Quieter ride
Commuting, leisure cycling and riders who prefer calmer roadsFavours cycleways and quieter streets, although short busier sections can still appear.
Click for start
1. Map the start and finish
Search for a UK town, address or postcode and choose a matching result. You can also use your current location or click directly on the map. Once both points are set, the cycle route mapper calculates a bicycle-specific route automatically.
Search happens only when you press Find. This avoids distracting suggestions while you type and reduces unnecessary requests to the community-supported location service.
2. Choose a cycle routing profile
Quieter ride favours cycle routes and calmer roads. Road bike places more emphasis on efficient roads and smoother surfaces. Gravel and mountain-bike modes permit progressively more off-road routing. Most direct looks for a shorter line and may use roads you would reject on comfort grounds.
The profiles describe routing preferences, not guarantees. Inspect every proposed cycling route, particularly where the line crosses a major road, river, railway or rural track.
3. Adjust your bike route
Drag the start, finish or numbered stop markers to reshape the bike route. Select Add a stop before clicking the map when you want to force the line through a particular town, cycleway or crossing. Remove individual stops from the control panel.
If the first suggestion is close but not ideal, use Find an alternative. Switching the ride style can produce a more meaningful difference than repeatedly requesting alternatives from the same profile.
4. Plan a circular bike ride
Set a start point, open Create a circular ride and enter a target distance. The bike ride planner adds shaping points and returns to the start. The result will not match the target exactly because the available road and path network determines the final line.
Choose Try another loop to explore a different direction. Check terrain, access and weather before treating a generated loop as a finished ride plan.
5. Compare the cycling routes
Distance and estimated riding time come from the routing engine. Climbing is derived from elevation data. Cycleway, track and surface percentages depend on OpenStreetMap tags, which can be incomplete. The comfort estimate combines those tags to help compare routes; it is not a safety score.
A high number cannot confirm that junctions are easy, surfaces are usable or access is lawful. Zoom in, compare the route alternatives and check unfamiliar sections against authoritative sources.
6. Download or share
Download GPX to transfer the plotted line to a compatible cycle computer, phone or navigation app. Sharing creates a link containing the route points and selected profile, so another rider can reopen and recalculate the route.
Different devices can recalculate imported routes differently. Check the route after importing it and understand whether your device follows the GPX track or replaces it with its own directions.
Plan by bike and journey
Choose a cycling route that suits the ride
A useful bike route planner should change its priorities with the bicycle, surface and purpose of the journey. Start with the closest profile, compare at least one alternative and inspect the sections where the suggested routes differ.
Road bike
Faster road rides on a bike with narrower tyresLeans towards efficient roads and smoother mapped surfaces rather than rough tracks.
Gravel
Mixed-surface rides using lanes, tracks and towpathsAllows more unpaved routing, so check surface detail and recent weather before riding.
Mountain bike
Off-road rides where rougher tracks are part of the planPermits more off-road routing but cannot guarantee technical difficulty or legal access.
Most direct
Comparing the shortest practical line with other optionsMay use roads that are less comfortable, so inspect junctions and traffic conditions closely.
Before you plan a bike route
Use the mapper to create and compare a route, then apply your own judgement to conditions the underlying map cannot confirm.
How do I map a bike route?
Enter a start and finish by place, address or postcode, or click the map to place each point. Choose a cycling profile, then drag the markers or add stops to shape the route around roads and paths you prefer.
Is this UK cycle route planner free?
Yes. You can calculate routes, compare alternatives, create circular rides, inspect elevation and mapped surfaces, share a route and download a GPX file without creating an account.
Can I plan road, gravel and mountain-bike routes?
Yes. The route planner has profiles for quieter cycling, road bikes, gravel bikes, mountain bikes and a more direct route. Each changes the routing preference, but you should still check the proposed surface and access.
Can I use the mapper for cycle touring route planning?
Yes. Add stops to shape each day's route and download the result as GPX. For a multi-day cycle tour, also verify accommodation, food, water, rail or ferry connections, charging opportunities and seasonal closures separately.
Does the mapper find the safest cycle route?
No automated cycle route planner can guarantee a safe route. Map data can be incomplete or outdated, and a quiet route can still contain a difficult junction. Review the detailed line, current conditions, signs and official access information before riding.