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UK's first complete cycle route map series published

Northern Ireland maps, produced by Sustrans, have completed the series, covering 14,000 miles of the National Cycle Network

The UK’s first complete cycle map series has been published, covering 14,000 miles of cycle routes and more than 100 recommended day rides.

A set of Northern Ireland maps was the latest to be published by sustainable transport charity Sustrans, completing a 53-map series of pocket guides mapping the entire National Cycle Network.

Sustrans started working on the maps in 2012, and will continue updating them as new routes are added. The last maps of this kind were published in the 1950s, before the National Cycling Network existed. 

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Martyn Brunt, Head of Mapping at Sustrans said: “Our new Pocket Map series is everything you need to plan your trip. It covers all National Cycle Routes and major routes and we’re updating them all the time as new routes are added.”

“We’ve been working on the maps since 2012, starting on the South coast of England and working northwards to Scotland. Northern Ireland and London were the last maps which complete the series.”

Sustrans says more than 85,000 maps, produced by its Four Points Mapping Team, have been sold so far, and several reprinted because they sold out.

Cornwall is the most popular, selling out three times since its launch. Other top sellers include Dorset Downs, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the Peak District, Severn and Thames, South West Wales, Yorkshire Wolds and York and the North Yorkshire Moors.

You can find out more and buy the maps here.

 

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6 comments

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whobiggs | 7 years ago
0 likes

I totally agree with all the above comments. Why can't they introduce a system that tell you what tyhe surface is like, maybe a knobbly symbol or dotted line if the surface is rough or not suitable for road bikes? The picture here is on the Trans Pennine Trail, oh what fun getting my bike and two peoples camping gear up that. Great for families, buggies, wheelchairs etc!. I've been in touch with Sustrans but no response from them.

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MBWB | 7 years ago
2 likes

The NCN route near me travels between two Local Authorities. On the Cheshire East side its fantastic and perfect conditions and heavily used. On the Stockport side its fine in parts and then its rutted and basically a farmers road. This is fine on a mountain bike but no fun on a road bike. They claim they will eventually get round to it but it shows how a major issue is not having a central body funding it and instead relying on LAs and their irratic decision making.

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jollygoodvelo | 7 years ago
2 likes

Great, I really need to know where there's some poorly surfaced paths with posts in the middle - or a 60mph A-road - near me.

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ibike | 7 years ago
4 likes

Perhaps they could now start work on completing the cycle routes...

[I know it's not really their fault but in 2016 they should be setting the bar a lot higher and stop accepting crap from councils].

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Al__S | 7 years ago
10 likes

That they include no information about surface and very little information about accesibility barriers shows just how frustrating the supposed National Cycle Network is. In places it's fine, in places it is great that Sustrans have helped fund decent tarmac cycleways, but it is so, so very inconsistent. On road sections especially are frequently terribly signed, playing "hunt the NCN sticker" is a fun game for all the family!

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the little onion | 7 years ago
9 likes

The title is wrong - it should be "UK's first complete Sustrans route map series published"

 

Most Sustrans routes that I know of are not fit and proper cycle routes. One of them near me disappears across a farmer's field. Another has a flight of steps. Just because Sustrans says it can be cycled, doesn't mean it can.

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