This is an inspiring holiday of contrasts offering some fabulous cycling in the New Forest National Park coupled with a visit to the World Heritage site of Stonehenge with your own tour guide and time to enjoy the historic city of Salisbury.

From your New Forest inn, you freewheel down to the Avon valley and follow the string of pretty villages that lie along the river. Quiet and characterful, the route leads by the back door into the heart of Salisbury. This fascinating city with its famous cathedral will not disappoint and there's ample time to explore. Next up is Stonehenge - quite awesome but not a place to arrive by bike so we have arranged for a guide to meet you nearby so you can fully appreciate the sight. Heading home, you will experience the New Forest at its best with wooded villages, cosy pubs, some gravel tracks and great views.



Holiday details

Price

Classic

from £1,375 per person

Luxury

from £1,795 per person

Based on two people sharing a room

What’s included?

Personal guided tour of Stonehenge.  See what’s included as standard

Duration

5 nights

Start & Finish

Starts Sundays and is circular from Burley. Burley is a short taxi ride from Brockenhurst station which is 1.5 hours from London by train. It is also close to Bournemouth airport

Hotels

Classic

3 nights in forest inns, and 2 nights in a small hotel in the heart of Salisbury

Luxury

A country house hotel, a 4 star Georgian hotel and one of our classic forest inns

Holiday type

Self-guided

This tour is priced without a guide and you are free to explore on your own.  If you would like a guide for part or all of your trip, we are happy to provide a knowledgeable, local guide

Activity level

Gentle cycling (4) More info...

Electric bikes

Available

Mileage

3 days of cycling 10 - 20 miles (16 - 32 km) per day and 1 day of optional cycling

Terrain

Some slopes all 3 days of cycling

Traffic-free

20% very low traffic on the rest

Options

  • Extend the holiday to include the Dorset coast or Isle of Wight
  • Enjoy the assurance of our local guide cycling with you and sharing their knowledge on your first day
  • Let us book you a horse riding experience


Itinerary day-by-day


Classic

  1. 1. Day one

    Burley

    Arrive in Burley and check into your hotel in this cosy forest village. At a time to suit you make your way to our base a few minutes walk away, which is open from 09.00 to 17.30, to pick up your cycling equipment.

  2. 2. Day two

    Burley to Salisbury

    Your host will meet you first thing to run through your itinerary and to familiarize you with the route. You then begin your ride by freewheeling downhill from Burley to the River Avon. As you pedal the valley floor, a string of pretty villages unfolds, increasingly peaceful and always characterful. Crossing fords and the occasional wooded hill, there are some great views through this charming rural area, which has a different feel to that of the New Forest. You slip into historic Salisbury along a back road and suddenly arrive in the heart of this fascinating town beside the cathedral. Your overnight stay for the next 2 nights is close by.

    28 miles (45 km)

  3. 3. Day three

    Salisbury to Stonehenge and back

    Today's ride leaves Salisbury on a traffic- free route and leads to Amesbury, still following the picturesque villages and hamlets that line the banks of the Avon river. Nearby is the stunning World Heritage sight of Stonehenge with all its mysteries and drama. We have arranged for a guide to meet you in Amesbury and this ensures you get the best Stonehenge experience which does not include cycling there! Back in the saddle, you return to Salisbury along quiet roads passing one or two ancient historic sites en route you may wish to view.

    20 miles (32 km)

  4. 4. Day four

    Salisbury to a New Forest village

    After breakfast leave Salisbury heading south before riding into the northern fringes of the New Forest where a quiet charm lurks round every bend and wooded enclaves dice with unexpected views. Cosy wooded villages and a mix of backroads and awesome gravel tracks are the order of the day. You will stay the night in a delightful forest inn.

    25 miles (40 km)

  5. 5. Day five

    A New Forest village to Burley

    Riding in the New Forest all day, you will see the full variety this National Park has to offer. There are grand views across heathlands, wide open roads, trees to inspire, brooks to cross and wandering animals to engage with. Civilisation catches up with you as you arrive in the forest village of Brockenhurst before pedalling along embankments and steaming through bridge holes - and this sums up the tour - so many different experiences within one inspirational ride. Return to Burley for a final night.

    24 miles (38 km)

  6. 6. Day six

    Depart Burley

    Return your bikes to our base and depart at your leisure.

Luxury

  1. 1. Day one

    Burley

    Arrive in Burley and check into your manor house hotel in this cosy forest village. At a time to suit you make your way to our base a few minutes walk away, which is open from 09.00 to 17.30, to pick up your cycling equipment.

  2. 2. Day two

    Burley to Salisbury

    Your host will meet you first thing to run through your itinerary and to familiarize you with the route. You then begin your ride by freewheeling downhill from Burley to the River Avon. As you pedal the valley floor, a string of pretty villages unfolds, increasingly peaceful and always characterful. Crossing fords and the occasional wooded hill, there are some great views through this charming rural area, which has a different feel to that of the New Forest. You slip into historic Salisbury along a back road and suddenly arrive in the heart of this fascinating town beside the cathedral. Your overnight stay for the next 2 nights is close by in a characterful 4 star boutique hotel dating back to the 13th century.

    28 miles (45 km)

  3. 3. Day three

    Salisbury to Stonehenge and back

    Today's ride leaves Salisbury on a traffic- free route and leads to Amesbury, still following the picturesque villages and hamlets that line the banks of the Avon river. Nearby is the stunning World Heritage sight of Stonehenge with all its mysteries and drama. We have arranged for a guide to meet you in Amesbury and this ensures you get the best Stonehenge experience which does not include cycling there! Back in the saddle, you return to Salisbury along quiet roads passing one or two ancient historic sites en route you may wish to view.

    20 miles (32 km)

  4. 4. Day four

    Salisbury to a New Forest Village

    After breakfast leave Salisbury heading south before riding into the northern fringes of the New Forest where a quiet charm lurks round every bend and wooded enclaves dice with unexpected views. Cosy wooded villages and a mix of backroads and awesome gravel tracks are the order of the day. You will stay the night in a delightful forest inn, which is our classic tour choice.

    25 miles (40 km)

  5. 5. Day five

    A New Forest village to Burley

    Riding in the New Forest all day, you will see the full variety this National Park has to offer. There are grand views across heathlands, cosy wooded villages, awesome gravel tracks, wide open roads, trees to inspire, brooks to cross and wandering animals to engage with. And this sums up the tour - so many different experiences within one inspirational ride.

    24 miles (38 km)

  6. 6. Day six

    Depart Burley

    Return your bikes to our base and depart at your leisure.