Bikepacking - King Alfred's Way | fietsgids

A guidebook to bikepacking King Alfred's Way, a 353km loop in seven stages between 40 and 60km (25-37 miles), with options for wild camping, campsites and accommodation.

Suitable for beginner and experienced MTB and gravel-bike riders, the route was designed by Cycling UK and visits some of the UK's most historic and scenic off-road trails, including the Ridgeway, North Downs Way and South Downs Way.

• Stages graded for difficulty, from easy to moderate
• GPX files available to download
• 1:150,000 maps included for each stage
• Alternative schedules break the route down into between 3 and 7 days
• Handy route summary tables, accommodation listings and wild camping spots help you plan your itinerary
• Easily accessible by train from London and the north and west of the UK

Key facts

Seasons
Any season, but spring, summer and autumn are best to avoid churning up the trails.

Centres
Winchester, Salisbury, Avebury, Reading, Farnham, Liss, Liphook

Difficulty
Most of the 7 stages in this guide could be classified as easy, although the final two through the North and South Downs are classified as moderate. The main difficulty comes from the overall distance at 353km.

Must See
The route passes through King Alfred's Anglo-Saxon capital of Winchester and Old Sarum, the haunting Neolithic centre of Salisbury. It includes world-famous sites such as Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain and Avebury, home to the world's largest stone circle. Walkers will also encounter the chalk White Horse of Uffington, the mysterious Wayland's Smithy, thought to be a portal to the underworld, and the ancient Ridgeway, one of England's first great highways. The journey continues across the rolling heathland of the South Downs, with dozens of fantastic pubs and cafés along the way.