Ulverston: The Retro Rendezvous Festival
Time to roll back the years… and catch up with a few people from last night’s talk (see previous post).
Ulverston: Talking & Walking
Arrived in Ulverston on the southern edges of the Lake District yesterday afternoon to give a talk as part of the Retro Rendezvous / Vélo Retro Festival. (I even now have the t-shirt…) One of the nicest things about giving these talks is visiting corners of the country […]
Bespoke Touring Bicycles: Woodrup Cycles
UPDATE: Wednesday 11th July 2018 Today I drove over to Leeds to pay a visit to Woodrup Cycles and spent about an hour chatting to one of the guys who works in the shop. It was an interesting conversation and took place whilst standing over this bike (I […]
The Impact Of The 4th Tour de Yorkshire
Impressive…
Halifax: The Piece Hall / Antiques Roadshow
It’s almost as if the designers of The Piece Hall in Halifax had The Antiques Roadshow in mind when they built the place in the 18th century… Below is The Piece Hall, minus red gazebos and people but plus a bike. This is, after all, supposed to be […]
Football’s Coming Home(s & Gardens): Sweden 0, England 2
Second half… First half…
The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 007 – July 2018 – Now Available
Cycling the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway (eastern loop) from Malham to Settle and back, travelling in Japan and an interview with Mike Webb of PulpedTravel.com and cycling to the summit of one of the Tour de France’s most iconic climbs: Mont Ventoux
The Ridgeback Panorama: Bike-Packing Mode – Part 2
You may remember that back in May at the Cycle Touring Festival, I met a chap called Robert, an academic at Reading University. I posted a few pictures of his Ridgeback Panorama touring bike that he had converted to carry ‘bike-packing’ bags rather than panniers. You can read […]
York Cycle Rally: Speaking, Socialism & Skin
There’s something reassuringly old school about the York Cycle Rally. Not retro, just old school. Nothing forced; no obligation to ride a bicycle that dates from a day before the word ‘comfort’ appears to have come to the attention of bicycle designers, just reassuringly traditional. Neither fashionable not […]
Strava: Just Look At That Cyclist Go!
In order to cycle the length of Japan (more details here), one of my priorities needs to be to get fit again. I’ve got plenty of time; 2020 is my planned departure date. Prior to all three of the long European cycles, I was cycling on a regular […]
A Commute Of Contrasts: Cycling (And Not Cycling) To Work In Calderdale, West Yorkshire
I often think that West Yorkshire – the county in which I now, once again, live – is a microcosm of Britain. Urban yet rural, modern yet old, beautiful yet ugly, cherished yet neglected… When I cycle, my commute to work, from near the village of Stainland to Square […]
The Yorkshire Dales Cycleway (Eastern Loop)… And A Canon That Fires Perfectly
In a stupendous example of failing to plan, after my talk on Friday evening and short cycle around Edinburg on Saturday morning, I was scratching my head as to what to do. Should I stay in Scotland, find somewhere to stay, do a little exploring on or off […]
Crossing Europe On Trains, Ferries… And A Bike Called Reggie: Part Five
The mini-series draws to a close with part five (links to parts one, two, three and four below) and a report from the upcoming Cycling Europe Podcast which will be published in its glorious entirety at the beginning of June. Trans Pennine Trains here in the north of […]
The Cycling Europe World Tour Of Britain 2018
Well, it’s a world tour if you ignore the other 194 countries… More details below or by visiting the speaking page of CyclingEurope.org. 8th June 2018: Edinburgh Cycling Festival, Scotland 23rd June 2018: The York Rally, The Knavesmire, York 13th July 2018: Vélo Retro Festival, Ulverston, Cumbria 21st […]
Crossing Europe On Trains, Ferries… And A Bike Called Reggie: Part Four
I mentioned in part one of the mini-series of posts that I had recently been asked to contribute my thoughts about travelling by train in Europe from the perspective of a cyclist for a report called The Great Train Comparison. The survey has now been published… …and the thoughts of […]
The Future Of The National Cycle Network
Here’s an interesting and important statement from Sustrans regarding the future of the National Cycle Network here in the UK. It’s worth a read: “The National Cycle Network (NCN) will undergo a major review of its walking and cycling routes to ensure they meet the highest design standards […]
