Here is a list of my Top 10 Rides. It's always a difficult question to answer when someone asks 'Which was the best bit?' on any particular adventure, so it's been challenging to arrive at my Top 10 rides as there are so many to choose from. It's probably no surprise though that France features in my first 3 picks. The sections highlighted below are the ones that stand-out in my mind as the most scenic and enjoyable rides I have experienced. The weather plays a part too...I'm sure there are some sections I have completed where wind and/or rain demote the ride's enjoyment and the chance to make my Top 10 - that's just the way it is. These selected rides can all be completed in one, two or three days and I think are definitely worth travelling to as a one-off ride, or taking in as part of a longer adventure.
Alsace Vineyards, France
Featured in my London to Vienna adventure
Riding through the Alsace vineyards on a warm, sunny day with the Vosges Mountains framing the view is about as good as it gets. Vines left, right and centre along the cycle route, which is only for use by bicycles and agricultural vehicles, so it's a unique experience that you won't get from being in a car. The route is marked as EuroVelo 5 and I started in Strasbourg heading initially West before turning South, staying overnight in Rorschwihr then continuing on towards Mulhouse. Along the way, EV5 passes through immensely pretty Alsatian villages such as Molsheim, Obernai and Itterswiller which provide satisfying stopping points. Colmar is just a short detour too. It's a mostly flat ride, with any elevation there is providing extraordinary views of the surrounding vineyard-strewn countryside across to Strasbourg. Plenty of wine-tasting and buying options too if that's your thing. Super place to cycle through.
Loire Valley, France
Featured in my Caen To Basel and Belgium, France & The Channel Islands adventures
The Loire Valley in France is one of those places that when you visit you will never forget. Riding a bicycle through this landscape makes it even more memorable as you are taken on paths that are not open to any vehicles and you can get up close to the banks of the river for many miles. You can also pick and choose where you start and finish, from the estuary at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins through Angers, Tours, Orleans, Nevers and Decize. Add in the fact that you will pass through 'Château Country' and ride by, or near to, some of France's finest Châteaux, including the grandest of them all, Château de Chambord near Blois. All of this can be ridden along EuroVelo 6, a super long-distance route which is well-signposted throughout. Wonderful.
French Riviera (Côte d'Azur), France
Featured in my Bordeaux to Nice adventure
On my ride, I picked up the French Riviera route in Hyères and tracked all the way into Nice. Mildly undulating as you would expect of a coastal route, it is on the D559 road which was pretty quiet throughout and there are plenty of places to stop and admire the views. I tracked Eastwards with the Mediterranean on my right through some of the prettiest spots of the Côte d'Azur. Sainte-Maxime, Saint-Raphael, Cannes, Antibes and Nice are the bigger towns along the route and there are lots of accommodation options. Also there are plenty of hidden beaches to enjoy, many with food outlets. It's a lovely area to ride through. Furthermore, when staying in Nice I did a couple of rides into Monaco, one via a flat route along the coast passing through some beautiful spots and the other over Col d'Èze where the views are spectacular and the descent down into Monte Carlo is memorable.
Ramutaka Trail, New Zealand
Featured in my Auckland to Wellington adventure
It would be amiss not to include a New Zealand ride in my Top 10 and the Ramutaka Trail at the South of the North Island is certainly worth its position here. The route starts South of Featherston and after a narrow and sketchy start, it joins the wider trackbed of the former railway line that passed through this spectacular scenery. It is a moderate climb towards the summit, but keep in mind that old steam trains used to chug their way up and down this route. On the way up the Trail passes through the occasional unlit tunnel as well as crossing over the Gully at Siberia on a vertiginous swing bridge. The climb tops out at around 345m and there's a gentle descent with plenty of views of the Pākuratahi River along the way down before joining the River Hutt valley towards Wellington. A mildly challenging and rewarding ride with memorable and interesting views throughout. Certainly worth a day out if you are ever lucky enough to find yourself in the area with access to a bike.
River Danube Upstream, Germany
Featured in my London to Vienna adventure
The route of EuroVelo 6 joins the River Danube at Tuttlingen where the river is relatively narrow and heading East from here the ride enters a wide, steep-sided gorge and a very pretty scene it is too. Onwards through some small towns, the cycle path follows the meanders of the Danube, crossing over the water several times and soon passing by the impressive Sigmaringen Castle and onto Ehingen and Ulm with its imposing cathedral. East of Ingolstadt, home of the car manufacturer Audi, at Weltenburg Abbey there is the option to switch to a boat excursion along the river into Kelheim. This is truely a super choice and enables you to relax whilst taking in some magical views along the 30 minute trip. This whole upstream section of the Danube is wonderful - an easy, flat, enjoyable ride. There are various start or finish points and plenty of options for overnight accommodation throughout.
