Looking for the best gravel routes near London? You don't need to drive for hours to find proper gravel cycling. From the Chilterns and Epping Forest to the Surrey Hills, Kent Downs and South Downs, some of England's best gravel riding is within easy reach of the capital.
London is surrounded by some seriously good riding.
Once you leave the noise and traffic behind, the landscape changes quickly. Ancient woodland, chalk hills, bridleways, farm tracks, open downland and quiet country lanes replace the city. And that is exactly why gravel cycling has become such a brilliant way to escape London.
We've picked five of the best gravel cycling destinations near London. Some are ideal for a few hours after work. Others deserve an entire day to explore.
But if you're asking us where we'd start? Aldbury.
1. Aldbury & The Chilterns – The Ultimate Gravel Route Near London
Start/finish: Church Farm Café, Aldbury, HP235RS
Distance: Approximately 60–80km depending on the route you select
Terrain: Chalk tracks, bridleways, woodland, gravel, quiet lanes and open downland
Difficulty: Moderate to hard
Best for: anything from 2-3 hours to a full-day gravel adventure
If there is one destination that should be at the top of your list when searching for the best gravel routes near London, make it Aldbury.
And there is a very good reason we have made Church Farm Café our home for GRVL ride outs.
Sitting at the foot of the Chilterns, Aldbury is surrounded by some of the best gravel cycling terrain in southern England. From here you can build a huge variety of routes taking in Wendover, Coombe Hill, Dunstable Downs, Ashridge and Kop Hill.
Aldbury is on the edge of Ashridge estate and the village has been featured in many period drama's and films.
This is not just a ride through the countryside. It's a proper gravel adventure.
Start at Church Farm Café
Church Farm Café is the perfect starting point. We regularly run gravel rides from the café, including 50km and 80km routes through the Chilterns. Check out our group rides
And here's one of the best things about riding from Aldbury if you're coming from London:
You don't need a car.
Take the train from London Euston to Tring. Direct trains take around 36 minutes, with the fastest services taking approximately 30 minutes.
From Tring station, Church Farm Café is only a short ride away – around half a mile according to the route information used by GRVL. Turn right out of the train station and the cafe is on the left as you enter Aldbury.
The cafe serves the Best coffee in the Chilterns and has plenty of safe parking for the bike.
This is what your gravel adventure can look like this:
Euston → Tring → Church Farm Café → Chilterns → Church Farm Café → Tring → Euston.
No traffic. No parking stress. Just get on the train with your gravel bike and go.
The route
From Church Farm, head towards the Chilterns and work your way towards Wendover before tackling the higher ground around Coombe Hill.
The views from this part of the Chilterns are exceptional. Coombe Hill sits on the Chiltern escarpment and forms part of the wider Chilterns Cycleway, although some of the walking trails around the monument are not open to cycling, so choose your cycle route carefully.
From the monument, you can see into the back garden of Chequers where the current (struggling to keep up to speed with who is in residence these dats) Prime Minister spends their weekends.
From there, the route can continue towards Dunstable Downs, before heading back through the woodland and rolling tracks around Ashridge Estate.
Another option is to take in some of the climbs such as Kop Hill, Wendover Woods, Bison Hill, Coombe Hill etc. The chiltern are not short of climbs so if that's your bag, you could spend the day climbing.
The beauty of this area is that you can make the ride as long or as short as you want. The Ridgeway is endless and takes you off-road for mile after mile after mile.
GRVL has already developed multiple routes from Church Farm Café, so it's a natural base for anyone looking to explore gravel routes in the Chilterns.
Explore GRVL's latest gravel rides and routes
Discover GRVL Ride Outs from Church Farm Café
This is our number one choice for the best gravel cycle route near London.
2. Epping Forest – London's Gravel Playground
Start: Walthamstow / Epping
Distance: Around 40–50km
Terrain: Forest tracks, gravel, bridleways and cycle paths
Difficulty: Moderate
Best for: A half-day escape
You don't always have time to disappear into the countryside for an entire day.
That's where Epping Forest comes in.
Epping is one of the great London gravel destinations because you can be riding through ancient woodland surprisingly quickly after leaving the city.
One of Komoot's established gravel routes from Walthamstow covers 35.6km with around 290m of climbing, taking riders through some of the forest's best gravel bridleways and tracks.
The route combines compact gravel, unpaved tracks, cycle paths and quieter roads.
And that's what makes Epping so good.
It doesn't feel like you're riding in London.
The trees close in around you. The roads disappear. The surface changes beneath your tyres. Suddenly, you're gravel riding.
Epping Forest also offers plenty of alternatives, with Komoot currently listing dozens of gravel rides around the forest. Routes range from short loops to longer adventures towards the surrounding countryside.
Explore gravel routes around Epping Forest on Komoot
For London riders who want a gravel route near London without committing to a full day, Epping is difficult to beat.
