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Self Guided Cycling

Our self-guided cycling trips in England offer you the freedom to follow your agenda. Riding at your own pace, choose from a wide range of routes at all levels. From easy-going cycling along Hadrian’s Wall to the Northumberland Coast or the challenging and famous roads of Yorkshire, our self-guided bike tours offer the very best riding England has to offer.

Let us take care of all the details, including the UK’s best rental bike fleet, leaving you to focus on nothing more but enjoying the ride!

Travel Planning & Advice

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Self Guided Cycling Holidays in England

Each of our self guided cycling holidays has been designed by our passionate and experienced in-house team of cycling experts.  We’ve sought out the most beautiful and quiet roads the country has to offer and have designed routes that not only take you through some of the most stunning scenery in England but also past various cultural and historical sites.

Self-guided is the perfect solution for those who want to explore the rural charm of England at your own pace, with the maximum amount of flexibility. Each day, choose to ride at the pace you prefer and while we’ll provide recommendations you can stop wherever you want, when you want. Enjoy the freedom to venture off to many fascinating stops along the way or simply pause to get the perfect photo, knowing that the only schedule you’re on is your own.

Quality Assured

To ensure a high level of comfort and friendly service, we personally select your accommodation. Generally, to a 3-4 star standard, our hotels, inns and guest houses are chosen for their high level of service, comfort and cosiness as well as location.

Enjoy daily routes chosen by our expert in-house team and local guides – all planned to ensure you experience the very best of rural England. Each day you’ll receive recommendations on the best places to visit and the prime stops along the way, be that a cycle-friendly cafe or local pub where seafood is as fresh as it comes. Luggage transfers or loop routes mean you only ever need carry what you require for the day.

We offer two types of self guided cycling holiday – either self guided plus+ or simply self guided. Our self guided plus trips allow you to ride literally anywhere in the country with the support you need for a memorable cycling holiday.

Guided vs Self Guided

Guided Read More

These trips are led by two qualified and experienced Wilderness guides, switching roles each day. One guide will cycle on the road with you giving guidance and imparting their local knowledge of the landscape, flora and fauna. The other acts as an all-round behind-the-scenes trip wizard. This guide will drive the support vehicle, shuttling luggage, preparing gourmet coffee stops and lunches, acting as a mechanic, taking care of essential tour arrangements and a whole lot more besides.

For further insight and full details please check out guided cycling tours.

Self Guided plus+ Read More

Our Self Guided Plus+ trips are not guided but do provide a highly personalised level of support you won’t find on regular self-guided bike tours. A dedicated member of the Wilderness Team will be on hand throughout the trip. They will perform the equivalent role of the “soigneur”, a key member of every pro cycling team. Essentially we will take care of everything on the trip, except for the riding. Throughout your adventure, your dedicated team member will be on hand to drive the support vehicle and transferring your luggage. They will provide snacks and drinks throughout the day, shuttle riders where required, offer navigational advice, first aid and take care of cleaning and servicing the bikes at the end of the day. If required you can hire a bike.

Using the route files and Garmin GPS head units provided, you can choose to ride at your own pace stopping for coffee and lunches along the way at locations recommended by your soigneur. As with our guided trips, you will stay at handpicked accommodation pre-booked by us and, in the evenings, you can choose to eat from a selection of recommended restaurants.

Self Guided Read More

This is our simplest type of cycling trip which is neither guided nor supported on the day. On each trip, you will receive a Garmin Edge 1030 GPS with route notes fully loaded. In addition, you will also be provided with a digital copy of each day’s route, along with recommendations for places of interests, cafes and local lunch spots. If required you can hire a bike.

All of your accommodation will be pre-booked by us using the same care and attention we apply to all of our other cycling trips. Each day your luggage will be transferred from place to place, leaving you free to ride with only the items you need. In the event of any problems on the road, we offer an on-call support service to ensure you receive the necessary assistance wherever you might be.

 

 

Compare These Trips Read More
What’s Included on the Trip
Guided
Self Guided plus+
Self Guided
Qualified Expert Guides
Soigneur
Guidance and Local Insights
Support Vehicle
Hotels/Lodges
Most Meals
Gourmet Picnic Lunches
Ride Snacks & Drinks
Baggage Transfer
Bike Maintenance & Care
Premium Bike RentalOn RequestOn RequestOn Request
Expert Bike FitOn RequestOn RequestOn Request
Garmin GPS & Route Notes
On Trip Support24/7 Phone
First Aid Cover

Our Self Guided Cycling Holidays

3 Self Guided Cycling Trips

  • Experience the inspiring roads of Yorkshire, used in the Tour de France and World Cycling Championships.
  • Complete a full circuit of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with challenging climbs and exciting descents.
  • Enjoy the best of English hospitality from welcoming rural pubs to cycle friendly cafes and award-winning restaurants.
  • Ride Coast to Coast across the country, through England's most iconic landscapes.
  • Savour memorable climbs and descents in three magnificent National Parks.
  • Experience the awesome roads of Yorkshire, used in the Tour de France and World Cycling Championships.
  • Enjoy the best of English hospitality from welcoming rural pubs to cycle friendly cafes and award-winning restaurants.
  • Cycle cross-border through the beautiful regions of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.
  • Experience some of the UK's finest natural and cultural heritage from awe-inspiring castles to magnificent national nature reserves.
  • Enjoy the best of the region's food and drink in the many welcoming cafes, pubs and hotels along the way.

Guided Road Cycling Trips

Our holidays reviewed in your own words...

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Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us. Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.

That’s why we read each of our client’s reviews and although we don’t respond to all of them, if it’s glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.

AF

Aidan Fife

Self Guided+ Cycling - North Coast 500

Age: 20 - 30
Country: USA
Trip Date: 29/07/2023
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Amazing trip

JZ

Jonathan Zaff

Self Guided+ Cycling - The Caledonia Way

Age: 50 - 60
Country: US
Trip Date: 23/07/2023
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Phenomenal trip filled with countless amazing views, good food and drink, endless moments of joy, and memories we will hold for years to come. Wilderness Scotland (and specifically Chris and Rachel) made this trip everything we could have imagined. They even called up Mother Nature and made sure we only had a half day of rain all week!

AF

Amanda Fowler

Self Guided+ Cycling - North Coast 500

Age: 50 - 60
Country: USA
Trip Date: 29/07/2023
Trips Taken: 1

The Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

Trip of a life time

Award-Winning Journeys

gtbs
Green Tourism
Gold Approved
Pure
High-End
Experiential Travel
wta
Leading Green
Tour Operator

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