Plymouth is a great place to get around by bike. If you are new to cycling or a regular cyclist, you will discover that there are plenty of fantastic places to ride your bike around here. As well as the great views, visitors and residents of Plymouth can enjoy riding across the city centre and being up close to historic buildings and monuments here. If you are looking at things to do in Plymouth, Visit Plymouth website can offer you some suggestions.
Cycle Fact Sheet
Plymotion has developed a Cycle Fact Sheet to answer some common questions.
Some great places to cycle in Plymouth!
These are only some of the places you might like to go to but there are plenty more around Plymouth where you can enjoy a ride on your bike on your own or with your family and friends.
The Hoe
Plymouth’s waterfront boasts some fantastic sights as you cycle from Sutton Harbour and the Barbican along the easy route to Plymouth Hoe then onto Millbay and Stonehouse before arriving at the Royal William Yard – a former Grade 1 Royal Naval yard. As you start this ride you will leave the Barbican and cycle along the waterfront to Plymouth’s Hoe. Here you will see the iconic Smeaton’s Tower as well as excellent views across Plymouth Sound where you will see the Tinside lido as well as views of Mountbatten, Drake’s Island and the Mount Edgcumbe Estate in Cornwall.
Drake’s Trail
Drake’s Trail has 21 miles of largely off-road tarmac linking Plymouth with the nearby town of Tavistock. It shares ground with the Plymbridge trail, picking up where it ends in Clearbrook and continuing all the way to Tavistock. It’s an excellent facility for beginners looking to get started in a (mostly) car-free environment. It begins in the city and you can pick it up on the Barbican waterfront.
Plymbridge Woods
Whether it’s as a jumping-off point to explore hidden trails or simply to ride along, this ten-mile traffic-free cycle path is popular with roadies and mountain bikers. Beginning in the north east of the city, it follows the path of an old rail track, climbing through woodland before opening up into gorgeous countryside.
Dartmoor
If you are interested in roaming the expansive countryside that surrounds the city, Dartmoor National Park would fit the bill. It’s not for the faint-hearted – if you’re not cycling uphill, you’re cycling down – but your effort is rewarded with gorgeous views of the moors all around. It’s around 45 minutes’ cycling from Plymouth
Cann Woods
Cann Woods is a hotspot for Plymouth mountain bikers and it is accessible from the city via the Plymbridge Woods cycle path. It offers challenging trails for riders of all skill levels.