Crossing Europe On Trains, Ferries… And A Bike Called Reggie: Part Three
The cycling-public transport mini-series of posts continues… It kicked off with my own story of how I managed to transport myself and Reggie the bike back from Nordkapp in August 2015 using an assortment of trains and ferries; that was Part One. Prompted by changes to their bicycle-carrying […]
Crossing Europe On Trains, Ferries… And A Bike Called Reggie: Part Two
A heavy-duty bit of research has gone into this post. I hope someone finds it useful… Not so much about the ferries this time (if you want detailed information about taking your bicycle on a ferry there’s some useful advice here), it’s just the trains. If you read […]
Crossing Europe On Trains, Ferries… And A Bike Called Reggie: Part One
Warning! There are some pretty pictures and videos in this post… …but I also need your opinions. Scroll to the foot of the post for more information… I don’t write murder mysteries. This is why I have no problem in revealing to anyone who hasn’t read Spain to Norway […]
Hardknott Pass: Climbing England’s Steepest Road
They don’t call it Hardknott Pass for anything! With an energy-sapping gradient of one in three in places, only Rosedale Chimney in Yorkshire is anything like it. But having failed spectacularly once before, this time, I was determined to make it up in one go, without getting off […]
The Cycle Touring Festival: Sunday
What a good day… It’s been the fourth edition of Laura and Tim Moss’ Cycle Touring Festival in Clitheroe; I’ve been to three of them and it has been the best I’ve experienced so far. Great people, interesting stories and with my podcast hat on today was spent […]
The Cycle Touring Festival: Saturday
It’s that time of the year once again… I’m with my homies here in Clitheroe. Beautiful weather, interesting talk, nice food and decent beer. A quadruple whammy of goodness at the Cycle Touring Festival. I delivered two talks (‘Ten Years of Cycling Europe’ and ‘Podcasting on Tour’) and […]
4 Great Cycling Areas In England
Guest post by Michael Payne England is a beautiful country for cycling. Its famous countryside areas offer routes that are both challenging and picturesque, and in many cases you can also begin or end a cycling journey with a specific attraction or tourist destination. That way, you really […]
Tour De Yorkshire: Day 0 (Part 2)
The great and the good of cycling out in force for the pre-event launch of this year’s Tour de Yorkshire; Welcome to Yorkshire’s Sir Gary Verity, the Tour de France’s Christian Prudhomme and La Vuelta’s Javier Guillén. Is that a sign that Spain’s big race might be coming […]
Tour De Yorkshire: Day 0 (Part 1)
Not sure how many of days 1 to 4 upon which there will be comment on CyclingEurope.org but here I am on the eve of ‘Le Tour Yorkshire’ in Leeds. The (non-cycling) action kicks off at 6pm in Millennium Square with the usual razzmatazz associated with any big […]
Le Tour De Yorkshire 2018
Here’s the route of this year’s race combined with a few memories… Look out for more posts over the next few days on CyclingEurope.org from the heart of ‘Le Tour (…de Yorkshire)’!
Cycling In The Lake District
Guest post by Sasha Francis There really is a cycle route for everyone in the Lake District! Routes like The Lakes & Dales Loop cover some of the most beautiful parts of the landscape and as threatening as a 196-mile circular loop sounds, it’s easily broken down into […]
Exploring Europe By Bicycle… And Ferry
From the perspective of this seasoned continental cyclist, the best thing about a ferry is the fact that it isn’t an aeroplane. No hassle packing up the bike; just a case of riding over a ramp, finding a seat and relaxing while someone else does the hard work of […]
Cycling Yorkshire: Routes 69 & 66 (Incorporating The Spen Valley Greenway)
Today you have a triple bill of media choice… CyclingEurope.org’s answer to the red button, albeit without a red button (or indeed any kind of button). If you’d like to be fully informed about my cycle from Huddersfield along route 69 (the ‘Birkby Bradley Greenway’ or ‘the place […]
Cycling To Work: Where Does Your Commute Finish?
The best thing about cycling to work is that work doesn’t start the moment you step into your car; it starts the moment you step off your bicycle… I usually do that here at The Piece Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, one of the country’s most surprising buildings.
