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Escape routes

Relaxing cycle rides

Matt Carroll, author of Escape Routes, picks 10 of his favourite rides…

Matt Carroll in Aldbury; Copywright: Matt Carroll;

O

ne of the best ways to see England is to get on your bike… no queues, no petrol, no parking space required – just good honest pedal power.

These routes and over 50 others feature in a book entitled Matt Carroll’s Escape Routes , a hand-picked selection of stunning cycle rides around England. Published by Punk, priced £16.95.

Take a look at 10 of Matt's favourite routes below...

From Devon to the Cotswolds

Tavistock to Horndon

After slipping out of town along a quiet side lane, it isn’t long before you arrive at the first idyllic country pub.

Tavistock to Horndon

Tetbury to Sherston

Coast along quiet country lanes in Gloucestershire and pay a visit to the Cat and Custard Pot pub.

Tetbury to Sherston

Hertfordshire & The Garden of England

Aldbury to Frithsden

This scenic cycle ride just a stone’s throw from London has a bit of everything.

Aldbury to Frithsden

Pond Cottage map; Copywright: Matt Carroll;

Old Wives Lees to Faversham

Five minutes after leaving the luxurious Pond Cottage you find yourself cycling through an enchanting wood.

Old Wives Lees to Faversham

Cycling Derbyshire and Suffolk

Dannah Farm map; Copywright: Matt Carroll;

Shottle to Carsington Water

Wait until you reach Alport Height where you can see for 60 miles on a clear day.

Shottle to Carsington Water

Butley Priory to Orford

The ride to Orford begins on a smooth road bordered by pines, sunlight strobing through the branches.

Butley Priory to Orford

A Cumbrian adventure

Arnside to Leighton Hall

The landscape around Arnside was made for cycling with its waterfront and deserted lanes.

Arnside to Leighton Hall

East Witton to Jervaulx Abbey

Walking into the Blue Lion at East Witton is like rewinding the clock back 200 years.

East Witton to Jervaulx Abbey

From North West to North East

Lakeside to Near Sawrey

Within minutes you pass by Stott Park, an old bobbin mill that did a roaring trade in the Industrial Revolution.

Lakeside to Near Sawrey

Craster to Alnmouth

The ride begins in the fishing village of Craster, where lobster pots are stacked up on the quayside.

Craster to Alnmouth

Experiences

Did you know?

YOU CAN WALK FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST COAST ALONG THE COAST TO COAST LONG-DISTANCE FOOTPATH.

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Cycling

...through the picturesque New Forest.

Cycling in the New Forest

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