More than half the Island is an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and almost 30 miles of the seashore is Heritage Coast. But there are also lots of traffic-free cycle paths (many of which are navigable on a road bike), so it’s a great place to get the kids cycling.Ĭycle around the Isle of Wight, and you’ll find quiet, varied, signposted routes, a laid-back pace of life, and great places to stay and eat. It’s most famous for the Isle of Wight randonee sportive, the annual circumnavigation of the island by bike (our guide to the route is here). The Isle of Wight has branded itself “the cycling island” - and that’s very fair given the 200 miles of cycling routes (on an island that’s 147 square miles) and the annual Isle of Wight Cycling Festival. (In fact, we're such fans it's in our pick of the best places to cycle in the UK.) We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. It said: “The Isle of Wight is a cycling paradise that is home to some of the UK’s most varied terrain: lush velvet hills rolling into the sea, narrow lanes through tidy hedgerows, deep and mysterious green gullies, and the island’s most striking feature, the ridge of white chalk cliffs stretching across its breadth.” Lonely Planet listed the Isle of Wight number 1 in a list of 10 trips that should be on every cyclist’s wishlist.

Have you ever cycled the Isle of Wight? If not, you’re missing out.

Isale of wight