The Carter Company

On this gentle self-guided cycling tour, discover for yourself the details that make this region so beloved by locals and visitors alike. There’s a wonderful variety of scenery, from cultural cities to tiny fishing villages, and gorgeous stretches of countryside in between. The luxury hotels are pretty stunning too!

Freewheel along the shores of Loch Ness, stopping as you please en route to catch a glimpse of the elusive Nessie and for a hearty pub lunch at local favourite, The Dores Inn. Immerse yourself in history with a visit to Culloden battlefield, the site of the last full-scale battle to take place on British soil. Learn about the local legends at the castles of Cawdor and Brodie, stuffed to the turrets with antique furniture, paintings and ceramics. Ride through pine forests, past sweeping sandy beaches, under a monumental viaduct, and amidst verdant rolling hills dotted with grazing sheep. Of course, any trip wouldn't be complete without sampling a local whisky at a traditional Scottish distillery en route. It’s all part of the magic of a Highland fling!

3 days of cycling 16 to 32 miles (26 to 51 km) per day. Undulating on day 3, otherwise mostly downhill or flat. 10% traffic free with the rest on very quiet lanes

From being one of six Great Roads commissioned by King Charles II in the 17th century, to facilitate postal deliveries across England, the route can be traced back further still to the rough wagon tracks of medieval times, and before that even to old Roman roads. The route has taken many detours over the years, and what better way to explore than on a gentle self guided bicycle tour, to experience the beauty and history of the area up close at your own pace. A short detour from the Great West Way takes you to Stonehenge one of the world’s most intriguing ancient monuments and to the beautiful 13th Century Salisbury Cathedral. Bathe like a Roman in Aqua Sulis – now better known as Bath! Marvel at the Kennet and Avon canal built at the end of the 18th-century, to link east and west via the River Avon and River Thames, to transport goods and produce efficiently from Bristol to London avoiding a dangerous trip over the ferocious seas of the English Channel.

Today though you’ll find a blissfully different scene. A serene stretch of water and a wildlife conservation area, perfect for a gentle cycle. After meeting the mighty River Thames, the route takes you through the beautiful Chiltern Hills on the way to Windsor and the world’s oldest inhabited castle, Hampton Court Palace – scene of many a royal intrigue, and past Kew Gardens where your traffic free route takes you on into the beating heart of London. Explore these diverse but equally engaging parts of the country, with unique cycling routes that bring you closer to nature, and you’ll be able to see England’s history from every angle. At UNESCO World Heritage Sites, stately homes and medieval castles, offbeat museums and, of course, through the amazing anecdotes of the locals. One way or another, there’s always more to find out.

11 days of cycling 18-31 miles per day - mostly flat with some slopes and a hill on Day 6. Very largely traffic free.

The route traverses the full range of iconic Scottish landscapes, from epic mountains and lochs to forests and sweeping sand dunes. The reward at the end of each 'not so gentle' day is well worth the effort, with stays in Scotland’s finest hotels on the luxury holiday and in very lovely inns and small hotels on the classic trip.

With so much to see and do along the way, the option of staying two nights in each hotel comes highly recommended. Play on the world-famous golf courses, sample an award-winning 'wee dram' of whisky at a local distillery, take a flight in a sea plane over the Trossachs’ glens, visit historic castles and unspoilt medieval villages, explore the historic and culturally vibrant city of St. Andrews, or spend the day in tranquillity with a spot of fishing on the lochs. Nothing could be grander!

Not so gentle cycling - 4 days of cycling 53 miles (85 km) per day with 3,000 – 3,500 feet of climbing per day. Road cycling, hills aplenty! Most roads are minor; some short sections on busier roads

Tucked into the peaceful landscape are pretty villages and charming estuaries where maritime history abounds. And just off the coast lies the delightfully English Isle of Wight.

Using awesome gravel tracks through the forest and disused railway lines, much of this tour is free of traffic and leaves plenty of time to explore. Discover: forest life and villages at Burley, Brockenhurst and Beaulieu with its fine estate and Motor Museum, maritime delights at Buckler’s Hard and Lymington, the Isle of Wight experience and the charms of Yarmouth where your ferry arrives. You'll be very tempted to return!

