Looking for the best bikepacking routes in the UK? We’ve got it covered…
For an increasing number of cyclists, getting off the road and immersing themselves in remote, natural landscapes is the ultimate form of adventure.
With its vast network of stunning national parks, bridleways and gravel tracks, the UK is a fantastic place to enjoy a bikepacking trip! To help narrow down your options, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite bikepacking routes in England, Wales and Scotland.
Read on to find your ultimate bikepacking adventure in the UK…
In the interests of complete transparency, we haven’t (yet!) cycled all of the routes/events in this article. If you have ridden any of these, let us know in the comments below!
All metrics in this article are approximate.
What is bikepacking?
Bikepacking enables adventurous cyclists to experience multi-day bike trips off the beaten track.
A bikepacking trip is the chance to disconnect from the everyday and connect with nature in an unrivalled way.
Off-road terrain
The ultimate essence of bikepacking is getting away from paved roads and cycling on off road routes instead. This can include a huge mix of terrain, from gravel paths to grassy fields, forest trails, singletrack and beyond…
Bikepacking therefore requires you to have a bike that can cope with this kind of technical terrain, including chunkier tyres. This makes gravel bikes particularly suitable for bikepacking adventures, as well as mountain bikes.
A grassy trail on the beautiful Pennine Bridleway
Minimalist cyclists
The premise is simple: carry only what you need to survive for a few days on your bike.
This is what sets bikepacking and cycle touring apart – bikepackers are typically minimalists who keep their bike set up as minimal (and lightweight) as possible.
Bike bags are usually much smaller than the usual two pannier cycle touring set up and any gear carried is stripped back to the absolute essentials – every gram counts!
Find out more about bikepacking and gravel bike touring here.
A minimalist bikepacking set up
The best bikepacking routes in England
1. West Kernow Way, England
Best for an epic and beautiful cycling challenge in Cornwall
Concentrating on the gravel descent down to Cape Cornwall (photo credit: Jordan Gibbons/Pannier)
Distance
230 kilometres
What to expect
Some of the UK’s most spectacular coastal scenery awaits on this hilly, figure of eight bikepacking journey around the western peninsula of Cornwall.
The route starts in the town of Penzance, heading west towards Land’s End. Land’s End is the UK’s most south westerly point, and is always a great photo opportunity.
Other highlights include the stunning Cape Cornwall headland and its beautiful clifftop gravel routes, as well as the chance to discover Cornwall’s rich mining heritage, which is obvious as you traverse the landscapes around Redruth.
Lizard Point is also on the route and a finish at St Michael’s Mount makes this a journey that combines some of Cornwall’s best points of interest with the chance to discover quieter, lesser visited trails.
More information
A guide to cycling Cornwall
Also consider
The Scottish Hebridean Way is another coastal gem for cyclists in the UK! The official route is fully paved, but the roads are generally very quiet, and the wild landscapes of the Outer Hebrides provide a feeling of remote isolation.
2. King Alfred’s Way, England
Best for immersing yourself in England’s rich history
A gravel path near Stonehenge (photo credit: Robert Spanring/ Cycling UK)
Distance
354 kilometres
What to expect
Developed and launched by Cycling UK in 2020, King Alfred’s Way is a 354 kilometre circular route inspired by King Alfred the Great and his Kingdom of Wessex.
The loop begins in Winchester, where King Alfred is buried in the Cathedral. It then winds its way past some of the south of England’s best loved historic treasures, including Stonehenge, Iron Age hill forts and the stunning Salisbury Cathedral.
King Alfred’s Way is designed as a long-distance off-road cycling journey and utilises a mix of off road trails that traverse a range of rural landscapes in the South of England. Highlights include parts of the South Downs Way and the ancient Ridgeway, a historic path considered to be Britain’s oldest road.
Pretty woodland trails, open fields with panoramic views and historical sites of interest all combine to make this a noteworthy bikepacking adventure not to be missed!
More information
Get King Alfred’s Way GPX routes and a map here.
Also consider
- Looking for more bikepacking adventures inspired by history in the UK? The Rebellion Way in Norfolk, East Anglia is inspired by the warrior queen Boudicca and takes in sections of the Boudicca Way, as well as the settlement of Venta Icenorum, the capital of Boudicca’s Iceni people.
- For bikepackers happy to travel a little further away, the Camino de Santiago in Spain and Via Francigena in Italy are both off-road journeys on gravel paths that have fascinating, historical importance.
3. South Downs Way, England
Best for a mini bikepacking adventure in the English countryside
The beautiful scenery of the South Downs National Park
Distance
160 kilometres
What to expect
Starting in Winchester and finishing at the coast in Eastbourne, the route spans the length of the stunning South Downs National Park and takes in the southeast coast.
The South Downs Way is an undulating route that traverses a mixture of terrain, including grassy fields and chalk paths.
Don’t be fooled by the shorter distance of the route either, there are some steep climbs to tackle and technical sections that make this route better suited for a mountain bike, or experienced gravel riders with good skill levels.
The reward of taking on the South Downs Way? On one side of the trail you have beautiful coastal views of the sea and on the other, the green rolling landscapes of Sussex. This is quintessential English countryside at its best!
