If you have young children and like keeping kit and active, cycling offers some visually delightful options.

But if your little ones are very young or not familiar with the rules of the road, it can be a bit of a worry.

Not so if you hop onto one of our many cycle paths!




One of my favourite routes is the cycle path between Chard and Ilminster; it's manageable, even with my young brood and the park at the end works as a good bribe for tired legs.

Of course, if you want to get a bit of sea air at the same time, there are miles and miles of coastal paths you could follow and you could always break your journey with a dip if you get hot and sticky!

You can get information from your local tourist office on local cycle paths or the website at Sustrans has good search tools too - click here for a look around. They also have links to group rides and big cycling events.

There are lots of health benefits to cycling of course. The London Cycling Campaign reports, "Cycling is an excellent way to get fit and live longer. By riding a bike you'll be incorporating exercise into your daily life. Remember that to stay healthy you need 30 minutes of exercise per day: that 15 minute cycle to work is the perfect prescription for losing weight and getting fit.

By cycling you cut down your risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure and other illnesses. The benefits, says the British Medical Association, far outweigh any risks associated with cycling.

By getting fitter and escaping the frustrations of traffic jams and tube and train delays you will also reduce your stress levels and enjoy your day more.

It has been shown that by cycling you will breathe fewer fumes than those in cars or buses, so are less likely to suffer from respiratory diseases."

Go on, go for it!

For more ideas of how you can slow down and green up, please visit www.DownshiftingWeek.com