The UK’s Bikepacking Guide

Learn how to go on a UK Bikepacking Adventure

What is bikepacking?

In simple terms, bikepacking is riding a bike for multiple days to somewhere or around somewhere utilising a more off-road, the path less travelled approach. Bikepacking can be as long or short as you like. It can often be done as part of an event where riders will make there way through a course, the rider will have to overcome whatever challenges the trails will throw at them completely self supported in a bikepacking event, normally to be the fastest rider around a set route that will normally take multiple days to complete. Riders will often have to make it to checkpoints along the route in a bikepacking event. With bikepacking popularity growing over the last few years, the lines have blurred between what is bikepacking and bicycle touring?

Bikepacking

The Art of travelling with a bicycle using the path less travelled.

Bikepacking can and is a form of bicycle touring, of course, but is bicycle touring bikepacking? Well that depends on who you ask, they both have a lot in common, however there are some differences that can be made. You can use bikepacking bags while touring and touring bags, pannier bags while bikepacking. Bicycle touring can be long or short, but bicycle touring has a history of being longer, slower and a way of travelling by bicycle. The difference really comes from the terrain taken to get to your destination. Bicycle touring will typically use paved surfaces, quiet country roads, bicycle routes and paths. Whereas, while bikepacking you will find yourself taken the more remote off-road route, often on more rougher surfaces. Bikepacking often avoids the bigger built-up cities and towns and stays in the remote locations of mountains, national parks whereas bicycle touring will often be travelling to these towns and cities often to stay for a few days to explore the sights, as bicycle touring often has the emphasis on slower travel and sightseeing. This can also be true for bikepacking of course, but traditionally bikepacking will take you away from these built up places, and you will spend more time in nature.

As a result bikepacking bikes tend to be packed differently that a bicycle touring bike, often but not always a bikepacking bike will be set up with bigger tyres for off-road trails and packed in a more minimalist approach as being off-road means the weight of the bike can have a bigger effect on the handling whereas a bicycle touring bike is often loaded with more creature comforts, normally with a full pannier setup. Normally in a more upright position, promoting a slower but comfortable way of travelling. But with bikepacking there is often a need or desire to travel further and faster, so the bike setup will often be setup trying to find the perfect balance for speed and comfort for the individual rider. As you can see, the difference between bikepacking and bicycle touring have a lot of similarities. Whether you are bikepacking or bicycle touring it doesn’t really matter, there are differences between the two, but how you want to go on a adventure matters more than a what group you want to place yourself into. I think it’s just important to know these differences to understand what you might be getting yourself into.

Typical Bikepacking setup

Touring example

Preparation, Your Fitness

Fitness is borrowed, this is something you need to understand. We are all on different levels of how much fitness we are currently borrowing. Fitness comes and goes depending on a multitude of reasons. The great news is that bikepacking and cycling in general is a great activity to get into whether you are at the peak of your fitness or trying to get back to a heavier lifestyle. Bikepacking there are no rules as such. You can adapt a bikepacking adventure to suit your fitness level. The very nature of self supported bicycle riding and bikepacking means you get to decide what is best for yourself. That being said, With bikepacking often meaning an off-road adventure, it does mean that understanding your body understanding your limits and fitness level is very important. Cycling off-road is just a harder thing to do than cycling on paved surfaces. The UK is a diverse place with ever-changing terrain, so really understanding your own fitness level is at is not only crucial for you to have a successful bikepacking adventure. Not understanding your cycling fitness level is a sure way to ruin the experience of a bikepacking adventure, it’s going to make it extremely difficult to pick a route that is suitable for yourself to have a good time. Here are some ways to help understand and improve your fitness as you get ready for a bikepacking adventure.

I have always loved cycling because it is generally a pretty easy to adapt into everyday life. And to build your fitness up the simple thing to do is just ride more incorporate it into your daily life, if you can, cycle to a from work, cycle everywhere you can, and you will start releasing that your fitness will improve without really doing any dedicated training.
riding often even if it is for shorter periods of time will have a greater effect on your overall fitness riding for 1–2 hours each day is going to be better than going for one really long ride once a week, It’s often easier to fit into your daily routine too. Remember, bikepacking is going to mean you will be riding for consecrative days, so being used to riding each day is a benefit. That’s not to say going on a long day ride won’t help from time to time, though.
The best way to understand your fitness level is as simple as riding your bike. Ride your bike at a speed that you feel like you can sustain. To do this, It’s best to just keep it local a loop from your front door back to your front door. With bikepacking I would recommend being able to ride around 50 miles fairly comfortably, it’s OK if you need to stop, and it's OK if you don’t plan on doing 50 miles each day on your bikepacking trip but knowing you are comfortable riding more than the daily mileage you are would like to ride each day is the goal here. If you are wanting to ride 30 miles each day, knowing you can ride 50 miles is a huge advantage.
Riding the hills, the good news with this one is that once you are out and about exploring the UK’s countryside you will be training this naturally, but I do recommend including some cycling in the hillier areas especially if you live in a flatter section of the country this will get you used to using your gears and finding the most natural cadence (how fast you spin your legs) for your body, it will help you know if you have the right gearing on your bike too as well as just increasing your fitness. The more you cycle uphill, the easier riding a bike becomes. You also get faster naturally as your power output grows.
Once you have gained an amount of fitness that you feel comfortable riding a bike with then it becomes easier to understand how many miles you want to aim for each day, setting a realistic target for yourself means being honest with yourself, understanding how you feel on your bike after riding for different duration of times will help you set a realistic target for each day. Which is only really doable if you have spent time understanding how your body and mind feel while riding your bike. The more you ride, the more you will understand your cycling fitness.

