THE BIG RIDE

■ Distance: 10½ miles/17km ■ Time: 5 hours ■  Grade: Challenging

■ Distance: 6¾ miles/10.8km ■  Time: 3½ hours ■  Grade: Moderate

■ Distance: 6½ miles/10.5km ■ Time: 2½ hours ■ Grade: Moderate

Roger Butler peers over steep slopes on a roller coaster along Offa’s Dyke

The nearest station is Manningtree, on the Great Eastern Main Line, which is around 1 hour 15 minutes from London Liverpool Street and is also reachable from Colchester and Ipswich. If coming by car,