Cádiz: The Last Post
Once this is uploaded I’m off back to the flat to pack (listening to the leaders debate as I do so), have a shower and then hit the sack in preparation for a 6am rise and a coach to Tarifa at 7am. My time in Cádiz is done. […]
Cádiz: Coming Soon…
A final collection of photos from my last afternoon in the Andalucian city… Watch this space!
Cádiz: Parque Marisma De Los Torunos
The original plan, as noted in last night’s post, was to go kayaking. Alas it was too windy and all such activities had been cancelled. Instead I went with one of my teachers José (with the beard), his girlfriend and my fellow student Glen to the Parque Metropolitano […]
Cádiz: The End Is Nigh…
Earlier today I attended my final lesson at the K2 Internacional language school here in Cádiz. The choice was a bit random and based primarily upon the school’s location on what looked like a nice square in the old part of town (and the impressive video on their […]
Cádiz: Semana Santa In Benedicion De Dios!
When I imagined Semana Santa in Cadiz, I thought it would be two or three religious-themed processions on Thursday and Friday of ‘holy week’. I wasn’t expecting thirty or more of them spread throughout the week and in many cases stretching late into the night. Last night the […]
Prudential Ride London And UNICEF
By Imogen Walker, UNICEF UK Are you looking for a cycle ride with a difference? Or maybe you want to challenge yourself but aren’t quite sure how. Then look no further as Unicef UK are delighted to be able to offer places in the Prudential Ride London 100. […]
Cádiz: Museo De Las Cortes
Amazing model from 1779 now housed in the Museo de la Cortes. Hanging above the model is an iconic picture depicting the presentation of the 1812 constitution to the King, I think. Two years later in 1814 the (new?) King ripped it up, if not literally then metaphorically. […]
Cádiz: Sunset On The First Day Of Summertime
The sun is beginning to set on my time in Cádiz. Three more days at the language school followed by a day off and then an early morning bus to Tarifa on Friday to meet up with my uncle and eventually, back in Estepona, my bicycle Reggie. All […]
Ditching The Rough Guides In Favour Of…
I would happily class myself as an enthusiastic early adopter of technology, especially when it comes to cycling. Back in 2009 when I cycled along the Pennine Cycleway as a shakedown of my skills as a first time touring cyclist I blogged as I travelled having moved on from writing […]
Cádiz: The Puerta De Tierra Meets The GoPro
The wonders of mobile blogging… I think I’ve more or less got the whole thing sorted. Here are a few GoPro shots from this morning, transferred wirelessly to my iPhone and beamed up to the Internet via 4G. Hopefully also a couple of videos (but it’s there where […]
Cádiz: La Plaza Montidero & Bar / Restaurante El Serrallo
You may remember – I’ve certainly mentioned it on here before, and probably elsewhere – that one of the principal reasons for choosing to study Spanish at the K2 language school here in Cádiz was not just its general location in the heart of the old part of […]
Cycling Tarifa To Nordkapp: Two Weeks Until Departure
The plan is that two weeks today – Thursday 9th April – I will be standing somewhere near the southernmost point of the European mainland looking north and thinking “here we go again…” (or even, “bloody hell, here we go again…”). Between now and then, my time is […]
Cádiz: The Post With All The Bicycles
I promised this a couple of weeks ago so here it is; the post with all the bikes of Cádiz, or at least some of them. I wouldn’t want to give the impression that the city is up there at the top of the European premier league of […]
Cádiz: My Favourite Photograph(s) So Far
…and then perhaps this one:
Cycling Tarifa To Nordkapp: Planning Week 1
Can I just get something off my chest? Or indeed off my bed here in Cádiz. Digestive biscuits as sold by Carrefour here in Spain are not to be mistaken with what most of you and I would consider to be a ‘digestive’ biscuit. Far too sweet, far […]
Cádiz: The Andalucian News At 9.10am
If you’ve got election fatigue in the UK, spare a though for the poor people in Spain. This year they have a triple whammy of local, regional and national elections to ‘look forward’ to. The election season kicked off yesterday with regional elections here in Andalucia and the […]
Cádiz: El Puerto De Santa Maria
There’s a a feeling you get when visiting El Puerto de Santa Maria that its glory days are in the distance past. But what glory days they were; Columbus sailed from here on one of his journeys to the Americas and the first map of the Americas was […]
The Equipment Needed To Blog From Tarifa To Nordkapp
The photograph below has been inspired by BikeTourGlobal on Instagram doing something similar. That said, it follows on from the photograph that I posted to CyclingEurope.org back in February (which is also at the foot of this post) showing all of the equipment I will be taking with […]
Cádiz: The Pillars Of Hercules
I mentioned The Pillars of Hercules in the previous post and it gave me an idea for a dreary afternoon in Cádiz; see how many of them I could spot in coats of arms dotted around the city. The predominant coat of arms shown below is the one […]
Cádiz: El Museo De Cádiz, Part 3
A modest collection of contemporary art on the second floor. It didn’t take me long to stroll around. The three-dimensional cardboard piece was my favourite, the contorted bodies reminding me of some of the religious stuff on the first floor (see earlier post). As for the black metal […]
Halfords: Get On Your Bike!