Bike handling skills

As we have learned that bikepacking refers to the more off-road side of bicycle touring, so bike handling skills and the level at which you can control your bike is going to be a crucial skill you need to understand. Different routes require different levels of bike handling skills, but we will get into route choices later. The UK is very diverse the trails you will encounter can vary from flat, hilly, vertically steep, rocky, muddy, chalk, gravel, narrow. Through farmers fields with crops growing or cows or bulls roaming, horses, sheep. Luckily, you don’t really have to worry about anything too deadly in the UK. The trails can be vastly different from month to month, so understanding your level of bike handling skill is going to help give you the best possibility of having an enjoyable trip. And the simple answer to understanding your own level of bike handling skills is to spend time riding, spend time riding off-road. But there are some things you can do to improve and get a better understanding of your own level of bike handling skills.

Know your limits

If you can ride with someone who you know is better than you riding there bike off-road then personally I think this is the number one way of just becoming a better rider, you will naturally improve as you are able to visually and in real time see how something should be ridden, whether that is just getting a better idea of line choice, or just being able to see how a bike will react to going over or through and given obstacle.
If you don’t have anyone you can ride with, then. A great place to head to, is your local MTB bike, if you are lucky enough to have one. They will have all different levels of trails, where you can start on the easier trials and work on your bike handling skills as you progress through the different difficulty levels of trails. Also, the benefit of heading to the MTB parks is that you will often meet other people that are better than you, so you will be able to learn of others around you. MTB parks will often have a lot of different types of riding where you will be able to learn to skills and understand what you are comfortable riding and more importantly what you are not. A lot of MTB parks will also have coaches or at least connections to local coaches that you can get real professional training if that something you would like to do.
If you don’t have any local MTB parks, and you don’t have anyone to ride then your best option is to find the nearest bridalways to you and start discovering your local area, go explore around your local area, if you have been putting in some training miles on the paved surfaces see if you can make that same route have some off-road sections, riding on your local trails will at least give you some idea of what you are likely to come up against when you go on a UK bikepacking trip.
By investing time in improving or at least understanding your bike handling skills and limitations, you can significantly reduce the risk of injury and enhance the enjoyment of your bikepacking adventure. Especially when embarking on a solo bikepacking journey, it’s important to recognise and respect your limitations. The time to push your skills is before the adventure, not during it. If you encounter a trail beyond your abilities, it's perfectly acceptable to choose not to ride it—there’s no shame in hiking your bike. And with the ever-changing conditions of the trails in the UK, it is often a good idea to air on the side of caution.

Bike setup

I briefly mentioned that with the difference between bikepacking and bicycle touring means the bike setup is often a b it different. And while there are no rules on which bike you have to use, choosing a bike and having it set up in a way that you are comfortable riding on is the most important thing. You can ride any bike on any trial in theory but setting up a bike that is suitable for the adventure that you are planning is important not only for the enjoyment of the trip but safety of the trip. Not to mention, riding a bike that is not suitable for the trails you are riding and breaking every 5 minutes isn’t going to be a very enjoyable one.

Bombtrack Beyond plus Adv

Sonder Camino Ti V1

I think the number one mistake I see when people pack there bike for bikepacking is the location they are packing there gear, so often I see the bike loaded to the brim on the rear wheel, the key to packing your bike is to keep the load evenly spread out throughout the bike. You don’t want to have the rear carrying everything, and you don’t want the front to be carrying everything. The weight should be spread evenly across the bike. Doing this will ensure the bike handles more naturally, will reduce the risk of damaging your bike by not overloading one area. And will have the added benefit of helping keep your gear organised and easier to access.
With the UK trials changing day by day the 2 most important things to make sure are correct is tyre choice and gearing, starting with the tyres you will want something fast rolling but with good puncture protection, although you can defiantly backpack without a tubeless set up I do think it is worth the set-up, especially if you are thinking of going on more bikepacking adventures in the future. If you don’t want to use a tubeless setup, then using tyre liners or simply taping the inner side of the tyre can provide protection from most UK thorns. With UK bikepacking routes using a multitude of different types of trails, I think it’s best to use a cross-country or gravel bike tyre. I’d recommend using the largest tyre that your bike can take, but still leaving enough tyre clearance for when you encounter the muddy trails. For the gravel bike users I think the sweet spot for most UK bikepacking routes is 45-50mm tyres and on the MTB side anywhere from 2.1–2.6 inches.
The gearing you choose for your bike will play a crucial role in determining how many hills you hike versus how many you pedal. As mentioned, the terrain in the UK varies greatly depending on the region—some areas are flat, others are rolling countryside, and some are incredibly hilly with steep climbs. That's why getting your gearing right is essential. The ideal gearing setup will differ for each rider based on fitness level, cycling ability, and the specific goals of your bikepacking adventure. However, a good rule of thumb is to opt for lower (easier) gears rather than higher (harder) ones. It's better to have an easy climbing gear you rarely use than to struggle with gears that aren't low enough for tough climbs. Easier gearing will be more useful than harder gearing when bikepacking in the UK.
Having the right setup for the trails is essential for a successful bikepacking adventure in the UK, but knowing how to maintain your bike and understanding how it works is just as important. The golden rule of any bikepacking journey, no matter how great your bike is, is that 'it's not if it will break, it's when.' A solid understanding of your bike's mechanics will give you the best chance of fixing anything that goes wrong. When setting up your bikepacking rig, consider how easy it is to repair or replace parts while on the trail. If you can’t fix it on the trail, think about whether the nearest bike shop will be able to do so. While there are many great no-name brands out there that work well for everyday use, if their parts aren’t easily replaceable or repairable, they may not be the best choice for bikepacking. It’s all about maximising your chances of continuing your journey. Knowing that your bike is outfitted with reliable, readily available parts will give you peace of mind."
Which brings me onto what tools you need to carry while on a UK bikepacking adventure, the good news is that the UK is fairly small and while you can be in remote places you are normally within around 20 miles or so of somewhere, but you still need to carry some basic tools to keep you rolling. The must-haves tools are going to be a good multitool which you will be able to use for tightening and adjusting when needed, ideally the multitool would have a chain breaker tool, but having one separate is fine also. Tyre levers, tyre boots and even if you are riding tubeless at least 2 inner tubes. A spare quick link to put your chain back together, you can link a chain back together without this but since after i think 10 speed it doesn’t really work as well, and you are likely to find it braking again. And a spare rear mech hanger, and a set of brake pads, the trails in the UK can eat brake pads for breakfast. A good pump and of course some form of lubrication for the chain. And maybe a rag to give the chain a little wipe down from time to time. Some form of strong tape and cable ties are a good idea also. That would be the bare minimum you should probably carry in regard to bike maintenance and fixing. But you can go further. A spare set of jockey wheels, a spare gear/ brake cable. Spokes, and chain the list can really be endless and it all about weighing up the likelihood of the things that are most likely to need fixing or replacing. For example spare spokes is an interesting one, because carry a spare spoke is not a bad idea, but its often overlooked that to replace a broken spoke can mean you will need to also carry a chain whip tool as well as the cassette locking tool just to remove and replace the old spoke this isn’t always necessary but can be the case depending on how a wheel is built, that spoke you are carrying now requires multiple other bigger heavier tools. In some parts of the world this is of course worth it, but In the UK you are normally within some reasonable distance to find somewhere to get help. So carrying a spare spoke is not a bad idea still as well as the tool to tighten the nipple on the wheel, however just know that if you are not carrying other tools you may not really be able to fix it at the side of the trail anyway.

