are permitted on bridleways, restricted byways (no motorised vehicles) and byways (all vehicles allowed).
Bridleways are usually marked with a blue arrow; byways with a ‘byway’ sign, or sometimes a red arrow; footpaths (which cyclists may not legally ride on) with a yellow arrow. However, it is generally accepted that you can dismount and walk with your bike over a footpath, as is required for a short section of Route 6. Clearly, common sense must also apply: you should not try to push a bike over a narrow single-file footpath where this would cause inconvenience to walkers.
To confuse the situation, however, there are some footpaths you may ride on. These are typically in urban areas, where many footpaths have become shared pedestrian/cycle path routes (and should be marked with a blue bicycle symbol, sometimes with and sometimes without a pedestrian symbol).
For some other paths the rights are either unclear, lost in time, or (again, particularly in urban areas) in the process of change. They might be commonly used by cycles without landowner opposition, or (occasionally) with landowner encouragement. You should always approach such areas with caution, and if challenged be prepared to dismount or deviate.
Cycle path etiquette
This is particularly important when the route is busy and shared with pedestrians.
It’s fine to go fast if the way is clear, but always slow down to a gentle pace when nearing and passing pedestrians or slower cyclists, or on narrow sections of route.
Sound your bell as you get close to pedestrians and slower cyclists if you wish to pass them, as this is easiest for other path users to comprehend on a busier route.
When passing other cycles or pedestrians, use normal road sense: cycle on the left when meeting oncoming people, and don’t overtake if the way ahead isn’t clear!
Be extremely cautious when cycling under bridges and tunnels – these are often very narrow with restricted headroom at one side, and visibility is often limited.
Take great care passing dogs (or lone walkers whose dogs may be hidden in the undergrowth), as these can unpredictably change direction or run out in front of you, sometimes with a long ‘tripwire’ lead between them and their owner.
Cycling efficiently
The routes in this book are intended for anyone of average fitness upwards. You do not have to be an athlete by any means, but you will need a basic level of fitness. The following advice may help with hills and off-road sections if you are new to cycling.
Uphill cycling
Uphill through Upper Swainswick village (Route 10)
I regularly see novice (and not-so novice!) cyclists struggling to push a bike up a steep hill, when just a few simple tips could turn a frustrating slog into a fun challenge (well, OK… perhaps the fun really comes from overcoming the ascent rather than the uphill effort itself). It’s so much more enjoyable when you can stay on the bike uphill as well as downhill.
Use all of your lowest gears. That particularly includes those found on the smallest ‘hill-climbing’ front ring, which so many people ignore. Selecting a low gear in good time and moving gently uphill is far more efficient than standing on the pedals in too high a gear, or going too fast at the start and running out of steam later on.
Set your saddle to the correct height – too low is a very common mistake for novices, resulting in pain and unnecessary fatigue in the thighs. The saddle should be roughly hip-height and your leg should be almost (but not completely) extended at the bottom of the stroke.
If there is room and it is safe to do so, use the width of the route to zigzag. This eases the gradient and also helps to relieve monotony.
Off-road cycling
Grassy bridleway near Chavenage House (Route 19)
It takes time to get used to off-road riding but the following tips may help those who are new to the fun.
Initially set the saddle a little lower than usual – this lowers your centre of balance and psychologically feels safer.
The bike generally heads to the point you are looking at, so look at where you want to go (the route around the obstacle, not at the obstacle itself).
Stay loose, grip the saddle lightly with your thighs, and let your knees and arms act as natural shock absorbers. Allow the bike to move around underneath you; in time you will find you act as a natural counterbalance to it.
Often a bit of speed helps – but not so much that you couldn’t stop or swerve out of the way if something (or someone) is unexpectedly encountered.
Bike geometry makes a difference and it’s worth reading up on this. I personally found a longer-than-usual frame length made a great difference to my off-road skills; other people prefer the fast response of a more ‘twitchy’ shorter-framed bike.
How hard are the routes?
Descending on the bridleway near Berryfields Farm
Everyone has different opinions on what makes a route difficult. Some people consider long distance the hardest thing, others the gradient or length of the steepest hill, or maybe the roughness of the surface underwheel or the use of A-roads. The information boxes at the start of each section in this book help to show the overall difficulty of individual routes.
Terrain
The terrain statistics shown in the information boxes at the start of each route give some clue as to the amount of off-road involved.
‘Trails’ are purpose-made traffic-free cycle routes, such as Sustrans-style routes. Such sections tend to be gently graded with a smooth, firm (gravel or tarmac) surface.
‘Off-road’ is any other non-road (or sometimes a former road) section, which may be steeper, rougher and muddier – or just an unclassified bit of road. In technical terms, it’s a middle ground between ‘out and back’ totally car-free cycling and that which more properly falls into technical mountain biking. Hybrid bikes (often referred to as ‘sturdy’ bikes, although this term includes any road bike that isn’t too narrow-tyred or fragile to be taken off-road) should usually manage most off-road routes in dry conditions, except for rough sections. Most of these are highlighted in the route description, but remember that the condition of the ground is variable depending on prevailing weather conditions. Also see additional notes in the information box at the start of each route.
The routes use many of the region’s quiet lanes, bridleways, byways and ancient paths. You will need traffic sense as the routes do use public roads, but most are suitable for families with older children who have mastered the rules of the road sufficiently to be safe in traffic.
Grades
For the purpose of this guidebook I’ve graded the routes Easy, Moderate or Challenging according to the following criteria. However, while the harder
