Long-Distance Cycling Routes Along the Great West Way®

For the experienced rider — terrain that demands athletic focus, scenic rewards, and thoughtful planning

The Great West Way® is rich with journeys that unfold when you commit to the long distance: quiet canal corridors, ancient landscapes, and road networks that meander through rolling downs, market towns, and across historic valleys. For serious riders attuned to varied terrain and multi-day adventure, parts of this region offer some of southern England’s most compelling long-distance cycle routes — each a distinctive way to observe the landscape from two wheels, with terrain that rewards planning, stamina, and savoured pace.

Below are standout routes that can be experienced as complete epics or thoughtfully composed sections, suitable for seasoned cyclists seeking depth, challenge, and continuous terrain.

Kennet & Avon Canal Cycle Route (Bath to Reading) — ~82–85 miles

One of the most celebrated long cycling routes in southern England, the Kennet & Avon Canal cycleway threads gentle towpaths and scenic country lanes from the Georgian city of Bath to the Thames at Reading. This continuous corridor is perfect for a multi-day ride, combining traffic-free waterside cycling with the region’s distinctive rural character and canal heritage. The route features dramatic canal aqueducts and the iconic Caen Hill flight of locks, and passes through the Vale of Pewsey with its wide views and historic villages.

The surface changes along the way — much of the towpath is compacted stone or grass, and some sections are suited to wider tyres — so a well-prepared bike, gravel or hybrid rather than ultra-narrow road tyres, will ensure optimal comfort.

Experience highlights:

Start beside Bath’s historic architecture, flowing into peaceful canal landscapes

Picturesque canal towns such as Devizes, Hungerford and Newbury

Wildlife-rich sections of the North Wessex Downs

This route can be completed as a two-day challenge or as part of an extended tour woven into heritage visits and countryside stays.

Thames Valley Long Ride — ~90 miles (city → countryside)

For cyclists who enjoy dramatic terrain change, the Thames Valley route offers a long ride from London towards Windsor, and onwards if you choose, into quieter country lanes that link with parts of the Great West Way® region. Beginning among the historic parks and river scenes of Richmond and Hampton Court, the ride passes through gently rolling terrain into Berkshire landscapes, then onward toward Reading and beyond.

It’s a route of contrast — urban edges giving way to riverside calm, wooded segments, and open agricultural views that feel expansive even close to the capital.

Experience highlights:

Thames valleys and rural English towns

A mix of quiet backroads, river corridors, and classic countryside

This is ideal for advanced riders who enjoy mileage as part of an evolving landscape narrative, combining heritage and athleticism.

Extended Canal + Ridgeway Loop — ~100 miles (Custom Long Ride)

Combining sections of the Kennet & Avon Canal with National Trail corridors such as the Ridgeway and country roads — this unofficial but highly rewarding loop explores some of the most historic terrain in southern England. Local riders and seasoned tourers sometimes stitch waterway towpaths with inland high ground for a continuous multi-day route.

A representative loop might look like:

Day 1: Read out of Bath along the Kennet & Avon canal toward Devizes

Day 2: Away from the canal northward onto Ridgeway corridors and quiet lanes around Marlborough or Savernake Forest

Day 3: Return toward Reading and connect back to waterways

This kind of loop allows riders to experience canal calm, chalk ridge panoramas, woodland roads, and market towns — all within a long-distance cycling narrative.

Experience highlights:

Varied terrain and scenic contrasts

Deep heritage layers beneath your wheels

Opportunity for bespoke routing and support

Royal Chilterns Way (Segment Linked to the Great West Way®) — ~175 miles

While primarily north of the core Great West Way®, the Royal Chilterns Way represents one of England’s most ambitious cycling adventures and can be woven into broader journeys that overlap at Reading or adjacent hubs. Named for its royal associations and rolling hillsides, the route takes in scenic woodland of the Chilterns, tranquil villages, and historical water town landscapes.

Segment options can be selected for shorter long-distance rides:

Reading ↔ Henley-on-Thames segments for Thames valley highlights

Loops through Wendover Woods and quieter high ground

It’s a route rich with elevation and scenic variation, often favoured by gravel or mixed-terrain riders embracing multi-day navigation.

Cycle Tour via Historic Lanes and Cotswold Escarpments — 70–120 miles

For those seeking a more road-centric epic that embraces open countryside and quintessential English lanes, longer tours can be composed following combinations of quiet rural roads connecting:

Bath → Tetbury → Cirencester

Marlborough → Avebury → Salisbury

Cotswold villages to Royal Forest edges

Though not a single named route, this sort of tailor-made long ride can encompass hundreds of miles and be configured with varied elevation gain, countryside views, and heritage stopovers. Routes in this category reward strategic pacing, support vehicles or drop bag locations, and careful luggage management — all of which Stonehenge Deluxe Tours can coordinate.

Expert Considerations for Long-Distance Cycling

Surface and Terrain:
Long canal towpaths such as the Kennet & Avon provide sustained, gentle mileage but are best ridden on gravel or wider tyres; historic waterway paths may be soft under tyre in wet conditions and benefit from preparedness and tactical routing.

Support Logistics:
Advanced rides often benefit from staged support: luggage transfers, local transfers to start/end points, and pre-arranged accommodation in key waypoints such as Bath, Devizes or Reading. We can arrange professional support, custom GPX routes, and local mechanical assistance.

Bike Types:
While road bikes excel on paved segments and country lanes, gravel or touring bikes often perform better on canal towpaths and mixed terrain — a detail worth planning for when choosing routes and bike setups.

Curating Your Long-Distance Ride with Stonehenge Deluxe Tours

Long-distance cycling along and around the Great West Way® is not merely about distance covered, but about how the route unfolds as an experience — from tranquil waterways and heritage towns to open downland and hidden villages. We specialise in helping riders approach these journeys as narratives, balancing athletic achievement with cultural insight.

We can assist with:

Bespoke route planning and GPX creation

Support and logistics (luggage transfers, vehicle support)

Accommodation aligned with your ride segments

Timing suggestions based on weather, season and terrain

Whether you are planning a multi-day solo challenge, a guided exploration, or a segment of a longer cultural journey, we can tailor every detail so your ride feels both polished and personal.