Cycle Routes

Why cycle?

Cycling is fast becoming one of Britain's most popular leisure and sport pastimes. However more and more people are deciding to leave their cars at home and use their bikes for the journey to work. Congested streets, rising air pollution, difficulty parking and ever increasing cost of fuel are all reasons to make cycling a great option and increasingly relevant as a mode of transport not only for leisure, but especially for the work journey. Cycling to work has a number of benefits. How many of them are relevant to you?

The benefits to you

• Improved levels of fitness research shows that currently 7 out of 10 men and 8 out of 10 women do not do enough physical activity to maintain a basic level of health and fitness.
• Stress relieving physical activity can reduce stress levels and improve productivity.
• Help the environment once the manufacturing process is complete bicycles have a very small negative impact on the environment, by cycling you reduce the number of cars on the road improving the environment for all, including reducing harmful emissions, and improving road safety.
• Save Money Once the initial outlay of buying a bike and the associated safety equipment/clothing has been made there are few ongoing costs to cycling.
• Could actually save time and money half an hour cycling to work every day may take longer than using the car but your won't have to spend hours slogging at the gym to keep fit.

Bikes and Public Transport

Combine using your bike and the train or bus to cover greater distances. Folding bikes are especially useful for commuter journeys as they can be carried onto a bus or train. Alternatively, leave your bike at the station. Call the national rail services on 08457 48 49 50 to check different rail operators policies on bicycle carriage.

And another thing...

Did you know that on a bike you:

• can travel up to 1,037 km on the energy equivalent of a single litre of petrol
• weigh about six times less than your vehicle. In a car your vehicle weighs around 20 times more than you do
• protect yourself against heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and stress
• provide a motor - your heart - which improves its own strength and efficiency, and even lengthens its working life, the more it is used
  can travel four times faster than you can walk, for the same amount of energy
• can have your cake and eat it. A moderate half-hour each-way commute will burn eight calories a minute or the equivalent of 11kg of fat in a year
  use less energy than a car uses to power its headlights. 

Cheshire Cycle Routes

You can find out more about Cheshire's cycle paths by visiting the County Council's Cycling Website (external link) or you can visit Cycle maps (external link) - a UK directory of official council cycle maps on the web.  The Chester Cycling Campaign (external link) has also produced a series of useful maps and guides.

Cheshire County Council provide details of Circular Routes throughout Cheshire 

• map of Cheshire showing routes (external link)
• Biking the Backroads  (external link)- a gentle ride of 20km/13 miles around Antrobus, Great Budworth and Comberbach.
• Crosses and Crossbars (external link) - an easy 34km/21 mile ride starting from Sandbach railway station and travelling through Warmingham, Winterley, Alsager and Wheelock.
• Crossroads Around Congleton (external link) - a challenging 32km/20 mile ride for casual and family cyclists around Congleton.
• Fruits of the Forest (external link) - a hilly ride of 23km/15 miles exploring the rolling countryside at the northern end of Cheshire's sandstone spine.
• Grit and Gears (external link) - a challenging ride for mountain bikers of 19km/12 miles from Tegg's Nose Country Park, Macclesfield.
• Hamlets and Hedgerows (external link) - a hilly ride of 22km/14 miles around the country lanes of Wrenbury and Marbury.
• Riding the Ridges (external link) - explore forgotten tracks in the hills above Macclesfield on this strenuous but rewarding 28km/19 mile ride from Tegg's Nose Country Park, with optional off road sections.
• Weaver Wanderer (external link)  - a family cycle ride of 18km/11 mile including 7km off road cycling around Whitegate and Winsford.
• The Wizard Trail (external link) - a 17.5km/11 mile ride through the gently rolling countryside around Alderley and Henbury.
• route 70 Cheshire Cycleway  (external link) (Adobe Acrobat 923kb) a 282 km/176 mile journey around the whole County avoiding busy roads where possible, with important features along the way, like food, accommodation, local attractions and pubs!
• routes 5, 56 and 70 Millennium Cycleway (external link) (Adobe Acrobat 2.08mb) this route is part of the National Millennium Cycle Network. In Cheshire it presently runs from the Wirral boundary near Thornton Hough, through Chester and on into Wales at the Flintshire border.
• River to Ridge (external link) - An enjoyable 35 km/22 mile ride from the River Dee through pretty Cheshire villages up to the Peckforton Hills and back.
• Signals and Saltmarsh (external link) - A gentle ride from Willaston to the Dee Estuary and back, using part of the National Cycle Network.
• route 5 Chester to Connah's Quay (external link) - An 8-mile traffic free railway path for cyclists and walkers