by Jen Benson
10 Bikepack the South Downs Way
The South Downs Way National Trail runs along a chalk ridge through the heart of the National Park, a 100-mile (160km) adventure designed for walkers/runners, cyclists and horse riders. It’s one of the great long-distance challenges in the UK, with railway stations at either end and plenty of campsites along the way, meaning you can break up the trip as you wish. At the time of writing the fastest time for a cyclist is 7 hours 50 minutes, and the fastest there-and-back time is 17 hours 47 minutes – but how long you take to enjoy the experience is up to you. The route is well waymarked, following the blue arrows that designate the bridleway – but be aware that this does at times differ from the walking route. There’s an excellent printable leaflet on mountain biking the South Downs Way produced by National Trail that details the bike repair and hire shops, water taps and railway stations along the route. There’s much to see on the route, including startlingly clear and internationally important chalk rivers, rare chalk grasslands and beautiful ancient woodland. The trail passes through or by five National Nature Reserves and dozens of Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Challenge level: up to if done in one go
Start: Winchester Cathedral, SO23 9LS
Finish: Grand Parade, Eastbourne, BN21 3YL
Distance: 100 miles/161km
Maps: OS Explorer OL3, OL8, OL10, OL11, OL25 and OL32
Local Highlights
There are many campsites along the South Downs Way; however, a couple of our favourites are the intriguing Sustainability Centre in East Meon (www.sustainability-centre.org) and Housedean Farm in Lewes (www.housedean.co.uk), both of which are right on the route. Or there’s Blackberry Wood campsite near Ditchling, where you’ll find an incredible range of glamping options, from treehouses to helicopters.
If you’re not in a rush and not going for a record time, there are lots of wonderful places to explore along the Way. Try Arundel Castle, Arundel Wetlands Centre and Swanbourne Lake, or Butser Hill – the highest point on the route – and nearby Queen Elizabeth Country Park.
11 Swim the Thames at Port Meadow
Not long ago, swimming in the Thames might not have sounded like an appealing prospect. A 1957 survey of the river in London found eels to be the only sign of life. Today, however, the Thames is home to over 120 species of fish and popular swimming spots are emerging along its length – although swimming is prohibited in the city stretch because of strong currents and numerous boats. In 2006, Lewis Pugh swam the whole river, from its source in the Cotswolds to the sea, although severe drought at the time meant the 350km route took 21 days – twice as long as he’d planned.
One of the best places to sample the delights of swimming the Thames is in rural Oxfordshire. The stretch alongside Port Meadow, from Godstow Lock to Danger Bridge, is a perfect introduction. Port Meadow is Oxford’s oldest monument, with a long history of human use from burial to horse racing. It is common land with grazing rights – there’s a resident herd of ponies – and important for its rare collection of wild plants. It was while rowing up this stretch of the Thames that Lewis Carroll was inspired to write Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Don’t attempt to swim during extremes of low or high water, and be aware of boat traffic and submerged roots and weeds.
Challenge level:
Start: just below Godstow Lock
OS grid ref: SP 485089
Finish: Danger Bridge
OS grid ref: SP 498073
Distance: 1½ miles/2.5km
Map: OS Explorer 1
Local Highlights
Two popular pubs, the Trout and the Perch – one at each end of Port Meadow – are perfect for a post-swim pint.
Camp at Barefoot Camping at Northmoor Lock, a few miles upstream of Port Meadow. There’s direct access to the river for swimming, boating and paddling – you could even arrive by boat.
Explore the Chiswell Valley – locally known as Happy Valley – following boardwalks through a wild sweep of reed bed, fen and ancient wet woodland. Look out for wild orchids and circling birds of prey.
12 Climb Ivinghoe Beacon
The trig point on the top of Ivinghoe Beacon stands 817 feet (249m) high at the northern end of the Chiltern Hills. Although some way short of the highest point, its prominent shape, position and location make visiting it a great adventure. The beacon is also the start (or the finish, if you’re travelling the other way) of both the Ridgeway and the Icknield Way National Trails. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about the place, but when you’re there it somehow feels worthy of this honour – the beginning or the destination of a long journey, with either the anticipation or the memories of the adventures along the way. The annual Ridgeway Challenge begins here and sees runners tackling the full 86 miles (138km) to Avebury – it’s one of the classic ultramarathons and a big tick on any ultrarunner’s list.
