The best cycling routes around Bristol

720rides

4.4

(823)

26,805 people rode here

Despite its myriad hills, cycling in Bristol remains one of the best ways of not just exploring the buzzing city, but adventuring through its tremendous surroundings as well. A major maritime city intriguingly set back from the coast, bike rides here have the scope to take you across rolling countryside as well as along the stunning estuarine coastline.

Cycle routes in Bristol are absolutely everywhere and new paths pop up all the time. A city dedicated to becoming one of Europe’s biggest cycling destinations, you’ll be in great company when you explore the area on two-wheels.

Take your steed out for a spin to the west, crossing the majestic Clifton Suspension Bridge and pedaling past farmland, through woodlands and over hills to the Bristol Channel coast. Routes are typically undulating, if not outright hilly, but you can always follow the River Avon for rural, traffic-free miles.

Avon Valley Railway – Staple Hill tunnel loop from Stapleton Road	Intermediate	02:35 42.9 km
Chew Valley Lake loop from Bristol	Expert	03:33 57.4 km
Towards Clevedon from Bristol - plenty of gravel	Expert	03:17 47.5 km
Avon Valley Railway – Staple Hill tunnel loop from Clifton Down	Intermediate	02:56 48.2 km
Suspension Bridge View – Ashton Court entrance loop from Butterfly Junction	Expert	01:53 24.0 km
The Pill Path – The Pill Path loop from Clifton Down	Intermediate	02:12 34.9 km
Suspension Bridge View – Chew Valley Lake loop from Clifton Down	Expert	03:31 55.9 km
Rolling down into Chew Valley – Whitchurch railway path loop from Clifton Down	Intermediate	02:36 40.7 km
Suspension Bridge View – Festival Way loop from Montpelier	Intermediate	03:30 59.0 km
Suspension Bridge View – Festival Way loop from Butterfly Junction	Easy	01:17 21.9 km

Plan. Save. Navigate. Your best adventures await.

Start today with a free komoot account.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
1
1
Avon Valley Railway – Staple Hill tunnel loop from Stapleton Road
02:35
42.9 km
16.6 km/h
260 m
260 m
Intermediate
4.7
(119)
2,518
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
2
2
Chew Valley Lake loop from Bristol
03:33
57.4 km
16.2 km/h
490 m
490 m
Expert
4.9
(17)
170
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View

Let us show you the way with the komoot mobile app
With a free komoot account, you can easily find, customize, and navigate endless outdoor adventures around Bristol and beyond.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
3
3
Towards Clevedon from Bristol - plenty of gravel
03:17
47.5 km
14.4 km/h
470 m
470 m
Expert
5.0
(7)
111
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
4
4
Avon Valley Railway – Staple Hill tunnel loop from Clifton Down
02:56
48.2 km
16.5 km/h
340 m
340 m
Intermediate
4.9
(63)
1,481
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
5
5
Suspension Bridge View – Ashton Court entrance loop from Butterfly Junction
01:53
24.0 km
12.8 km/h
240 m
240 m
Expert
904
Expert bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
6
6
The Pill Path – The Pill Path loop from Clifton Down
02:12
34.9 km
15.9 km/h
220 m
220 m
Intermediate
4.6
(27)
565
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
7
7
Suspension Bridge View – Chew Valley Lake loop from Clifton Down
03:31
55.9 km
15.9 km/h
480 m
480 m
Expert
4.3
(12)
407
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
8
8
Rolling down into Chew Valley – Whitchurch railway path loop from Clifton Down
02:36
40.7 km
15.7 km/h
440 m
440 m
Intermediate
4.8
(27)
351
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
9
9
Suspension Bridge View – Festival Way loop from Montpelier
03:30
59.0 km
16.9 km/h
290 m
290 m
Intermediate
4.9
(18)
340
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
10
10
Suspension Bridge View – Festival Way loop from Butterfly Junction
01:17
21.9 km
17.0 km/h
110 m
110 m
Easy
4.3
(12)
311
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
View

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

to see 710 more rides around Bristol.

More Information

From the city to the sea

A historic city, cycle routes through Bristol and out towards the sea take you past the same landscapes that industry has been travelling along for hundreds of years. Inhabited since neanderthal times, Bristol itself was founded around 1,000 AD and the port area swiftly developed. Becoming one of the most important trading ports in the country, the city grew and saw many ships leaving for the New World.

Cycling from Bristol westwards makes for a wonderful day ride, taking in modest hills, flat river trails and the towering sides of the Avon Gorge. Decide which side of the Avon you want to be on when you start out for the most flexible of routes but there is a cycle path across the river alongside the M5. This means you can cycle to the sea and back in a circular route.

Notable spots for a spin

Eastwards, you can ride all the way to Bath along flawless, traffic-free, flat tarmac, perfect for family adventures as well as an easy way to get to the edge of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Bike rides from Bristol can also whisk you south to the pretty Mendip Hills AONB where you can cycle around the grand Chew Valley Lake and delve further into rolling limestone scenery. While you’ll encounter your fair share of climbs, the views get better and better, rewarding tired legs.

One of the best locations for riding thanks to its varied terrain, staggering gorges and range of trails, the Mendips tempt Bristol’s cyclists down whenever sun is on the forecast. If exhilarating rides are your thing, cycling through the famous Cheddar Gorge is a highlight. What goes down, must come up though. If you want cake with your climbs, the Mendips are littered with cafes welcoming hungry cyclists.

If you’d rather get your cake and coffee in Bristol after pedaling around the historic floating docks, no sweat. There are so many outstanding independent outlets here that you can ride from cake shop to cake shop, some of which even provide dedicated bike parking.