To The End Of The Known World…
…well, Todmorden, at the far western extremity of Yorkshire and home via Mankinholes and the rather muddy canal side Route 66.
Yorkshire 2018: Route 1… A Bridge Too Far?
Ultimately, yes. I’ve postponed my plans for this weekend due to the weather forecast but the planning was not in vain. I am now much better prepared to shoot off for a few days of bike-packing than I was just a few days ago. Below is a record […]
Half Of UK Cyclists Injured by Potholes: A Tale Of Two Countries
Welcome to British Summer Time (or, indeed, Yorkshire Summer Time…) I never tire of watching this video: I made it as I cycled along this main road in the Dutch town of Vaals: I was close to the German border at the time, just a few kilometres from […]
The Cycle Touring Festival: 4th-7th May 2018
Now in its 4th year, the Cycle Touring Festival returns to Clitheroe in Lancashire over the May Bank Holiday weekend. It’s a wonderful few days of chat, food, films and beer… What’s not to like? Whether you’ve cycled around the world or just down to the shops, you’ll find […]
Bespoked 2018: The Handmade Bicycle Show
Bespoke features regularly on CyclingEurope.org – see these posts from the past – and it is now in its 8th year. As in most of the previous years, the event takes place in Bristol, just next to the main railway station, this year from April 20th to April […]
Snow: A CyclingEurope.org Retrospective
I find that by searching for ‘snow’ in the back catalogue of CyclingEurope.org posts, I’m not short of pretty photographs. From Oxfordshire, Yorkshire, Slovakia, France, Switzerland, Norway… There was even a film!
Not Cycling Yorkshire?
Yorkshire Summer Time starts on Sunday 25th March 2018. OK, so does British Summer Time, but bear with me… It finishes on Saturday 27th October 2018 and lasts for 217 days. The great thing about Yorkshire/British Summer Time is that it is handily located on the calendar when […]
T’Cycle Expo, Yorkshire
I shouldn’t really mock the accent; it is, after all, my own… but this event – the first ever Cycle Expo in Yorkshire – from the 12th to the 14th October is something to look forward to. It will be taking place in Harrogate at the Yorkshire Event […]
The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival
Avid readers of CyclingEurope.org (I’m sure there must be one or two such people out there, no?) may remember this post from last March about my visit to the 2017 Sheffield Adventure Film Festival or SHAFF. Well, this week I have received an email about the 2018 festival […]
Losing My Faith… In Cycling?
Well, not quite. More like losing my faith in the belief that cycling infrastructure here in the UK will ever improve. A report today from Cycling UK is headlined “Flatlining cycling numbers ‘failure by successive governments’” and it makes depressing reading. A few selected lowlights: In 1989 2% […]
Mark Beaumont Backs Sustrans Big Pedal 2018
From Sustrans: World record breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont is calling on families to take up the challenge of ‘Around the world in 10 days’ as part of Sustrans Big Pedal 2018 – a UK-wide event to get more young people cycling and scooting to school. The Big Pedal […]
Yorkshire 2018: The Maps, Nearly
This is all very reminiscent of planning past continental adventures, the only difference being that this one will be in my back yard of Yorkshire (read here to catch up on the plan). My maps have just arrived from Sustrans and they nearly cover all of Yorkshire. In […]
A Plan For 2018
Second post of 2018. Second quote from a book – a different book – that I’m reading: “Cycling is a popular pastime in Yorkshire, especially in the industrial areas – there are no fewer than sixty clubs in West Yorkshire alone. Indeed, the county’s dedication to cycling led […]
2017: The CyclingEurope.org Year
As 2017 draws to a close I take a few moments to look back over the 150 posts from the past 12 months on CyclingEurope.org. It started in reflective mood, looking forward to the publication of Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie in May. Here I […]
Boxing Day 2017: Dunstanburgh Castle
On foot, not bike…
Eroica Britannia 2017: The Film
Some of you may have been there… look out for yourself if you were. The film does seem to link the two previous posts on CyclingEurope.org together quite nicely: the film-themed podcast and this morning’s cycle into the Peak District, just. Eroica Britannia is back in Derbyshire in […]
HikingEurope.org: Skiddaw, England
A second day of hiking in the Lake District…
HikingEurope.org: Blencathra, England
Time to dust off the backpack and head for the hills… (in the Lake District).
