Does the UK really have the terrain for gravel road adventures?

We followed the North Downs Way, and found that there's plenty of gravel bike ready terrain right on our doorstep

Image: Peter Cornish

You’d have to have been hiding under a rock to miss out on the headline news that gravel riding is à la mode right now.

Cycling’s sometimes cliquey road riding fraternity is suddenly and simultaneously expressing a desire to explore the undiscovered. We all want to disappear into a cloud of dust thrown up by fat tyres whilst remaining agnostic about the ratio of lycra to merino. Some of us are even wearing baggy shorts - not under duress.

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