Free, fun, guided rides with Let’s Ride Swindon

Monthly column with Becky Cox of Swindon Cycle Campaign.

Do you want to build confidence getting around your local area by bike? How about discovering more of the hidden gems of Swindon?

British Cycling volunteers like me organise regular, free, guided bike rides across Swindon.

We’re all fully trained and have first aid qualifications so you’re in safe hands.

Let’s Ride is a nationwide programme to help people rediscover (or discover for the first time) the joy of cycling.

Many of the routes we use are completely traffic-free, exploring the ever-growing network of cycle paths in Swindon. You really don’t need to travel far to see some beautiful local greenspace.

I often lead short social rides using traffic-free cycle paths and quiet streets on my ‘shopper’ bike, usually with my co-pilot on the back in his child seat.

All my rides are family friendly and designed with new and novice riders in mind. This summer I’m leading a monthly 6-8 mile ride to enjoy some live music and cream teas in the beautiful garden of the Richard Jefferies Museum.

I also lead a monthly ‘Wheels for All’ ride. These are short, traffic-free rides designed specifically for disabled cyclists. These rides are open for anyone to join, whether you’re riding a standard bicycle or want to try out an adapted cycle for free at the County Ground Athletics Track.

The rides take place on a Monday lunchtime and are generally flat and of around four miles in length.

There’s also a catalogue of risk-assessed local rides avaliable to check out yourself on the ‘Let’s Ride’ website, under ‘routes’. It’s a great place to find rides to do with the family or if you’re just looking for a nice local loop to complete on your own.

Let’s Ride is supported by Swindon Borough Council and British Cycling as an initiative to help encourage more people to get out cycling.

If you fancy joining in on one of the rides, do keep an eye out on the Let’s Ride website and Facebook Page - we’re always adding more rides so keep checking back if you haven’t seen one for you yet: www.letsride.co.uk