150-mile off-road cycle route set to open in Cornwall this year

CYCLING UK has announced plans for a new long-distance off-road cycling route in Cornwall which will be ready for the public to ride from September.

Called the West Kernow Way, the 150-mile route begins and ends in Penzance and is designed to be ridden over three to four days. It will take in many of the highlights of the western half of the Cornish peninsula, including the Botallack tin mines, the Bronze Age monument Men-anTol,

Land’s End, St Michael’s Mount and Lizard Point.

The charity has been working for over a year on developing the route, speaking with landowners while plotting a route using bridleways, byways and quiet stretches of country roads. The West Kernow Way aims to take adventurous cyclists on a route which will give them the best of Cornwall, while avoiding the most popular tracks and trails.

Sophie Gordon, Cycling UK’s campaigns officer behind the creation of the route said: “With the West Kernow Way, Cycling UK wants to create an experience for the visiting cyclist.

“The landscape has so much to offer, from the natural beauty of Lizard Point to the wilds of the north coast, but we want to dive into the culture and history of Cornwall too.

“The benefit of cycling off-road is that you will steer clear of the crowds, and be able to visit the sites and find the hidden gems of Cornwall,

all without filling the lanes with another car.

“There’s no doubt about it, it will be a challenging ride – but that’s even more of an excuse to tuck into the excellent Cornish cuisine.”

Cycling UK intends to launch the route with a guidebook and website as the summer rush on the county draws to a close, pointing out that Cornwall’s climate makes it attractive for cycle touring and bike-packing outside of high season.