Monsal Trail, Derbyshire, England, UK
Featured in my Birmingham to Liverpool adventure
The Monsal Trail was one of those routes that had been on my list for some time, the challenge being how to incorporate it into a longer adventure as it is isolated from other parts of the National Cycle Network. You are able to rent bikes on site at either end of the trail, however I chose to cycle along the A6 from Matlock (where there is a cycle path to Rowsley) through to Bakewell and pick up the trail just outside of the town famous for its tarts. I actually stayed overnight in the Hassop Station Rooms and there is a great cafe in the old station building here. The trail itself follows the River Wye valley and is an easy, flat former Midland Railway line on a good surface with the interest provided by tunnels, viaducts and old industrial buildings as well as great views of the surrounding countryside. The trail is only 8.5 miles long and from the trail's northern end it is a short ride along the A6 into Buxton.
Lake Champlain, Vermont/New York, USA
Featured in my New England adventure
I'll admit I hadn't heard of Lake Champlain prior to visiting Vermont, so on arrival into Burlington as the lake came into view I was taken aback by its beauty, with distant views of the Adirondack Mountains in New York state on the opposite shore. Whilst in Burlington, I was able to take a relaxing tour on the Spirit Ethan Allen boat around the lake. After staying overnight on the outskirts of Burlington, I headed Northbound on the wonderful old railway causeway that crosses to South Hero Island, with a bike-friendly ferry required to skip the missing bridge. Then it was a short section on the island and onto a more substantial ferry over to Cumberland Head, crossing into New York state and on towards Plattsburg. From here it was due South with lake views to my left as the route continued through Ausable Chasm, switching to State Highway 22 back to the lake shore. I had a further overnight stop in tranquil Westport before heading to Ticonderoga. It was a fabulous few days of riding in super weather and terrific scenery.
Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, England, UK
Featured in my Heysham to Hexham adventure
A recent trip routed from the city of Lancaster to Clitheroe took me on my first visit the the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire. There is a reasonable climb out of Lancaster up to the Jubilee Tower where there are wonderful views back to the North-West coast with Blackpool Tower visible in the distance. Further on is the Trough of Bowland where the scenery really delivers as the road runs alongside the Langden Brook through to Dunsop Bridge. This area is sparsely populated, with lots of sheep and open countryside. The Trough Road wasn't overly busy when I travelled in September but it is a popular walking and touring route, so worth planning accordingly. From Dunsop Bridge it remains a pretty, albeit hilly, route into the popular market town of Clitheroe, where there are some good accommodation options.
Winnipesaukee River Trail/Northern Rail Trail, New Hampshire, USA
Featured in my New England adventure
I joined the Winnipesaukee River Trail at Tilton and from here it follows the river valley through to Franklin. The river is quite substantial with plenty of white water visible through the lovely tree-lined trackbed. At Franklin, part of the old Trestle Rail Bridge over the river is preserved, sitting as a reminder of the railroad that once connected to Tilton. From Franklin, I switched onto the Northern Rail Trail, a former railway line that passes through the New Hampshire countryside, tracking the Blackwater River and taking in some pretty lake views en-route. This rail trail continues all the way into Lebanon, although I was routed to leave at Potter Place to reach my booked accommodation. In the time that I was riding these trails, I enjoyed it greatly, particularly as bike-friendly, traffic-free trails are not that common in the USA, so well worth taking the option to enjoy some safe and pleasant New Hampshire cycling.
Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, England, UK
Featured in my Milton Keynes To Reading and London Thames Westwards adventures
I have cycled through the historic Windsor Great Park a couple of times and it's a peaceful place to ride full of ancient trees and grasslands. There are a few options to cross from one side to the other. On my first visit I entered from Runnymede via Coopers Hill and through Bishopsgate following the well-signposted NCN Route 4. This route used to take you across the top of The Long Walk past The Copper Horse statue, but now passes further South around the back of the Deer Park and on through The Village, crossing the A332 for a gentle descent towards the River Thames at Windsor itself, on traffic-free tracks and quiet roads. There are lots of other enjoyable cycling options in the Thames Valley area and NCN4 continues West out of Windsor along the river to Reading.