Fun video from last year. I’ve just watched it again after someone shared it on Facebook.
Cádiz: Three Weeks Down, Two To Go…
I arrived here in Cádiz in the early afternoon of Saturday 28th February. (What do you mean you don’t remember?! Weren’t you paying attention?) I’ve now been in the city for three weeks. It was a beautifully sunny day. I perspired slightly as I carried my bags around […]
Cádiz: Cerveza / Beer (And A Few Phoenicians…)
Thursday is turning out to be the night of indulgence. In previous weeks it has been tapas and this week it has been the turn of beer. That said the indulging was limited and it was more of a late afternoon event than a full-blown evening one but […]
Cádiz: The Rain In Spain…
If you bump into Professor Henry Higgins in the near future, would you mind pointing out that currently the rain is Spain seems to be falling mainly on Andalucia and especially the corner where Cádiz is located. However, my mood has lifted somewhat from the mid-Cádiz blues that […]
Tour De France 2014: Remember That?
Infographic courtesy of Blue Chip Holidays.
Cádiz: Fifty Shades Of Grey Sky And Enchufe
The title might have persuaded you not to bother reading this but for those of you still here… It’s not been a great day. Nothing bad has happened. I haven’t been thrown onto the streets of Cádiz or expelled from the language school or anything like that. It’s […]
Cádiz: A Journey Into The Mountains And The Pueblos Blancos
The second day of our Andalucian road trip (see Saturday’s post for day one) set off inland and headed in an easterly direction to Arcos de la Frontera… …followed by lunch and a mid-afternoon stroll around Grazalema… …and finally a late afternoon visit to Zahara de la Sierra. […]
Cádiz: A Journey Along The Costa De Luz
Sometimes images speak more than words. Today is a good case in mind. Thanks to my very enthusiastic (i.e. he seems to be very good at getting stuff done) fellow student of Spanish, Dutch Mike (he’s not called ‘Dutch Mike’, just ‘Mike’), a car was hired and four […]
Poker Pros Help Spread The Love For Cycling
By Albert Thompson For a number of poker pros and poker run enthusiasts, cycling is the way to go. Ever since televised poker exploded onto the world stage in a big way about a decade ago, poker has been one of the most watched and enjoyed spectator sports […]
Reggie Ridgeback, The Number 1 Bicycle In Britain!
‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘ and ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ are still riding high in the cycling books chart – that’s all cycling books, not just Kindle ones – at Amazon.co.uk. If you have been one of the people who have downloaded […]
Bicycle Film Festival, March 19-21, Brighton
For more information see the festival website.
