RURAL RIDES

Riding the National Cycle Network

Where it all began: Looking west at Saltford on the Bristol to Bath Railway Path, now the junction between routes 3 and 4 of the National Cycle Network. (Route 3 goes off down the steps to the left.)

By 2005 the National Cycle Network (NCN) will offer over 10,000 miles of signposted cycle routes throughout the UK, a third of it on traffic-free paths. 6,500 miles of it have already opened, and you could cycle all the way from Land's End to John O'Groats on the Network. Whether you'd want to, though, is another matter!

The aim of the NCN, according to Sustrans, the charity responsible for its development, is to provide routes for cyclists and walkers for three types of journey: safe routes for novice cyclists and family rides, memorable routes for long-distance touring, and useful local links for trips to work, schools, or shopping. And, above all, it was meant to help the environment by encouraging people to switch from their cars to walking and cycling.

I first heard about Sustrans soon after the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path opened, well before the idea of a National Cycle Network developed. (That really only came about with the National Lottery, when the Millennium Commission approved a grant to Sustrans of over £43 million.)

One of the attractive Millennium Mileposts being erected around the NCN, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Each one includes a symbol which is part of the Time Trail, details of which can be obtained from Sustrans.

Many of Sustrans' early, local projects were highly successful, but as the Network developed I couldn't see how it fitted in with their aims for the three groups of users. There were parts of the Network that, by trying to be all things to all people, were failing to meet the needs of any of them. And it seemed that far from benefitting the environment, some schemes could be harming it.

In 1999, to test out whether my concerns were justified, I decided to set off on a 1000-mile journey along some of the Network's major routes, covering York to Hull, then Hull to Harwich, from London to Saltford (near Bristol), and finally along the West Country Way to Padstow. Since then I have used other parts of the Network in the course of my rides. This is the story of my experiences. You can read my conclusions here:
Sustrans: good or bad? – a critical review

Maps and guides

Sustrans produce maps for many of the longer distance National Cycle Network routes – you'll find details for each of the individual NCN routes described on this website. In addition, there's a guide, Cycling in the UK – The Official Guide to the National Cycling Network which describes most of the longer distance routes but also offers descriptions and maps of selected shorter lengths of the network in different parts of the country, suitable for one day outings. You can order a copy by clicking on the link below.

You can either follow through the pages in sequence or click on the button to pick from the list of the NCN routes I've used.

Updated: 22 August 2006