Big ride route

THE BIG RIDE

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,

Hankering after a life in the countryside? Don’t leave home without our expert guide for house-hunters

It’s a massive circular traffic jam, isn’t it? Think again – the M25 is your road to great birding, writes Matt Merritt

With its verdant dales, dramatic gritstone edges and historic market towns, Derbyshire is quintessentially English yet strikingly unique. At the heart of England’s first National Park, the Peak Distri

■ Distance: 5¼ miles/8.5km ■ Time: 2½ hours ■ Grade: Moderate