Cádiz: El Museo De Cádiz, Part 2
So, that’s the ‘fine art’ section of the Museo de Cádiz done. Spanning the period from the 16th to the early 20th it’s a modest collection of paintings. The earlier stuff is full of virgins, anguished faces, cherubs, monks looking worried… You get my drift. The 16th and […]
Cádiz: A Lecture On Language Learning
Today wasn’t the greatest day in my ongoing efforts to master the basics of the Spanish language. My small class consists of me, a francophone Canadian and a multilingual Dutchman (who is probably reading this so I had better be careful what I say!). Both are very affable […]
CyclingEurope.org: An Apology To Readers
So it’s Monday 9th March and I’m just about to start my second week at the language school here in Cádiz. Perhaps first of all I should apologise to all those people who are desperate for me to start writing about cycling once again. At the moment there […]
Cádiz: El Museo De Cádiz, Part 1
On the Sykes/CyclingEurope Luxembourg scale of local museum quality (where the Luxembourg City History Museum scores a straight 10 – more details here), the Museo de Cádiz that I’ve just visited comes out with a high 7. Today’s visit was the first of three that I’m going to […]
Cádiz: A Saturday Of Art
Yesterday, following my, err… ‘grate’ morning stroll to the main square in front of the ayuntamiento (or town hall) of the city, I sat down for a few minutes to upload the ‘grate’ pictures [OK, stop with the ‘grate’ jokes now…] to the Internet and to await my […]
“I Can Highly Recommend Both Books”
I’ve just read the following comment on Instagram and I’m very touched indeed. Many thanks to Dr. Guru Singh for writing what he has:
Cádiz: The Grates And Manholes Post
Bear with me on this one… Whatever you may think of grates and manholes (or indeed personholes as I suppose we should nowadays refer to them as), they do come in a great (no pun intended) variety of shapes and sizes. Indeed some are very small, others are […]
Cádiz: Giving The GoPro A Shakedown
It’s not the first time I have used the GoPro camera but it is the first time on this trip that I’ve tried to use it for a proper purpose. The results are mixed. I filmed a time-lapse sunset which was OK but the camera seems to compensate […]
Felix Rides To Slovenia For Charity
By Felix Leckie This summer I’m planning to cycle 1,450 miles with my dad from home to Slovenia for charity. The charity we are raising money for is called the Children’s Bereavement Centre. It’s a fantastic local charity that helps support children and their families affected by terminal […]
Cádiz: Nothing Important Happened Today
But that’s no bad thing. I’m here for a month and can’t do ‘important’ things every day. And it’s not saying that the ‘unimportant’ things that I did do were nevertheless uninteresting; they weren’t. So what were they? Well the lessons this morning of course (we were studying… […]
Cádiz: The First Official Tour
I’ve been wandering around Cadiz since my arrival last Saturday, so much of what I saw today on my first proper tour with a guide who knew what she was talking about – it was my teacher at the language school Christina – wasn’t new. But the Torre […]
Cádiz: Roaming And Learning
My cunning plan to continue to use my mobile phone and 3G/4G data during my two months in Spain – see the details at length here – is not working quite as well as I thought it might. To avoid the £3 per day charge from Vodafone UK, I […]
Cádiz: A Big Run And A Little Canival
The plan for today was – and still is – to spend a few hours reviewing my notes from the Spanish course that I completed during the last three months of 2014 at Reading College. I’m slowly getting a little better at coming up with the important bits […]
Cádiz: My First Day
Today has been very reminiscent of my first day at university over twenty years ago. It started with goodbyes, handshakes and embraces with members of my family (my uncle and his wife standing in for my parents this time around) followed by a long journey on a bus […]
Estepona: Bike Building And Boat Admiring
Today was spent in and around Estepona, the coastal Andalucian town where my uncle and his wife live. The bike having been delivered yesterday – I was expecting it today and was prepared for a long wait – I became a liberated man and we made the most […]
Malaga And The Alcazba
Before heading down to my uncle’s house near Estepona yesterday afternoon I took the opportunity of paying a morning visit to the Alcazba, the palace of the Moors. Not quite of Granada’s Alhambra standard but interesting nevertheless and as I was the only tourist in the place (there […]
Malaga
I would normally write ‘Cycling Day’ or ‘Rest Day’ plus a number up there in the title but that clearly isn’t yet relevant to this part of 2015’s travels across Europe as for the first five or six weeks I’m not going to be doing much crossing of […]
En Route! (Nearly…)
About to leave Yorkshire after a brief stay of just three weeks to fly to Malaga, Spain. Reggie (the bike) may already be there… Back in six months!
Preconceptions Of Cádiz, Andalucia, Spain
A few weeks ago I moved away from Reading in Berkshire having lived there for just over fifteen years. I can clearly remember my first visit to the town in Spring 1999 when I was summoned to the university for an interview. It was a horribly wet and windy […]
Packing It In!
