About

Why not discover and explore the beauty of the Tendring Peninsula by bike? There’s nothing like following the beautiful coastline or taking in the picturesque villages and countryside en-route.

Bicycle ride around Martello Tower

Distance: 8 miles, which should take between 1 hour and an hour and a half.

Route: Follows the cycle path along Clacton seafront, passing Martello Towers.

Start and finish: Clacton Leisure Centre, Vista Road CO15 6DB. Parking is available.

Route details:

1. From the leisure centre car park turn left onto Vista Road, continuing until you reach the seafront.

2. At the end of Vista Road (0.5 miles) cross the road with care and take the slope down to the promenade. Turn right towards Clacton Pier.

3. At the pier turn right up the hill and under the bridge (0.96 miles).

4. At the traffic lights turn left and immediately left again next to the post box to rejoin the cycle path.

5. Keep on the path to pass the Martello Tower (1.81 miles), with the sea on your left continue to the next

tower (2.25 miles).

6. Continue ahead and turn right at the No Cycling path marking (2.66 miles). Turn left at the junction to ride through Jaywick.

7. Continue to Tamarisk Way (3.15 miles), turn left at the next mini-roundabout onto the seafront road.

8. With the sea on your left, continue to a no parking barrier, turning left to join the promenade (3.73

miles). Continue to the final Martello Tower (4.02 miles). The ride can be extended by following the concrete path ahead, but for this ride, this is the turn round point.

9. Retrace your route, but at the no entry signs (4.9 miles), turn left along Meadow Way and follow the route round to the left.

10. Turn right at The Close (5.36 miles), just past the 20mph sign, to rejoin the seafront and retrace back to the pier.

11. At the pier (7.03 miles) you can either carry your bicycle down the steps or go to the traffic lights and ride down the hill.

12. Turn left with the sea still on your right. Take the slope up, past the cafe to rejoin the road.

13. Take care crossing to Vista Road and the follow Vista Road and the signs back to the leisure centre (8.05 miles).

Bicycle ride around Clacton via Great Bentley

Distance: 20.8 miles, which should take from 2 to 2 and a half hours.

Route: Keeps away from the busy Clacton roads, heading to Little Clacton, Great Bentley coming back through St Osyth and along the seafront.

Start and finish: Clacton Leisure Centre, Vista Road CO15 6DB. Parking is available.

Route details:

1. From the leisure centre turn left along Vista Road. At the first cross-road junction turn left (0.3 miles). Turn left along Holland Road and continue along the B1032 for Frinton and Walton.

2. At Sladburys Lane, turn left (1.35 miles). Keep on this road for nearly 2 miles, crossing over the railway line (3.2 miles) and then keep ahead to Little Clacton.

3. At the grass triangle in Little Clacton (4.85 miles) turn right onto the B1441 for Harwich.

4. Continue to Weeley Heath. Turn left for St Osyth on Mill Lane (6.3 miles), continue over the crossroads to the end of Mill Lane (6.85 miles).

5. Turn left to cross the bridge over the A133 and continue towards Great Bentley.

6. Turn right at the grass triangle (8.08 miles), keep ahead and cross the railway bridge (9 miles). Go left along Weeley Road to Great Bentley green.

7. Turn left for Aingers Green and the station. Go over the level crossing, keeping on the road through Aingers Green and continuing onto St Osyth.

8. Turn left at the junction with the B1027 (12.6 miles), then turn right for St Osyth (14 miles).

9. Carry on to Seawick Holiday camp, when you reach the Sailor Boy and Hutleys, cycle up onto the concrete pathway (16.6 miles). Keeping the sea on your right head towards Clacton.

10. When you reach the barrier with the no parking sign, head onto the road with the sea on your right. At the mini roundabout turn right (17.7 miles).

11. Turn left at the next junction, continuing through Jaywick. When you get to The Close, turn right to rejoin to seafront then turn left to Clacton.

12. After the third Martello Tower, rejoin the road next to the Martello Inn. Head towards Clacton Pier, continuing ahead at the traffic lights. At Vista Road (20.35 miles) turn left for the leisure centre and follow the signs back to your start point (20.8 miles).

Bicycle ride around Great Bentley

Distance: 9.3 miles, which will take up to 75 minutes at a moderate, comfortable pace.

Route: Starting from England’s largest green, the route covers quiet country lanes, with one small slope.

Start and finish: Great Bentley railway station, CO7 8LH. Parking is available at the station or on

surrounding roads.

Route details:

1. Starting from the railway station, turn left to go over the level crossing and pass Great Bentley village hall.

2. Keep ahead to Aingers Green and then turn left for Weeley (0.7 miles). Continue along Aingers Road (0.9 miles) for Weeley and Little Clacton.

