The Cotswolds around Cirencester is good cycling country. It’s not dramatic, there’s no long climbs or technical descents, just open countryside, quiet lanes and the kind of flat-to-gentle terrain that makes a two-hour ride feel like a reasonable morning rather than a commitment. And there’s a worthy pay off at the end.
We’re at The Wild Duck in Ewen, five minutes from Cirencester, and we’re the right place to end up after a ride. Safe bike parking, a good bar, seasonal food and 19 rooms if the legs have made a stronger case for staying the night than initially planned. Here are three routes worth knowing about.
Route 1: Ewen to Kemble and back — 90 minutes, flat, good year-round
Start at The Wild Duck and head south through the lanes towards Kemble. The route follows quiet B-roads and farm tracks through open Gloucestershire countryside. The Thames Path joins in sections, it’s well-marked and good underfoot even in damp conditions. The loop through Kemble village and back to Ewen is around 12 miles at an easy pace, 90 minutes to two hours depending on how many times you stop to look at something.
This is an ideal route for a morning ride before lunch, or an evening ride in summer when the days are long enough. It’s the easiest of the three and the most consistently good year-round.
Route 2: Ewen to Bibury via the Coln Valley — half a day, some quiet climbing
Head east from Ewen along the Coln Valley towards Bibury, one of the most photographed villages in England and, before 10am on a weekday, a genuinely good place to stop. The route follows the River Coln through Coln St Aldwyns, covering around 20 miles out and back with some gentle rolling. The valley is well-sheltered and the lanes are largely traffic-free.
This is a half-day route. Bibury has a café if you want a mid-point stop, and the trout farm next to Arlington Row has been there since 1902 if you’re in the mood for a short detour. Back to Ewen for a late lunch.
Route 3: Cirencester to Cotswold Water Park and back — active morning, lakes and open countryside
Head south from Cirencester towards the Cotswold Water Park, where over 150 lakes formed from former gravel workings to what is now one of the better cycling destinations in the region. The network of paths and quiet roads around the lakes makes it easy to add loops as you go. The return to Ewen via South Cerney and Somerford Keynes covers around 22 miles in total, with little elevation and a lot of open sky.
This one is better on a dry day as the paths around the lakes can get muddy in autumn and winter. In summer it’s excellent, and the birdlife around the nature reserve sections is worth slowing down for.
Where to end up
The Wild Duck is the right end point for any of the three routes. The bar is the kind you want after a ride: a good pint, a wine list that doesn’t require effort, a kitchen producing seasonal food that earns the post-ride appetite. On Friday evenings in summer, you can opt for half a lobster, crispy fries and sparkling wine for £35, which is not a bad way to close out a day on a bike.
Bikes can be stored at the pub. If you’re planning a longer trip and want a room, 19 bedrooms await upstairs, some with private terraces, all done with the same consideration as the rest of the pub. Dog-friendly rooms are available if your dog has also joined along on the ride.
Practical notes
All three routes are on quiet Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire lanes. An OS map or the Komoot app is useful for navigation, particularly on Routes 2 and 3 where the lanes can be unmarked. A road bike handles all three comfortably; a gravel bike opens up more options on Route 1 along the Thames Path sections.
Parking at The Wild Duck is available if you’re driving to the start point. The pub is in Ewen, GL7 6BY, five minutes from Cirencester and well-signposted from the A429.
How to plan your visit
Book you table below, which is worth doing if you’re planning a post-ride lunch on a weekend, when the dining room fills up. For a cycling weekend, the arrangement is straightforward: arrive Friday evening, ride Saturday morning, eat well, sleep, ride again on Sunday if the legs allow. We’ve seen worse plans.