Shake down Ride

Now that you have your bike set up, it’s packed up with all the gear you think you will need for your trip, the next really important thing you need to do is a shake down ride. A shake down ride is a great way to not only test out that your bike is working as it should and feels good to ride, remember after adding all your gear the bike will feel different and the shake down ride will give you a good chance to get used to how the bike rides and help make changes before you go on the real adventure. Here are some things to know about a shake down ride…

A great idea with a shake down ride is to make it an overnighter, making it an overnighter will give you an idea how your set-up will work for you, you will get a chance to unpack the bike at night to pack it back up in the morning. This will help you decide if you have the bike packed up how you like it.
Get off-road and get over some rough trails, the shake down ride should replicate as much as possible of the bikepacking adventure you are going on, it’s not only testing your bike is working but also that nothing is going to fall off and nothing is going to become loose.
The idea of a shake down ride is to help you find out what works and doesn’t work in a more controlled environment, where if it does all goes wrong you can just bail and go home, and get back to the drawing board. It shouldn’t be a big epic adventure, it really is to allow you to test and understand how everything will work together.

Rights of ways

Planning a bikepacking a UK route has probably never been easier with all data that is available online now and with more and more people getting outside themselves more and more data or trails, trail conditions, trail types. The first thing we will be going over is the types of ways and to do that we need to break it down to England, wales and Northern Ireland as Scotland have their own set of rules, which we will go over soon. But the different types of public right of ways in England, wales & Northern Ireland are as follows.

Byway sign

Byways - Similar to a restricted byway, however, is open to all traffic. However, the nature of a byway is that they are normally old non-maintained roads so are mostly used by walkers cyclings and horse riders. But you might see the odd Land Rover or motorcyclist.

Permissive footpath - A permissive footpath is not a legal right of way however is a footpath that has been permitted by the landowner, which means you may use the path while on foot, or while using mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs. But the landowner has the right to withdraw this permission at any time.

Public footpath

Footpaths - Footpaths are public rights of ways often marked with a walking person, that you are legally allowed to use while on foot, or using mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs. Footpaths are often marked with a yellow Arrow. But often can vary from county to county.

Permissive Bridleway - The same as the permissive footpath, a permissive bridalway is a route through private land that the landowner and granted permission to use. You may use this while cycling, horse riding and walking, including mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs. The landowner also has the right to withdraw permission at any time.

Restricted byway

Restricted byways - Restricted byways are a public right of way that you may use without a motor. A restricted byway is essentially an old road that is now used as a path for non-mechanical vehicles. They are often marked with a sign saying Restricted byway. Sometimes with a green colour.

Open access land - Open access land is a part of land you are free to roam, there are often gates on each side of this land showing that you are either entering or leaving this land. Often there will be a footpath or bridalway going through this land, but you do not have to stick to the footpath or bridal way.

Bridalway

Bridalways - Bridalways are for use while either walking, cycling, horse riding and using mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs. These public rights of ways are often marked with a sign with a horse and often but not always use the colour blue.

National cycle routes - The national cycle route from Sustrans is a walking, wheeling and cycling charity and the routes are marked with a blue and red sign these routes can vary from roads to shared paths to gravel paths. Some are traffic free some are not. If they are on the road they normally try to take you on the quieter back roads.

With both permissive footpaths and permissive bridalways, the path will often be closed for one day a year to protect the landowner against any future claims of continuous public right of way.

As you can see there are quite a few different types of public rights of ways, and it can be a bit of a bit complicated but if you are looking to make your own bikepacking route in England wales or Northern Ireland then the types of public rights of ways that you will want to be using are Bridalways, Restricted byways and byways. That simplifies it a little bit. Permissive bridalways are also OK to use, but if you are planning to share the route publicly then it may be best to avoid them as they can be withdrawn at any time. Byways and restricted by ways often the best surface for bikepacking as they tend to be wider and hold up better in the winter months, however there is a lot less of them. Bridalways comes in all different shapes and sizes some are wide and rocky some are narrow single track. Scotland however is a little different.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives the public the right to be on or cross any land for recreational, educational and other named purposes. There may be circumstances where you get permission from the landowners but, providing you are considerate and respectful of the land you’re traversing, you have the right to roam when walking, cycling or horse riding. There may be limited access in some of these area, but local signs will instruct you.

Access rights are also excluded from buildings or other structures or works, plant or fixed machinery such as a farmyard, building sites or quarries, the enclosed space of ground and buildings immediately surrounding a dwelling-houses works compounds, schools and land over which you have been required to pay an entrance fee, such as properties owned by the National Trust or Historic Scotland.

