Map of the National Cycle Network
The Bristol & Bath Railway Path
NCR Route 8 sign near Harlech
The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom , which was established by the charity Sustrans to encourage cycling throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. In this effort, Sustrans were aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.
Little of the NCN is on dedicated bike paths. Though many routes try to minimise contact with motor traffic, 70% of them are on roads.[1] The NCN uses pedestrian routes, disused railways, minor roads, canal towpaths and traffic-calmed routes in towns and cities.
History
The opening of the Bristol and Bath Railway Path (now part of National Route 4) in 1984, a 15-mile cycleway following a railway no longer in use, was the first part of the NCN.[2]
The original goal was to create 5,000 miles of signed cycle routes by 2005,[2] with 50% of these not being on roads, and all of it being "suitable for an unsupervised twelve year old." By mid-2000 already, 5000 miles of route were signposted to an "interim" standard, and a new goal was then set to double that to 10,000 miles by 2005. In August 2005 this goal too was achieved.
There are currently some 13,000 miles of signed cycle route to NCN standards.[3]
Routes
National routes
There are ten national NCN routes; these are numbered from 1 to 10. There are scores of regional NCN routes.
NCR Route 1
Dover – Shetland , along the east coast, via London , Edinburgh , John o' Groats and Orkney
NCR Route 2
Dover – St Austell , along the south coast
NCR Route 3
Bristol – Land's End , incorporating the West Country Way via Chew Valley Lake, and the Cornish Way
NCR Route 4
London – St David's (Pembrokeshire), via Reading , Bath , Bristol , Newport , Caerphilly , Pontypridd , Swansea and Llanelli .
NCR Route 5
Reading – Holyhead , via Birmingham , the Midlands and the North Wales coast
NCR Route 6
Windsor – Lake District , via Luton , Milton Keynes , Northampton and Derby , crossing the Pennine Cycleway
NCR Route 7
Carlisle – Inverness via Glasgow , incorporating the Clyde and Loch Lomond Cycleway
NCR Route 8
Cardiff – Holyhead , through the heart of Wales. Also known as Lôn Las Cymru
NCR Route 9
Belfast – Newry (proposed to run to Dublin )
NCR Route 10
Tynemouth — Cockermouth . Was regional route 10 Reivers Cycle Route . Return route for the C2C / Sea to Sea Cycle Route . Roughly parallel to the C2C and Hadrian's Cycleway. It is a branch of National Route 1.
Regional routes
NCR 11: Harlow – Cambridge – King's Lynn
NCR 12: Enfield – Potters Bar – Letchworth – Peterborough – Boston – Grimsby
NCR 13: Hackney – Chelmsford – Colchester - Bury St Edmunds – Thetford – Fakenham
NCR 14: Barnard Castle – Stockton-on-Tees – Hartlepool – Durham – Consett – South Shields
NCR 15: Nottingham – Grantham – Sleaford )
NCR 16: Basildon – Shoeburyness )
NCR 17: Rochester – (spur to Maidstone ) – Ashford (proposed) to Newchurch, Kent joining Route 2
NCR 18: Canterbury – Ashford – Tenterden – Tunbridge Wells
NCR 20: Crawley – Brighton
NCR 21: Greenwich – Lewisham – Crawley – East Grinstead – Heathfield – Eastbourne
NCR 22: Banstead – Dorking – Guildford – Farnham – Petersfield – Havant – Portsmouth – (by ferry to Isle of Wight ) – Ryde – Yarmouth – (by ferry to New Forest ) – Lymington – Brockenhurst
NCR 23: Reading – Basingstoke – Alton – Eastleigh – Isle of Wight )
NCR 24: Bath – Radstock – Frome (section alias the Colliers Way) – Warminster – Salisbury – Eastleigh
NCR 25: Longleat – Gillingham – Poole
NCR 26: Clevedon – Wells – Castle Cary – Yeovil – Dorchester
NCR 27: Ilfracombe – Plymouth ; also known as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route & includes part of the Tarka Trail
NCR 28: Okehampton – Newton Abbot – Totnes – Salcombe
NCR 32: Bodmin – Truro , via Padstow and Newquay ; part of The Cornish Way cycle route
