New UK bikepacking route is the 'perfect introduction' to adventure cycling, designers say

Riders atop Combe Hill Chilterns Royal Chilterns Way — (Image credit: Cycling UK)

Majestic rolling hillsides, historic regal villages and bluebell-lined woodland trails sounds like quintessential deepest England to us, but think again – they can all be found within a stone's throw of London on Cycling UK's brand new multi-day adventure route, the Royal Chilterns Way.

The 280km (174km) bikepacking route traverses the Chilterns, just north-west of the capital and is made all the more accessible thanks to its three-loop design. It's not fully off-road, but is about 65% gravel or non-paved.

It begins in Reading and heads north-east through Henley-on-Thames, Chesham and Berkhamsted almost as far as Dunstable, before turning back and tracing a different path back to Reading, via Wendover and Marlow.

CUK says: "The multi-day route is designed in a way to be the ideal introduction to bikepacking, allowing riders to tackle it in segments, or for the more adventurous, the whole route."

It features 3,383m of climbing which, spread across three or more days, should become perfectly manageable for most riders.

It is the ninth adventure route pioneered by the UK cycling charity since 2018, and like those, the Royal Chiltern Way has a significant off-road portion, making it ideal for gravel bikes or hardtail mountain bikes.

At the same time as announcing its new Chilterns route, Cycling UK has unveiled its new 'Adventure Series' collection of rides, which comprises the new route as well as six others that Cycling Weekly readers may well have read about already: the West Kernow Way in Cornwall, Cantii Way in Kent, the Rebellion Way in Norfolk, King Alfred's Way in south central England, Traws Eryri in Wales, and Marcher Castles Way in Shropshire and Wales.

Each route in the series, says CUK, is designed for a long-week escape and accessible by train. They are, it says: "Built for competent cyclists using gravel bikes, cyclo-cross or mountain bikes [and] link quiet roads, scenic trails and places to rest and refuel."

CUK's head of membership Hannah Foster said: “Long-distance cycle routes are one of the best ways to explore Britain. They connect cities, towns and villages and bring real benefits to local communities by supporting regional economies."

Royal Chilterns Way route designer Max Darkins added: “Growing up in the Chilterns sparked my passion for cycling and inspired a lifelong love of the area and exploring the country by bike. This lesser-known part of the south-east has so much to offer and in working closely with Cycling UK we have carefully crafted a route that would give people the chance to escape and connect with nature."

All route details, plus GPX files, are available to download free at CUK's website: www.cyclinguk.org/routes/adventure-series.

After cutting his teeth on local and national newspapers, James began at Cycling Weekly as a sub-editor in 2000 when the current office was literally all fields.

Eventually becoming chief sub-editor, in 2016 he switched to the job of full-time writer, and covers news, racing and features.

He has worked at a variety of races, from the Classics to the Giro d'Italia – and this year will be his seventh Tour de France.

A lifelong cyclist and cycling fan, James's racing days (and most of his fitness) are now behind him. But he still rides regularly, both on the road and on the gravelly stuff.