Category: Adventure

YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE: Episode 067 Of The Cycling Europe Podcast

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In June 2022, Tim Boden – an experienced group cyclist – set off on his first solo cycle tour, to Brittany in north-west France. His route took him from the port of Roscoff along the Vélodyssée / EuroVelo 1 to Redon. He then joined French regional route number 42 to follow the coast to Saint-Nazaire before  returning to the Vélodyssée for a cycle beside the Loire to Nantes and back to Redon. Here he rejoined the eastern portion of route 42 to cycle north to Saint-Malo. Tim talks about the routes but also the history and culture of this distinctive French region. We also revisit two encounters from episodes 55  & 56 with three French cyclists –  Fabian, Julian and Guillaume – and, from Breton Bikes and Camping de Gouarec, Geoff Husband.

What Camping Mat? Well, I Did Ask…

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It’s very much a first world problem but… I’ve lost count of the number of camping mats that I have bought and used over the years. I tend to swing from expensive mat (usually a Thermarest) to cheap mat (own brand Go Outdoors etc…) and back again. The issue I’ve had with Thermarest mats – especially on the long trips that I have undertaken – is that they develop blisters which make it almost impossible to have a comfortable night of ‘sleep’*. I suspect that I am overinflating them. The cheaper mats are just air and they can be quite cold.

The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 066 – Cycling On Tenerife

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A few months ago I was approached by Jet2 Holidays who asked if I would be interested in discovering the joys of cycling in one of their winter destinations in southern Europe. Of course I said yes and had a look at the map. Where would be nice and warm in the middle of February? The Canary Islands seemed the most likely place to deliver good weather so I arranged to travel to Costa Adeje on the island of Tenerife. I hired a bike and headed along the coast and up the hills… This was a different approach to travelling on two wheels. How did I get on without a tent and four panniers but in a luxury hotel on an unfamiliar bicycle?

Episode 066: Cycling On Tenerife

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A few months ago I was approached by Jet2 Holidays who asked if I would be interested in discovering the joys of cycling in one of their winter destinations in southern Europe. Of course I said yes and had a look at the map. Where would be nice and warm in the middle of February? The Canary Islands seemed the most likely place to deliver good weather so I arranged to travel to Costa Adeje on the island of Tenerife. I hired a bike and headed along the coast and up the hills… This was a different approach to travelling on two wheels. How did I get on without a tent and four panniers but in a luxury hotel on an unfamiliar bicycle?

Returning To Le Grand Tour… In Sheffield

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In the last week there’s been a lot about Tenerife but now that I’ve returned to the UK from my short break on the Canary Islands, the focus returns to Le Grand Tour, my 5,000km cycle around France, Switzerland and then down the Rhine in the summer of 2022. Hopefully many of you will have been able to watch the series of four films that were published back in December – they are all available on the Cycling Europe YouTube Channel (see links below) – and listened to the series of podcasts that were released during the journey itself. I’ve spoken about my journey at a couple of events since returning from the continent; at the Cycle Touring Festival and then at my local Cycling UK group here in West Yorkshire. Next week, however, I’m heading south! Not too far… Just to Sheffield at the invitation of the Sheffield CTC group:

YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE: Episode 066 Of The Cycling Europe Podcast

By on • ( 2 Comments )

A few months ago I was approached by Jet2 Holidays who asked if I would be interested in discovering the joys of cycling in one of their winter destinations in southern Europe. Of course I said yes and had a look at the map. Where would be nice and warm in the middle of February? The Canary Islands seemed the most likely place to deliver good weather so I arranged to travel to Costa Adeje on the island of Tenerife. I hired a bike and headed along the coast and up the hills… This was a different approach to travelling on two wheels. How did I get on without a tent and four panniers but in a luxury hotel on an unfamiliar bicycle?Show less

The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 065 – Matthew Sturgeon – Cycling To Mainland Britain’s Lighthouses

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Matthew Sturgeon is an architect and cyclist from Ilkley in Yorkshire and he’s on  a mission to visit every one of mainland Britain’s 186 lighthouses. Inspired by his late late wife Angela, who raised £40,000 for cancer research, Matthew is raising money for his A Bit Of A Break charity. It funds visits for cancer patients and their families to holiday properties around the UK. He started collecting his lighthouses with a ride along the Northumbrian coast and has now visited 100. But why lighthouses? What’s his favourite lighthouse? What has been the most disappointing lighthouse? What has been the most difficult to cycle to? And what will be lighthouse number 186? Matthew tells his story to The Cycling Europe Podcast…

Episode 065: Matthew Sturgeon – Cycling To Mainland Britain’s Lighthouses

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Matthew Sturgeon is an architect and cyclist from Ilkley in Yorkshire and he’s on  a mission to visit every one of mainland Britain’s 186 lighthouses. Inspired by his late late wife Angela, who raised £40,000 for cancer research, Matthew is raising money for his A Bit Of A Break charity. It funds visits for cancer patients and their families to holiday properties around the UK. He started collecting his lighthouses with a ride along the Northumbrian coast and has now visited 100. But why lighthouses? What’s his favourite lighthouse? What has been the most disappointing lighthouse? What has been the most difficult to cycle to? And what will be lighthouse number 186? Matthew tells his story to The Cycling Europe Podcast…