Bike rides
Bike ride: Middlewood Way and Macclesfield Canal, Cheshire
Cycle an old railway up the rural eastern edge of Cheshire then meander back along a pretty canal towpath – without doubt, a cut above the rest
Bike ride: Whinlatter Pass and Borrowdale, Cumbria
From high mountain passes to serene lake shores, this beautiful cycling route traces the physical and emotional journey of a couple dealing with the challenges of early-onset dementia in the romantic drama Supernova
Day out: River Avon, Tomintoul, Moray
Silver birch and mountain ash combine on the banks of this effervescent river, which carves and curves its way through some of the least-visited mountains in the Cairngorms
Bike ride: Littondale, Yorkshire
Cycle down quiet lanes, past upland hay meadows and alongside dramatic peaks in two of the least-visited Yorkshire Dales
Bike ride: Exe Valley Way, Devon
Follow the banks of the River Exe from the historic streets of Exeter to the quietude of the Devonshire countryside, where otters slink and kingfishers spy
Bike ride: East Neuk, Fife
Pedal around picturesque fishing villages in the East Neuk to work up your appetite for some award-winning fish and chips.
Bike ride: Tissington Trail, Derbyshire
Take a nostalgic ride through the high hills and lush valleys of the Derbyshire Dales
Bike ride: The Kelpies, Stirlingshire
The largest equine sculptures in the world set the stage for a meandering canal-side cycle – listen closely and you can almost hear the hoofs that once trod these historic banks
Bike ride: Great Cumbrae, Ayrshire
The small island of Great Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde is perfect for newcomers both to Scottish islands and cycling
Bike ride: Llandrillo-yn-Rhos/Rhos-on-Sea to Pensarn, Conwy
Ushered by westerly winds, wend along the north coast of Wales past working quarries, maritime remains and ledges of shimmering rockpools
Bike ride: Reculver to Margate, Kent
Start from a site of ancient Roman history and end at a seaside resort that’s a hotbed
of contemporary art on this gentle, wildflower-filled coastal ride
Bike ride: Cuckoo Trail, Sussex
This Sussex cycle trail is best explored in mid-spring, when its broad, bushy verges billow with wildflowers and its overhanging woodland canopies resound with birdsong
Bike ride: Crinan Canal, Argyll and Bute
Cycle from loch to sea along a 200-year-old canal, looking out for soaring ospreys, busy otters and prehistoric rock art
Bike ride: Elan Valley Trail, Powys
Discover tranquillity amid the drama of Elan Valley, a landscape of shimmering reservoirs, gushing rivers and wooded slopes that ring with birdsong
Bike ride: Camel Trail, Cornwall
Cycle alongside the River Camel, a route once traced by whistling Victorian steam trains
Bike Ride: Epping Forest, Essex
Once visited by kings and queens, Epping’s woodlands, grasslands, heaths, rivers, bogs and ponds form one of London’s finest and largest open spaces
Bike ride: Scarborough to Whitby, North Yorkshire
From an old smugglers’ village to cave-dwelling hobgoblins and ‘the town that never was’, this stretch of coast offers a fascinating blend of history and legend, best explored by bike