This is one of my favourite rides out of Bedford, and I rode it again on Sunday. It starts with a proper coffee on the edge of town and heads north through Cross End Lane, Hangman's Lane and Sandye Lane. Then it goes past Kimbolton and along Cockway Lane, finishing on the byways at Spaldwick. You get gravel, grass and some mud, a few rutted, slightly technical stretches, some faster flowing sections, and plenty of villages with pubs and coffee stops along the way.
It's a point-to-point ride, not a loop, so it flows. You're always heading somewhere new.
The ride at a glance
Start: São José Coffee, Graze Hill, Bedford MK41 8AN
Finish: the Spaldwick byways, just off the A14
Distance: about 37km (23 miles), 11km of it on byway
Lanes: Cross End Lane, Hangman's Lane, Sandye Lane, Cockway Lane, the Spaldwick byways
Surface: gravel, grass and mud, with some deep 4x4 ruts on Sandye Lane
GPX: download the route (Holloway Premium)
Check the date before you go. Hangman's Lane, Cockway Lane and the Spaldwick byways close to motor vehicles from 1 October to 30 April every year, under seasonal Traffic Regulation Orders from Bedford Borough Council and Cambridgeshire County Council. There's no exemption for motorcycles. Cross End Lane and Sandye Lane stay open all year.
Between October and April, open the Holloway map and look for open lanes nearby instead. Closed and seasonal lanes are marked on every lane's card.
Start: São José Coffee
São José Coffee is up the road from Mowsbury Golf Course, at Graze Hill on the north edge of Bedford. It's fairly new, and the coffee is fantastic. They source their own beans from Brazil and roast them locally. There's good space to park bikes too, which makes it an easy place to meet.
São José Coffee at Graze Hill, the meeting point.
From here it's about ten minutes on the road north through Ravensden to the start of the first lane.
Cross End Lane
Cross End Lane, Thurleigh
1.7km · BOAT Open all year
A wide gravel track running north between open fields towards Thurleigh. It's a good warm-up, firm and easy going, with big views across the arable land. It's one of the two lanes on the route that stay open all year.
Here's Cross End Lane from above, filmed on the drone:
It's an easy place to pull over for a photo.
The Voge 300 Rally on Cross End Lane.
Between the lanes
The road links between the lanes are mostly quiet country roads, through a string of small villages. Several have shops if you need supplies, and there are pubs and coffee stops along the way, so you're never far from a break.
Typical going on the route: firm gravel between the hedges.
Hangman's Lane
Hangman's Lane, Keysoe
1.4km · BOAT Closed 1 Oct to 30 Apr
A short road link takes you round to Hangman's Lane, on the edge of Keysoe. It's mostly grass, and it's a nice change of pace after the gravel of Cross End Lane. It's one of the seasonal ones, closed to motor vehicles from October to April.
Sandye Lane
Sandye Lane, Swineshead
3.7km · BOAT Open all year
The longest lane of the day, running towards Swineshead, with grassy stretches and a wooded section. Watch the ruts. 4x4s have cut some deep ones in places, and when the trees and hedges overgrow they're hard to see until you're in them. Take it steady where the tree line closes in.
At the moment I wouldn't take anything bigger than a Ténéré down Sandye Lane myself. On a heavier bike, those ruts would have you stuck.
Kimbolton
The route runs straight through Kimbolton, and it's a lovely village to stop in, with plenty of on-street parking. If you're out on a Sunday, the New Sun Inn does a great roast dinner.
Sunday roast at the New Sun Inn, Kimbolton.
Cockway Lane
Cockway Lane, Tilbrook to Stow Longa
2.8km · BOAT Closed 1 Oct to 30 Apr
From Kimbolton you head north to Tilbrook for Cockway Lane, which runs east across open country towards Stow Longa. On the council's records it's three byways joined end to end: Tilbrook BY 18, Catworth BY 12 and Stow Longa BY 6. It's seasonal too, closed from October to April under a Cambridgeshire County Council order.
The Spaldwick byways
Spaldwick BY 3 and BY 2
1.2km · BOAT Closed 1 Oct to 30 Apr
A short road link brings you to the Spaldwick byways, the last lanes of the day, running down towards the village. They're rougher than the rest, and they're seasonal, closed from October to April like Cockway Lane.
Spaldwick is another nice village to finish in, with plenty of on-street parking. If you're up for a brew at the end of your ride, Swynford Coffee on Swynford Road, Alconbury (PE28 4XG) is a good stop, about 5 miles on from Spaldwick.
Which bikes suit it
All of these lanes suit most bikes, from a small trail bike to a mid-size adventure bike. The exception is Sandye Lane, where the deep ruts make anything bigger than a Ténéré hard work right now. If you're on a big adventure bike, check the ruts before you commit, or skip Sandye Lane and pick the route up again at Kimbolton.
Riding it well
With stops, I got round the whole thing in an hour to an hour and a half, depending on pace. It makes a good day out when you add in the coffee at the start and a roast or a brew along the way.
Even after a downpour, most of these lanes can be ridden without much trouble. Sandye Lane is the one to take care on, because of the ruts. Expect dog walkers and horse riders, especially on a Sunday. Most of these lanes are used a lot by green laners, so people are used to bikes, but slow right down, give them room and switch off if a horse is nervous. Our lane etiquette guide covers the rest.
Get the route
The Bedford to Spaldwick GPX covers the whole ride: the road from São José Coffee, every lane, and the real roads in between. It's part of Holloway Premium, and you can load it onto a GPS or into the Holloway app to navigate as you ride. All five lanes are free to look up on the map, with their status, surface and hazards.
Before you set off
Check the date against the seasonal closures above. Then open each lane on the map and tap Legal Status Search to look for any new Traffic Regulation Order. Signage on the day always wins over any map, including ours.