Savills Portugal

This week (6-12 June) is Bike Week – an annual celebration of cycling and the many benefits it brings to individuals, communities and the planet.

We have seen a resurgence of interest in cycling over the last couple of years. The pandemic sparked a so-called ‘bike boom’ and during 2020 the UK recorded a rise in cycling activity of up to 300 per cent compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Two-wheeled travel has become easier and more accessible, thanks to the National Cycle Network – a UK-wide network of signed paths and routes for cycling and walking. Managed by the Bristol charity, Sustrans, the network connects cities, towns and the countryside.

To celebrate Bike Week, we have picked a selection of new developments that are connected to popular stretches of the National Cycle Network.

We start our journey at The Chocolate Factory, a redevelopment of the former Elizabeth Shaw factory in Bristol’s Greenbank district. Not only will The Chocolate Factory regeneration scheme bring new homes, workspaces, retail and a community hub to the area, it will also be connected to the Bristol & Bath Railway Path, a hugely popular route that was the inspiration behind the National Cycle Network.

Over 40 years old, the 13-mile path was Sustrans’ first big infrastructure project and is well used by cyclists and pedestrians as an important commuter link into and between both cities, as well as for leisure. Using the Railway Path makes The Chocolate Factory development just 15 minutes from the centre of Bristol by sustainable transport.

The National Cycle Network is a great way to explore and get around the capital, as well as giving Londoners an easy escape to the country. The London Docklands and Lea Valley route is just one of many green routes, this one taking in Victoria Park, one of the oldest municipal parks in the world, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Hackney Marshes, known internationally as the spiritual home of Sunday league football.

It is in the vibrant independent neighbourhood of Hackney that you will find a growing collective of artisan bicycle-makers – perfect for serious cyclists who are looking to upgrade. The area is also home to Parkhaus, an exciting boutique scheme of warehouse-style apartments that is well-connected across London by bike.

In Wales, Lôn Las Cymru is an exciting, long-distance route which runs the length of the country – all the way from Cardiff Bay in the south, up to the Isle of Anglesey. The journey through the Brecon Beacons National Park will be a highlight for many, being famous for both road cycling and mountain biking. This dramatic landscape makes for the most impressive backdrop to Drover’s Meadow, a development of stylish family homes built with a sustainable ethos, which is under construction in Bronllys, less than a mile from the route.

Our journey ends on a high at Queenswater, a collection of two-bedroom waterside apartments in Dumbarton, on the north bank of the River Clyde in Scotland. The scheme is connected to the Lochs and Glens Way – a stunning route between Inverness and Glasgow through two National Parks.

With the National Cycle Network extending across the country, there is plenty of opportunity to buy a new home on or close to one of its routes.