NCR 33: Pill – Clevedon – Weston-super-Mare – Bridgwater – Chard – Seaton ; also known as the Wessex Cycleway
NCR 41: Bristol – Gloucester – Stratford-upon-Avon –Warwick – Leamington Spa – Rugby
NCR 42: Gloucester - Cinderford - Parkend – Chepstow – Abergavenny – NCR 8 at Glasbury
NCR 43: Swansea – Builth Wells
NCR 44: Shrewsbury - Bishop's Castle - Bromfield - Ludlow - Leominster – Cinderford
NCR 45: Salisbury – Chester
NCR 46: Droitwich – Neath
NCR 47: Newport – Fishguard
NCR 48: Leicester – Bath
NCR 49: Newport – Pontypool - Brecon - Carmarthen
NCR 50: (Maidenhead – Winslow )
NCR 51: Colchester – Harwich – Ipswich - Felixstowe – Cambridge – Bedford – Milton Keynes – Oxford
NCR 52: Stratford-upon-Avon – Loughborough
NCR 53: Peterborough – Lichfield
NCR 54: Stourport-on-Severn – Kidderminster – Dudley – Lichfield – Derby
NCR 55: Ironbridge – Preston
NCR 56: Chester – Liverpool , via Wallasey
NCR 57: Northleach – Witney – Oxford – Thame – Princes Risborough – Chesham – Hemel Hempstead – Harpenden – Welwyn Garden City
NCR 61: Maidenhead – Uxbridge – Rickmansworth – Hatfield – Ware
NCR 62: the Trans Pennine Trail , Southport – Selby
NCR 63: Burton upon Trent – Leicester – Oakham – Peterborough – Wisbech
NCR 64: Market Harborough – Melton Mowbray – Collingham – Lincoln
NCR 65: Hull – Middlesbrough ; also known as the White Rose cycle route
NCR 66: Beverley – York – Leeds – Manchester
NCR 67: Long Eaton – Heanor – Chesterfield – Leeds –Northallerton
NCR 68: the Pennine Cycleway ; Derby – Berwick-upon-Tweed
NCR 69: Selby – Skipton
NCR 70: Walney – Wear
NCR 71: White Rose route near Northallerton – Workington , via Appleby , Penrith and Whitehaven
NCR 72: Kendal – Barrow-in-Furness – Whitehaven – Silloth – Carlisle – Tynemouth (includes Hadrian's Cycleway)
NCR 73: Newton Stewart – Stranraer , Arran , Kintyre
NCR 74: Gretna – Douglas – Lesmahagow – Larkhall – Hamilton – Uddingston
NCR 75: Gourock – Glasgow – Edinburgh ; also known as the Clyde to Forth cycle route
NCR 76: Berwick-upon-Tweed - Edinburgh – Stirling - Kirkcaldy – St Andrews (the Round the Forth Route)
NCR 77: Dundee – Pitlochry , via Perth
NCR 78: Campbeltown – Inverness (Great Glens Cycle Route)
NCR 79: Boat of Garten – Spey Bay
NCR 81: Aberystwyth – Shrewsbury – Telford – Wolverhampton – NCR 5 at Smethwick also known as Lon Cambria
NCR 82: Bangor – Capel Curig – Porthmadog - Dolgellau - Machynlleth – Ystrad Meurig – Fishguard
NCR 84: Rhyl - St Asaph –Llangollen - Oswestry
NCR 85: Chester - Wrexham –Trevor - Llangollen – Corwen - Bala - Dolgellau
NCR 88: Caerleon - Newport (- Cardiff – Bridgend )
NCR 91: Portadown – Tynan ; includes a figure-of-eight based around Enniskillen known as the Kingfisher Trail
NCR 92: Enniskillen – Londonderry
NCR 93: Newry – Ballycastle
NCR 94: A circuit of Lough Neagh ; also known as the Loughshore Trail
NCR 95: Tynan – Pettigo , via Lough Neagh and Newtownstewart .
NCR 96: Toome – Portglenone – Coleraine
NCR 122: Sandy - Gamlingay - Cambridge
NCR 123: Eaton Socon - Cambridge
NCR 125: Darent Valley (Dartford ) - this follows the route of the long distance path Darent Valley Path)
NCR 136: Ingrebourne Valley Connect2 scheme
NCR 137: Stifford Bridge and Purfleet , (following the route of the Mardyke Way along the Mardyke)
NCR 141: Keelman's Way: Wylam - NCN 14 (along south bank of River Tyne )
NCR 151: Sleaford branch of NCN15
NCR 155: Morpeth
NCR 164: Yorkshire Wolds (inc. Way of the Roses short-cut)
NCR 165: Walney to Wear alternate route (Barnard Castle to Whitby)
NCR 166: near Malton to Hunmanby
NCR 167: NCN164 to near Malton
NCR 168: link SE of Middlesbrough
NCR 169: Scunthorpe Ridgeway
NCR 172: Towpath of Royal Military Canal
NCR 174: Isle of Sheppey - 'Sheerness Way'
NCR 177: Maidstone - Ashford
NCR 178: Maidstone - Tonbridge
NCR 195: Aberdeen – Aboyne
NCR 196: Pencaitland railway path (RR 73) east of Edinburgh
NCR 207: Devon: South Brent - Dartington
