Lost Lanes Central England: 36 Glorious bike rides in the Midlands, Peak District, Cotswolds, Lincolnshire and Shropshire Hills

Jack Thurston, best-selling author of the Lost Lanes series, takes you on a freewheeling tour of the hidden lanes and forgotten byways of the Midlands and beyond, from the windswept hills of Shropshire to the big skies of Lincolnshire, from the crags of the Peak District to the comely villages of the Cotswolds. Graded from easy to challenging, with listings of the best pubs and tea stops, wild swim spots, viewpoints and accommodation too. Accompanied by a dedicated website, downloadable GPX files, turn-by-turn route instructions and detailed maps. All rides are accessible by train and include Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire.

Enjoy the traffic-free trails of the Peak District, taking in dramatic landscapes, grand country houses and a wealth of industrial archaeology

Explore the Cotswolds on its quietest country lanes and hidden byways, stopping at cosy pubs and breathtaking sunset viewpoints

Follow in the tyre tracks of Edward Elgar to the summit of the Malvern Hills for some of the most splendid views of England

Discover secret Birmingham on its vast network of canal towpaths and traffic-free urban greenways

Ride high along the dramatic Shropshire Hills on the contours of Brown Clee Hill, the Wrekin, the Stiperstones and Wenlock Edge