The word of the weekend has been ‘packing’. On Saturday morning I transported the final items from my move from the south to my new ‘lock-up’ in Halifax (it’s actually a large wooden box in a former woollen mill) and then, after having packed most of my cycling […]
Cicerone Cycling Guides: The Rhine And The Danube
I’ve been sent a couple of cycling guides to review by Cicerone: The Rhine Cycle Route (ISBN: 978-1-85284-797-5) and The Danube Cycleway (ISBN: 978-1-85284-722-7). The Rhine guide is an updated version of the original 2013 guide, the Danube guide has just been published for the first time. When […]
Packing Cycling Gear: The Video!
OK. You’ve seen what I’m taking, now have a look at how I packed (most of) it into one holdall ready to be transported by Luggage Mule to southern Spain next week:
The The Equipment Needed To Cycle From Tarifa To Nordkapp
Although most of it is not new, it’s taken me about a week to assemble the cycling gear in the picture below. The task was not made easier by the fact that I had already packed up the contents of my flat in Reading into lots of boxes prior […]
Top Apps For European Touring
By Per Amble European Bike tourism is a growing pastime with thousands of new enthusiasts engaging in some fitness boosting, road rambling activity every passing month. Part of people’s new thirst for picturesque tours through Europe has been down to the massive innovation that is the smartphone app. […]
The BBC Radio Interview: What You Didn’t Hear
Being interviewed in almost all situations (I’m excluding being interviewed by the police here which I imagine is not a particularly pleasant experience) does, despite the often stressful nature of such encounters (job interview, other people listening…) have one very nice aspect. In life we don’t often have the […]
Cycling The Eurovelo 1/3
If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve posted these country-specific commentaries about the upcoming Eurovelo 1/3 trip from southern Spain to northern Norway: Cycling in Spain Cycling in France Cycling in Belgium Cycling in Germany Cycling in Denmark Cycling in Sweden Cycling in Norway
Saturday Morning Packing Frustrations
I woke up a couple of hours ago and decided to continue piecing together the pile of cycling/camping kit that I started to assemble earlier in the week. The start was modest to say the least but it only took me half an hour or so to bring […]
Eurovelo 1/3: The United Maps Of Europe!
There is a moment in the film Raiders of the Lost Arc when Indiana Jones places a sacred staff in just the right place inside a newly discovered ancient cavern and magically a blinding shaft of light pierces through the skylight. The whole scene is played out to […]
On Your Marks, Get Set…
Under two weeks now until departure and I’m finally beginning to piece things together in a serious way. The flight is purchased and the Spanish course booked but you already know that as you have read this, no? Yesterday I spent the day in Leeds in search of […]
“Simple Cycle Tours – We Carry Your Bags”
I’m not sure if some you have noticed (probably yes) but I occasionally post things on CyclingEurope.org that have been ‘sponsored’. You can work out what that means! Anyway, this morning I was chatting on Twitter with a chap called John Wilson who asked if I could help […]
The Corn Exchange, Leeds
Not quite nothing to do with cycling…
Cycling In Spain
So finally, after Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and France… I arrive at the beginning (if that makes sense), in Spain. If you remember, my posts about cycling through each of the countries of the Eurovelo 1/3 route that I will be following later in the year were […]
Cycling Accidents In The UK: The Facts
For more info about the statistics below, follow this link.