3. Richmond Park & The Surrey Hills – Box Hill and Leith Hill
Start: Richmond Park
Distance: Around 80km
Terrain: Gravel tracks, woodland trails, chalk tracks and quiet lanes
Difficulty: Hard
Best for: Experienced gravel cyclists
If Epping is the quick escape, Richmond Park and the Surrey Hills are the big one.
This is where you go when you want to put some serious kilometres into the legs.
One of Komoot's leading gravel routes starts in Richmond Park before heading south into the Surrey Hills, taking in Box Hill and Leith Hill.
The route covers 78.6km with approximately 610m of elevation gain and is rated hard.
And this is proper gravel.
Expect a mixture of dirt tracks, chalk tracks, woodland trails and quiet lanes, with rougher sections, roots, ruts and steep climbs thrown into the mix.
Box Hill needs little introduction to cyclists.
But seeing it from a gravel bike rather than attacking it on a road bike gives you a completely different experience.
The route then connects towards Leith Hill, with the Leith Hill Greenway providing an off-road connection through the Surrey landscape.
It's a big ride, so pack accordingly.
Good tyres. Plenty of food. Plenty of water. Enjoy the cafe on the top of Box hill.
And make sure the legs are ready.
Ride the Richmond Park to Surrey Hills gravel route on Komoot
For riders searching for gravel cycling near London that feels like a genuine adventure, this is one of the strongest options.
4. Kent Downs – Wye, The Pilgrims Way & Canterbury
Start: Wye
Distance: Around 36km for the classic loop
Terrain: Chalk tracks, bridleways, gravel and quiet country lanes
Difficulty: Moderate
Best for: Exploring Kent's countryside
Head east and the landscape changes again.
The Kent Downs are another brilliant gravel destination within reach of London, combining rolling chalk downland, ancient woodland, river valleys and quiet country lanes.
One of the standout gravel rides begins in Wye, heading towards Canterbury and following sections of the historic Pilgrims Way.
The popular Komoot route is approximately 37km, with a mixture of surfaces and around two and a half hours of riding.
This is exactly the sort of terrain gravel bikes were made for.
Fast enough to keep the kilometres ticking over, but varied enough to keep the ride interesting.
The Kent Downs also has a much bigger proposition for riders who want to turn a day ride into a proper adventure.
The North Downs Way Riders' Route runs for 272km through the Kent Downs and Surrey Hills, with the route designed for cycling and capable of being tackled over several days.
You don't have to ride all 272km.
But knowing it's there makes Kent a destination worth returning to.
Explore the Kent Downs gravel routes on Komoot
Discover the North Downs Way Riders' Route
If you're looking for gravel routes near London that feel slightly further removed from the capital, Kent is a very good bet.
5. South Downs – Big Skies, Chalk Tracks & Proper Gravel
Start: Lewes
Distance: Around 60km
Terrain: Chalk downland, bridleways, gravel tracks and country lanes
Difficulty: Hard
Best for: A full-day gravel adventure
The South Downs are arguably one of the UK's most iconic cycling landscapes.
Rolling chalk hills.
Huge skies.
Ancient tracks.
Long ridgelines.
And plenty of climbing.
For gravel cyclists, the South Downs Way provides an enormous playground. The National Trail stretches for around 160 km and uses old bridleways through the South Downs landscape, which is lumpy so expect and average day of climbing being substancial.
For a one-day ride, a loop from Lewes makes a great option.
Komoot's popular South Downs gravel route from Lewes covers around 61km with approximately 900m of climbing, making it a hard ride for cyclists looking for a proper challenge.
This isn't a gentle spin.
The hills are exposed, the weather can change quickly and the chalk can become extremely slippery after rain. Head winds from the sea can make progress difficult but the fresh air in the lungs is well worth it.
But when the conditions are right, there are few better places to ride.
And that is the South Downs experience.
You can spend hours riding across open countryside with almost nothing around you except the trail, the landscape and your riding companions.
Explore the best South Downs gravel rides on Komoot
So, what are the best gravel routes near London?
There is no single answer and it depends what you're looking for.
Want the ultimate gravel day out?
Head to Aldbury and the Chilterns.
Want something accessible after work or a quick ride?
Ride Epping Forest.
Want big kilometres and serious climbing?
Take on Richmond Park and the Surrey Hills.
Want rolling countryside and historic trails?
Go to the Kent Downs.
Want big skies and a full-on gravel adventure?
Head for the South Downs.
But for us at GRVL, Aldbury and the Chilterns remains the standout.
There is something special about rolling out of Church Farm Café, climbing into the Chilterns and knowing you've got a whole network of trails and tracks ahead of you.
And the fact that you can get there from London Euston by train makes it even better.
Your traveller doesn't need to mean travelling hundreds of miles.
Sometimes the best gravel adventure is less than an hour away.
So pack the bike.
Jump on the train.
Grab a coffee at Church Farm.
And go find some gravel.
See you on the trails.
Plan your next gravel ride
If you're looking for more gravel routes near London, start with the GRVL ride collection. We regularly develop new routes around Church Farm Café and the Chilterns, designed to get riders away from the traffic and onto the trails.
Read more GRVL gravel cycling stories
