Particularly good for family and leisure cycling, the Honeybourne line is a disused railway line which extends from Cheltenham Train Station, through the town centre and straight to Pittville Park. It is an extensive stretch of flat, open track to cycle along, and it is entirely car-free.
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Take advantage of the bike-hire facilities located the start at Cheltenham Spa Railway Station, before heading straight down the track to Pittville Park, which also features plenty of good cycling stretches. For families, Pittville Park features a large adventure playground, animal aviaries, a boating lake, tennis courts, a skate and BMX park, a pitch and putt, plenty of picnic areas, two cafes and of course the iconic Pittville Pump Rooms which stand proudly at the peak.
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During the summer months you can cycle slightly beyond Pittville Park to Cheltenham Racecourse, where you will find a station for the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Railway (GWSR). Throughout the summer months the station is used regularly, with the added excitement of original working steam trains running between Cheltenham and Broadway during the weekends. The trains will let you transport your bikes, so it’s a great way to get out into the country without the huge hill climbs. Disembark at Winchcombe and enjoy the village including Sudeley Castle before cycling back to Cheltenham and freewheeling down Cleeve Hill.
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Not for the faint hearted, you can of course go the other way and ride up Cleeve Hill to Winchcombe. Cleeve is an extremely steep climb out of Cheltenham which many view as a must-achieve challenge. The top is the highest point in the Cotswolds affording stunning views across the Town and surrounding area, and the Rising Sun pub at the top offers a well-earned pint with the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy the vista!
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Leckhampton is also one of the most challenging hill climbs for road cyclists in the area, and proceeds steeply to a crest with extensive views over Cheltenham. It is a regular highlight route for cyclists and is considered a worthwhile challenge although is not quite as steep as Cleeve. From the top you can proceed back down the hill, or can explore a number of circular routes in the local countryside.
Not only that, but Leckhampton is also home to a large number of mountain biking trails and downhill routes across the hill, with a pocket of land in Daisybank Fields specifically for dirt jumps suitable for novice and experienced riders.
For those who view cycling as a mode of transport rather than a weekly sporting activity, then what about taking a tour of Regency Cheltenham by bike. Available from The Bicycle Hub and soon from the Visit Cheltenham website, these tours enable you to traverse the whole town in a matter of the hours, leading yourself around the historic sites of the town.
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Perfect for the kids and the big kids in your family, The Jet Age museum is based on the outskirts of Cheltenham in Staverton, with cycle paths running almost door to door. The museum preserves and showcases the history of aerospace in the region, including original and replica planes, functioning workshops, interactive exhibits and much more.
The Jet Age museum is based on site at Gloucestershire International Airport, and for families with kids that love planes or machines, there is also an on-site café with views of the runway and it entertains the kids for hours – trust us!
Other highlights of the Town include The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum which offers free admission and is home to a large number of permanent and guest exhibits. A particular highlight is the exhibit dedicated to one of ‘Cheltenham’s Famous Sons’ – Edward Wilson – who is most notable for his participation and demise on Scott’s Antarctic expedition, but was also an important naturalist and explorer in his own right.
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Next is the Holst Birthplace Museum dedicated to Cheltenham’s other Famous Son – Gustav Holst, composer of The Planets. The museum is dedicated to preserving the place where Holst was born and lived, including a perfectly conserved Regency room, and the pianoforte used in Holst’s compositions.
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It doesn’t stop there; day trips and short breaks to the Town can be rounded off with one of the many guided foodie tours, from the ‘Curry and Colonels’ tour highlighting Cheltenham’s links with an Indian Raj, tours of a number of local breweries and bars led by local experts ‘Brewerism’ or the foodie equivalent with Cotswold Foodie Tours. Meanwhile if food isn’t your highlight, we can highly recommend The Cotswold Tour Guide Anne Bartlett who offers tailored guided tours of Cheltenham and the surrounding Cotswolds.
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