NCR 208: NE Surrey; Raynes Park - Morden
NCR 212: Beddington Park – South Norwood Country Park, Croydon
NCR 221: Basingstoke Canal
NCR 222: Sussex Downs Link
NCR 223: Guildford - Chertsey
NCR 224: Farnham - Medstead
NCR 231: Isle of Wight
NCR 232: Mitcham Common – Lloyd Park, Croydon
NCR 235: Isle of Wight
NCR 236: Portsmouth - Lyndhurst
NCR 244: Two Tunnels Greenway, Bath
NCR 246: Totton - Romsey - Andover - Stockbridge - Kintbury
NCR 248: Honiton - Sidmouth
NCR 250: North Dorset Trailway
NCR 253: South Somerset Cycleway (RR41)
NCR 254: Wiltshire Cycleway
NCR 255: Wiltshire Cycleway links, Chippenham area
NCR 256: Ringwood - Wimborne Minster
NCR 264: Castle Cary - Keinton Mandeville
NCR 267: Bridport - Maiden Newton railway path
NCR 270: Devon Coast-to-Coast alternate braid
NCR 272: Devon: Ivybridge - Yelverton, also Ashburton and east
NCR 273: southern NCN3 braid near Holsworthy
NCR 274: Devon Coast-to-Coast alternate braid
NCR 275: North Devon coast (former RR)
NCR 276: North Devon coast (former RR)
NCR 277: North Devon coast (former RR)
NCR 278: Devon Coast-to-Coast Woolacombe braid
NCR 305: Bugle, Cornwall
NCR 326: NCN3 inland braid to Truro
NCR 334: south from Bristol
NCR 338: north from Taunton
NCR 339: Bridgwater - Ilminster
NCR 341: Exeter - Crediton
NCR 344: NCN3 alternate braid to Bampton
NCR 403: North Wiltshire NCN4 braid
NCR 410: Avon Cycleway
NCR 413: Evesham - Cheltenham NCN45 cut-off
NCR 416: Bristol - Yate
NCR 423: Cwmbran - Monmouth - Ross (former RR30 and Peregrine Path)
NCR 425: Docklands - Camberwell
NCR 426: Skenfirth - Kentchurch
NCR 436: Dulais Valley, South Wales
NCR 437: to Glanaman
NCR 438: to Glanaman
NCR 439: to Glanaman
NCR 440: Milford Haven
NCR 442: Cotswold Line Cycle Route: Worcester - Evesham - Oxford
NCR 446: Carmarthen - Llandysul
NCR 447: Cardiganshire to Newcastle Emlyn
NCR 448: Crymych - Cardigan
NCR 451: Nantwich - Crewe - Sandbach
NCR 455: Oswestry - Ellesmere - Whitchurch (former RR31)
NCR 461: Slough / Eton Dorney
NCR 465: Pontypool - Hafodyrynys – Crumlin; Aberbeeg – Cwm – Beaufort
NCR 466: Valleys
NCR 467: Valleys
NCR 468: Trethomas – Pengam - Abertysswyg – Rhymney - Bute Town (Cardiff)
NCR 469: Bargoed - (Fochriw - Rhymney)
NCR 475: Caerphilly - Senghenydd
NCR 476: Trelewis - Taff Bargoed
NCR 477: Edwardsville - Merthyr Tydfil
NCR 478: Abercynon - Llwydcoed
NCR 481: Salisbury Plain NCN45 braid
NCR 482: Chiseldon - Marlborough NCN45 braid
NCR 485: Fosse2 link to Daventry
NCR 492: Cwmbran - Brynmawr
NCR 523: Kenilworth - Balsall Common - Hampton-in-Arden
NCR 524: Nuneaton-Tamworth-Alrewas
NCR 525: North Warwickshire Cycleway (W) and Coventry link
NCR 526: North Warwickshire Cycleway (E)
NCR 533: Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
NCR 534: Sutton Coldfield Connect2 - Sutton Park to Castle Vale
NCR 535: Birmingham - Sutton Coldfield
NCR 536: Banbury - Towcester - Northampton - Thrapston
NCR 539: Northampton Norbital
NCR 544: Didcot - Wantage (former Regional Route 44)
NCR 547: south-east Peak District
NCR 548: Hartington - High Peak Trail
NCR 549: Etwall - Uttoxeter - Maniford Trail
NCR 550: Caldon Canal towpath
NCR 552: Newport - Market Drayton (former RR75)
NCR 554: Lichfield - Hednesford link
NCR 555: Stoke - Kidsgrove via Trent & Mersey Canal towpath
NCR 558: South Manchester
NCR 559: Caldon Canal Leek Branch - the Roaches
NCR 561: Warrington - St Helens - Skelmerdale
NCR 562: Runcorn - Widnes - St Helens - Wigan - Southport
NCR 566: Anglesey north coast
NCR 568: Wirral - Hawarden Bridge - Chester (former Regional Route 89)
NCR 573: Congleton - Northwich (former Regional Route 73)
NCR 576: Rickmansworth - Chesham - Wendover
NCR 577: Witney - Carterton - Cricklade
NCR 585: former RR55 Redditch - Birmingham, and canal towpath to city centre
NCR 622: Preston Guild Wheel (circular route)
NCR 627: Sheffield - Penistone - Kirkburton
NCR 633: Worthington - Ashby - Moira