There are a number of ways to ascend to the top of Ivinghoe Beacon; one of the most straightforward is to park at the NT Ivinghoe Beacon car park, just off the B489, and walk to the summit from there. The beacon is a grand place to watch sunrise, sunset, or both, so here you’re perfectly placed to make an ascent when the weather is right. Another way is to begin at the Visitor Centre on the National Trust’s Ashridge Estate (HP4 1LT – 2 miles (3.2km) from Tring Station) and head north along trails through the woods before ascending to the open ridge for the final stretch to the summit – about a 6-mile (10km) round trip.
Challenge Level:
Location: Ivinghoe Beacon, Aylesbury Vale, Dunstable, LU6 2EG
OS grid ref: SP 960168
Map: OS Explorer 181
Local Highlights
For 24-hour views and easy access to the beacon, camp at Town Farm campsite, just across the B489 (www.townfarmcamping.co.uk).
Explore the beautiful Ashridge Estate – the waymarked 16-mile (26km) Boundary Trail is a fantastic longer walk or run and is the route of an annual race (ashridgeboundaryrun.co.uk).
Sit outside at Brownlow Café on the estate and enjoy coffee and views, or picnic in the park.
13 The Cotswold Way
One of the many joys of exploring Britain’s National Trails lies in the journeys they take you on. Each one is special, filled with interesting things to discover from historical sites to fascinating geological features, together with a unique mix of flora and fauna. Their preservation makes them special too – all have been worn into the landscape over thousands of years as the best way to travel through the region, whether that’s because they are on high ground affording good visibility or on firm ground to avoid treacherous bogs and marshes, or because they provide a link between important places.
The 102-mile-long (164km) Cotswold Way, from Chipping Campden to Bath, lends itself well to walking and running adventures, not least because most of it isn’t suitable for any means of transport other than two feet. You do not, of course, have to tackle it all in one go, although people do, either as an attempt at the Fastest Known Time (20 hours 36 minutes at the time of writing) or as part of one of the races that take place here. But it’s a length that lends itself well to a series of weekend expeditions, or to a week-long assault. You could bivvy along the route, camp at the campsites along the way, or stay in B&Bs for a welcome hot bath at the end of a long day. If you’d prefer company and aid stations along the way, you can take part in a fully supported event. Threshold Sport’s Heineken Race to the Tower (www.racetothetower.co.uk) covers 53 miles (85km), finishing at Broadway Tower, or you could take on the full 102 miles (164km) by doing the Cotswold Way Century (www.cotswoldrunning.co.uk).
Local Highlights
There’s a wealth of fascinating history along the Cotswold Way, including the Neolithic burial chamber at Belas Knap and Sudeley Castle near Winchcombe. Or climb to the highest point on the trail: Cleeve Hill at 1,080 feet (330m).
The trail ends right in the heart of the city of Bath, a World Heritage Site. Explore the Roman Baths or head for the hills follow
ing the 10km Bath Skyline around the city’s high, green spaces.
Challenge level:
Start: Chipping Campden, GL55 6HB
Finish: Bath Abbey, BA1 1LT
Distance: 102 miles/164km
Maps: OS Explorer OL45, 155, 167, 168 and 179
14 Ride the Ridgeway
The Ridgeway National Trail runs for 87 miles (140km) from the World Heritage Site of Avebury in Wiltshire through the North Wessex Downs to finish at Ivinghoe Beacon in the Chilterns. As Britain’s oldest road, it often traverses stretches of remote high ground, used over thousands of years by travellers, soldiers and herdsmen. The western half of the Ridgeway is an outstanding mountain bike trek, with 43 miles (69km) of mostly traffic-free riding through rolling chalk downland. It’s a ride through history too, beginning at Avebury stone circle and passing many fascinating archaeological sites, including Stone Age and Bronze Age barrows, Iron Age hillforts and giant white horses carved into the chalk hillsides.
