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10 romantic rides for Valentine's Day

Lovely places for a spin with your loved on this weekend

As February 14 falls on the weekend this year, what better way to spend Valentine's day than to get out for a bike ride with that special person in your life? Active travel organisation Sustrans has come up with 10 suggestions for romantic rides on the National Cycle Network, which it looks after.

These are spots where you can watch a stunning sunset, find a spot for an intimate picnic or explore your own secluded beach, providing the perfect setting for a memorable Valentine’s Day.

Best for watching the sunset

The Burgh by Sands to the Solway Coast route could be the perfect place to watch the sun go down. This ride offers 24 miles of beautiful saltmarsh and farmland before arriving at beaches designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At Bowness-on-Solway there is Campfield Marsh, an RSPB nature reserve with 360 degree views of the Solway Plain.

Best for a wintery picnic

Sustrans Ely to Wicken Fen route takes you to one of Europe's most important wetlands. Lose yourselves in the flowering meadows and find the perfect secluded spot for a romantic picnic.

Best for a tour the city at dusk

London is the ideal backdrop for a romantic walk or bike ride at dusk. With its historic buildings, romantic parks and cobbled streets the city really comes alive at this time of night. Sustrans Tower Bridge to Greenwich route ends at Greenwich where you can visit the Royal Observatory and go star spotting with your loved one.

Best for exploring your own secluded beach

Sustrans Alnmouth to Druridge Bay route hugs the beautiful Northumberland coastline and ends up at the picturesque Druridge Bay. Seven-miles of pristine dunes and sandy beaches where you are likely to have the place largely to yourselves, this undiscovered gem is a must.

Best for visiting a romantic castle

The Cardiff to Castell Coch route takes you to the 19th century castle built on medieval remains. Situated on a hillside surrounded by beech woodland, its conical turrets rising about the trees give it a beautifully romantic fairy-tale appearance.

Best for hiring a tandem for two

For those wanting a fun day out, why not try hiring a tandem for two in Lancing on the South Coast and cycle from Worthing to Brighton. On arriving in Brighton you can join National Route 20 which takes you past the beautiful and ornate Royal Pavilion.

Best for a romantic weekend away

The perfect weekend away, the epic Devon Coast to Coast route combines the beaches and estuaries of North Devon with lush green valleys. The route also skirts round the western flank of Dartmoor offering superb views of Cornwall and the surrounding area. Largely tracing the course of former railway lines, the route takes you through tunnels and across breathtaking Victorian viaducts and bridges.

Best for a country pub and roaring fire

The Cotswold Line takes you into the heart of the Cotswolds and through the quaint village of Kingham – where you can stop in at the newly opened Wild Rabbit pub. This stylish yet traditional pub is the perfect pitstop. Relax into one of the large leather chairs in front of the fire and sample beers from local artisan breweries.

Best for the adventurous couple

If you fancy some alone time, then the challenging Challander-Killin route is for you. Showcasing Scotland’s natural beauty, the route takes you past waterfalls, glens, lochs and heather clad mountains.

Best for a travelling abroad

Cycle to Paris, the romance capital of the world! Starting at the London Eye and ending in Paris, the 250 mile Avenue Verte route takes riders on a challenging but rewarding journey through towns, villages and beautiful countryside on both sides of the Channel.

To plan your own romantic ride this Valentine’s Day and find out more information about routes on the National Cycle Network go to www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/maps

This content has been added by a member of the road.cc staff

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8 comments

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padonbike | 9 years ago
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Its Callander. Not Challander. And its not challenging either. Did it with my dad 75yrs.

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davenportmb | 9 years ago
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This is a great article! Much better than focusing on accidents and deaths. More of this please! What about a monthly route review where you pick one route (Sustrans or otherwise), ride it, write it up (with appropriate pub recommendations, of course) and post it with a bunch of nice photographs?

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Scoob_84 | 9 years ago
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or if you both want to get hot and sweaty, there's men and women's racing at hog hill this wekend

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/121620/

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farrell | 9 years ago
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All Sustrans routes are best for couples.

It's always handy to have someone with you to give you a hand lifting your bike over the endless number of stupid bloody barriers they always fit their routes with.

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Bärli Bär replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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farrell wrote:

All Sustrans routes are best for couples.

It's always handy to have someone with you to give you a hand lifting your bike over the endless number of stupid bloody barriers they always fit their routes with.

this made me chuckle. So true!

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skull-collector... replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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Yes, and for this FUCK SUSTRANS.  14  14  14  14  14  14  14  14  14

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Leeroy_Silk replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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farrell wrote:

All Sustrans routes are best for couples.

It's always handy to have someone with you to give you a hand lifting your bike over the endless number of stupid bloody barriers they always fit their routes with.

I know some guys who work for Sustrans. My first question to them upon learning of their chosen careers was "so which of you is responsible for thinking cycle paths should run through the middle of farmers ploughed fields?"
They both looked at each other and said "him!"

On a side note, one of them rides a cyclocross bike as his daily, which may explain an awful lot...

Avatar
sean1 | 9 years ago
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Also the LoveCrossed Cyclo-Cross races take place on 14th February, with a romantic CX couples relay.

It is only down the road from road.cc HQ too, near Tetbury in the Cotswolds.

http://www.lovecrossed.co.uk/

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