NCR 636: 'Way of the Roses' southern braid: Appletreewick - Knaresborough
NCR 646: Carlton-le-Moorland, Lincolnshire
NCR 647: Lincoln - Worksop
NCR 648: Worksop area
NCR 656: Thirsk area loop
NCR 657: Thirsk area loop
NCR 658: York northern city route
NCR 665: East Leeds - Tadcaster - Wetherby - York
NCR 668: north Leeds
NCR 672: Derby-Ilkeston greenway
NCR 674: Bluebell Way: Thurcroft - Woodsetts, link to Doncaster and Worksop
NCR 676: Mansfield
NCR 677: north Leeds (Roundhay Park)
NCR 680: Monsall Trail
NCR 681: Pennine Cycleway moorland route from Hebden Bridge
NCR 686: Pennine Cycleway military land route from Bellingham
NCR 688: Way of the Roses central section
NCR 689: Huddersfield - Meltham
NCR 696: Airedale Greenway: Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath Keighley - Shipley
NCR 697: Linesway Greenway: Castleford - Garforth
NCR 699: Huddersfield Narrow Canal east, and east from Dewsbury
NCR 715: Barnard Castle - Bishop Auckland (Walney 2 Wear alternative)
NCR 725: Great North Cycleway: Darlington - Newcastle - Blyth
NCR 753: West Kilbride - Largs - Gourock
NCR 754: Bowling - Clydebank - Kirkintilloch - Falkirk - Linlithgow - Edinburgh (Forth & Clyde Canal & Union Canal )
NCR 756: East Kilbride – Rutherglen – Glasgow - Kelvindale (- Bishopbriggs )
NCR 764: Clackmannan - Dunfermline
NCR 765: Stirling - Bridge of Allan
NCR 766: Star of Markinch - Glenrothes - Kirkcaldy
NCR 767: Alloa - Tillicoultry - Dollar
NCR 768: Tullibody - Alva (- Tillicoultry)
NCR 775: Milnathort - Perth - Lochearnhead
NCR 776: Newburgh - Auchtermuchty - Falkland
NCR 777: Newburgh - Newport-on-Tay
NCR 810: Liverpool - Ainsdale (former Regional Route 81)
NCR 811: Valleys - Porth-Pontypridd (Rhondda Fach)
NCR 818: Llangurig NCN81 high level braid
NCR 819: Rhayader-Strata Florida southern braid
NCR 820: Llanwrtyd Wells - Strata Florida/NCN81
NCR 822: Aberaeron - Lampeter
NCR 825: Radnor Ring
NCR 862: Gellings Greenway: Kirkby - Knowsley (Liverpool)
NCR 881: Valleys (Rhondda Valley / Pontypridd - Maerdy)
NCR 882: Valleys (Rhondda Valley / Treorchy)
NCR 883: Valleys (Ogmore Valley)
NCR 884: Valleys (Garw Valley)
NCR 885: Bridgend/Pontyclun
NCR 887: Maesteg / Afan Valley
Numbering system
The main routes have one digit (1 to 6 radiate clockwise from the south of England, 7 in the north, 8 in Wales, 9 in Ulster). Other routes have two digits, starting with the number of the relevant main route.
Of the many regional routes , each 'region' is divided into a maximum of nine 'areas', which created duplication, but as from 2009, regional routes have been renumbered with unique 3-digit national numbers.[4]
Routes are occasionally numbered to match the motorways and major roads that connect the same destinations; examples include NCN Route 62, which by connecting the two sides of the Pennines mirrors the M62 motorway .
Signage
A NCN "Millennium Milepost"
The network is signposted using a white bicycle symbol on a blue background, with a white route number in an inset box, but with no destination names or distances. National Route numbers have a red background, Regional Route numbers have a blue background. The system of symbols is based on that used by the Danish National Cycle Route network.
Mileposts
One thousand "Millennium Mileposts" made from cast iron were funded by the Royal Bank of Scotland to mark the creation of the National Cycle Network, and these are found along the NCN routes throughout the UK.
There are four different types: "Fossil Tree" (designed by John Mills), "The Cockerel" (designed by Iain McColl), "Rowe Type" (designed by Andrew Rowe), and "Tracks" (designed by David Dudgeon). The four artists are from each country of the UK, though all posts can be found in all four countries.[5] [6]
Outside links
References
Sustrans, 2002. The Official Guide To The National Cycle Network , 2nd ed. Italy: Canile & Turin. ISBN 1-901389-35-9