From the nearest station at Pewsey it’s a pleasant hour’s cycle along National Cycle Network Route 45 to the start of the Ridgeway at Avebury. From here the route is well waymarked, heading east on chalk tracks, grassy trails and quiet paths, with glorious views from the high points and very little road. The finish at Streatley is also well connected, with Goring and Streatley station just over the Thames bridge. The route is undulating, but there are few steep climbs and nothing too technical on the ground, so it’s very achievable for anyone with a reasonable level of cycling experience, but still an engaging ride for the seasoned off-roader.
Challenge level:
Start: Avebury, Marlborough, SN8 1RF (or Pewsey station, SN9 5EL)
Finish: Goring and Streatley station, Goring, Reading, RG8 OES
Distance: 43 miles/69km (+12 miles/19km from Pewsey)
Maps: OS Explorer 157, 169 and 170
Local Highlights
Exploring the Ridgeway on foot is also an incredible experience. If you’d prefer some support along the way you can run all 86 miles (138km) as part of the annual Ridgeway Challenge, held in August each year, or the final 100km from Lewknor to Avebury at Race to the Stones, held in July.
Take some time to explore the incredible megaliths at Avebury, a World Heritage Site with three stone circles, including the largest in Europe.
15 Swim around Outney Common
The river Waveney forms the county boundary between Norfolk and Suffolk, running nearly 60 miles (97km) from Redgrave in the west, through the wildlife-rich Broads, to Lowestoft in the east, where it empties into the North Sea. A favourite spot of Roger Deakin, the founder of the wild swimming movement, the co-founder of the environmental charity Common Ground and the author of the masterpiece Waterlog, the two-mile (3.2km) stretch of the Waveney that makes its way in a wide loop around Outney Common is a perfect place to escape the heat of a summer’s day. It’s a real frog’s-eye-view adventure, to use Deakin’s words, with the river’s looping course meaning there’s always another corner to round, a new scene to discover, with cows watching lazily from the riverbanks, damselflies and dragonflies droning overhead and the high banks alive with wildlife. Start and finish at the northern tip of the Suffolk market town of Bungay, floating under the A143 before leaving its busy hum far behind.
Challenge level:
Start/finish: Outney Common, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 1DS
Distance: 2 miles/3.2km
Map: OS Explorer OL40
Local Highlights
Tackle the great mountain bike trails at Thetford Forest – there’s something for everyone, from the 10km family ride to the 10-mile-long (16km) black route for experienced riders.
This stretch of river is also great for kayaking – camp at Outney Meadow Campsite, where you can also hire boats (www.outneymeadow.co.uk).
16 Kayak the River Stour
The River Stour Navigation is one of the oldest navigations in the country and runs between Brundon Mill near Sudbury in Suffolk and Cattawade in Essex. With well-spaced locks and weirs to manage the water levels, there’s no current and the whole stretch is an enjoyable and straightforward paddle through leafy Constable country – and in fact Constable loved to paint the goings-on here. The Environment Agency is the navigation authority for this section of the river, and unless you have current British Canoeing membership, you’ll need to acquire a licence from the agency (www.environment-agency.gov.uk) or from the River Stour Trust (www.riverstourtrust.org). At the time of writing, fees are £8.50 for a week’s licence.
The full navigation, from Sudbury to the Cattawade Barrier at the exit to the North Sea, is a little under 25 miles (40km), but can be done in a day during the summer – a fantastic adventure, with easily managed portages and plenty of interesting places to explore and to refuel at along the way. There are three locks – Great Cornard lock, Dedham lock and Flatford lock – and 16 weirs. There’s an annual organised Sudbury-to-the-Sea event – the S2C – which takes place in September. If you don’t fancy the full distance there are many shorter options, with a popular paddle being the 7 miles (11km) from Sudbury to Bures.
