Grand West of England Self-Guided

After arriving in Bath and checking into your accommodation, you can go and collect your rental bicycle, explore the town and/or go for a short warm up ride to check out the bike and equipment.

Bath to Wells 32ml / +614m (L) Leaving Bath you are following the Bath – Bristol Rail Trail west along the River Avon as far as the village of Saltford. Here you turn south on minor country roads and lanes, passing through Pensford on the way to the quaint village of Chew Magna which boasts a couple of great coffee shops. You can view the many species of birds that make Chew Reservoir their home as you pedal alongside the lake. At the southern end of the lake you are faced with a stiff climb (thankfully short) up onto the Mendips Plateau, from where there is a steep drop down into the city of Wells, passing the entrance to Wookey Hole Caves on the way.

Wells Loop 33ml / +411m (L, S) The ride is a clockwise loop to the west of Wells. Leaving the city you pedal first to ancient Glastonbury to visit Glastonbury Tor and Glasbonbury Abbey. From the town you ride out into the Somerset Levels -– a sprawling flatness of meres and reed beds, old peat workings and cattle pasture locked in a framework of sword-straight dykes (known locally as rhynes and pronounced “reens”). The Avalon Marshes is one of the UK’s most significant and important wetland environments. On arrival in the village of Wedmore, you can choose between an easy, flat ride back to Wells – or to continue north to the village of Cheddar for an ascent of the spectacular Cheddar Gorge before dropping back into Wells from the north.

Wells to Heytesbury 37ml / +799m (L, S) Riding east from Wells you will pass the site of the world famous Glastonbury Festival in the village of Pilton before continuing to Batcombe. Turning south there is a stiff climb to Alfred’s Tower before descending to visit the Stourhead Estate. Turning north you ride through Maiden Bradley to Horningsham and through Longleat Estate, where you can opt for a tour of Longleat House. Leaving the estate you continue through the villages of Crockerton, Sutton Veny and Tytherington to finish in Heytesbury.

Heytesbury to Salisbury 19ml / +166m (L) Backtracking from Longbridge Deverill, you ride through Longleat Estate, stopping to visit the magnificent Longleat House if you wish. Leaving Longleat you skirt around the southern outskirts of Warminster to meet the valley of the River Wylye at Tytherington. The ride down the beautiful valley takes you through a series of picture postcard villages that line the river – thatched cottages, ancient coaching inns and medieval churches are everywhere. Arriving at Wilton, you may choose to visit Wilton House before heading for Salisbury with its magnificent Cathedral and its ancient market place.

Salisbury Loop 34ml / +523m (L, S) The loop is a ride to the west of Salisbury visiting Old Wardour Castle and the villages of Tisbury, Donhead St Andrew, Barwick St John and Bishopstone. You may also want to use the day for a visit to Stonehenge (there are buses to Stonehenge from Salisbury with the entrance fee included in the ticket) and / or Salisbury Cathrdral.

Salisbury to Devizes 36ml / +425m (S) Leaving Salisbury to the north, you can take a short detour to Old Sarum before continuing along the valley of the River Avon to Amesbury, close to Stonehenge.There is the option of an out-and-back ride from Amesbury to Stonehenge on backroads (mostly) with a short off-road section. On arrival at the visitor centre you will lock your bikes and make your way to Stonehenge on foot or by the shuttle bus. (Note that it will be wise to book in advance if you plan to visit the monument). You then return to Amesbury by retracing your outward route. From Amesbury you ride north, continuing to follow the River Avon through a series of villages to Upavon, where you bear west, bypassing Pewsey and following a series of quiet country lanes to Devizes.

Devizes Loop 38ml / +498m (L, S) For most, the main focus of interest on today’s ride is the ancient site of Avebury, to the northeast of Devizes. You leave Devizes by backtracking on the previous day’s ride into Devizes as far as the village of Beechingstoke, before turing east to ancient Pewsey (look for the statue of King Alfred). Turning north you ride to historic Marlborough (look for the Marlborough White Horse above the town, Marlborough School, alma mater of the Duchess of Cambridge, and the wide expanse of the Market Place.Riding west from Marlborough you climb, drop and then cross the main A4 to the village of Avebury, where you can wander amongst the stone circles and visit the Alexander Keiller Museum to learn about the excavation of this remarkable site.Leaving Avebury, you return to Devizes passing by the Alton Barnes White Horse (watch for hang gliders) and following the path of the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Devizes to Tetbury 34ml / +313m (L) You leave Devizes following the Kennet and Avon Canal west to the Caen Hiil flight of locks. The 29 locks have an impressive rise of 237 feet in 2 miles. Continuing west you reach the canal side village of Semington where you turn north through bustling Melksham and continue to the village of Lacock to visit Lacock Abbey and the Fox Talbot Museum (Fox Talbot is credited as being the father of photography). Continue north through picture postcard Biddestone to Sherston. From Sherston there is an out-and-back leg to ancient Malmesbury and its famous Abbey Gardens before heading continuing to Tetbury.

Tetbury to Bourton-on-the-Water 37ml / +824m Although not a particularly long ride, this has quite a lot of up and down work! Although there are no major en route sites of interest as such, the Cotswolds countryside is verybeautiful and makes for very enjoyable riding.Leaving Tetbury to the north you pass historic Chavenage House – check for opening times. You ride through the villages of Sapperton and WInstone en route to Withington – possibly the best lunch option on the route. Riding just to the north of the village of Northleach you visit the hamlets of Compton Abdale, Hazleton, Turkdean and Farmington before reaching your destination of Bourtonon-the-Water – the Cotswold’s very own Little Venice.

Bourton Loop 35ml / +655m (L, S) This loop ride is packed with sites of interest and you will probably have difficulty deciding at which ones you want to spend a bit of time. As you make your way around the loop, the attractions in order are The Slaughters (very attractive Cotswolds twin villages), Stow-onthe-Wold (ancient sheep market town and antiques centre), Moreton-inn-Marsh, Batsford Arboretum and Falconry Centre, Chipping Campden, Broadway Tower, Snowshill Manor, Broadway, Temple Guiting and the Cotswold Farm Park and Rare Breeds Centre.

Bourton to Cirencester 35ml / +542m (L, S) Leaving Bourton you climb to Great Rissington and then turn south to Great Barrington. Here you ride east to historic Burford following the northern bank of the River Windrush. After visiting the town, you follow the southern bank of the river west to Little Barrington and continue to Sherborne and Northleach – a good spot for lunch. After leaving Northleach there is bit of a roller coaster ride to Yanworth Roman Villa. A last climb is followed by a long and gentle descent to Cirencester.

Cirencester Loop 26ml / +388m (L) The loop to the east of Cirencester explores the River Coln Valley and its villages. You will ride through the beautiful villages of Barnsley and Coln Rogers to Bibury, where you can stop to admire the much- photographed Arlington Row. Continuing east you rach the Cotswold Wildlife Park at the far end of the ride before turning back west through Quenington and along the Roman Road back to Cirencester.

Cirencester to Bath 38ml / +444m Riding south from Cirencester you pass through Siddington and Ewen to Kemble, close to the source of the River Thames. Continuing south you come to the picturesque chocolate box village of Castle Combe, made famous as the location for the original Doctor Doolittle film (with Rex Harrison). Leaving the village, you have a final short climb before turning south on a long welcome downhill to Bathampton. You can choose between the road route into Bath or to cross over the toll bridge and pick up the Kennet and Avon canal towpath into the city.