‘Traffic-free lanes and beautiful views’: readers’ favourite UK family cycle routes

These idyllic routes take in nature reserves, a safari park, meandering rivers and coastal views, with plenty of pitstops for tired legs

In Swaledale, between Keld and Reeth, the Swale Trail is a stunning 12-mile cycle track that snakesalong the crystalline River Swale in the Yorkshire Dales. The terrain is manageable for rookie cyclists (that would be me rather than my husband and teenage kids) and there are plenty of stops along the way to have a cold drink and give the pedals a rest. The national park has upgraded the established routes, improving the surface for a less bumpy ride and there are reassuring Swale Trail signposts along the way. About three-quarters of the route is on unsurfaced tracks, the rest on nearly traffic-free lanes. Dales Bike Centre near Reeth is a good place to hire bikes, as is Stage 1 Cycles at Hawes.
Katya Kitchingman