Best Traffic-Free Cycling Days Out in the UK — 14 Family-Friendly Trails

A traffic-free cycle trail is one of the best-value family days out going — flat, safe, scenic, and mostly free. Britain's old railway lines and forest trails are perfect for it. Here are 14 of the best, with bike hire where you need it.

Old railway lines (flat & easy)

• The Camel Trail (Cornwall) — Padstow to Wadebridge and beyond, flat and gorgeous along the estuary; hire bikes at either end.
• The Tarka Trail (Devon) — one of the longest traffic-free routes in the country, along a former railway.
• The Monsal Trail (Peak District) — through lit tunnels and over viaducts; hire at Hassop Station.

Forest loops with bike hire

• Sherwood Pines, Grizedale and Dalby Forest — waymarked family trails (green = easy) with hire and cafés on site.

City & coast paths

• The Bristol & Bath Railway Path — a flat, car-free ride linking two great cities.

Practical notes

These trails are flat and traffic-free, so they suit young riders and nervous beginners. Most are free; budget for bike hire (often available at trailheads) if you're not bringing your own. Check the surface (some are gravel), carry water and a basic repair kit, and go early on summer weekends when the popular trails and their car parks fill up.