Looking to do a one-way ride from Bristol to Great Malvern, with a lift back home. Ideally on quiet roads with a nice cafe stop!

Any route suggestions please?

I did once ride to Cheltenham via birdlip which was a nice ride, so I could extend that but not very familiar with the area. Or alternatively go over the bridge and up through FOD/Hereford.

From Brizzle, get to the old Severn Bridge, then follow the lanes up the English side (basically, take whichever is the nearest one to the river that’s not a dead end, it’s pretty obvious from the map). You’ll go through Berkeley at some point, then to Purton, where you pick up the Sharpness canal all the way to Gloucester docks. Work your way through the centre of Gloucester (literally past the cathedral, past Kingsholm, then onto the A38 up through Longford and Twigworth. Turn left at Norton and drop to the river (Red Lion at the bottom of the hill by the river might be a good lunch stop). Cross the river at Tirley, then hang a right and follow tiny lanes skirting the other bank of the river to Forthampton. This is stuff I know well and is pretty much all pretty lovely.

From there, looks like you pick up the B2411 and stay on it all the way to Gt Malvern, but I’m not as familiar with that end.

Would recommend the National Cycle Network route 41 and then 45 pretty much all the way. Lovely route, relatively flat and once you get into Strensham you can branch off to Ryall, cross the river at Upton and then onto Malvern on some nice lanes.

Nice suggestions thanks guys 👍

Whereabouts in Bristol? Road or MTB?
Once at Gloucester docks avoid A38 as Blob says by going to Maisemore on cycle paths, then Hartpury,
Ashleworth, Tirley etc on Route 45, But when you get to A438, follow R45, across main road, but take first left to Pipers End then onwards to Birts Street ( good pub), Castlemorton and Welland via Druggers End.
Then short hop to Malvern, No A roads at all (apart from 100m on A438), mainly flat ( Nice short sharp climb on Old Hartpury Road) and quiet country lanes.

Do it lots of times from Dursley Can send GPX if you want.

+1 @stgeorge has your back from Glos (that sounds exactly the way I ride from Quedgley><Malvern especially stopping at The Farmer’s Arms for a swifty 😎. It’s a nice route (outside of flood seasons)

Bookmarked, as I’ve been thinking about joining the dots further to-from Bristol. My idle thoughts in that direction to date have been along the canal towpath from Purton to Gloucester then as above. I’m thinking maybe Bristol – Purton would be mostly flat (but probably dirty) narrow lanes Cribbs Causeway – Easter Compton – Pilning – Ingst (fuzzy here) – Berkeley – Purton?

@p7eaven

Cribs to Purton, drop down to Easter Compton, then NCR 4 to Olveston, then NCR 41, Oldbury, Berkely and cut down to Purton if on MTB/Gravel and on to Glos. Lanes are generally great, only muddy around Hurst Farm when wet.

If your on a road bike I would just stay on NCR 41 all the way to Glos, only a mile on canal bank from Slimbridge but hard gravel so ok, then flat lanes through Frampton, Longney, Elmore to Rea Bridge and on to surfaced canal bank up to the Docks

and don’t forget the sting in the tail from south side of the hills, head up British Camp and along the back lanes, past Wyche and choice of direction, west and amble down or east and amble down, enjoy:)

and don’t forget the sting in the tail from south side of the hills, head up British Camp and along the back lanes, past Wyche and choice of direction, west and amble down or east and amble down, enjoy:)

Indeed +1