3. Turn left at Wick Road (1.4 miles).

4. Turn right (2.3 miles) along Highbirch Road for St Osyth.

5. At the cross roads (3.5 miles) turn left along Heath Road.

6. At the next cross roads by the Rectory Road sign (5.4 miles) turn left.

7. At the end of Mill Lane, turn left (5.8 miles).

8. Continue on for Great Bentley, turning right at the grass triangle (7 miles) for Tendring.

9. Keep ahead, crossing the railway bridge, the only slight slope on the whole ride.

10. At Weeley Road (8 miles), turn left to pass Great Bentley green and then left again for the railway station (9 miles).

11. Return back to the start point for a total distance of 9.3 miles.

Bicycle ride from Great Bentley via Wix

Distance: 17.3 miles, which at a moderate pace will take between 90 minutes and 2 hours to complete.

Route: Starting from England’s largest village green, the route covers quiet and picturesque country lanes.

Start and finish: Great Bentley village green.

Route details:

1. From the junction of Heckfords Road, take Weeley Road towards Tendring.

2. Turn right at the junction with the grass triangle (1 mile) on the road unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles.

3. At the end of the road, with another grass triangle (2 miles), turn left along Bentley Road.

4. Keep on the road towards Weeley and at the junction (3.4 miles) turn left on the B1441 to Colchester.

5. Go over the ‘weak’ bridge and turn right (4 miles) for The Street.

6. Ride up the gradual slope and at the top (4.3 miles) turn right and then quickly left for Tendring.

7. Turn left (5.5 miles) on the B1035 for Manningtree.

8. Follow the road, turning right at Chapel Lane (7.2 miles).

9. At the end, by a small grass triangle (9 miles) turn right, then left at the next big grass triangle (9.2 miles).

10. At Wix cross roads (10.1 miles) turn left for Colchester.

11. Take the next left at the grass triangle with a tree in the middle, into Honeypot Lane (11.3 miles).

12. Turn right to ride along Tendring Road (11.7 miles).

13. Right again on the B1035 (13 miles) to Manningtree.

14. Turn left down Little Bentley Road.

15. Follow the road, turning left onto Church Road (14.1 miles) for Great Bentley and Weeley.

16. At the end of the road turn right (15.8 miles). Take great care at this junction as it is a busy road.

17. After a quarter of a mile turn left towards Great Bentley. Continue ahead to return to the start point

(17.3 miles).

Bicycle ride around Frinton, Walton and Weeley

Distance: 27.4 miles, which should take between 2 and 3 hours.

Route: Uses mainly quiet roads to Frinton and Walton, before heading to Weeley. There are a few small hills on route and some great countryside

and sea views.

Start and finish: Clacton Leisure Centre, Vista Road CO15 6DB. Parking is available.

Route details:

1. On leaving the leisure centre car park, turn left along Vista Road.

2. At the first junction, turn left and then left again along Holland Road.

3. Continue towards Frinton and Walton, turning left down Sladburys Lane (1.35 miles).

4. Continue on until you reach a grass triangle, turning right along Holland Common Road (3.02 miles). Follow the road until you reach a miniroundabout, then turn left (4.18 miles).

5. At the next mini-roundabout, turn right for Frinton and Walton (5.39 miles). Continue along the road, crossing the next 2 mini-roundabouts.

6. On reaching the third roundabout turn right, crossing the railway line for Frinton town centre (6.61 miles). Continue down Connaught Avenue, turning left at the end (7.23 miles), keeping the sea on your right.

7. At The Leas turn right (8.09 miles), taking care on the bumpy road. At the crossroads, turn right along Rainham Way and follow the road towards Walton.

8. At the end of the road, turn right at the junction. You can now either turn left in front of the Walton Tavern along Newgate Street (9.09 miles) or

explore Walton, continuing ahead to the famous Walton Naze Tower.

9. If you turn down Newgate Street, turn left at the next crossroads. On passing All Saints church, turn right for Kirby-le-Soken (9.17 miles).

10. Ride through Kirby and turn right on the B1414 for Beaumont Cum Moze (11.9 miles).

11. Continue to the junction (13.44 miles) and turn right for Harwich.

12. At Golden Lane turn left (13.72 miles) then at the end of the road turn right (14.7 miles) and then right again for Tendring on the B1035.

13. Continue ahead, turning left at the Cherry Tree Inn for Weeley (16.41 miles).

14. At the end of the road, in front of the Tendring District Offices turn right (17.45 miles) and take the first left.

15. At the junction turn left over the ‘weak’ bridge then turn right at the memorial for Great Bentley (18.5 miles). Turn left along Highbirch Road for St Osyth (19.3 miles).

16. At the crossroads, continue ahead along Clay Lane (20.46 miles). Turn left along the B1027 for Clacton.

17. At the next roundabout, turn right into Jaywick Lane for Jaywick (23.6 miles). Then left at the next roundabout into West Road for Clacton.

18. Keep on this road to Clacton Pier, continuing ahead at the traffic lights. Turn left into Vista Road (26.97 miles), which is sign posted for the leisure centre, following the road back to your start point. (27.4 miles).