| National Cycle Route 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Length | 1,022 km (635 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Designation | UK National Cycle Network | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trailheads | Dover (south) to Tain (north) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Use | Cycling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Waymark |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Surface | Varies from on-road to traffic-free tarmac to compacted surface | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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National Cycle Route 1 (or NCR 1) is a route of the National Cycle Network , running from Dover to Tain . [1] [2] The 1,264 mi-long (2,034-kilometre) [3] cycle-path is located in the United Kingdom.
Dover | Deal | Sandwich | Canterbury
Links with National Cycle Route 2, Regional route 16, and Regional route 17 in Dover. Leaves Dover passing Dover Castle. South Foreland Lighthouse is visible from the route. Mostly traffic-free along the east coast from Kingsdown to Deal, passing Walmer Castle and Deal Castle. Follows toll road (free to cyclists) through the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club to the town of Sandwich. In Sandwich the route links with Regional route 15.
Shortly after leaving Sandwich the route passes Richborough Castle, then follows quiet country roads between some of Kent's orchards. The route passes through the villages of Westmarsh, Elmstone, Preston. The route then passes through the town of Fordwich, then traffic-free into the city of Canterbury. At Canterbury the route links with Regional route 16 again, and with National Cycle Route 18.
Canterbury | Whitstable | Faversham | Sittingbourne
From Canterbury the route follows the traffic-free Crab and Winkle Way (which part-follows the route of the former Canterbury and Whitstable Railway) to Whitstable. The route then heads West across Graveney Marsh, through the village of Graveney to the town of Faversham.
Following Faversham the route passes between more orchards then through the village of Conyer and beside Swale Marina towards the town of Sittingbourne. In Sittingbourne the route mainly follows cycle paths and shared-use footpaths beside the road.
Sittingbourne | Rochester | Gravesend | Dartford | Crayford | Erith | Thamesmead | Woolwich | Greenwich | Island Gardens, Isle of Dogs
The route leaves Sittingbourne via a bridge over the A249 dual-carriageway. National Cycle Route 174 (A spur of NCN 1) then heads North through the village of Iwade and on to Minster and Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. The main route heads West towards the village of Newington, and from there on to Rainham in the Medway towns.
At Lower Rainham the route heads into Riverside Country Park and follows traffic-free paths beside the River Medway. It then joins a cycle path beside the main road, before joining a quiet path again beside the river at The Strand. Following The Strand the route once again joins a cycle path beside the main road, heading towards Chatham Historic Dockyard.
Following the NCN1 through Rochester the route uses a cycle lane in the road. It then links with National Cycle Route 17 towards Maidstone before crossing the Medway using a cycle path beside the road on a bridge into Strood. Rochester Castle is accessible via a short cycle along NCR 17 The route then heads to Upper Upnor using a mixture of quiet roads, footpaths, and cycle paths. It passes Upnor Castle here.
At the turning on to the A228 and just arriving in the village of Higham there are links to the Regional route 18 (The Heron Trail) on the Hoo Peninsula. On the approach to Gravesend, the route runs beside the Thames and Medway Canal.
It then passes through the town of Gravesend, close to the Thames and following the Saxon Shore footpath route as well. The route heads up to follow a dismantled railway route to Northfleet. It passes Northfleet Urban Country Park and towards the Ebbsfleet International 
before taking the A2260 (passing over High Speed 1 line). The route follows the A2 Dual Carriageway for a short section (off-road) before taking the A296 towards Bluewater (shopping centre).
The (off-road) route follows the old Roman road Watling Street to the Fleetdowns suburb of Dartford. The route heads along Princes Road and Fleet Road. It passes over the A282 (part of the M25 heading towards the Dartford Crossing). The route then heads to Dartford town centre.
It passes under the railway line (Dartford to Gravesend) and takes the A2026 road towards Crayford. After crossing the River Cray, it joins with the London Loop to head to the River Thames again. It then becomes the River Thames Path, from Crayford Ness to Erith, Thamesmead, Woolwich and Greenwich.
