Majestic rolling hillsides, historic regal villages and bluebell-lined woodland trails sounds like quintessential deepest England to us, but think again – they can all be found within a stone's throw of London on Cycling UK 's brand new multi-day adventure route, the Royal Chilterns Way.

The 280km (174km) bikepacking route traverses the Chilterns, just north-west of the capital and is made all the more accessible thanks to its three-loop design. It's not fully off-road, but is about 65% gravel or non-paved.

It begins in Reading and heads north-east through Henley-on-Thames, Chesham and Berkhamsted almost as far as Dunstable, before turning back and tracing a different path back to Reading, via Wendover and Marlow. You may like

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