Safe cycling for children

[neilricketts]

Hello folks, as keen cyclists I am sure you can appreciate my excitement about buying my daughter her first bike, but am at a loss as to where she could actually ride safely. So just wondered if anyone new of some good spots around Walden where I can take her to practice riding? I can't really think of any cycle paths except maybe over to Sawston alongside a noisy road. I imagine some of you might have crossed this bridge already! 

Thanks all. 

[DanGuise]

If she's learning to ride, I've used the County High and Council office car parks successfully, i.e. on a Sunday afternoon when nothing going on.
If you want to go for a gentle ride slightly further afield then I've taken the family out west, down to Audley End, out on Chestnut Avenue towards Catmere End. Lots of nice quiet lanes from here. The worst part is getting to the Chestnut Avenue junction from Audley End House, but not to far to walk and cross on foot.

[alanmcg]

There is a 12.5 mile traffic free flat cycle path alongside the guided bus track from Cambridge to St Ives - it starts at the Vindis VW garage near the science park. It is paved all the way and has about 5 road crossings along its length. In the winter it sometimes floods at the Lakes near St Ives but its very safe.

[neilricketts]

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated. New bike for Christmas now received and ready to go, just wish I was getting one too!