Oxford
Ride the best traffic free cycle routes Oxfordshire has to offer! 6 trails listed below!
Ride the best traffic free cycle routes Oxfordshire has to offer! 6 trails listed below!
The Ridgeway on Whitehorse Hill by Des Blenkinsopp under license CC BY-SA 4.0
In this post we highlight some of the best cycling routes in and around the city of Oxford. Cycling around the city is a great way to see the sights while getting some exercise. The city is filled with narrow streets and beautiful architecture that can be best appreciated from the seat of a bicycle. And since Oxford is such a bike-friendly city, cycling here is a pleasure. There are plenty of bike lanes and racks throughout the city, making it easy to find a place to park your bike. And if you get tired of pedaling, there are plenty of hills to coast down. Oxford is a great place to visit for any cycling enthusiast.
You can take on the amazing mountain bike trails at Ashton Hill Bike Park, cycle to see the stunning Blenheim Palace or take the family on an easy ride along the Phoenix Trail!
Once you've read up on the cycle routes to try on your visit to Oxford, why not have a look at our blog posts for the activities that are available to do here. You can find them on the following button below:
Cycling in Oxford: The Best Way to See the City
The table above lists all the best traffic free cycle routes Oxfordshire has to offer. Click on each name to be taken straight to the part of the blog post for that route.
The Ridgeway
The Ridgeway is a journey through time on British soil, where you can experience wide open views of rolling chalk downland and explore ancient treasures such as Neolithic long barrows and Bronze Age round barrows. Stretching for over 80 miles, the Ridgeway is a route that will test your fitness levels. Click on the button for more information before you travel.
Oxford to Birmingham
Follow the National Cycle Route 5 as this route through the southern Midlands takes in some of England’s most famous tourist sights, like the historic architecture of Oxford and the wonderful Blenheim Palace to name a few. But there is so much more than just history on this ride! You'll enjoy country lanes that lead into Birmingham's canal side as well as beautiful rail paths connecting all these places together - it doesn't matter if your passion lies with cycling (or walking!), you'll be sure to enjoy this scenic journey.
Oxford to Blenheim Palace
If you don't fancy the long ride to Birmingham mentioned above, you could stop your journey at the magnificent Blenheim Palace! The family friendly ride takes you from the historic city of Oxford to Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Following the National Cycle Route 5 through residential neighborhoods as it heads out towards Woodstock with a journey length of around 8 miles.
Shelter near Towersey on Phoenix Trail cycleway by David Hawgood under license CC BY-SA 4.0
Phoenix Trail
If you're looking for an easy bike ride with beautiful views of the Chiltern Hills, this is it! The Phoenix Trail is a well maintained path that makes biking fun and flat enough so even beginners can enjoy themselves. At either end there's a market town full of interesting places to stop in for a bite to eat or to buy some souvenirs!
MTB: Aston Hill Bike Park
The bike park at Aston Hill is the perfect place to enjoy some fresh air and get in touch with your inner mountain biking champion. The terrain offers five downhill trails that will take you down forest paths for an exciting ride on two wheels! There's also pump tracks where kids can practice their skills before taking on the more challenging trails available here!
MTB: Bagley Wood
This 6.8 Km trail near Abingdon, Oxfordshire is perfect for mountain biking, hiking and bird watching any time of the year. The trail is pretty long and great for beginner bikers taking just under 2 hours to complete. Perfect for an afternoon biking with the family!
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have shared some of the best bike trails around Oxford. To find out more about things to do in this area, click on the buttons below:
Please note...
All outdoor activities including cycling involve a degree of risk. The routes are recommended due to the well known features of each route but this may change over time and further research is required before undertaking any activity. The weather can also impact the surface and general conditions of each route so please keep yourself updated with the weather forecast before setting off to enjoy your cycle!