I couldn’t believe I’d seen these blue signs so many times in my life and never paid attention to the red box below the bike. With a quick google, it turned out that the majority of my commute happened to use cycle route 20. In 2015 when once I realised the National Cycle Network existed, it gave m
e a whole host of new routes to try, although if I’m honest, there’s a few stretches so far where I would struggle to run, never mind ride through.
If you’ve no idea what I’m talking about, I suggest heading to www.sustrans.org.uk to have a look at the map and see if there are any routes close by.
I’m mainly around the south of London and I’ve got some tips and tricks to share about a few routes specifically, so watch out for those posts separately.
If you’re looking for something new and you’re up for a challenge, you cannot go wrong with taking starting with one of these routes. From picking route 20 up at the M25 and heading south to Brighton via beautiful country lanes, to ambling along the Thames on route 4 where you can check out some huge riverside houses (and not be jealous at all…).
This is a great way to start for the casual cyclist, but be warned, research is required if you’re not on a bike fit for the terrain. You also need to build your skills at being able to see blue signs through trees and overgrown bushes. All in all, it’s great fun and means you can find somewhere new to explore without accidentally ending up on an extremely busy A road with cars travelling at 70mph. But more on that another time…
Happy exploring!
occasional athlete 