Ultimately this was created to give everyone greater freedom to enjoy the outdoors and to clarify, for the benefit of users, land managers and conservation; what you can and cannot do, as well as where you can and cannot go. When it comes to bikepacking in Scotland, it does give you more freedom to explore. And create a route with the terrain you prefer.

Finding the trails

So now you have an idea of the types of public rights of way and who, and what can you each one, the next question is how to find them? The good news is there are many ways nowadays to find the trails, but the bad news is finding out how good the terrain is on each trail can be a bit trickier. To find where these public rights of ways are, though, here are some options you can try.

The first thing you can do is search the local council website where you want to go bikepacking. If you search for the Definitive map followed by the county, you should be able to find a map with all the different public rights of way that the council. The Definitive map is the legal record for public rights of way. You can use these maps to find bridal ways and byways etc to find off-road ways around the England & wales. Most councils have digitised these map now so you can access them online. If, however, you find a definitive map is not available online, contacting the council directly may be required.

OS maps - Ordnance survey maps are your next point of call for getting an idea of where these public rights of ways are. OS maps receive data from the definitive maps, so are always going to be the most up to date. OS maps can be used online or mobile device or in paper format, and you can use OS maps to create your own routes, however to use OS maps and get access to all the byways and bridalways you will need to purchase a subscription which is around £3 a month. You can also purchase the paper maps, and some libraries have them. OS maps cover England, Scotland and wales.

In Scotland there is no definitive map, however that doesn’t mean there are no known rights of way in Scotland. And you will often come across signs directing you along Scottish rights of way. The charity Scottish Rights of Way & Access Society is the reason you will see them.

Trail types

It’s one thing to know where all the trails and public rights of ways are, but it’s another thing to bring connect them and find the most suitable trails to ride along. Linking them together has got much easier with many apps available now. When it comes to plotting a route together you can off course just use your old paper OS maps, but there is a lot better way. And there are more than three apps, but I will go over three apps for plotting routes, one of which has already been mentioned…

OS maps do offer a route building tool, which is easy enough to use. The route creating tool is free but if you want to use it with the map that shows all the bridal ways and byways etc then you will need to pay for the premium. The free version also doesn’t allow you to use a snap to path feature, so makes the free tool not very useful. However, with the premium version of the OS maps, it is a very good way to connect the trails you want to ride.

RidewithGPS is another good option to use to build and plot your routes, however unlike OS maps it doesn’t get data from definitive maps, it uses something called open street maps. OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and me, and is free to use under an open licence. However, because it is not using definitive map data, it can and does sometimes mean routes and trails may be wrong. Non-existent and does mean you might find yourself not able to use a certain trail. You may be directed to use a footpath for example as the data of what a particular trail is, isn’t always known by OpenStreetMap or ridewithgps. However, using ride with GPS offers different kind of benefits. One being you can create routes for free, and you can also download other people routes for free without needing to sign in or make an account. You are also able to easily link ride with GPS to your GPS device, so it is nice and streamlined with data that cyclist often like. Or just use it on your phone. However, I don’t typically use ride with GPS as I have always felt it feels a bit clunky and typically opt for another app.
Komoot - Komoot is another app quite similar to ride with GPS in that it also uses open street maps, so is also prone to the same issues. It does sometimes get it wrong. Komoot is free to use, but you can only use it for free in two of your chosen counties after signing up. Which is great if you want to explore your local area. You currently have the option to buy the world map which then gives you access to creating the route wherever you like, which is a one-off payment. They do also have a subscription service, which means you can break down longer routes into individual days. The world map option can be worth it, but the subscription might not be for most people. However, Komoot has a bit more of a social aspect to it where users can submit highlights which is mostly really useful for information that some people leave about the trail and also the pictures of the trail which can give you a little insight of a particular trail and if it might be a trail you want to ride. You shouldn’t rely on this alone, but it can be helpful. Komoot’s routing tool is also very good and very intuitive. So it is useful for plotting the route together, but it is a good idea to also look compare with the definitive maps to make sure you are using the bridalways. Komoot if you are watching, make that a requirement if you want to add a highlight, add what type of public right of way it is. A little tip that I have found to give the best results for ridable trails on Komoot is to use enduro MTB. The way Komoot categorises trails with the data they have means enduro MTB trails normally fall onto bridalways and forest tracks. Whereas the MTB option uses single track options, which is more often than not a footpath and not a bridalway or byway.

OS MAPS

Ride with GPS

Komoot

Unfortunately, knowing exactly what each bridalway or byway conditions are going to be is where things get a little bit harder to manage, and if you are creating your own route sometimes it can be a bit of trial and error. But with the ever-changing conditions of the UK by ways do tend to hold up better and tend to be more consistent but no guarantee though. The issue here is that byways and restricted by ways are a lot less common than bridalways. A lot of judging what is going to be suitable for the ride you want comes down to experience and local knowledge. If a particular trail starts or ends at the road, google street view is also an option to get a little glimpse into what the trail might be like. Some Bridalways just go through fields, some through woodlands, some are narrow and some are wide. Combining google street view Google Earth, Komoot highlights definitive maps can give you an idea of what a trail may be like and to make sure or what type of trail it is. You can also use data from the likes of Strava to get an idea of how often trails are used, which can be a good indicator of how good it is to ride, and also Trail forks sometimes has some useful information. As you can see, making a route can be complex and time-consuming. But the good news is that there are so many different types of routes for all level and abilities in the UK already plotted out, so you can leave all the time-consuming stuff to people like me. And get out on your adventure. So let’s go over where to get these routes and some routes that I recommend to start out with.

Where to find routes?

