This is a guest post from Matthew Coughlan who works on the hotels team at travelsupermarket.com. With staycations and eco holidays growing in popularity these cycling routes provide a perfect blend of the two.

The changing moods of Britain’s diverse landscapes provide a perfect setting for a bicycle tour. Too often people rush to foreign lands without taking time to explore what is right under their noses, so hop on the saddle and try one these four routes. They’re guaranteed to please come rain or shine.

Sea to Sea (C2C) –Whitehaven to Sunderland

Britain’s most popular long distance cycle route. Tradition dictates that the journey must begin with your rear wheel in the Irish Sea, and is completed 147 miles later when your front wheel rolls into the North Sea.

This is a classic cycle route which sees up to 15’000 cyclist completing it every year. It begins in West Cumbria and sweeps through the heart of the Lake District, and then heads through lush valleys and sandstone villages, before gently climbing through the unspoilt Northern Pennines. From here the beautiful countryside continues as you weave through old mining villages and the Durham Dales, and finishing with an easy ride through the heart of Britain’s industrial past and finally to the North Sea. Plus, with 96% of the route being on dedicated cycle path and minor roads it’s no wonder it’s so popular.

Coast to Coast along the Trans Pennine Trail

Explore urban areas and the countryside as you make your way across Northern England, passing abbeys, castles, bridges, minsters and heritage railways. Unlike most long distance routes in the UK it is mostly off-road

Not to be confused with the C2C, the Trans Pennine Trail was officially opened in September 2001 having secured over £30million to take it from conception to reality. This coast to coast route is located further south and connects Liverpool with Hull, and with the exception of the Pennines section that peaks at around 1400ft at Windle Edge it remains relatively flat across its entire 177.5mile length. After all, what goes up must come down. The huge variety of terrain and the beautiful landscapes make this one a treat.

Lands End to John O’Groats

Known amongst the cycling community simply as LEJOG, this route encompasses the full length of the UK and although it’s a fantastic ride it’s the bragging rights which make this cycling route so grand.

This route encompasses the entire length of Britain and it typically takes around 10 to 14 days to complete. Distances vary depending on the route taken, but suffice to say it will be around 1000 miles. From the English Channel glistening in the sunshine and through the heart of Devon, curving up along the England/ Wales border continuing north where you can take in the serenity of the Scottish highlands on the final push
to the northern tip.

Anglesey loop, Llyn Peninsula & Snowdonia

A journey through 3 of the most beautiful areas in the country. All areas of outstanding natural beauty by definition and fact, encompassing pristine coastlines and a dramatic mountain range.

There is no official route for this ride, but it encompasses several dedicated cycling routes and coastal paths that stay well away from busy roads for the majority of its length. Starting in Beaumaris the route follows an anticlockwise loop around the island of Anglesey, incorporating the national cycle routes 5 and 8 and sections of the islands Hebog, Nico, Giach and Lon Las Cefni cycle loops.

The loop around Anglesey brings
you back towards Beaumaris on national cycle route 8 which continues to sweeps south via the Menai Bridge and onto the Llyn Peninsula Coastal Path. This coastal path explores this unspoilt national heritage coastline in full, and then joins back up with route 8 where you can divert north into the heart of Snowdonia National Park via Blaenau Ffestiniog as you make your way towards Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales.

Image courtesy of SXC – http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1091302

The C2C – Coast to Coast – route runs from western Cumbria, at Whitehaven, to Sunderland on England’s north-east coast and passes through a great deal of beautiful countryside.

The route is more suited to a mountain bike than to dedicated road bikes but has no particularly challenging sections. That does not mean it’s completely flat, but it does means you won’t be cycling along Striding Edge in a blizzard.

It is one of the great success stories for tourism in the north of England, and more than 10000 cyclists are said to complete the route each year. About half of the journey is on small roads, the rest on cycle paths and off-road sections (with a very occasional section, especially at the start and end, in a more built up region). There are various accommodation options along the route so a tent isn’t needed.

Downside? Funny you should ask…

Well it is 146 miles from one end to the other so unless you are Lance Armstrong you’re going to take more than one day to complete it. Occasionally people do it in two days, but very often cyclists prefer to make a holiday out of it and take a few days.

If you haven’t been on a bike since you were 16 and weighed 70 kilogrammes – and are now 46 and weigh 120 kg – you are going to find it tough, and a few months of practice first would be recommended.

Still lacking motivation? Each year there is a C2C challenge for charity where you have all the fun and suffering of cycling the route in two days while also raising money for a good cause. So you get fit, have a good time and raise money for charity all at the same time. What more could you ask?!

Anyway I’d do it myself if I had a mountain bike and lived a bit closer…maybe. See more details here if you feel brave.