There are so many wonderful ways to explore the sweeping countryside and coastlines of Cornwall, including cycling. Riding on two wheels is a great way to discover a side of Cornwall off the beaten track and enjoy the fresh air away from some of the crowds in popular tourist spots.
Lots of money and effort have gone into making Cornwall a cyclist’s paradise, with specialist routes covering much of the county. This includes plenty of routes suitable for families, with traffic-free paths, places to hire bikes and plenty of opportunities to pause and refresh.
If you’re thinking of taking a cycling excursion during your stay at our holiday cottages in Truro, here are some of our most-recommended cycling destinations for families.
The Camel Trail
Start Locations: Padstow, Wadebridge, Bodmin or Wadeford Bridge
Terrain: Flat, Tarmac
The Camel Trail is perhaps Cornwall’s most famous and popular cycling route. Set along an old railway line, it is a flat tarmac route enjoyed by cyclists, walkers and horse riders alike. It is also traffic-free except for a few crossing points.
The whole trail is over 18 miles long, but it joins the towns of Padstow, Wadebridge and Bodmin, so many people jump on at one of these towns, where there is parking and bike hire shops nearby. You can then cycle for as long as you like before heading back.
There are plenty of rest opportunities across the Camel Trail, including benches if you want to bring a picnic along. In season, there are regularly pop-up shacks along the route offering a chance to stop for some food, a coffee or an ice cream.
The Clay Trails
Start Locations: St Austell
Terrain: Mix of rough and smooth, flat and inclined.
Cornwall’s clay tips and pits are a reminder of the importance of Cornish mining in our region’s history. However, the pits around St Austell are also a great sign of how Cornwall has reinvented itself. While the local clay pits are now most famous for being home to the Eden Project, they also provide a selection of free and open public paths for walkers and cyclists.
The Clay Trails, nine mostly off-road paths set around St Austell, are a wonderful way to venture off the beaten track and discover views of Cornwall that others may miss. It’s also popular as a way to reach the Eden Project from nearby St Austell and Par without driving the whole way, which lets you earn goodies through their green travel incentives!
Some things to bear in mind for families: unlike many other cycling routes in this list, the Clay Trails can be quite bumpy and hilly in places – great fun for little ones who want to try out a mountain bike! Also, while many of the routes are short (only a few miles), they are remote, with limited facilities along the way.
Coast to Coast Trail
Start Locations: Portreath, Devoran
Terrain: Flat, mixed gravel and earth paths
A coast-to-coast trail can sound daunting, but at only 11 miles at one of the peninsula’s narrowest sections, this is an exciting challenge that can definitely be achieved by even little cyclists.
Running from Portreath to Devoran along two former railway tracks, the Coast to Coast Trail is a predominantly flat, traffic-free trail through some gorgeous Cornish countryside and the remains of mining sites. It’s not fully paved like other trails, but that just gives you an excuse to amble through at a more leisurely pace and enjoy the scenery.
The trail is also known as the Bissoe Cycle Trail, a popular midpoint along the route where you can start if you want a shorter journey. Ultimately, there are lots of small cafes and bike hire places where you could start your journey, including here at The Valley – our restaurant and accommodation are just a few minutes from the trail!
If you’re a confident cyclist, there are lots more cycling routes to discover that travel along a combination of pathways and quiet country roads. Discover more in our guide to cycle trails in Cornwall.