More information
Guide to cycling the South Downs
4. Pennine Bridleway, England
Best for bikepacking in remote, unspoilt landscapes
Coming down from Fountains Fell to Pen y Gent in the Yorkshire Dales
Distance
330 kilometres
What to expect
The Pennine Bridleway is a varied and rugged route that traverses the Pennine Hills from the Peak District, all the way to the Scottish Borders. The Pennines’ length and geographical position has earned them the nickname, ‘the backbone of England’.
In between, the bridleway explores some of Northern England’s most dramatic landscapes, including the expansive, desolate moors of Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria, as well as the remote and little visited Cheviot Hills of Northumberland.
The further north you go on the Pennine Bridleway, the more you feel like you’re leaving the everyday world behind! The North Pennines takes you deep into Northumberland’s quiet interior, England’s least populated county.
Also consider
- Looking for more remote landscapes to explore by bike? The Sandstone Way is another multi day journey through Northumberland from the far north of the county in Berwick Upon Tweed, to the historic market town of Hexham, 218 kilometres south.
- For bikepackers looking for a sense of solitude and isolation overseas, the remote landscapes of Iceland’s Westfjords are also worth checking out.
The best bikepacking routes in Wales
5. Trans Cambrian Way, Wales
The Claerwen Reservoir part of Elan Valley Reservoirs.
Best for biking a challenging ride from the English border to the Irish Sea
Distance
170 kilometres
What to expect
Traversing east to west across the heart of Wales, the trail takes you across the spectacular Cambrian Mountains. The result? This brutal route has a lot of climbing (over 3,000 metres) and is certainly one for bikepackers with a good level of fitness!
The journey starts on the English Wales border in the town of Knighton and snakes its way to the coast at the mouth of the river Dyfi.
The whole journey is bucket list worthy but the section through the Elan Valley is particularly standout and features some great gravel roads. You cycle past beautiful reservoirs, including Caban Coch and Claerwen, and it’s so quiet that you’re more likely to encounter sheep than other humans at this stage of the route…
The Trans Cambrian Way is probably best suited to mountain bikes, but it’s achievable on a robust gravel bike.
The best bikepacking routes in Scotland
6. John Muir Way, Scotland
Aerial view of Edinburgh city
Best for a unique coast to coast bikepacking adventure
Distance
212 kilometres
What to expect
Want to try bikepacking Scotland? This bikepacking route in Scotland connects Helensburgh in the west with Dunbar in the east. Interestingly, John Muir, the namesake of the route, was a mountaineer born in the coastal town of Dunbar.
This varied journey is relatively flat (1,800 metres of elevation in total) compared with other routes listed in our article. This makes it a great bikepacking for beginners option.
For bikepackers looking to push themselves, you could try and set a new Fastest Known Time (“FKT”) and complete it in a day.
The journey connects coast, canals and countryside, it even passes through the legendary Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. Other highlights of bikepacking the John Muir Way include skirting the edge of Loch Lomond, the impressive Falkirk Wheel and the Avon Aqueduct.
More information
Also consider
For another coast to coast adventure, the Devon C2C is worth a look. This follows several cycle paths, making it highly accessible to a range of cyclists. The Tarka Trail section is particularly lovely.
7. West Highland Way, Scotland
Best for a biking adventure soaking up the stunning landscapes of the Scottish Highlands
Remote singletrack on the West Highland Way
Distance
154 kilometres
What to expect
The West Highland Way is probably better known as a popular long walking route in Scotland. The route starts in Milngavie (just north of Glasgow) and finishes in the bustling town of Fort William.
The 154 kilometre journey takes in some of the highlands’ most iconic scenery, including Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and the mind-blowing scenery of the Glen Coe valley – home to many legendary Munros.
This challenging route features some rugged, technical terrain in parts, so it is one for more experienced bikepackers who are confident riding this kind of terrain with all their gear. You should also prepare for a few hike-a-bike sections too!
Be aware! The trail is shared use and very popular with walkers, especially during the summer months, so take care and be respectful of others.
Also consider
- Another epic Scottish walking and bikepacking trail is the Cape Wrath route. This route takes riders all the way to the far north of Scotland and features even more rugged and remote terrain! For the intrepid riders who complete it, you’ll join the Cape Wrath Fellowship of cyclists and even receive a certificate!
- For a less technical Scottish bikepacking adventure, the iconic NC500 is also an option. This journey features paved roads throughout the route and can be extremely busy during the summer months, but the scenery is totally knockout!
What’s next? Time to plan your UK bikepacking adventure…
Taking a break on King Alfred’s Way (photo credit: Robert Spanring/Cycling UK)
We hope this list has got you excited about planning your own bikepacking UK routes!
For the ultimate long distance cycling journey in the UK, take a look at Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG). Also the Wild Atlantic Way route (yes, it’s mainly Ireland but it finishes in Derry in Northern Ireland!).
Looking for more gravel riding ideas overseas? Don’t miss this gravel bike adventures article for bikepacking Europe ideas, including cycling Iceland’s Westfjords, one of Europe’s last great wildernesses.
For more useful gravel cycling planning tips don’t miss these articles…
- How to plan a cycling holiday
- Guide to gravel touring
- Bike touring packing list
- Best UK cycling holidays
- Best long-distance routes in the UK
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Fran is a North East based cyclist with a particular passion for cycle touring. Her love for cycling has seen her take on some of the UK and Europe’s best-known multi-day cycle routes, including the Hebridean Way, Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena. Beyond exploring on two wheels, Fran is a key member of the Epic Road Rides team and is usually found writing travel guides for other cyclists who also want to explore the world by bike.
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