Challenge level:
Start: Brundon Mill, Sudbury, CO10 1XR
Finish: Cattawade Barrier, Manningtree
OS grid ref: TM 100 331
Distance: 24½ miles/39.4km
Maps: OS Explorer 196 and 197
Local Highlights
Take afternoon tea at The Granary in Sudbury (open Easter to October), run by volunteers, with proceeds going to the River Stour Trust.
Hire a boat from Sudbury (www.outdoorhirecentres.com) or go on a guided canoe camping trip (www.riverstourboating.co.uk).
Camp by the river at Rushbanks Farm, CO6 4NA.
17 Seals & Sea Swimming in North Norfolk
The 2-mile (3.2km) stretch of shingle beach at Cley on the north Norfolk coast is one of the best spots in the area for endurance swimming. Unlike most of the coast here it shelves steeply, so you can swim in deep water very close to the shore – but still be aware of strong currents, especially if you venture further out.
A visit to Cley isn’t just about swimming – this is also an incredible place for wildlife. The marshes here are Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s oldest nature reserve and are carefully managed, providing a blueprint for nature conservation across the country. The shingle beach and saline lagoons, along with the grazing marsh and reedbed, support large numbers of wintering and migrating wildfowl and waders; if you’re lucky you might spot bitterns, marsh harriers and bearded tits. There’s an eco-friendly visitor centre with a café, a shop and viewing areas (including viewing from a camera on the reserve), and the views from the visitor centre across the marsh to the sea are breathtaking.
Blakeney Point, just west of Cley, is a well-known seal-spotting venue and there are both common and Atlantic grey seal colonies here. There are several companies that run seal spotting trips out around the point, or you can make the 7-mile (11km) round trip on foot from the Norfolk Wildlife Trust car park at Cley Beach.
Challenge level: for the sea
swim – note that this swim is for experienced
open-water swimmers only
Location: Cley beach, Cley-next-the-Sea,
Norfolk, NR25 7RZ
OS grid ref: TG 048453
Map: OS Explorer 251
Local Highlights
Camp at the pretty, petite site at Scaldbeck Cottage in Morston or glamp at Amber’s Bell Tents, Wiverton Hall, to be within morning running distance of the sea…
Explore the Peddar’s Way and the Norfolk Coast Path, which combine to make a glorious 93-mile (150km) waymarked trail around this section of the country.
18 Cambridge to Wicken Fen ride & wild camp
The result of an inspired joint venture between Sustrans and the National Trust, this enjoyable cycle route links Cambridge and neighbouring towns with the Trust’s oldest nature reserve at Wicken Fen so that more people can enjoy the area without having to bring a car. The route starts in th
e bustling heart of Cambridge, whose university was founded in the 13th century, and escapes the city following waterside paths, traffic-free trails and quiet country lanes all the way to Wicken Fen. The National Trust has camping lodges at Wicken, where you can sleep in an open-fronted, covered lodge and experience night time at the reserve. You can book all four lodges for around £40, though early booking is advised.
The route: from central Cambridge follow NCN Route 11 along the southern bank of the river Cam. At Logan’s Meadow, leave Route 11 and join NCN Route 51, continuing along the Cam through Stourbridge Common and Ditton Meadows. Continue on Route 51 all the way to Bottisham, where you’ll find another branch of NCN Route 11 – the Lodes Way. Follow this enjoyable route through the countryside, riding through wild and windswept fens and passing Anglesey Abbey to reach Wicken Fen. Camp here, or enjoy a couple of hours’ exploring before returning to Cambridge the same way.
Challenge level:
Start: Cambridge railway station, CB1 2JW
Finish: Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, Lode Ln,
Wicken, Ely, CB7 5XP
Distance: 18 miles/29km each way
Maps: OS Explorer 209 and 226
Local Highlights
Take some time out to explore Wicken Fen itself, a 785-acre site of unique, wildlife-rich lowland. There’s a wind pump and the original fenworkers’ cottages to see, along with 9,000 species of wildlife including rare bitterns and the more recent additions of Highland cattle and Eastern European Konik ponies.
See the reserve from the water on board the Mayfly, an electric passenger ferry run by the National Trust (chargeable).
C entral England