English Channel to North Sea — cycle the Greater Ridgeway Trail

The Greater Ridgeway Trail is made up of four separate cycling trail routes across Southern England, spanning from Lyme Regis on the English Channel to Hunstanton on the North Sea.

Starting with the Wessex Ridgeway, the long-distance trail leaves the spectacular Jurassic Coastline behind to head over endless hills on deserted gravel roads across Dorset and Wiltshire, passing ancient monuments and impressive white chalk horses. Follow the chalk ridgeline to ride through the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Cranborne Chase AONB and the Wessex Downs AONB, encountering abundant wildlife and far-reaching views along the way. The route has many historical sites as well, ending at the Avebury Stone Circle.

From here you pick up the Ridgeway, a popular route with walkers, cyclists and horse riders alike, and part of Britain’s oldest road dating back over 5,000 years. This National Trail spans 87 miles (140 km) from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire but only half of this is accessible by bike, as the more Easterly section is a footpath for walkers only. Follow the first 43 miles (69 km) of ridgetop bridleway along this prehistoric road with many archeological treasures lining its path.

When you reach Goring-on-Thames, a linking stage is proposed here to connect the Ridgeway to the next long distance trail, the Icknield Way, which starts in Chinnor. This is more than just a transit stage though, as it takes in the delights of the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Up next, the Icknield Way Trail: the cycling-friendly version of the hiker’s Icknield Way Path. This passes through no less than six counties of Central and Eastern England; Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, taking in idyllic rural villages, rolling agricultural landscapes and hidden woodlands. Plus, there are sandy trails over grassy commons, plantations and heathland, all yielding magnificent views. What this area might lack in mountains it certainly makes up for in charm and a few steep ascents!

At its northern extremity, the Icknield Way Trail meets the Peddars Way at Knettishall. The Peddars Way is a long-distance hiking and cycling trail starting near the Norfolk/Suffolk border town of Thetford, and travelling to the North Norfolk coast at Hunstanton. Following an ancient Roman route, the trail has the characteristic straight trajectory that’s associated with this era. Explore ancient castles and ruins, look out for wildlife among glacial wetlands and coastal marshes, and enjoy the expansive arable landscape that’s so typical of this county. All are remarkably different to the landscapes that you’ll have encountered on your trip across England so far.

Totalling 395 miles (636 km) with some 23,720 feet (7,230m) of climbing, it’s certainly no walk in the park! If you’re a novice bikepacker you might prefer to do one of these four routes in isolation before attempting the whole Greater Ridgeway Trail. Or, of course, you can do any of the individual stages as a day ride, thanks to the plentiful transport connections along the route, especially around the Icknield Way and Ridgeway.

Whether you choose to camp or stay in hostels, guesthouses or hotels along the route is up to you, but as these are popular trails, especially in the summer months, I’d certainly recommend booking in advance.

The best bike for the Greater Ridgeway will depend largely on what you feel comfortable with, but a mountain bike or gravel bike with a wide range of gearing for the sometimes steep hills and wider tyres (40mm+) will be best for the more technical trails along the way. The best time of year is undoubtedly the drier summer months, as the chalky terrain becomes very slippery when wet and can be almost impossible to ride on!

Access at either end is a little less straightforward, as neither Lyme Regis nor Hunstanton have train stations. At the southern end, the closest station is at Axminster, a 5.3 mile ride away (8.5 km), and from Hunstanton you can ride to the station at King’s Lynn which is an extra 18 miles (29 km).

For more information on the four linking long-distance trails, visit my Collections on the Wessex Ridgeway (komoot.com/collection/960938), the Ridgeway (komoot.com/collection/899679), the Icknield Way Trail (komoot.com/collection/959316), and the Peddars Way (komoot.com/collection/900448).