On yer bike!
News — By Admin on September 13, 2010 at 5:05 pmThe National Cycle Network is 15 years old and continuing to grow. But the charity behind the project want the nation to make more of it, ditching the car for short journeys, and jumping on your bike.
At the start of this year, you may recall coverage on the news on the latest multi-millionaire lottery winner who scooped a tidy £56 million. Bitter? Us? No, of course not. And anyway, his first plan was to build a vertical wind tunnel in his garden to practice his skydiving, so we have to give him credit for having fun rather than saying ‘it won’t change me one bit’.
But 15 years ago we all won the lottery. We effectively won £43.5 million, the sum awarded by the Millenium Commission to the sustainable transport charity Sustrans. The result of that figure, regarded as ‘the nation’s favourite use of lottery funding’, was the first 2500 miles of a 6500 mile National Cycle Network. This mainly traffic-free network now extends to over 12,000 miles and carries a million cycling and walking journeys a day. Over 75% of the UK population lives within a couple of miles of the Network.
This year Sustrans are calling on our new government to invest in short journeys, those under 5-miles, made on foot, push-bike or public transport. In 2008, according to a Department for Transport study, the journeys people make nationally average out to be 54% by car, 34% by foot, 8% on public transport, and just 2% on push-bikes (leaving 2% by other means). Sustrans’ policy department will be lobbying Whitehall with the aim of changing those figures to 20% for cars, 20% on public transport, 20% cycling, and 40% on foot, by 2020.
That’s a substantial increase in cycle journeys, so we thought we’d help spread the word. To help you make the most of your lottery winnings, we’ve picked eight National Cycle Network routes from Sustrans’ forthcoming routes book, published in partnership with the AA. These are suitable for any cyclist, young or old, millionaire or pauper - and should you be looking to take the kids with you, check out a few bicycle trailers that are all the rage and actually quite useful!
The Routes
1
Region: East of England
Route: Alban Way from St Albans to Hatfield
National Cycle Network Route: Number 61
Type of route: Disused railway. Smooth, traffic-free and suitable for all users
Distance: 6 miles
The Alban Way is a trail for cyclists and walkers along the former route of the Hatfield to St Albans branch line of the Great Northern Railway. Running between the historic towns of St Albans and Hatfield, it provides a safe, traffic-free route for leisure and commuting.
The route has many access points, most of which are ramped or level and features links to fishing lakes, St Albans Abbey, the university campus and Hatfield House
More info on the Alban Way
2
Region: London
Route: Waterlink Way from Cator Park to The Cutty Sark and Greenwich
National Cycle Network Route: Number 21
Type of route: Mixture of traffic-free paths, quiet lanes and some sections of road
Distance: 6 miles
The Waterlink Way is an established part of the National Cycle Network, connecting a number of parks and green spaces in South East London while following the Pool and Ravensbourne Rivers. The route is very accessible, with a large number of stations on route, allowing the distance cycled to be easily tailored to meet your needs.
The route finishes in Greenwich and gives easy access to attractions such as the Old Royal Naval College and Cutty Sark.
For those of you who want to travel a little further, National Route 4 runs west along the Thames towards central London while National Route 1 also passes through Greenwich.
More info on the Waterlink Way
3
Region: Midlands
Route: Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail between Measham and Moira near Ashby-de-la-Zouch
National Cycle Network Route: Number 63
Type of route: Railway path - largely flat with ramped links, mostly traffic-free
Distance: 4 miles
Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail follows the old Ashby and Nuneaton Railway, which itself replaced an 18th century canal. Now forming part of the new National Forest, this area was once an industrial landscape, ravaged by mining.
The route runs from Measham to Moira passing through countryside which is rich in social and industrial history. You will pass through old Donisthorpe Colliery site, now a Woodland Park, and there are links to the old mining village of Oakthorpe and Moira Furnace, thought to be the best-preserved 19th century blast furnace in Europe. At Moira, you can visit Conkers, a forest-themed attraction with a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
At Waterside, the northern basin of the Ashby Canal, which was closed by subsidence in the 1940s, has been rebuilt. Eventually, this ambitious project aims to reconnect with the national canal network at Snarestone, south of Measham. You can already ride the towpath, snaking back to rejoin the Heritage Trail via Moira Furnace.