Keepsmilingadventures.com - As you are already here, you can find all the routes I have ridden over the last couple of years for download in the routes section. The routes are all categorised into beginner, intermediate and challenging. Some of these are made by me, some are not.
Another great option is probably the biggest website and collection of routes not just in the UK but worldwide is bikepacking.com, they have lots of UK routes too. In my experience the routes i have completed from here to tend to have a lot more grindy routes often with lots of hike a bike. They tend to be scared of coming into and built up place so you often need to come of course to find supplies. But there are lots of good routes on there too. And lots of information also.
Another option for UK bikepacking routes is Cycling UK, a UK based cycling charity that has over the years made some really popular bikepacking routes. A lot of the cycling UK routes are a little on the easier side, so can be a good place to start. The cycling UK website offers lots of information tips and guides.

My Recommendations

with so much choice, it can be hard to deicide which route to take on, so here are my recommendations. I will give you 3 recommendations for the best beginner routes one from England one from Scotland and one from wales and then finally my top 3 routes of all time, let’s start in Scotland with a beginner route.

Scotland - Loch Ness - I think a good starting point for a beginner bikepacking route in Scotland is actually going to be one I completed recently, bikepacking around Loch Ness it is only a short route at 80 miles with some steep climbs and epic views but if you want to explore a little beautiful part of Scotland then riding around Loch Ness is a great place to start without throwing yourself into the deep end of Scottish bikepacking. It will give you a good taste of what to expect when you venture further into the bikepacking world.

England -The norths downs way - The north downs way is going to be my recommendation for a great beginner route in England. It’s a great fun route with lots of fun trails, it’s well signed posted and can be ridden most of the year. With some beautiful views and a chance to ride through some beautiful blue bell filled woodland, if you take this on at the right time then it’s such a great choice. Top tip, if you're leaving the country by ferry you can extend this route down to Dover.

Wales - The Gower - Wales and beginner routes don’t really exist, but the easiest route and the most beginner-friendly fun bikepacking route I think I took on and would recommend would be The Gower, a short route perfect for an overnighter in wales. It’s wales but less remote, less rugged and less brutal. But equally beautiful.

Best route recommendation

My three favourite routes from around the UK that I think are a must-do are ….

The second city divide - I’d highly recommend this one tarting in Glasgow and finishing in Manchester, 360 miles of pure joy, well nearly, more like 300 miles of pure joy, then the not so fun Pennine bridle way to finish off. The second city divide is an example of gravel bike heaven, with endless wide gravel roads through the wind farms and floe descents with mountains either side of you. Unlike a lot of routes in the UK this one isn’t afraid to just use the road sometimes which means you get to experience some incredible flowing roads with great views, and don’t worry because the road sections are not busy with traffic they are quite country lanes. It keeps the ride moving and feels like you are making good progress, meaning you can enjoy stopping off a jumping in the streams and rivers to cool off if you need to.

Yorkshire dales 300 - The Yorkshire dales 300 is a fantastic route exploring the Yorkshire dales, with lots and lots of fun riding and exploring. It was one of them adventures that you go on and just love every minute of it, yes it’s tough there is lots of climbing and the trails are a little rough especially if you take this on, on the gravel bike. But I loved riding this route, from the old Roman roads to the fast flowing descents to the wild camping, it was a bikepacking adventure that just felt perfect for me. The old Roman roads, well not known for their smoothness, offer you a chance to really let go of them breaks and descend FAST. The trails are most of the time nice and wide, which makes finding the perfect line all that easier. And there are so many places to camp with incredible views looking over the dales.

The Cornish delight - Yes, I am a little bias with this one because I created it myself, but it’s bikepacking trip with a purpose to get a real Cornish pasty. The Cornish delight, an adventure from Bournemouth to Padstow through some of my local favourite trails. A route you will travel along the Jurassic coastline to Exeter, before a nice flat cruise around the cycle path around the estuary before heading into Dartmoor from some open rugged beauty and some epic gravel roads. Before testing, your legs on some Cornish steep country lanes, don’t worry though I have given you a nice easy flat finish along the camel trail. It is probably my favourite coast to coast bikepacking route that I have done, so I recommend it, especially if you like Cornish pasties.

Gear and equipment

So you have your bike you have your route, and now it is time to pack everything you need and while everyone is different with different comfort levels and tolerances for the ever-changing conditions that bikepacking the UK brings. But there are a few things to think about when packing your bike with the gear you will need. Let’s start with some essential clothing items and the best way to approach what to bring.

Layering System

You might have heard that in the UK, pretty much all over the place, the weather is not always the best and often isn’t always predicable. You see when bikepacking around the UK one day it might be sunny one day it might be rainy or just freezing cold or perhaps windy. The temperature around the UK can vary and is normally a few degrees warmer in the south from say north of the England/Scotland boarder. So using a laying system is going to be the best route to be able to provide as much comfort while on a UK Bikepacking adventure. Using the layering system is going to make the times when the weather is not at its best that little more tolerable. The layering system designed to keep you comfortable and protected in varying weather conditions. You can add or remove layers as needed to regulate your body temperature. When you're active, you may start with fewer layers to avoid overheating. As you slow down or when the weather gets colder, you can add layers for warmth. If you start to sweat, you can remove layers to prevent moisture build-up, especially in cold conditions where sweat can make you feel colder. By using a layering system, you can adapt to changing weather conditions and stay comfortable and protected during your bikepacking adventures. You don’t have to wear Lycra of cycling specific clothing either but its worth investing in some fast drying clothes for your adventures for when you do get wet, Also when out on longer bikepacking adventures these fast drying clothes are great when it comes to washing day, after washing hang on the bike and let the wind dry them. There is no one rule works for everyone but I think excepting that it is impossible to stay 100% dry at all time while riding a bike. However, much waterproof jackets trousers shoes you buy eventually you will get wet, having multiple layers and fast drying clothes is the best option for a comfortable ride.

