Bristol Cycle Routes
There's several excellent routes along the National Cycle Network to try in and around the city of Bristol. Highlights include the Bristol to Bath railway Path which is a great one for families or anyone looking for a nice traffic free ride.
There's also some nice woodland trails to be found in Leigh Woods and mountain bike trails in Rowberrow Warren.
Use the links to view full route information including elevation profiles, interactive maps and GPS downloads.
You can also view an overview map of all the routes in the using the Bristol Cycle Map>>
| Route Name | Photo | Distance | Description |
| Avon Cycleway | 85.1 miles (137 km) | This long distance circular cycle ride explores the countryside, towns and villages surrounding Bristol. View Full Details>> | |
| Bridgwater to Bristol | 55.9 miles (90 km) | This is a long but largely flat ride through some beautiful countryside following National Cycle Route 3 from Bridgwater to the busy city of Bristol. You will pass through Glastonbury (home of the famous music festival) and the Mendip forest on your way through Somerset to Gloucestershire. Highlights include a lovely waterside section along the pretty Chew Valley Lake at Chew Stoke and the Shapwick Heath RSPB reserve. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol and Bath Railway Path | 16.2 miles (26 km) | This lovely cycle or walk takes you along a disused railway line with its series of charming stations. Starting in the historic city of Bristol you will pass through Staple Hill, Mangotsfield and then Warmley where the station platform contains a cafe - perfect for a stop for refreshments. The route then takes you along the Avon Valley Railway and past Bitton railway station which also has a cafe. The final delightful section takes you along the River Avon and into the historic city of Bath. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol to Chepstow | 24.9 miles (40 km) | This lovely ride takes you from England to Wales via the Severn Bridge. The ride starts on the River Avon in Bristol and takes you along the River Severn before crossing the bridge into Wales and finishing in Chepstow. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol to Gloucester | 52.8 miles (85 km) | This ride starts on the River Avon in Bristol and takes you along the River Severn to Gloucester. The route follows the National Cycle Route 41 for most of the way and is largely flat so expect a nice relaxing scenic ride. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol to Portishead | 10.6 miles (17 km) | Travel along the River Avon and through the stunning Avon Gorge on this ride from Bristol to the Somerset coast. You start off in Bristol and soon join the River Avon which takes you to Pill, passing the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Leigh Woods and the Avon Gorge on the way. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol to Thornbury | 24.9 miles (40 km) | This route starts by the River Avon in Bristol and follows the tow path for a few miles before heading north along National Cycle Route 4 to Thornbury. View Full Details>> | |
| Bristol to Trowbridge | 29.8 miles (48 km) | This lovely largely traffic free route takes you along National Cycle Route 4 from Bristol to Bath and Bradford-on Avon before finishing in Trowbridge. View Full Details>> | |
| Festival Way | 6.2 miles (10 km) | This largely traffic free route runs along National Cycle Route 33 from Bristol to Nailsea. You start off in the centre of Bristol and soon pick up a lovely riverside path along the River Avon. Soon after you enter the splendid Ashton Court Park where you will find 850 acres of woodland, grassland and deer park. The route is so named because of the use of the Ashton Court Estate for various festivals such as a Kite Festival and a Balloon Festival. In the park there are two very good mountain bike trails. There is a blue (moderate) grade route with small rock steps, rollers (bumps) and berms (banked corners). There's also a more difficult red graded route for experienced mountain bikers. After leaving the park you continue you through the village of Long Ashton before heading into Nailsea on Blackwell Bow. The pretty Tyntesfield House is not far from this final section of the route and worth a short detour if you have time. View Full Details>> | |
| Great Wood Quantocks | 1.9 miles (3 km) | Enjoy miles of cycling and walking trails in this large area of woodland in the Quantocks. There is a red waymarked walking trail starting from the main car park which takes you to Ramscombe on good footpaths. The area has fine trees including ancient oaks, Majestic Douglas firs and Sitka spruce. There are also lovely streams and grassy glades to enjoy a picnic in. Look out for a variety of wildlife including red and roe deer, nightjar and sparrowhawk. The wood has miles of wide paths which are excellent for mountain biking. You can easily extend your ride by continuing along the many bridleways in Seven Wells Wood or Quantock Combe. To extend your walking in the area you could head east to Hawkridge Reservoir and enjoy circular walk around the water. On the south western fringe of the wood you will find Wills Neck, the highest point in the Quantock Hills. View Full Details>> | |
| Leigh Woods | 1.9 miles (3 km) | Enjoy cycling and walking trails in this forest and nature reserve in Bristol. The reserve is located in the beautiful Avon Gorge and is a popular retreat from the city. You can enjoy oak, small leaf lime and ash forest with carpets of bluebells in the springtime. Along the way you can enjoy sculpture trails, views of the River Avon and the Clifton Suspension Bridge and a variety of wildlife. Look out for bullfinch, marsh tit, song thrush and Peregrine falcon as you make your way through the woods. The area is managed by the National Trust so the trails are well maintained. Walkers can enjoy various waymarked walking trails including the popular one-mile woodland wander which will suit all abilities. The whole of the circular route below is designed for walkers. If you are on a bike please stick to the marked cycle trails which start from the same point as this route. For cyclists there is a blue grade trail which makes for a nice traffic free ride for beginners or families. The video below shows this trail known as the Yer Tiz trail. There is also a red grade trail for more experienced mountain bikers to try. A National Cycle Network trail also runs through the forest. Parking is available at the woods but you could follow the River Avon Trail from the centre of Bristol to extend your exercise. It's about a 2-3 mile walk/cycle along the river from the city centre and train station. To extend your walk you can cross the river and visit the lovely Durdham and Clifton Downs. View Full Details>> | |
| National Cycle Route 3 | 327.5 miles (527 km) | This is the complete route for Sustrans National Cycle Route 3 in the south west of England. View Full Details>> | |
| Rowberrow Warren | 3.4 miles (5.5 km) | Enjoy miles of mountain bike trails and walking trails in these woods near Cheddar. You can start from the village of Rowberrow, just north of Shipham. Just head east from the village and you can pick up the bridleways and tracks through the woods. It's an attractive area with shady clearings, streams and interesting flora and fauna to look out for. The woods are crossed by two long distance footpaths. In the northern end of the woods you can pick up the Limestone Link and follow it to Dolebury Warren and Burrington Combe, where there are more good mtb trails. The climb to Beacon Batch on Black Down hill starts from the car park here. The hill is the highest point in the Mendip Hills and provides great views over the lovely Blagdon Lake. The West Mendip Way also passes along the southern end of the site. You can pick this up to head to Shipham. View Full Details>> | |
| Two Tunnels Greenway | 11.5 miles (18.5 km) | This is a super, shared cycling and walking path making use of a disused railway path through Bath and the surrounding countryside. View Full Details>> |