At Greenwich, the route passes Cutty Sark and Cutty Sark DLR station which passes Greenwich Pier under the river via the foot tunnel to Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs. The foot tunnel has lifts at both ends but the tunnel has to be walked along.
Island Gardens | Millwall | Canary Wharf | Limehouse | Mile End | Victoria Park | Bow | Old Ford | Hackney Wick | Tottenham Hale | Enfield | Cheshunt | Harlow | Chelmsford | Witham | Maldon
The route runs past Island Gardens DLR station and around Mudchute Park to Mudchute DLR station, turning before Crossharbour DLR station to Millwall Dock which it crosses via Pepper Street. The route passes through the housing estates of Millwall near South Quay to head to Limehouse Reach. It again follows the Thames Path until Newell Street passing Canary Wharf Pier into Limehouse on Limehouse Causeway (east of Westferry DLR station) where it links with National Cycle Route 13 and Cycle Superhighway CS3. It heads up Newell Street to Commercial Road, passing over the Limehouse Cut and the Lea Valley Walk. The route heads along Salmon Lane to Regent's Canal towpath heading north to Mile End passing Mile End Stadium into Mile End Park past Mile End Underground station over The Green Bridge on Mile End Road and Cycle Superhighway CS2 from which it rejoin the Regent's Canal via the north part of Mile End Park.
After once again leaving the Regent's Canal heading into Victoria Park passing through it southern side and which involves crossing over Grove Road on a cycle lane from the west park to the east park on the outer roundabout on the northern side between Grove Road and Old Ford Road, the route continues into Victoria Park till the Parnell Road footbridge in Bow where it joins the Hertford Union Canal towpath to River Lee Navigation via Old Ford to Hackney Wick. It passes the Olympic Stadium in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Hackney Wick station, then Hackney Marshes before heading across the River Lea. The route passes Waterworks Nature Reserve, under Lea Bridge Road, and through Leyton Marshes. It passes under two railways (between Stratford and Tottenham, and the Clapton to Walthamstow line). It then passes under the Stratford and Tottenham line again and past Walthamstow Marshes to follow the River Lea again.
The route skirts West Warwick Reservoir before passing under the Stratford and Tottenham line again, and then the South Tottenham to Blackhorse Road railway line. It passes under the A503 in Tottenham Hale. It passes along Lockwood Reservoir to Banbury Reservoir. It passes several trading estates in Edmonton and under the A406. It heads past the William Girling Reservoir and National Athletics Stadium at Picketts Lock. It crosses under the A110 near Ponders End, then past King George V Reservoir to Enfield Lock. It heads away from the River Lea Navigation to pass through Enfield Island Village to follow the River Lea through Gunpowder Park to the A121 to Waltham Abbey.
It links with the proposed cycle route NCR 13 at Chelmsford, and the proposed NCR 16 route at Witham. It also connects with NCR 51 heading east at Colchester for access to Harwich International Port and the Regional route 41 coastal route via Felixstowe.
Colchester | Ipswich | Woodbridge | Framlingham | Halesworth | Beccles | Norwich
From Colchester take NCR 51 to Harwich International Port or continue to Ipswich along minor roads. Note that (as of December 2007) the route is being changed, and part is still unsigned. The old route passes to the north of Ipswich, the new route comes into the centre of the town and along the Waterfront.
From Ipswich take the NCR 51 west towards Cambridge, or NCR 51 east for Felixstowe and then either to Harwich and the Harwich International Port via a foot ferry or north using RCR 41 via Bawdsey Ferry (summer only) into Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to connect back up with NCR 1 further north.