Waterproof Jacket

A good waterproof jacket is essential when bikepacking in the UK wherever you might decide to cycle, and not just to keep the rain off you but also the wind. The UK landscape changes quite a lot, from rolling countryside to moorland to exposed mountainous landscapes. You can be at sea level or a couple of thousand ft above. As you climb here in the UK, the temperature will drop and is often a lot windier, so a good waterproof jacket is essential for keeping the worst of you. When sourcing a waterproof jacket for UK bikepacking I would recommend finding something that has a hood that can fit over a helmet and that is not too tight-fitting so you can add or remove layers underneath as needed. Having a loose fitting waterproof jacket also helps with the breathability of the jacket. Personally, I prefer to stay away from cycling specific waterproof jackets as they tend to be more performance orientated and tight-fitting. Not always offering as much protection and normally costing a lot more. I would also avoid waterproof jackets that have a net liner as once that gets wet it takes forever to dry. You want your waterproof jacket to keep you as dry as possible but also dry as fast as possible.

Socks

The next piece of clothing that is very important is the socks, now there are many different types of socks, different thickness and materials. You might prefer some merino wool socks, merino wool has natural antibacterial properties which means it doesn’t require as much washing, good for when you are on the road for multiple days and might wear a pair of socks for multiple days. When it comes to socks though, the real key is not material type But ultimately what ever sock you personally prefer, it’s best to take a couple extra pairs than you think you might need. Better to have a couple extra clean pairs of socks than not. Being a small item and not taking up much space, it’s a good idea to carry a few extra pairs because bikepacking in the UK will require some wet feet at some point, no matter how hard you dry to keep them dry.

Shoes

Sticking with the feet for a little bit longer shoes are an important choice and whether you are wearing shoes with cleats or not make sure the shoes are slightly on the bigger size for bikepacking this not only allows for different thicknesses of socks during the different temperatures that you will no doubt experience bikepacking in the UK but allow your feet to swell. Having extra room for your feet to swell will keep the shoes comfortable throughout multiple days or weeks of bikepacking. The last thing you want to have are blistered feet from shoes that are too tightly fitted. A lot of cycling shoes, especially XC shoes, can be on the smaller size as they are going for performance. When It comes to cleat specific shoes, I have personally found that shoes that are entry level and normally just use Velcro straps tend to be wider than those with boa straps or ratchet. I can tell you which shoes you should buy because everyone’s feet are different but make sure they fit slightly on the bigger size. Also with bikepacking in the UK there is often times where you will need to hike your bike so being comfortable for this is a must. And with the different types of terrain from rocky terrain to bog to grass, it’s important to make sure the shoes have a decent amount of grip. Personal experience for me is to avoid stuff that are fairly flat on the bottom like some of the Five ten shoes as it makes hiking up wet grass practically impossible and opt for something with a good amount of thick tread underneath. The UK bikepacking routes will often have steams or rivers that you might need to cross, in the dryer months these are normally quite shallow, but it still poses the question of taking a separate shoe or sandal that you can use to make the stream or river crossing. I know at least one person who swears by riding in sandals all the time, but with all the rocky terrain, it’s not something I’d recommend. But is an option with specific cycling sandals available. In my experience with bikepacking in the UK most streams or rivers can be crossed without getting your feet wet anyway and often when you can’t cross them without getting wet feet there is often multiple crossing every 50- 100m for example meaning you will be stopping to change shoes quite often. But it’s not a bad idea to carry a pair of sandal or beach shoes if you really don’t want to get your feet wet.

Ticks & Insects

Insulated Jacket

Bikepacking in the UK has its perks that we really don’t have too many dangerous animals no bears, but we do have a fair few insects that will give you a nibble most of which won’t cause you any long term harm, it might just be a little itchy for a while. However, we do have ticks in the UK and with a lot of bikepacking routes going through grassy and wooded areas. Tick bites are not always going to cause any issues, but being bitten by a tick can cause you Lyme disease. You might not feel a tick bite, so you need to check your clothes and skin regularly, especially if coming through grassy or woodlands areas. So why am I talking about ticks, well it can be a good idea to wear trousers and long sleeve t-shirts in the UK while bikepacking to reduce the chance of being bitten by a tick.

Carrying a good jacket for warmth is essential for about 10 months of the year in the UK, In July and august you can normally get away with just a waterproof jacket for the early morning or sat in camp or when on higher ground. However, it is a good idea to carry either a down jacket or some form of synthetic down or anything that is insulated and is packable. Unless you are on a winter adventure in the UK it is usually too warm to cycle in something like a down jacket, however it is very useful for the evening when in camp or if you are a cold sleeper you can use it to sleep in. And when you finish are waiting for the train, after riding a bike, and then you stop it can feel colder as you start to lose your heat.

Whatever you decide is right for you to take, just make sure that you understand your own ability and tolerances to the conditions you will likely come up against while bikepacking in the UK. The temperatures can change throughout the year. From below freezing in the winter and around mid 20s in the summer. You need to make sure you check the conditions before heading out. And make sure you pack everything you need to keep warm, dry and safe.

Remember, you get wet, you get cold!

How to pack your clothes

Packing your gear onto your bike is just as important as what to pack and there is no one right way to do it apart from what I mentioned earlier that you really need to spread the weight of the gear over the bike. But also, it is very important to pack your clothes in a way that keeps them dry when they are on your bike. And separate from wet clothes. Depending on how you set up your bike, then you might have a separate bag. But if you are using a saddlebag then it’s best to make sure you keep the used wet and dirty clothes apart, use a inner dry bag inside your saddlebag to keep things separate. It’s really as simple as that. This goes with your tent if you have a 2 piece tent, keep the outer separate from the inner. Keeping a dry set of clothes is essential for safety here in the UK, remember you get wet you get cold. Always keep at least one set of clothes that you can get into once you are out of the rain. When packing your bike, make sure you think about how to keep wet and dry gear separate.

