SPIRIT-LIFTING SPRING RIDES DURSLEY, COTSWOLD HILLS

Distance 35.3km (21.9 miles) Climbing 1,030m (3,379ft) Time 3hrs to 4hrs

Emerging from another long and wet winter, in which the trails have taken a hammering and the riding has been hard and dirty, it’s nice to feel like the worst is behind us. With spring finally here, riding is starting to feel more enticing once again, with not just drier, faster trails, but also an accompanying explosion of colours and smells to finally rid us of all that winter monochrome. While the snowdrops and daffodils have come and gone, now is the time for the hedges to start bursting into glorious green, delicate wild garlic to come into flower, bright yellow gorse to pepper the moors and, of course, a sea of soft bluebells to wash through the woods. With this in mind, we’ve chosen some routes that make the best of this magical time.

First up is Exmoor, a hilly area in South West England, which straddles the border of Somerset and Devon, and slopes down to the Bristol Channel. Here, you’re treated to both yellow- and purple-flowering moorland, along with beautiful bluebells in the coombes (wooded valleys). As well as the flora, this National Park is a haven for fauna, with migrant birds such as flycatchers and warblers, the cuckoo and even hen harriers returning to the shores, while butterflies, red deer and Exmoor ponies emerge back out onto the moors. Some of the moorland here remains boggy after the wet winter period, but many of the steep, stony paths drain well, so our route seeks out these quicker-drying trails, along with a mixture of moorland and woodland, to

Crawl out from hibernation, blow off the cobwebs and suck in the fragrant air of new life in the UK

showcase the beauty and fun riding that this part of the country provides.

Our next destination is the postcard picturesque Cotswolds, in central England, where the rolling hills are abloom with wild flowers, while blankets of blue bathe the woodland floors. You’ll share this colourful countryside with bouncing and bleating spring lambs, while passing through ridiculously pretty and quaint villages, whose creamcoloured stone buildings house tearooms and country pubs. With so much quintessential English charm on offer here, spring is definitely the best time to enjoy the Cotswolds, before the summer hordes descend.

For our final route, we head to North

West England and the Lake District – another incredibly popular area. By visiting sooner rather than later in the year, you’ll be rewarded with not only quieter trails, but also magical riding experiences in stunning, fresh countryside. With blue bodies of water, lush green fields and trees, and bursts of colour and fragrance from wood sorrel, bluebells and wild garlic, it’s a sensory delight. Red squirrels and deer, birds of prey and even otters can be spotted, while sheep are brought down from the fells to graze in the warmer, low-lying pastures. Our ride delivers you around this fabulous countryside, along some superb trails. It’s a superb celebration of spring and a perfect start to a new season of riding.

Route summary: This tranquil, idyllic countryside dishes up a good amount of challenging riding, with some sweet singletrack, tough climbs and fun, fast descents. Start/finish: Stinchcombe car park, Dursley (postcode: GL11 6AQ, grid ref: ST 744/984).

LOCATION DETAILS: These lush, green rolling hills offer some beautiful scenery, but also tucked away here is some fun and challenging riding. Expect a wide variety of trails, from grassy, rocky, dirt singletrack to dark woodland tracks and open, bright pastureland with lovely views, with plenty of steep hills too. The ground can suffer in the wet, though.

GETTING THERE: Dursley isn’t the easiest place to get to from the M5, and the car park is tucked away up past Stinchcombe Hill golf club, so you may want to consider an alternative start location – Wotton-under-Edge (GL12 7DN) or the layby parking by the cemetery in North Nibley (GL11 6DS).

MAPS & BOOKS: Ordnance Survey Landranger 162: Gloucester & Forest of Dean. Cotswolds Mountain Biking: 20 Classic Rides by Tom Fenton (Vertebrate Publishing).

FACILITIES: Try the Black Horse Inn in North Nibley (01453 543777, www.blackhorse-northnibley.co.uk) or contact Stroud Tourist Info on 01453 760960. North Nibley has a great little cafe within the village shop, and there are other options in Wotton-under-Edge and Dursley. For bike stuff, there’s Delta Bikes in Dursley (01453 545480, www.deltabikes.com).