7 of the best places to enjoy an electric scooter/bike ride in the  UK

Electric scooter/bike rides are amazing fun, and there are so many great locations and rides around the UK where you can make the most of one!  

We all want to make the most of our scooter/bikes and feel safe when we ride, whether it’s for leisure, commuting or a simple trip to the shops. The great news is that cycling infrastructure is developing quickly to sit alongside our existing road network, while there are plenty of dedicated cycle centres and parks where you can make the most of your two-wheeled friend away from traffic.  

Here’s our guide on seven of the best places and rides around the UK. 

Where can I ride an electric scooter/bike? 

When you ride an electric scooter, you are subject to the same laws as anyone riding a non-electric scooter/bike. The only exception is that you must be 14 years of age or older to ride an electric scooter on the public highway (there is no legal age restriction for a non-electric scooter). 

This means that you can ride an electric scooter on the road, subject to local laws and restrictions, and on designated cycle lanes and paths. It’s illegal to ride on the motorway, but it’s legal to ride on a dual carriageway.  

Can I ride on the pavement? 

It is illegal to ride a electric scooter on most pavements.  

The term ‘pavement’ is often assumed to mean a footway next to the roadway, set aside for the exclusive use of those on foot – but in fact a pavement can also be a shared use space, or feature a marked cycle lane. If it is marked as a shared use space or cycle lane, then it is ok to use it on an electric scooter alongside those on foot. 

Note: if there is a cycle lane present, it is not a legal requirement to use it in UK if there is another legal option available to you – such as riding on the road. Whether you choose to stick to a cycle lane or use the road is up to you, but we recommend exercising your best judgment for the safety of yourself and others around you.

Best places to ride an electric scooter

Yorkshire – Yorkshire Dales Cycleway  

Known as ‘God’s Country’, Yorkshire has some of the most beautiful roads and cycle bridleways in the UK. It’s also a popular domestic holiday hotspot and is becoming more and more popular with cyclists from all over the UK, offering a perfect location to get out and explore the great outdoors and countryside by scooter/bike.

Although the terrain can be quite hilly in Yorkshire, an electric scooter can help to make summits much more achievable (easy, even!), while it can help you to travel further too. You can take on climbs like Kidstones Pass – made famous by the Tour de France scooter/bike race’s visit in 2014 – or ride sections of the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway (a 210km circular route starting and finishing in Skipton, taking in Conistone, Healaugh, Cowgill and Ingleton), or any of the trails that form part of the National Cycle Network in the area.  

Find out more about cycling in Yorkshire  

Find out more about cycling in the Yorkshire Dales 

Lake District – Whinlatter and Grizedale forests

The Lake District is arguably the most popular locations to visit and ride a scooter/bike in the country. Famed for its natural beauty, wide open moorland spaces and country woodland, it offers amazing opportunities for families and enthusiasts to get the most out of their electric scooters.  

Electric mountain scooter/bikers can make the most of a network of routes in Whinlatter and Grizedale forests, which can cater for beginners and more advanced riders. Meanwhile, families and hybrid scooter/bikers have access to location-specific cycle paths and routes, including the National Cycle Network paths, and there are usually guided cycle tours that can be booked if you prefer to let someone else do the route planning!  

Find out more about cycling in the Lake District 

London Cycleways

London might not be the first place you think of when it comes to riding your scooter/bike safely, but the UK’s capital has some of the most extensive cycle infrastructure in the country. In fact, Transport for London is committed to creating 450km of new ‘Cycleways’ by 2024.  

These include the ‘Cycle Superhighways’ and ‘Quietways’, which integrate dedicated scooter/bike lanes into the London road network. In many cases, these highways have priority over traditional motor traffic, which means you have extra peace of mind that the network has been well thought out. Plus, they’re increasingly popular, so you’ll be able to share your commute or leisure ride with others too.

Find out more about Transport for London Cycleways  

scooter/bike Park Wales

scooter/bike Park Wales is one of the leading mountain biking centres for enthusiasts that the UK has to offer, but it’s equally set up for beginners and explorers as it is for experts. A bit like a network of ski runs, each loop is colour coded to your experience level. A green route signifies a beginner’s route, while a black route is rated for experts, with intermediate and advanced routes in between.  

You can make your day as self-sufficient as you like by choosing to climb back up to the top of the hill using the yellow ‘climb’ routes, or take the regular bus back up to the start. As you might expect, scooter/bike Park Wales is fully equipped with scooter/bike wash and mechanic tool station for mechanical assistance, as well as food and toilet facilities, making it a great day out location.  

Find out more about scooter/bike Park Wales

Scottish Highlands – Fort William

If you’re in the north of the UK, then the Scottish Highlands (and even the lowland areas like Lothian) can provide truly breath-taking cycling. If you’re after remoteness when you go cycle touring, then look no further.  

Of course, this means that you need to be planned in your routes, and if you’re going to visit, we recommend choosing a specific location to base yourself in, before exploring outward from there. Fort William is home to a number of mountain biking trails and touring routes – it’s one of the most popular base towns in the area thanks to its enviable location on the loch shore – with lots of others dotted around the wilderness.  

Find out more about visiting the Scottish Highlands  

Find out more about cycling in the Scotland  

The New Forest – Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Burley

In the south of England, the New Forest has quickly earned a reputation as a cyclist’s haven. A veritable paradise, complete with routes for road, mountain and hybrid scooter/bike riders, but most importantly for many, it’s perhaps one of the leading locations for family-friendly riding.  

There are almost countless trails around the New Forest, all riding between or around towns and villages like Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Burley. And, while many national parks feature challenging terrain, the New Forest has a great combination of rolling and flat terrain, and those villages peppered around the county offer great stop-off points for food and a rest.

Find out about cycling in the New Forest  

London – Richmond Park, Bushy Park and Wimbledon Common

Did you know that the UK’s capital city can offer a great cycling escape... right in the heart of the city itself? Already incredibly popular with road cyclists, Richmond Park (one of London’s ‘Royal Parks’) is large enough to feel like you’re in the country – but in fact you’re right in the centre of the UK’s largest city.  

For those looking for a quick escape from the busyness of the capital, Richmond Park offers a small network of roads that are ideal for a lunch break scooter/bike ride, or to form part of your everyday commute if you live or work in south west London. It’s also easy to access Wimbledon Common’s designated cycle routes, while nearby Bushy Park (a fellow Royal Park), also offers quieter sections of road and cycle paths to enjoy. 

Find out more about Richmond Park  

Find out about cycling in the Royal Parks  

If you're looking for a new electric scooter in 2023, why not check out our iScooter Electric scooters? 

A note on COVID-19 

If you can, it’s brilliant to get outside and enjoy exercise and fresh air especially if restrictions are easing in your area. However, please ensure that you abide by your continuing local COVID-19 government restrictions and plan any trips in accordance with the law.