Just been reading this fella's blog about riding in Idaho and I really want to do some similar, ie bike packing/touring on a mixture of paved/unpaved roads, gravel, double track, fire road, snow through wide and wild, unspoilt landscapes.
I live in London. I love reading scotroutes' stuff about his adventures in Scotland, but that is quite far for me. Is that my best bet? Where else is there? I'd even be tempted by France/Belgium/Netherlands but the terrain that's within a few hours train ride all seems a bit, well, similar to the South East of England ie flattish and developed. Am I wrong?
Probably Finland. I rode with some friends from Finland to Poland and it was on a mix of tarmac, cycle path and gravel road. In Estonia and Lithuania the gravel roads were fine but in Latvia they were so rough and washboard like we sacked it off one day and got the train.
Finland was the most scenic and will do snow and hills. We loved Lithuania though.
In the uk and accessible from London? Probably Northumberland and the Borders. Train to somewhere north of Morpeth but before Berwick, ride west.
Torino-Nice Rally?
Scotland, for sure.
Or mid-Wales? Not quite the same but there’s some fantastic riding through the middle of beautiful empty landscapes.
If you want something closer than Finland - indeed, accessible by train - yet quite beautiful and dramatic, then I wouldn't rule out the Ardennes. I have a place in a small town in Luxemburg Province (Belgium), and the whole region is just lovely. Take a look, for example, at the topography around Roche-en-Ardennes. Rivers, forests, and rocky hills (ancient mountains?) galore! Plus, low population.
Wales, I'd say. There aren't 'gravel roads' as such but there are forest fire roads which are what you're going to get in the UK. Linked up with tarmac you could do a good job.
There's this, but quite a bit of road: https://www.theracingcollective.com/walesduro.html#route
But otherwise it's packed with fire-roads and jeep tracks.
Or mid-Wales?
I was thinking mid Wales! I'll take a look at the trains...
Munrobiker that does, indeed, look incredible! Finland is prob more like a week's holiday than a weekend or day trip tho, unfortunately 🙁
then I wouldn’t rule out the Ardennes
I would definitely like to know more about the Ardennes, went there once about 15 years ago and loved it...
Probably Northumberland and the Borders
Have you been? I know nothing about it..
I love Finland with a passion and wish I'd never left, however a long distance tour on gravel there would be pretty samey!
Norway has a shedload of gravel too AFAIK but not an expert. I took the train between Bergen and Oslo a few times and as the train trundled across 8 hours of empty mountain and moorland I kept seeing what I presume was the access track for the train line coming and going, would have made an incredible bike ride.
That Guardian article^^ looks nice!!!
bike packing/touring on a mixture of paved/unpaved roads, gravel, double track, fire road, snow through wide and wild, unspoilt landscapes.
I live in London.
Salisbury Plain.
Unpopular opinion; ride locally.
Ok you wont get the feeling of complete remoteness but that's just a matter of framing your photos nicely, for all you know the less filtered version of his ride involves dodging the logging and mining traffic those paths were built for and a constant stream of jeeps and trail bikes (something made those ruts!).
Somewhere in Idaho someone has looked at a blog of the south downs way and planned to come and ride it.
Scotland - thats the sort of riding I like to do nowadays and last summer we did a tour mainly on estate tracks which fit your criteria. Long gravel roads of varying quality with no gnarr or hikabike thru lovely scenery.
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Salisbury Plain
Something like this?:
Long gravel roads of varying quality with no gnarr or hikabike thru lovely scenery.
That's exactly the kind of thing I mean! 🙂
Somewhere in Idaho someone has looked at a blog of the south downs way and planned to come and ride it.
I was in Montana a whole ago. Got talking to a local in the bar, after the "where are you from" bit conversation , among other things chat turned to fishing. Given how stunning Montana is, I mentioned how much I wanted to fish there (this was in winter, so I was skiing instead!).
I then clarified where I live by mentioning the river that runs down the way. It's a rather well know spot for trout.
He practically fell to his knees and begged to come and fish with me!
Your every day local is someone else's dream location.
shermer - I have done quite a few trips like that - and scoped out a few more so if you want any tips on routes I am happy to oblige - you see the bike we are riding - hikabike is no fun with that ( although bits are sometimes unavoidable)
If you don't need that then with good route planning even in the south east / south central you can gain feelings of remoteness. More tracks are quiet outside the odd honey pots.
Jump on the sleeper train. Get off at Corrour station.
Mid wales. Have a look at the area west of the elan valley. Its like a little Scotland. Very remote and deserted. I rode the trans cambrian way earlier this year with Mtb Wales. 106 miles over 3 days. This was fully supported with a guide but you could do it yourself which might be better if gravel is your thing. There is also a route north to south wales but I cant remember what its called.