As NCR1 (the new route) leaves Ipswich it passes along a good off-road cycle route through the Grange Farm area and out to Woodbridge along minor roads.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2014) |
Norwich | Fakenham | King's Lynn | Wisbech | Holbeach | Boston | Lincoln
Links with NCR 13 near Fakenham for access south to Thetford and with NCR 11 near King's Lynn for access to Ely and Cambridge
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2014) |
Lincoln | Market Rasen | Humber Bridge | Hull | Beverley | Driffield | Bridlington | Scarborough
The route passes through the east of Lincoln before using cycle lanes and cycle paths along the A46. Once out of the city it makes use of country lanes to Market Rasen. After which it rises up on to the Lincolnshire Wolds before descending in to Barton-upon-Humber where it crosses the Humber Bridge to Hessle in Yorkshire. The route here is mainly on country lanes with a one section of bridle path at Hendale Wood. [4] At Hessle the route meets Route 65 on the eastern Leg of the Trans Pennine Trail. Route 1 continues north through west Hull suburbs before reaching the town of Beverley. Using mainly country lanes via Driffield, the route reaches the North Sea coast at Bridlington. Between Bridlington and Scarborough the route climbs over the Yorkshire Wolds.
The 57 miles (92 km) of Route 1 between the junction of Route 164 in Beverly 53°50′26″N0°25′44″W / 53.8406°N 0.429°W and the junction with Route 166 in Hunmanby 54°10′55″N0°19′32″W / 54.182°N 0.3255°W are part of the Yorkshire Wolds Cycle Route.
Between Hutton Cranswick 53°57′14″N0°29′53″W / 53.9539°N 0.498°W and Bridlington 54°05′33″N0°10′38″W / 54.0924°N 0.1772°W Route 1 is the eastern end of the Way of the Roses Challenge Ride.
Scarborough | Whitby | Redcar | Middlesbrough | Stockton on Tees | Sunderland | South Shields
From Scarborough to Whitby, the route directly follows the course of the former Scarborough and Whitby Railway, now known locally as The Cinder Track. The terrain is mostly off-road and passes over the Larpool Viaduct. The route is disconnected between Whitby and Staithes. The North York Moors National Park Authority is researching the possibility of a cycle link between the two, possibly over an old railway line. [5] [6] After Staithes, the route drops back onto the road and follows the coast road to Redcar and through the south of Middlesbrough. Crossing the Tees Barrage at Stockton on Tees, the route then snakes through the town before joining the former Castle Eden Railway, now The Castle Eden Walkway. This travels directly north to Sunderland, snakes through the city and crosses the River Wear over the Wearmouth Bridge before heading towards the coast, where it then follows the coast road all the way to South Shields and reaching the River Tyne. The final part of this section of the route enters the Pedestrian and Cyclist Tyne Tunnel to cross the river to Newcastle upon Tyne.
South Shields | Tynemouth | Lindisfarne | Berwick upon Tweed | Scottish Border | Dalkeith | Edinburgh
Edinburgh | Dundee | Aberdeen | Inverness | Thurso | John o' Groats
The route heads northwest out of Edinburgh with NCN 76, which diverges at Cramond Brig through Dalmeny Estate to follow the coast. NCN 1 instead takes a more direct route to South Queensferry, alongside the A90 and through Dalmeny.
It then crosses the Forth Road Bridge and heads through Inverkeithing, again linking with NCN 76, and onwards north across the M90. The journey through Dunfermline's eastern suburbs is on traffic-free paths. Near Dunfermline Queen Margaret railway station it links with NCN 764, which travels west towards Clackmannan.
Out of Townhill the route uses country lanes and some B-roads, climbing into the Cleish Hills and passing through Blairadam Forest, then back under the M90 on its way to Kinross. NCN 1 now uses the Loch Leven Heritage Trail around the loch, before making its way east around the base of the Lomond Hills. In Falkland it links with NCN 776, which travels north towards Newburgh.
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2014) |
In the summer of 2020, Sustrans de-designated all of National Cycle Route 1 north of Tain in the Highlands, on safety grounds. [7] This included all sections on the Orkney and Shetland islands.
The A2 is a major road in south-east England, connecting London with the English Channel port of Dover in Kent. This route has always been of importance as a connection between London and sea trade routes to Continental Europe. It was originally known as the Dover Road. The M2 motorway has replaced part of the A2 as the strategic route.