Another Commute Bikes The Dust…
…Stainland to Halifax. New commute; the (inevitable) new film:
The Return Of The Cycling Commuter
I’m delighted to announce that as from tomorrow, I return to life as… a regular cycling commuter. It is now nearly three years since I said goodbye to my colleagues at Gillotts School in Henley-on-Thames where, for most of the previous eight years I had regularly cycled to […]
Britain By Bike With Stephanie, Richard, Larry & George
I’m going to start with a short extract from ‘Spain to Norway on a Bike Called Reggie‘. I was in Denmark at the time and, having just paused to buy some new tyres, was en route to Copenhagen: Cycling route 8 had now finished and was replaced with […]
The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 2
Episode 2 of The Cycling Europe Podcast is now available to download! More details on how to do so here… or simply click on the arrow below, sit back and relax: This is what you’ll find in episode 002: The Cycle Show (o minutes 40 seconds) Ridgeback Bikes (1″14″) […]
Tour De Yorkshire: 2018 Start And Finish Locations Announced
A few words from the Tour de Yorkshire, including some very good news for the CyclingEurope.org’s home town, Halifax: The eight host locations for 2018 Tour de Yorkshire have been unveiled today. The stages for the newly expanded fourth edition will begin or end in: Barnsley (South Yorkshire) […]
Brexit, Trump, Kim Jong-un… – The Antidote
If only you could bottle autumn evenings like this one…
The Ryburn Valley Greenway: A (Curious?) Update
A few weeks ago at the start of September, I posted an article to CyclingEurope.org about something called the Ryburn Valley Greenway. You may want to read what I wrote at the time (and watch the videos that I made) before you continue to read this but basically… […]
Le Tour De Yorkshire Expands!
Fantastic news from Welcome To Yorkshire, organisers of the Tour de Yorkshire: Yorkshire has received a huge boost today with the news that the Tour de Yorkshire will grow from three to four days in 2018. Organisers Welcome to Yorkshire and A.S.O had been seeking to extend the […]
Official Launch Of The EuroVelo 5 – Via Romea (Francigena) App
From the EuroVélo website… (and the reason why I was in Brussels last week): “A new application has been launched for smart phones and tablets to help people plan and then cycle the route of EuroVelo 5 – Via Romea (Francigena). Over a thousand years ago, pilgrims used […]
Remember Crossing Europe On The EuroVelo 5?
I’m currently reminiscing, putting together a short presentation* for my visit to Brussels next week where I’ve been asked to reflect upon my 2010 cycle from the UK to southern Italy along the EuroVelo 5. Browsing through the photos and website posts from the time (I came up […]
In Praise Of… Warmshowers (2)
I joined Warmshowers – the cycle touring community’s accommodation sharing website – over 7 years ago but after finishing my last long trip in 2015 and moving up to Yorkshire, things went quiet. In Reading – in the Thames Valley – I was en route to London from […]
The Cycle Touring Festival: Regional Gatherings
I’ve just spotted this on the Cycle Touring Festival twitter feed… Over to you Laura! Regional Gatherings [Read the original post here] The best thing about the Cycle Touring Festival is the chance to spend time with like-minded people. The worst thing is that it only happens once […]
General Election 2017: The Manifestos And Cycling
To save you looking, here are the results of a little piece of research that I’ve just completed. I searched for the word ‘cycling’ in each of the main manifestos: Conservative Party Manifesto 0 mentions… Labour Party Manifesto 1 mention… Liberal Democrat Manifesto 1 mention… UKIP 0 mentions… […]
The Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol
Nothing to do with cycling or Europe but some things are so aesthetically pleasing that they deserve to be photographed from any angle going. The Clifton Suspension Bridge is one such object and it has earned its place here, despite its irrelevance to the site… I’ll hopefully see […]
Bath Time
A leisurely stroll around beautiful Bath en route to Bristol for my talk tomorrow evening (see apsykes.com/speaking for details). Some great sights: Seeing the touring cyclist made me regret not having arrived by bicycle myself…
The Cycle Touring Festival 2017
Clitheroe has been home once again to the 2017 Cycle Touring Festival… …with a good selection of bikes – very much used – on display… …some quality talks… …and a wonderful sunrise over the campsite!