The Spanish Plan: February / March 2015
It’s been a busy few days since relocating back up to Yorkshire but I’m delighted that the whole process is now complete. I first started to plan my return to the county where I was born, brought up and educated over twelve months ago and everything has now […]
Taking The Donkey Work Out Of Flying With A Bicycle: Updated
If you choose to use the service discussed below, you can now save 5% by using the discount code CYCEUR15 Cycling to southern Italy in 2010 it wasn’t a problem; I set off from my flat in Reading and just started pedalling. At the end of the journey in Brindisi, […]
Breaking Book News…
I am delighted to announce that ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ has now broken into the highly competitive Indian book market. It is currently the number 1 cycling eBook available on Amazon.in! (OK, I admit it, it’s sold one copy but it’s a start…) Meanwhile back […]
The Return Of The Cyclist, Part II
OK, I’m now back in Elland after my ride up and then down (kind of – I caught the train from Hebden Bridge to Halifax and then cycled back along the Hebble Trail and then the canal) the Calder Valley. Apart from the simple joy of getting out […]
The Return Of The Cyclist, Part I
I hate to admit this but… As chief executive (well, I write most of it) of CyclingEurope.org you’d think I’d be off on my bicycle every day doing this and that, cycling to work, heading off into the countryside every weekend seeking out nooks and crannies on my […]
The Canals Of Calderdale: Made For Cycling
Well, perhaps they weren’t but the likes of Sustrans and their local partners have made them feel that way…
Wirral Men On Epic Charity Bike Ride: 5 Countries – 10 Days – 1,315 Kilometres
By Simon Tilsley Three young men from Wirral, Simon Tilsley 22, Shaun Park 23 and Adam Woods 21, are undertaking an epic unsupported bike ride from London to Berlin to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and Dementia UK. “We’ve all had family and friends affected by these […]
Nantes Gets Ready For Velo-city 2015
Here’s a press release from the European Cyclists’ Federation about Velo-city 2015: France is well underway in the preparations to welcome Velo-city 2015, the global cycling summit, from June 2-5 in Nantes. The programme is in its final stages, having been constructed from a record-breaking 740 submissions from 51 […]
Eurovelo 1: The Perfect Route For A First Time Cycle Tour?
By Ben Smith I’ve been on short cycle tours before but January of this year saw me leave on my first trip that would stretch into weeks and months. The route was loose and fluid but the general plan was to get the ferry to Cherbourg in northern […]
The Story Behind Fixation Bicycles, London
By Alex Bodini, Co-founder, Fixation London We, like many others, have quietly observed the increase in cyclists on the roads of the UK with a big smile on our face over the past 5 years – we are bike people, always have been, always will be, so whether its […]
Kenavon Drive: The Street Where I Lived In Reading, Berkshire
Today is my last full day in my flat in Reading, Berkshire before I head north to Yorkshire for a few weeks then to Cadiz, Spain for a bit of language learning and then set off to cycle from Tarifa to Nordkapp. The new owner moves in tomorrow. Compared […]
Velo-City 2015: Nantes
Here’s a nice little promotional video publicising Velo-City 2015 which will be taking place in Nantes, France from the 2nd – 5th June this year. I’m almost tempted to take a detour from my Eurovelo 1/3 trip to pay it a visit…
“An Epic Journey… Inspiring For Cyclists And Non-Cyclists Alike”
Two new reviews for ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘… ‘Guru’ writes on Amazon.co.uk: 5* – An epic journey across the Mediterranean by Reggie and a man called Andrew “I read Andrew’s first book Crossing Europe on a Bike called Reggie twice and enjoyed it even […]
Goodbyes… And Some Cycling Artwork
In a few days I will leave Reading after just over fifteen years studying, working and living in the Berkshire town. One nice thing about doing so is using my departure as an excuse to meet up with friends that I will leave behind. This morning I said goodbye […]
Cycling In France
So, after Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and Belgium I arrive in France on my pre-Eurovelo 1/3 quest to have put at the very least a bit of thought into the planning of the route. Only one country to go – Spain – which will be the first of […]
Le Tour Yorkshire 2015
So here it is… More details on Le Tour Yorkshire website.
Hold The Front Page! “Teacher Quits…”
UPDATE: You can now read the Henley Standard article referred to in this post online by following this link. It’s not often you make it onto the front page of a newspaper for bad reasons let alone for a good one but I’m please to say that I’ve managed to […]
Bicycle Traveler Magazine: January 2015
A new edition of the free Bicycle Traveler magazine is out. I have mixed feelings when browsing this online publication; admiration and envy in equal measure. The stories of the trips that it recounts put my own little jaunts across Europe into perspective somewhat but perhaps one day I […]
Bike Sense: The Future Of Motoring?
