The Cotswold bit

From: Cirencester To: Boughton-on-the-water The Cotswolds is England’s biggest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and most of the routes criss-crossing the AONB are good fun provided you stay off the A-roads (A429 Fosse Way, A40 and A361). Our morning ride starts in Cirencester. From there take the B4425 east towards Bibury and then Burford. If you fancy a brew or breakfast, Huffkins is great – the full english at £9.95 is proper. Take the A361 north for a couple of miles then turn right onto the B4437 – a lovely little cross-country jaunt towards Charlbury, where you can head over towards Chipping Norton via the B4026. Just before you get to Chipping Norton, take a left onto the B4450 for a thrash over the rolling hills down to your Bourton-onthe-water end of ride lunch stop. There are loads of options for lunch here – the Riverside Cafe does fine sarnies, the Mousetrap Inn has a posher menu, but we’d go for a beef and stilton pasty (£7.50, but massive) at the Cornish Bakery. They do good coffee too. John Westlake, new bikes editor