NCN 48 - National Byway Central
NCN 48 - National Byway Central is a 444.9 km road cycling route in East of England with 3216 m of climbing, about 5% of it off road, and it splits into about 5 days at a moderate pace.
The route runs south to north through Cambridgeshire before turning west and then south-west, so the early miles out of Cambridge across to Everton and Wilden are flat and fast. The surface is almost entirely road. From Quainton onward the ground begins to lift through the Cotswolds, with the climbing concentrated in the middle and later sections around Northleach, Greet and Prescott. West of Ledbury the route pushes into the hills toward Presteigne, where the day's legs show.
Worth knowing before you go
Settlements thin out noticeably between Harrold and Steppingley and again between Kiddington and Northleach, so carry food and water through those stretches. The route is about 5% off road, and that proportion is not evenly spread, so check the surface conditions ahead of the wilder sections west of Ledbury. Presteigne and Slough appear within a hundred metres of each other at the far end, which is worth confirming on the map before you arrive.
NCN 48 - National Byway Central in numbers
- Distance: 444.9 km
- Climbing: 3216 m
- Off road: 22 km, about 5% of the route
- Riding time: about 25 hours, roughly 5 days at a moderate pace
Water, food, campsites and stations along this route are shown on the interactive map.
Plan it and ride it
The map on this page carries the surface breakdown, the elevation profile and every point of interest. You can split the route into days against your own pace, see what it will cost to ride, and take it with you. Download the GPX.
Read the NCN 48 - National Byway Central route guide.
Getting to the start without flying · Browse all routes
Route from Sustrans.
Compiled by Ed Hunton, Cicerone guidebook author, from TourTrax's own route data.