The thing with a bikepacking and packing all the gear onto your bike is often how will it fit?, and while bikes can hold much more that you might expect there are a couple of things to consider one is the weight, now a fully loaded bike can be heavy, and a heavy bike is never going to be as easy to pedal up some of the steep climbs that you will find here around the UK, so while weight is important, and it’s a good idea to only carry the things you know you will need which does take a bit of practice that can only be practised by going out and finding what you use and don’t use. Saving weight on gear often just means paying more, unfortunately. So while weight isn’t something to completely neglect, it’s not something you should worry about too much, try not to get hung up on saving a little bit of weight here and there that won’t make that much difference on a fully loaded bike anyway. However, pack size is something that is more valuable, the less space something takes the better, as often it’s space that is limited on a bike and not weight. There are certain items that typically take up a lot of space like sleeping bags, a synthetic sleeping bag will typically take up much more space than a down sleeping bag. So it is worth investing is a sleeping bag that packs small. Tents have come a long way over the years so you don’t have to have a big bulky tent and the tent is worth finding one that packs down small, you don’t have to spend crazy money on tents to get that small pack size either now. When picking a tent, pick for pack size over weight. When packing the clothes you want to wear pack clothes that pack up small, tech tees, bib shorts, arm and leg warmers. The difference between a normal standard cotton t-shirt vs something like a tech tee in size and weight starts to save you both space and weight and are practical on and off the bike. These items can be a more affordable option to reduce pack size. They also perform better in damp conditions and dry fast which is the best feature to look for clothes the UK

Safety

The good thing about bikepacking in the UK is that you are normally going to be within reach of a built-up area where you can get help to find supplies, a bike shop or any other things you may need. However, that doesn’t mean there are no dangers, and taking care of your safety is extremely important. You have to understand it’s not if something goes wrong, it’s when. You can put in as much preparation as much experience and yet sometimes things just go wrong. And while I would encourage anyone to go on a bikepacking adventure you should still understand your limits, you should still only ride trails that you feel comfortable with and always air on the side of caution. That can be anything from hiking down a trail because it’s too steep to finding another way to cross a river. But like I said, sometimes things go wrong, so here are some things to know before you go on a UK bikepacking adventure.

The emergency phone number is 999 You can reach the same service by dialling 112 or 911 in the UK. The 999 switchboard can connect you to the ambulance, fire, police, coast guard, search and rescue and bomb disposal services. You should call 999 in a serious emergency only.
The UK is quite well-connected, but there are areas where you may not have signal. This is common in some remote sections in Scotland and wales. Especially when down in between mountains or hills. If you are going to be going into a remote area on your own, then a Satellite phone like the Garmin in reach might be a good idea.
Alternatively, make sure to let someone know where you are going and give them a copy of the route you will be doing and check in with them regally.
If you do find your self in a scenario where you need to contact the emergency service, and you are not sure exactly where you are, there are a couple ways to let them know. If you are using a GPS unit, then you should be able to access your current GPS coordinates. On my Garmin, it’s as simple as a couple of taps. A couple of apps to add on your phone are “What3words” so you can give your current position. Another app is OS Locate, which converts your GPS location to the OS Grid reference. The emergency service operator will have access to a computer and internet, so the more details you can give the better.

Understanding basic first aid is a good idea also, having a basic knowledge of first aid will not only help you treat any injuries you might have, but often knowing first aid is not for yourself but for someone else. Carrying a first aid kit is good practice, personally it’s nearly always better to just build it up yourself that buy a pre mad one but something better than nothing. For bikepacking it’s a good idea to have plenty of antibacterial wipes some kind of bandage, enough that you can wrap it around a twisted ankle for example. Some plasters, some cream for insect bites, hydrocortisone is the cream I use. If you are in Scotland, then some Smidge to repel the midge.
The main thing to remember while in an emergency is to stay safe and stay calm.

Accommodation and camping

When it comes to finding somewhere to sleep for the night you essentially have three options, you can Wild camp you can stay at a official camp site or you can have a bit more luxury with a B&B or hotel.

I won’t go into too much detail when it comes to B&B or hotel because I’m sure most of you know how to use the internet to find one. But in the UK to find a hotel and B&B you will need to get yourself to a more built-up area. Small towns and cities are your best bet, and some of the small villages have some rooms available at pubs. The price of a room for the night can vary a lot in the UK from location to time of the year. If you find a room for £70-80 nowadays, you are doing alright. Most rooms are going to be around the £100 mark though but depending on location can be much more. In my experience from both working in hotels and using them from time to time on my bikepacking adventures most of the places have somewhere to leave a bike, sometimes they have a garage sometimes they might leave it in a office, and occasionally they might only have an outdoor space round the back normally by the kitchen. So it’s best to call the place and make sure they have somewhere safe to leave your bike.

If you preferred to camp, then you can find official campsites. Dotted around the place, some are seasonal and some are open all year round. Some have showers and other facilities, and some are just a field. Normally, you do need to pre-book your camp spot. But sometimes you can just turn up and get a spot for the night. Prices vary just like hotels and can be anything where from around £10 to £50.

The Final option is to have complete flexibility and wild camp. Now here we need to go over a few things because in England and Wales Wild Camping is not officially permitted without the landowners’ permission. Apart from Dartmoor where at least at the time of writing this. Where there are still permitted sections that you are allowed to wild camp. In Scotland as you have the right to enjoy most land as long as you act responsibly you can wild camp. You can set up a spot to camp and stay for 2/3 days before moving on.
However, in England and Wales, things get a little complicated. And I’m sure you have heard many people say that wild camping in England and wales is illegal. Well the good news is this is false, it is not illegal. You are not getting a criminal record or going to prison for wild camping. However, as essentially all land is owned by someone in England or wales technically if you decide to wild camp you would be trespassing as you have not been granted permission from the landowner. Unlike some countries, this is not a criminal offence but a civil matter. What does this mean in reality? It means that if you are somehow discovered wild camping by the owner of said land, then you can be asked to leave. And not leaving will then become aggravated trespass, which can become a criminal offence. So the rule is to always be polite, apologise and move on if discovered. However, I really want to make this clear as this is a question I get asked time and time again, and I understand why. But if you are wild camping correctly meaning setting up late and leaving early and not have great big fires then the likelihood of you ever being discovered is next to none. The best way to go about wild camping in England and wales is to set up just off the main trail, whether that be a bridal way or footpath. Once you get off-road and the sun has started to set, you will very likely see no one. You will start to get a feel for a place once stopped as to how busy a trail might be. When looking for somewhere to wild camp in England and wales it’s important to choose a spot that isn’t going to get in the way of someone using a trail even though you are very unlikely to see anyone after sunset you don’t want to be camping directly on the trail because people can still come through at night. Most likely someone just like you enjoying the outdoors. Just because wild camping is not permitted does not make it illegal and while Scotland have it right you can wild camp in England and wales there are plenty of remote areas. Where you can not see anyone all day. But you must follow the rules of setting up late and leaving early, and no fires. Use a little stove if you want. But leave no trace.