This is brilliant technology from Jaguar Land Rover that, if it saves lives, is worth every penny. My only misgiving would be that we ever get to the point where drivers become more reliant upon such devices than they are on their own ability to keep a good look […]
An Email From The CTC / Jon Snow
“Dear CTC supporter At the beginning of next week, your MP will have a chance to make not only a difference to cycling but also to the future health and economy of the country. As CTC’s research issued today has shown, with ambition, leadership and long-term funding commitment […]
The Mountain Equipment Firefox Jacket
After pondering over whether to buy some new Ortlieb panniers (see previous post), my mind remained focussed on the general theme of ‘equipment’. I really need to set some kind of budget for getting hold of what I need to buy. After having cycled across Europe twice already, I […]
The Ortlieb Roller Classic (Plus) Pannier With QL2.1
Sorry, but it’s time to sound like a nerd. At least I’ve warned you… Panniers. If you didn’t look away at the end of the first paragraph, you’re likely to have do so now but for the few of you left reading, panniers have been on my mind […]
The Adventure Junkies And The Top 50 Bicycle Touring Blogs
It’s occasionally interesting to have a detailed look at the statistics that WordPress (the people who make this website function) furnish me with. You’d be surprised just how much information I know about you! For example, I know how many of you come here, what you read (well, I don’t […]
Sampling Three Types Of Belgian Long Distance Cycle Touring Routes In One January Day.
This post from Kevin Mayne of the ECF is very well timed in light of my own post at the weekend which looked forward to ‘Cycling in Belgium‘… Over to you Kevin!
Should Cycling Knowledge Be Mandatory For Car Users?
By Jason Furness When you’re on the road as a cyclist, you can sometimes get the impression that those in the safety bubble of their cars can be totally oblivious to us two-wheelers. Whether you ride to work, use it for fitness, or for some outdoor time on a […]
Fear And Loathing In Harrogate
“Words and verse about the race” sums up this half hour programme called ‘Fear and Loathing In Harrogate‘ that was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 earlier this week. Recorded in, well, Harrogate on the day that the Tour de France passed through the town, it’s well worth thirty […]
Cycling In Belgium
My journey across the continent continues… I have already posted planning notes on cycling through Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Here are my planning notes for Belgium after which only France and Spain need to be considered before I set off from Tarifa in Spain shortly after Easter. […]
Nine Places That Make Reading, Berkshire
Last Sunday at the swimming pool – Arthur Hill Pool at Cemetery Junction in Reading – it was quiet. This struck me a little strange it being the first Sunday of the year. Where were all the people who had committed to getting fit in 2015? It was […]
Gremlins Strike!
Guru Singh – ‘Singh of the Mountains‘ – is challenging himself to cycle over the Alps in aid of Cancer Research. Despite his cold, I’m delighted to say that ‘Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ and ‘Along The Med on a Bike Called Reggie‘ are helping to […]
New Year, New Look!
An updated online look for 2015… on Twitter: …and on Facebook:
Cycling The Eurovelo 1/3: The Maps
While maps are on my mind (see previous post)… I have a newly discovered love for Marco Polo maps. But before I get on to them, let’s back track a little. I can’t imagine there will ever be a day when I ditch paper maps altogether; when I cycled […]
Eurovelo 1/3: The Complete Route!
So impressed was I yesterday with my ability to trace a nice blue track upon the German section of the Eurovelo map of Europe in my post Cycling in Germany, I decided to do it for the rest of the route. Much more info about the trip is in […]
Cycling In Germany
I was managing to write one of these country commentaries at the rate of one per weekend earlier in December but I’ve had a break for a few weeks over Christmas. Remember that they are not a complete overview of cycling in the particular country through which I […]
How To Build… A Velodrome!
Fascinating video courtesy of the new Derby Velodrome which opens this month…
In Praise Of… Warmshowers
Alberto, Jenna, Martin, David, Marengo, Diego, Wade, Robert, Matthew, Ross, Kate, Sean, Alain, Carla, Eddy, John, Jane, and Ross all have something in common: I’ve met them through the accommodation sharing website for travelling cyclists called Warmshowers. Some have stayed with me, others have accommodated me on my […]
A Very Cycling Happy New Year 2015!
Hoping you all have a wonderful 2015, preferably on a bicycle! Happy New Year… May your two-wheeled adventures be good ones…
