The Ryde Twist cycle route

• Start location: Ryde
• Difficulty: Challenging
• Ride distance: 43 miles

This route was tailor-made by Isle of Wight cyclist, Tim Wiggins. Find the original article on his website, Life In The Saddle.

A fantastic introduction to gravel riding on the Isle of Wight, this route offers traffic-free cycle paths, challenging hill climbs and awesome views.

Kicking off right by our FastCat port on Ryde Esplanade, you head west along the cycle track to Quarr Abbey, from where you do a loop around Wootton Creek before heading inland.

Climb up towards Briddlesford and then descend to Havenstreet where you’ll be able to see the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in all its glory. It’s after this that the climbing fun begins as you turn off road onto Arreton Downs along a wide chalk path.

Once atop the downs you’ll go down a quick descent followed by another off-road climb, this time up St George’s Down.

This is a great spot from which to pop into the Island’s main town of Newport, where you’ll find an array of fantastic cafés. Caffe Isola is one of my personal favourites, as well as Grace’s Bakery.

After refuelling, join the route again with a mix of cycle paths and small country lanes, taking you through to Chillerton and then onwards to Chale.

Your route will flatten out a little from Godshill and a sandy track will bring you back into the Arretton Valley, where you re-join the cycle track heading eastwards. There’s another great pit-stop opportunity at 45 kilometres in – Pedaller’s Café can be found on the cycle path at Langbridge.

Then, head back over Brading Down and out to St Helens. Once your climbing is done here, you’ve ticked off almost all of the elevation on this route and its worth treating yourself with an ice cream or cream tea at Baywatch On The Beach on the Duver at St Helens.

After your stopover, it’s only a short climb up to Nettlestone and then a coast along the seafront back to your start point in Ryde.