With that being said, wild camping in the UK is best with a tent or a bivy. You can use a hammock in the UK, but it can be a lot harder to find places as a lot of the woodlands in the UK are private, and often the trails don’t go through them. So it is a lot easier with a small tent or a bivy.

When choosing a tent for a bikepacking trip here in the UK, you have a couple of options…..

A freestanding tent a tent that uses poles to form the structure of the tent and can be used without staking it out, these tents are likely to be a little heavier than a non-freestanding tent but offer the flexibility of setting up on areas that it can be hard to stake a tent out
A non-freestanding tent requires staking out to keep their shape. To set up, non-freestanding tents are first staked out and then typically propped up with trekking poles, or an alternative pole for bikepacking.

When it comes to deciding between freestanding and not freestanding they both have their advantages and disadvantages a non-freestanding tent often is lighter and makes carrying it easier, normally using one or two small poles can mean a freestanding tent is easy to carry as the poles are often the bulky part of a tent. However, you need to look at where you will be using the tent the terrain across the UK is ever-changing, and a tent that requires staking down can cause issues at times if the ground is rocky. Personally I prefer the flexibility of a freestanding tent as it often means you can just set up the inner on a nice day, and it’s not such an issue of rocky ground. It will all come down to personal preference at the end of the day.

Freestanding

Single wall tent vs Double wall tent

A single-wall tent has one layer of fabric that serves as both the structure and weather barrier. It’s lightweight and quick to set up, making it great for fast-and-light backpacking or mountaineering. However, its lack of ventilation can lead to condensation build-up inside.
A double-wall tent, on the other hand, features two layers: a breathable inner tent and a waterproof outer rain fly. This setup allows better airflow and reduces condensation, offering more comfort and protection in a wider range of weather conditions, though it is bulkier and takes longer to pitch.
A hybrid tent combines features from both. It typically uses a partial rain fly attached to a single-wall tent, with mesh walls inside for airflow. The rain fly can act as a vestibule or be rolled up to allow even more ventilation in dry weather, providing a balance of lightweight design and improved breathability.

Single wall tent

Double wall tent

So while choosing the right tent is going to be personal preference, there are a few factors that you should consider and look for when choosing your tent. With the UK be a wet place whether that be from rain or condensation and the weather temperature can change quite a bit from nightfall to morning. A few things to look for are… can you put up the tent while raining and keep the inside dry, some tents mainly doubled walled tents set up the inner first, and while that is OK most of the time it makes setting up the tent in the rain less than ideal. Keeping the inner part of a tent dry is essential for staying warm and comfortable. So ideally, opt for a tent that sets up outer first. You are at some point going to have wet clothes at the end of the day bikepacking in the UK and you don’t want to keep your wet gear inside with you when you sleep, so make sure the tent has suitable space to store your wet gear. Also consider how your tent will be stored, a double walled tent can be separated from the outer, meaning if the outer is wet in the morning you can’t pack them separately. It’s not always possible to completely dry a tent in the morning. Look for a tent with a side opening door to make it easier to get in and out.

Nutrition

When bikepacking in the UK, staying fuelled is essential, but you don’t need to carry loads of food. Most UK bikepacking routes pass through towns and villages with shops, cafés, or pubs where you can easily restock. Even on more remote trips, like those in Scotland, at most you might need to carry a day’s worth of food between resupply points. The shops around the UK bikepacking routes can vary in size, little villages sometimes have little village stores where you can get basic items but often have short opening hours. Whereas bigger towns will have shops that have more choice and stay open late. Some tips on staying fuelled on your bikeapcking adventure are as follows…

Eat regally, if you start to feel Hungary it’s already too late. So pack stuff that is easy to eat on the go, whether that be energy bars, fruit and nuts or some cured meat. Anything that can stay on your bike and won’t go bad really. This approach provides a steady stream of energy, keeps your digestion light, and helps avoid spikes and crashes in energy levels.
You will be burning a lot more calories’ day to day to make sure, when stopping to eat, eat high calorie foods. Depending on how much you usually ride normally, the calories’ intake that you will need to consume might be similar to a normal bike ride or a lot more. That’s why it’s important to east often.
I would advise against eating big portions of food mid-ride, and save the big meal for the end. This will avoid stomach issues A big meal can cause bloating, cramping, or nausea.

Hydration: Bring a Water Filter

Since water is heavy to carry, it’s smart to use a water filter l especially on more remote routes like those in Scotland where streams and rivers are common. Carrying a lightweight water filter or purification tablets lets you safely refill your bottles without the need to carry large amounts of water. This can significantly reduce the weight of your gear while ensuring you stay hydrated throughout the day.

By carrying just the essentials and using the resources along your route, you can enjoy your ride without being weighed down. My recommendation is to carry a minimum of a 1 litre of water and refill often in the 2 weeks that you might find it actually hot in the UK, then 1.5/2 litres is better. And refill often using a water filter. Wales and Scotland this is very easy to do on most routes but can be a little harder in England. You will be able to find plenty of streams around the national parks and landscapes of natural beauty, but sometimes in between these areas can be a little harder. But in these areas, shops are normally available. Using a water filter although removes most of what you don’t want to be drinking it can’t remove everything so still be sensible in what you choose to filter. Avoiding large or really dirty water sources, especially around the built-up areas.