3 days of cycling 10 - 20 miles (16 - 32 km) per day and 1 day of optional cycling

All are country houses in beautiful settings with tip top service. All have excellent restaurants and a number have spas. In fact you might want to relax for a day or so and leave your bike idle. Tailoring the itinerary and distances for you, this is the perfect way to enjoy the magic of the Cotswolds. If you like to have a knowledgeable local guide to lead you, we will be delighted to provide one. And if you prefer to have a support vehicle, we are very happy to include one. We have no doubt that we can create a really rather special Cotswolds experience just for you.

The itinerary outlines all the hotels we feel fit into this tailor made tour and the sample price given below is illustrative and includes 5 nights accommodation and breakfast at Estelle Manor Oxford, Foxhill Manor Broadway, Lords of The Manor Upper Slaughter, Cowley Manor and The Pig in the Cotswolds at Bibury, 4 days of self-led cycling of your chosen distance with all biking equipment, route notes or GPS, maps and transfers where required, airport transfer at the start of the tour and return to Oxford at the end of the tour, all luggage transfers, host briefing and entrance to Blenheim Palace and grounds.

The Cotswolds have some hills although we are adept at avoiding as many as possible

This tour can be tailor-made to your requirements.

There is glorious cycling right beside the sea, castles and medieval towns to explore and a rich maritime history of old ports, shipwrecks and smuggling to discover.

You will ride through the many orchards that define this area as 'The Garden of England'. And then there's 'ye olde' Canterbury, full of pilgrim history, packed with museums, famous tales and vibrant with its maze of intriguing side streets.

5 days of cycling 8 - 20 miles (13 - 32 km) per day. Largely flat and traffic-free,

Among these, the Outer Hebrides are some of the most remote which gives them their special character. With astonishingly beautiful white sandy beaches and isolated dwellings, the islands of Barra and the Uists reveal their crofting legacy and a flat terrain for cyclists. Linked by a string of ferries, the tour includes the inner Hebridean island of Skye and its notable hills which you will soar across with your driver guide for the day before returning to civilisation in Fort William aboard a steam train along one of Britain's most scenic stretches of railway.

You might think that, alas, this is not the place for gentle cycling. But thankfully with the canny use of cycle paths on disused railway lines and a plethora of ferry hops there are almost no hills. We are thrilled with the itinerary we have designed and its close historical links with the infamous Bonnie Prince Charlie, its blend of castles, local crafts, fishing culture and seafood and its unsurpassed landscapes.

We have chosen delightful and characterful small hotels and cosy inns for the classic trip and outstanding boutique luxury hotels on the mainland for the luxury tour. We guarantee you will be blown away - in the nicest sense!

5 days of cycling 6 - 31 miles (10 - 49 km) per day and 1 optional day of cycling. Almost no hills. Minor roads with little traffic or cycle path.

From its quiet source in the Cotswold Hills to the Thames Barrier at Greenwich where river and sea meet, this river of mystery holds many secrets for you to discover and enjoy.

The tranquil river path and the hidden lanes you will ride thread their way through sleepy rural villages and historic towns. Pretty landscapes beckon and royal life abounds as you ride by Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace and monarch's gardens. Enjoy the water meadows, old inns, wildlife and the traffic free ride through the heart of London. The Thames source to sea journey is a real classic trodden by many adventurers - come and see what all the fuss is about.

8 days of not so gentle cycling 19 - 34 miles (30 - 54 km) per day. Flat with some slopes on day 6. Very largely traffic free.

The chalk hills are a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, known for their red kites, beech woods, soaring views, idyllic brick and flint villages and innumerable hidden dry valleys. The cycling is challenging but rewarding, and we have found a characterful selection of wonderful village inns for your overnight stays.

4 days of not so gentle cycling - 36 to 52 miles (58 -83km) per day. Several tough hills, generally short but steep, each day. Almost totally on roads but most with low traffic.

The Trossach hills provide a fabulous backdrop to your route, which leads you through stunning wooded glens and beside quiet lochs. Float along the serenely beautiful Loch Katrine on a steamship and pedal along the water's edge of Lochs Katrine and Lubnaig, where little breaks the silence. Spend two nights in the village of Callander at the heart of the Trossachs and two nights in a peaceful glen location, where feasts for real foodies await. Pedal along the dramatic Glen Ogle Pass using the former Callander & Oban railway line, and over the Glen Ogle viaduct, with views to die for. This area of Scotland is known for its beauty, its landscape, its wildlife, and more recently its cuisine, and the hotels we have chosen won't disappoint either.

3 days of cycling 10 - 18 miles (16 - 29 km) per day. Pretty flat with the odd undulation. 97% traffic free.