Mid Wales has got some great isolated bits with gravel and forest roads linked by quiet tarmac back lanes.
A couple of bothys too.
Some decent climbs as well.
Fatbikedog - Lon Las Cymru would be a decent shout.
Sussex earlier this year. There’s lots more like that.
... or there’s Scotland
Has anyone suggested Scotland yet?
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2 minutes from Corrour Station
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Scotland is great, but if you live in London/SE UK, the Alps are the same time/distance away.
The Ardennes are great, been there on a Motorbike holiday but it's very much wooded valleys and tight twisty roads following rivers, not much gravel or massive scenerey.
I'd go a little further south to the Vosges Mountains: https://goo.gl/maps/GHo6BUr2u6R1bnS36
Say what you like about Australia, but those roads and scenery could be right here in Victoria. I can hit roads like that 10 mins from my door and could carry on indefinitely, if the legs and SWMBO was willing.
If you prefer a way marked route, there are loads springing up all over the place. I have this one on my list for my 50th, https://www.mundabiddi.org.au/ 1000+ Kilometres of trail.
Inland Algarve exactly like that
Scotland has lots to offer but slightly nearer to you, there is the Sandstone Way in Northumberland which is a mix of all the things you were after:
https://www.sandstoneway.co.uk/
It can be accessed by public transport both ends and will take you through some q wild spots.
Italy... white roads.
Classic STW. Someone asks about the nearest stuff to London, someone recommends Australia.
OP, if it's a day ride you're after you might also check out the area South and Southwest of Swindon. Marlborough Downs and Ridgeway area. Really beautiful and loads of gravel and although it's not exactly Idaho it's only an hour away.you could even get the train out and ride back.
The answer is, without doubt, Mid-Wales. I did a ride starting and ending from Merthyr station earlier in the year. Loads of lovely gravel.
Merthyr - Llanwrytd Wells - Strata Florida - Rhayader - Brecon - Merthyr.
Train from Paddington to Merthyr via Cardiff and you're golden.
OP, if it’s a day ride you’re after you might also check out the area South and Southwest of Swindon
Behind the natwest?
Another vote for Wales, I bet there's miles on miles of gravel fire road with incredible views.
Top of Afan (wind farm link road):
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what about kielder forest?
Another mid-wales vote. Around Brecon, Llanwrytd Wells, Elan Valley, Nant y Aran, Machynlleth. Loads of gravelly tracks, rocky bits, water crossings. Proper remote feeling without actually being too far away.
Friend of mine lives in the NE, he's posted some lovely pics of gravel type riding round Blanchland (which I can't find right now annoylingly!). Northumberland doesn't look to be short of wide open places with good riding 🙂
I think we're gonna try Northumberland first, then Mid Wales. Any Northumberland suggestions? Best train station to aim for, etc? Going to be going for a long weekend...
As per recommendations above (thanks btw!) I think we'll be heading straight for Kielder Forest
Doesn't look like there are many train stations near Kielder Forest!! 🙂
Correct easiest answer is above - the Ridgeway and Swan Way e-2-e, it starts 30 mins train ride out of Euston. Great 'UK gravel' ride. The early stages in the east half are more mountain bike-y but with some variant routes used it's good on a 700x40mm tyre gravel bike, though 650x50mm is comfier.
Coast to Coast (C2C)? There are miles and miles of old railway lines that are now cycle paths across County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria, many of which are Sustrans and take you up into the Pennines.
What's the Swan Way?
south downs way as a local starter?
failing that its probably the alps or a flight to Denver
Doesn’t look like there are many train stations near Kielder Forest!! 🙂
If you're coming from London get the East Coast main line and get off at Newcastle. Take a shanty train to Hexham to put you in easy range of Kielder. You could follow the Sandstone Way for starters and do the branches off that and end up in Berwick.
Look up the Old Roads and Drove Roads audax route round Salisbury plain.
If you want something closer than Finland – indeed, accessible by train – yet quite beautiful and dramatic, then I wouldn’t rule out the Ardennes.
@SaxonRider what's the best airport for the Ardennes?
I would say that Charleroi is probably the best, but Brussels and Liege both proffer excellent convenience.
The regional trains are superb.
Taunton is less than 2 hours direct from Paddington. Take the lanes to the Quantocks, drop down and along the coast to Exmoor for a loop of the national park. There are a couple of bothies opened up, although they're National Trust ones so not quite bothies in the traditional sense as cost and need booking.
Forest tracks and moorland bridleways galore in both places and easily linked up. Bring your climbing legs though.
Actually, if you went through Exmoor to Ilfracombe you could then do the Devon Coast to Coast to Plymouth (100 miles) and get another train back direct to Paddington.