We've been looking for cycling routes in the South of England and the term "disused railway track" comes up often. Are these usually just paths where the tracks have been removed and are now rocky and packed dirt or are they paved? My son is 4 and is still using training wheels (stabilizers) so if there are too many rocks he gets stuck.

Just in case anyone is well versed in this subject -- any suggestions on good bike rides, preferably loops less than 10km, without too many hills anywhere in the South (East or West) or Waies? We tried the Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent and it was lovely but we are always on the lookout for new places. Thanks!

Most of them are paved

Have a look at

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/

I believe that all of the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path (www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml) is paved, although your son may not want to do the full 13 miles.

The cycle paths in the Forest of Dean that I have seen have all been gravel, and they can be a bit rough.

The Tarka Trail (www.devon.gov.uk/cycling-leismaps-tarkatrail.pdf) in the Barnstaple area of Devon is part paved and part gravel. The part alongside the estuary near Barnstaple is quite level and paved, while other parts are gravel and surprisingly steep. You could also look at The Granite Way (www.devon.gov.uk/cycling-leismaps-graniteway.pdf) in the Okehampton area. I seem to remember that the area around Okehampton and Meldon is paved.

It depends precisely what you're looking at.

Paths with the white out of blue cycle sign are (I think: all) paved.

But not all ex-railway lines accessible by bike are paved. Many (without the blue cycleway sign) are dirt: they've never struck me as particularly stony, but I'm not a 4 yo. Such paths will typically be mixed-use (for walkers, riders and cyclists), though sometimes cyclists are segregated for bits of the way.

Perfect! Thank you so much. Our bike ride was shelved for the weekend but we'll definitely be out and about very soon. Have to do something to fill the time on summer holiday.

Since I got so lucky the first time I'll tack on one more related question.

Any suggestions for bike rides near or around some castles? We'd be combining my son's two great loves. Last weekend we went to Hadleigh Castle and noticed lots of people riding bikes on nearby paths. That would be great -- but we'd rather visit someplace new than go back and see something we've already seen. Thanks!