ledbury: Surrounded by rolling countryside, Ledbury is a great spot for road cyclists. It offers access to the Malvern Hills for more challenging rides.
• Hay-on-Wye: Located on the border with Wales, Hay-on-Wye provides scenic routes along the River Wye, with plenty of peaceful country lanes.

Hertfordshire

• St Albans: Known for its extensive network of cycle paths, St Albans also has routes into the countryside, making it a good base for both commuters and leisure cyclists.
• Tring: Close to the Chilterns, Tring provides road cyclists with challenging hill routes and scenic trails through the surrounding countryside.

Huntingdonshire

• St Neots: A small town with good access to the countryside and nearby canal paths. St Neots provides a relaxed cycling environment with a mix of road and off-road options.
• Huntingdon: Offers easy access to scenic country lanes, perfect for road cyclists who enjoy flat or gently rolling terrain.

Kent

• Canterbury: Offers scenic rides along the Crab and Winkle Way. The surrounding countryside is ideal for road cycling, with charming country lanes that connect to the coast.
• Sevenoaks: Surrounded by the North Downs, Sevenoaks is perfect for road cyclists looking for challenging hill climbs and beautiful routes.

Lancashire

• Clitheroe: Located near the Forest of Bowland, Clitheroe is ideal for road cyclists and gravel riders looking to explore a mix of tarmac and off-road trails.
• Lancaster: Offers routes along the River Lune and the Lancaster Canal, suitable for a leisurely ride or for families.

Leicestershire

• Market Harborough: Surrounded by beautiful country lanes, this town is ideal for road cycling, with routes leading into Northamptonshire and Rutland.
• Bradgate Park: Villages near Bradgate Park provide access to beautiful cycling routes, both on-road and off-road, through Leicestershire’s scenic countryside.

Lincolnshire

• Louth: Known as the “Capital of the Wolds,” Louth offers amazing road cycling routes across the rolling hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
• Lincoln: Offers a mix of quiet country roads and canal-side routes that are suitable for all abilities, as well as rides into the nearby countryside.

Middlesex

• Twickenham: Offers access to the Thames Path and numerous cycle-friendly routes into London. Twickenham has a mix of on-road and off-road options.

Norfolk

• Norwich: A city with many bike paths, Norwich also offers routes into the flat Norfolk countryside, including rides to the Norfolk Broads.
• Wells-next-the-Sea: Offers scenic coastal cycling and quiet country lanes, perfect for road cycling enthusiasts looking for a peaceful place to ride.

Northamptonshire

• Oundle: A beautiful market town that offers excellent road cycling on quiet lanes. Routes around Oundle are generally flat to rolling, making them accessible to all levels.
• Northampton: Offers access to the Brampton Valley Way, a disused railway line perfect for families and leisure cyclists.

Northumberland

• Hexham: Located near Hadrian’s Wall, Hexham offers excellent road and trail cycling. The surrounding countryside is rugged, providing challenging routes with stunning views.
• Alnwick: Offers a variety of cycling options, from quiet country lanes to coastal trails with beautiful sea views.

Nottinghamshire

• Sherwood Forest: Villages around Sherwood Forest provide great access to off-road trails and gravel cycling, perfect for mountain bikers of all abilities.
• Southwell: A charming town surrounded by quiet country roads, ideal for leisurely road cycling and exploring Nottinghamshire’s countryside.

Oxfordshire

• Oxford: A very bike-friendly city with extensive cycle paths. The surrounding countryside is full of charming villages and beautiful routes, making it perfect for both road cycling and family rides.
• Henley-on-Thames: Offers scenic routes along the Thames and rolling hills for road cyclists.

Rutland

• Oakham: Located near Rutland Water, Oakham is ideal for leisure cyclists and families. The circular route around the reservoir is mostly traffic-free and provides stunning views.

Shropshire

• Shrewsbury: A historic town with routes along the River Severn, as well as quiet country lanes perfect for road cycling. The nearby Shropshire Hills provide more challenging climbs.
• Church Stretton: Nestled in the Shropshire Hills, this area is perfect for both road cyclists and mountain bikers, offering stunning scenery and challenging routes.

Somerset

• Frome: Offers a range of routes into the Mendip Hills and beyond. The lanes around Frome are scenic and hilly, making them ideal for road cyclists looking for a challenge.
• Cheddar: Close to the Mendip Hills, Cheddar is a great base for road cycling, with routes that include the famous Cheddar Gorge climb.

Staffordshire

• Cannock Chase: The villages surrounding Cannock Chase provide easy access to some of the best mountain biking trails in the Midlands, with graded routes suitable for all abilities.
• Leek: Offers road cycling routes into the Peak District, with a mix of challenging climbs and scenic rides.

Suffolk

• Bury St Edmunds: Surrounded by quiet country lanes, Bury St Edmunds is ideal for road cyclists looking for relaxed rides through beautiful countryside.
• Southwold: A coastal town offering scenic cycling routes along the Suffolk coast and through picturesque villages.

Surrey

• Dorking: Located near Box Hill, Dorking is a popular spot for road cyclists. The surrounding Surrey Hills provide a mix of challenging climbs and scenic country lanes.
• Godalming: Offers access to the Downs Link, an off-road trail that connects to the coast, perfect for gravel and leisure cyclists.

Sussex

• Lewes: Offers easy access to the South Downs, ideal for road cyclists and mountain bikers. The routes provide challenging climbs and stunning views of the Sussex countryside.
• Chichester: Surrounded by flat country lanes and coastal paths, Chichester is ideal for leisurely road cycling and family rides.

Warwickshire

• Stratford-upon-Avon: Offers picturesque routes along the River Avon, as well as quiet country lanes through Warwickshire’s rolling countryside.
• Kenilworth: Provides a variety of cycling routes, including the Greenway, a traffic-free path suitable for families.

Westmorland

• Kendal: Located in the Lake District, Kendal is perfect for road cyclists and mountain bikers. The surrounding area offers stunning routes with challenging climbs and breathtaking scenery.

Wiltshire

• Salisbury: Surrounded by beautiful countryside, Salisbury is great for road cycling. Routes include quiet country lanes that lead to historic sites such as Stonehenge.
• Bradford-on-Avon: Offers access to the Kennet and Avon Canal, perfect for leisurely cycling.

Worcestershire

• Malvern: Located near the Malvern Hills, this town is ideal for both road cyclists and mountain bikers. The hills provide challenging climbs and rewarding views.
• Bewdley: Close to the Wyre Forest, Bewdley offers off-road trails suitable for mountain biking, as well as quiet country lanes for road cyclists.

Yorkshire

• Harrogate: Offers excellent road cycling, with routes extending into the Yorkshire Dales. Harrogate also hosted stages of the Tour de France, making it a prime spot for cyclists.
• Hebden Bridge: A hub for both road and off-road cyclists. The surrounding hills offer challenging climbs, while there are also plenty of bridleways and trails for mountain biking.

These locations across England offer fantastic opportunities for different types of cycling, whether you’re a road cyclist, a mountain biking enthusiast, or someone who enjoys leisurely canal-side rides. From scenic villages to bustling towns with rich cycling communities, there’s a perfect spot for every cyclist looking for a new place to call home.

Last Updated on November 13, 2024 by Ryan