Enfield Lock is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is approximately located east of the Hertford Road between Turkey Street and the Holmesdale Tunnel overpass, and extends to the River Lee Navigation, including the Enfield Island Village. The locality gains its name from the lock on the River Lee Navigation. Today's Enfield Lock was rebuilt in 1922. The area forms part of the Lee Valley Park and the Enfield Lock Conservation Area. On its eastern boundary Enfield Lock has marshland formerly used as a testing site between the Royal Small Arms Factory and the Gunpowder Mills, beyond this is the village of Sewardstone and the Epping forest boundary. To the south is Brimsdown, the north Waltham Cross and to the west Bullsmoor and Freezywater. Enfield Lock forms part of the London boundary.
National Cycle Route 4 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from London to Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. Between these, the route runs through Reading, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Swansea and St David's. Within Wales, sections of the route follow branches of the Celtic Trail cycle route.
National Cycle Route 6 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from London to the Lake District.
National Cycle Route 7 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from Sunderland to Inverness.
The Lea Valley Walk is a 50-mile (80 km) long-distance path located between Leagrave, the source of the River Lea near Luton, and the Thames, at Limehouse Basin, Limehouse, east London. From its source much of the walk is rural. At Hertford the path follows the towpath of the River Lee Navigation, and it becomes increasingly urbanised as it approaches London. The walk was opened in 1993 and is waymarked throughout using a swan logo.
National Cycle Route 51 is an English long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich to Oxford via Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Bicester, and Kidlington.
The National Cycle Route 13 is a cycling route that is part of the National Cycle Network in the United Kingdom. It connects Tower Bridge in London with Fakenham in Norwich.
National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 76 is a Sustrans National Route that runs from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Kirkcaldy. The route is 168 miles (270 km) in length and is fully open and signed in both directions. Between Dunbar and Kirkcaldy the route is known as the Round the Forth.
National Cycle Route 78 runs from Campbeltown to Inverness. It was officially launched as the Caledonia Way in 2016 as part of the wider redevelopment of Scotland's cycle network. It runs from the Kintyre peninsula to the Great Glen and the route varies from on road to traffic-free forest trails and canal paths.
National Cycle Route 23 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from Reading to Sandown. The partially signed route passes through Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Southampton; once across the Solent, it continues through Cowes and Newport.
National Cycle Route 21 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. It runs from Greenwich in South-East London south to Crawley, then east to Groombridge and south to Eastbourne, with a short final loop northwards again to its end at Pevensey.
The waymarked path Darent Valley Path is 19 miles (31 km) long, following the River Darent from the banks of the River Thames at Dartford through the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the Greensand Hills above Sevenoaks. It runs through the villages of Shoreham and Otford.
National Cycle Route 57 is part of the United Kingdom's National Cycle Network. When complete, it will run west to east from Farmington, Gloucestershire near Northleach to Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire.
National Cycle Route 63 is a route of the National Cycle Network, running from Burton on Trent to Wisbech.
National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 56 is a Sustrans National Route that runs from Chester to Liverpool. The route utilises country lanes, a former railway trackbed, a coastal path and a seaside promenade.
Cycleway 3 (C3) is a cycle path in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the Cycleway network coordinated by TfL. It runs from Barking in the east to Lancaster Gate in central London. It is a popular route with both commuter and leisure cyclists, passing a number of major destinations in London along its route. For almost the entire route, cyclists are separated from other traffic in segregated cycle lanes, and cycling infrastructure has been provided at major interchanges. The cycleway, originally called CS3, is renamed to Cycleway 3 (C3) in January 2023.
National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 665 is a Sustrans route from Wetherby to South West York. Two sections of the route are open. As of summer 2020 the route is not fully signed. The central section between Tadcaster and Newton Kyme is still a proposal.
National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 70 is a Sustrans National Route that runs from Walney Island in Cumbria to Sunderland. The route is fully open and signed. From end to end the route is 149 miles (240 km), but two sections are shared with other NCN routes leaving Route 70 at 128 miles (206 km).