More info on the Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail
4
Region: North of England
Route: Fallowfield Loopline. Chorlton cum Hardy to Debdale and Manchester Stadium, South Manchester
National Cycle Network Route: Numbers 6 and 60
Type of route: Disused railway path, in-filled canal - largely flat and traffic-free
Distance: 8 miles
The Fallowfield Loopline is an attractive, largely traffic-free walking and cycling route which follows a former railway line. The route is classic urban railway path, ideal for families and new cyclists who need to build up their confidence away from road traffic.
Leafier at the western end and more obviously urban at the eastern end towards Debdale, it forms a green corridor running about one mile south of the city centre linking parks and open spaces. Route 60 uses the in-filled canal to take you up to the Velodrome and City Stadium
More info on the Fallowfield Loopline
5
Region: Scotland
Route: Esk Valley Cycleway from Musselburgh to Dalkeith
National Cycle Network Route: 1
Type of route: Tarmac railway path with short on-road link
Distance: 6 miles
This attractive riverside and railway path links the coastal town of Musselburgh with Dalkeith. Largely traffic-free, the route passes along wooded pathways and minor roads, with wonderful views of the Firth of Forth, and a rich variety of wildlife. At Musselburgh, National Route 1 passes the train station and continues into the centre of Edinburgh.
Musselburgh, first settled by the Romans in the years following their invasion of Scotland in AD80, is an attractive harbour town with spectacular views across the River Forth.
Dalkeith Country Park, in the grounds of Dalkeith House, is well worth a visit and has an excellent adventure playground and inviting woodland walks.
More info on the Esk Valley Cycleway
6
Region: South East
Route: Cuckoo Trail from Polegate (nr Eastbourne) to Heathfield
National Cycle Network route: 21
Type of route: Tarmac, traffic-free
Distance: 11 miles
The Cuckoo Trail is one of the most popular family cycle rides in the South East and gained its name from an old Sussex tradition of releasing a cuckoo at the Heathfield Fair.
Once a railway line, this trail offers a superb, peaceful, traffic-free route ideal for cyclists and walkers of all ages.
Horse riding is also permitted along some rural sections of the route. There is a gentle 122m (400ft) climb over 11 miles (17.5km) from Polegate to Heathfield.
The trail runs through a mixture of broadleaf woodland, open grassland, arable farmland, and pasture with verges often thick with seasonal wildflowers like vetch and willowherb. Along the way are dramatic sculptures and plenty of carved wooden seats to stop and take in your surroundings.
More info on the Cuckoo Trail
7
Region: South West
Route: Camel Trail from Poley’s Bridge to Padstow via Bodmin
National Cycle Network Route: Numbers 3 and 32
Type of route: Railway path
Distance: 18 miles
One of the most popular recreational routes in the country, the Camel Trail runs from Padstow to Poley’s Bridge, via Wadebridge and Bodmin. The trail passes through the wooded countryside of the upper Camel Valley and alongside the picturesque Camel Estuary - a paradise for birdwatchers.
The traffic-free trail follows the route of an old railway and is ideal for family cycling as it is fairly level all the way and the views of moorland, woodland and estuary are spectacular. The trail is also used by walkers, joggers and horse-riders.
More info on the Camel Trail
8
Region: Wales
Route: Swiss Valley Cycle Route from Discovery Centre at North Dock, Millennium Coastal Park to Tumble
National Cycle Network Route: Number 47
Type: Traffic-free disused railway
Distance: 11 miles
The Swiss Valley Cycle Route follows a disused railway line that climbs gently from the Millennium Coastal Park into the rolling hills above Llanelli, passing Sandy Water Park, Llanelli Rugby Ground and the Felinfoel Brewery. Further on, you reach the peaceful Lleidi reservoirs where you can enjoy superb views of the Gwendraeth Valley.
From Tumble, the route continues past the Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park to Cross Hands where there is the option of a link to the National Botanic Garden of Wales at Middleton Hall.
Traffic-free and well-surfaced throughout, this route is ideal for families or inexperienced cyclists. There is a gentle climb up from Llanelli which makes for a fantastic gravity-aided return to the start.
More on the Swiss Valley Cycle Route
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