Our best places for cyclists

Mud-seekers have found their happy place at Caban Cadno, a cosy curved cabin in the heart of some of the UK’s best mountain biking countryside. Beudy Banc farm and Dyfi Forest are criss-crossed with signposted off-road bike trails, including a continuous two-mile descent, the longest in Wales or England. If you prefer a less nerve-jangling experience, there’s also a huge network of nearby quiet lanes & forest tracks. After an action-packed day, leave the gear on the deck and spend leisurely evenings refuelling in front of the wood burner, taking in the epic valley views and stargazing under vast skies.

Cars aren’t allowed on site at Puckshipton Treehouse, so you can start your break as you mean to go on, with a cycle from Pewsey train station. That’s all part of the adventure at this rope-hung sanctuary in the Wiltshire woods, with a sleeping pod and tiny lounge all accessed via elevated walkway. There are plenty of cycle routes nearby with maps provided by the owners so you can navigate the area with ease. You’ll quickly get used to the simple life as you shower outdoors, swing in the hammock and cook over the firepit. The owners provide basic groceries and it’s a scenic cycle to pick up local goodies from Planks Farm Shop at Lydeway, via the ridgeway trail.

Right next to Tinkers Treehouse, Bewl Water is the largest reservoir in the South East with a 12.5km circular cycle route that gives fantastic views over the water. Within the 800-acre parkland site, you’ll also find Bedgebury Pinetum, which has miles of bike trails snaking through the world-renowned collection of conifers. If you start to get saddle sore, there’s Go Ape and a wealth of water sports on offer at the reservoir including a summer Aqua Park. The treehouse itself is the ultimate antidote to a day of physical exertion — a luxurious, light-filled retreat with an enormous waterfall shower and modern kitchen. Spend evenings toasting marshmallows over the firebowl or lounging on the deck listening to the sounds of the wildlife.

Indulge your Tour de France fantasies at remote Woodsman’s Cabin in the Dordogne that overlooks a scenic carp lake. Owners Di and Bob can arrange bike hire in advance, including a tandem if your travelling companion likes to take sneaky breaks from pedalling. The surrounding woods are packed with off-road cycle paths and there are plenty more trails further afield if you follow the maps provided. For a totally unique experience, try the velorail network an hour away where you can power bicycle-like contraptions along disused train tracks taking in some incredible views. To fuel your French adventures, head to the Wednesday markets in nearby Piégut and stock up on mouth watering local goodies.

Taste the sweet nectar of cycling adventures at Humble Bee, with trails heading straight from the door through beautiful Devon woodland. Next door is charming old Okehampton railway station, a 1950s renovation project with a tea room where you can hire bikes and cycle along the old railway line all the way to Tavistock in Dartmoor. Buzz back to your cosy hive after a day spent pumping the pedals to soak aching legs in the private outdoor bath. When eyelids droop, the fur-strewn, king size bed on the top floor is ready to cocoon you as you drift into a well-earned slumber.

In a fittingly stylish gesture, the owners of cool, curved Vilberie provide guests with Dutch vintage bikes to use during their stay. Fill the baskets with apples before setting off on leisurely rides through miles of flat Somerset Levels, stopping for regular breaks at cafés, pubs and vineyards. With three RSPB reserves nearby, it’s worth taking binoculars to see how many species of bird you can spot while you explore. Back at the cabin, you’re spoiled for indulgences like a Nespresso machine and Weber BBQ, but the jewel in the crown is the circular bathroom with a huge stone tub, big enough for two. After a long soak, your legs will be revived and ready to hop back in the saddle.