Exploring on two wheels

If you like exploring on two wheels, Shropshire is a great place to visit. Whether you are a road, mountain, downhill or e-biker, there is something for everyone. From the rolling Shropshire hills to quiet country lanes, and panoramic views so beautiful you’ll want to stop and take photos of, it’s no wonder cyclists like to pay us a visit.

To help you decide where to go, I asked my friends and family what some of their best bike rides are:

The Clun Challenge – you can access this 17-mile circular route easily from Shropshire Luxury Glamping pods. It covers beautiful woodland trails, an Iron Age hill fort, quiet country lanes and also takes you through the lovely village of Clun. You can choose to stop for a local ale in one of the pubs, or stop at the riverside Post Card café. The café does a lovely coffee and cake – just be warned, you may have some hills to cycle up afterwards!

The Long Mynd Motivator – For this one, you’ll want to put the bike on the car and head to Bishops Castle - a lovely town to explore. You’ll find quirky houses, craft shops, pubs, cafes and even a number of painted elephants! The main cycle route covers 20-miles and passes through some beautiful countryside. If you want to extend the route, you can choose to divert at Criftin and go over the Long Mynd and re-join the route at The Bridges pub in Rattlinghope. The climb up from Asterton isn’t for the faint-hearted and has a gradient of up to 20%, but once you reach the top (488m above sea level) you’ll be rewarded with views as far as the eye can see. You’ll find ponies, sheep and cattle roaming the heathland, along with plenty of other wildlife.

Hopton Woods – If you’re seeking a bit more adrenaline, I’d suggest heading to Hopton Woods. It’s less than three miles and has both XC and downhill trails to ride. The downhill trails as all black, so they aren’t for the fainthearted! The XC trail is a singletrack circular red trail – before you get started you can try the ‘qualifier’ trail to check you are comfortable with the full loop.

There are so many more trails and routes to try around the area. Whether you are looking for a couple of days bike riding or want to fill your week with different routes, there are so many options to keep you busy. Once you’ve booked your stay, just let me know what you’re interested in and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.