These routes, or sections thereof, are almost entirely off-road and well surfaced. If longer than ten miles overall (e.g. Arc 1) they are split by a mid-point station access or natural break-point. Canal towpaths can be narrow in brief sections, but canal-side rides which require more advanced cycling balance skills, such as Spoke 8-10 link, are omitted.
A note about cycling for the disabled: Wheels for Wellbeing have been campaigning to Remove Barriers to Cycling since 2007. It would be great if all these routes passed their access criteria, but I know for example that the wonderful Jubilee River cycle path (Spoke 8S) is protected from motor-cycle joyriding with barriers impermeable to three-wheelers. After consultation (and feedback) Cycle Orbital will be scanned for fully accessible routes.
Top Ten earn asterisks:
- Arc 1: Hertford to Broxbourne; Broxbourne to Enfield Lock (Lee Navigation)
- Arc 2: Enfield Lock to Olympic Park (Lee Navigation)
- Arc 2b: Olympic Park to Greenwich: Greenwich to Woolwich (O2 and Thames Barrier)
- *Arc 3: Woolwich to Erith (Thames Path)
- Arc 8b: West Byfleet to Woking (Basingstoke Canal)
- *Arc 9: Blacknest Gate to Dorney Lake (Windsor Great Park)
- Arc 11 outer: Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden (Nickey Line)
- Arc 12 outer: Harpenden to Wheathampstead: Wheathampstead to Welwyn (Ayot Greenway)
- *Arc 12 inner: Verulamium to Old Hatfield (Alban Way)
- *Arc 12 merged: Welwyn to Hertford (Cole Green Way)
- *Spoke 3: Woldingham to Winders Hill
- Spoke 5 link: Chessington N to Tattenham Corner (Horton Country Park; Epsom Racecourse)
- *Spoke 6: Hampton Court to Weybridge (Thames Path)
- *Spoke 6-7: Hampton Wick to Hampton (Bushey Park); Shepperton to Staines (Thames Path)
- *Spoke 7 a & b: within Windsor Great Park, combined with Arc 9
- *Spoke 8S: Langley to Dorney Lake (Jubilee River)
- Spoke 8 link: Slough to Burnham Beeches
- Spoke 8N: Langley and Black Parks
- Spoke 10C: Watford to Apsley (Grand Union Canal)
- Spin-off 1: Broxbourne to Harlow (Stort Navigation)
- *Spin-off 1-2-3: Upminster to Rainham (Ingrebourne Valley)
- Spin-off 3: Rainham to Purfleet (Rainham Marshes)
- Spin-off 5: Knowle Deer Park; Leigh to Hever (Penshurst and Chiddingstone)