Since this website was created back in 2008 – over 16 years ago (scary!) – I’ve been contacted by hundreds of people asking questions, offering advice and giving their opinions. One of the first people to contact me was Chris Hammersley. In 2009 he was planning to travel along a similar route to my own in 2010 from the UK to the south of Italy. From memory, I think he ended up travelling a few weeks behind me. In fact he did! I’ve just been trawling through the CyclingEurope.org archive and he set off on August 9th 2010. And I’m delighted to see that the website that he set up 15 years ago is still going strong!
The original plan was to cycle the length of Japan in the summer of 2020. It never happened. It didn’t hapen in 2021 and by the time summer of 2022 had arrived I had made other plans: Le Grand Tour was the result. 2023 and 2024 were dedicated to writing the book and it’s only now, in the autumn of 2024, that my mind occasionally wanders back to thoughts of cycling in the land of the rising sun. My large paper map of Japan was probably relegated to the ‘Japan’ section of my bookshelf at some point in late 2021 when it became increasingly apparent that COVID-induced travel restrictions were still lingering in the Far East. A few minutes ago, I took down the map of Europe and reinstated the map of Japan. A small, but significant step towards reviving my plans to cycle the length of Japan. Kind of… There’s a problem.
“A cycling book with great insight, humor and self-irony! In conclusion, it must be pointed out that the book naturally requires a certain amount of English skills to get the full benefit, not least on the humorous level… Le Grand Tour on a Bike Called Wanda is a classy exponent of a cycling story that can get other than just hardcore adventure cyclists on the steel horse!”
Europe offers a diverse range of landscapes, from rolling hills and coastal paths to mountainous terrain and urban settings, which makes it the ideal choice for a holiday on two wheels. With its well-developed cycling infrastructure and rich cultural heritage to explore on-route, Europe is a dream destination for cyclists of all abilities.
I see that Cycling UK have just launched another of their routes. This one straddles the English-Welsh border and has been named the Marcher Castles Way. The route – there are now eight of them in total – appear to be aimed more at the bikepacker than the traditional cycle tourist. I wonder how feasible it is to ride them with a pannier set-up on a touring bike rather than a mountain bike and ‘packs’. Looking carefully at the videos and the photos, the surfaces seem to be OK. They remind me of cycling along the Yorkshire coast a few years back from Scarborough to Whitby. Any thoughts?
With his partner, Maudi, Dutch cyclist Eric has cycled the World. He was initially inspired to set off on two wheels by Peter Gostelow and his โBig Africa Cycleโ. Via their popular Wheels to Wander YouTube Channel, Eric and Maudi now inspire others with their engaging filmed travelogues and practical advice videos. Eric joined the podcast to reflect on his years in the saddleโฆย
With his partner, Maudi, Dutch cyclist Eric has cycled the World. He was initially inspired to set off on two wheels by Peter Gostelow and his โBig Africa Cycleโ. Via their popular Wheels to Wander YouTube Channel, Eric and Maudi now inspire others with their engaging filmed travelogues and practical advice videos. Eric joined the podcast to reflect on his years in the saddle…
Le Grand Tour on a Bike Called Wanda – Amazon.co.uk