The Tour De Yorkshire / Côte De Shibden Wall
I did think it would be difficult to replicate the atmosphere experienced in Yorkshire when the Tour de France arrived in the county back in 2014 but yesterday on the cobbles of the ‘Côte de Shibden Wall’ it came pretty close… Wonderful afternoon!
Tour De Yorkshire 2017: T – 7 Days (Exactly!)
As I begin typing this, I note that the Tour de Yorkshire is exactly 7 days away, to the minute! Everything kicks off at 12.35pm on Friday 28th April in Bridlington… The images below were taken from the spectator guide that you can find here.
The Ultimate Road Trip: Route 66…
…well, the one in Calderdale. Route 66 of Britain’s National Cycle Network. “National Cycle Route 66 runs from central Manchester to Spurn Head via Bradford, Leeds, York, Beverley, and Kingston upon Hull.” according to those in charge. More details here. This afternoon part of route 66 was the final leg of a 46 km […]
Cycling Day T+11: Yorkshire, England
I see land! British land; the spit of Flamborough Head at sunrise… CORRECTION! Spurn Point on the Humber! (Thank-you Mr. John Sykes of Elland.)
Krongborg Slot, Helsingør, Denmark
So, shortly after arriving in Helsingør (see previous post that I have yet to write but hopefully by the time you see this, I will have done… such is the world of running a travel-related website) I returned to the centre of the town. The main attraction is […]
YHA Celebrate Bike Week 2015 With A Big Investment
By Philip Gamble of the YHA Bike Week 2015 is now upon us and cycling events are taking place across the UK in order to encourage more people explore the outdoors on two wheels. From ‘Bike Breakfasts’ to pedal powered juke boxes, there are a wide range of […]
“Wirral Men Complete Epic Charity Bike Ride”
Press release: 5 COUNTRIES – 10 DAYS – 1315 KILOMETRES – £3600 RAISED FOR CHARITY Earlier this year we told you about a group of young men from Wirral who were planning to undertake an epic and unsupported bike ride from London to Berlin to raise funds […]
Tour De Yorkshire: The Race, The County, The Amazing Things On Offer To Visitors
By James Moore Taking place between the 1st and 3rd of May, the Tour de Yorkshire was a staggering success, the utterly new and refreshing racing event drawing one and a half million people as spectators whilst simultaneously showcasing the county to countless viewers hailing from 150 countries […]
The Top Five Boroughs In England For Cycling
By Cheryl Smith While treating illness and disease is at the core of any health service, tackling problems before they arise will be essential to dealing with the problems caused by unhealthy lifestyles and ageing populations. The Healthy Access project from Toothpick.com will empower people to make healthy […]
Cycling Day 1: Tarifa To Conil (Fuente Del Gallo)
Click here to see the detailed statistics of today’s cycle. Finally, it’s started! I’m sure you are as relieved as me… It was a soggy morning back in Tarifa (see previous post) but after that very virtuous breakfast it was off to knock on the door of the […]
Gibraltar
It’s a curious place. Dont get me wrong; I actually quite like it (and my hotel – the Rock Hotel – is wonderful), but it is slightly strange. I’m sure that I’m not the first person to make such a comment. It’s British but not quite British. It’s […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
Cycling In Norway
When I cycled from Greece to Portugal in 2013, I spent most of my time pre-trip thinking about Greece, Albania and, to a certain extent, Croatia. I didn’t spend too much time considering the western European countries through which I would be cycling. In France, a country I know […]
2015: Time For A (Big) Change
When it comes to writing pieces for this website, September is always a lean month. I’ve just been looking back at the number of posts made every month and since 2009 when CyclingEurope.org burst into life on the world wide web (albeit under the much less catchy soubriquet […]
Scottish Cycling Day 2: Perth To Dunnet
Not too much cycling today but a great day of travelling on many levels. I left you last night in the buffet car of the sleeper train to Inverness, or rather Perth. I didn’t get murdered by nine people who I have crossed swords with during my life, […]
Best Places To Watch The Tour De France In England
By guest blogger Ian Fergusson Le Tour de France has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1903 as a newspaper publicity stunt. The world’s greatest bicycle race is also the world’s largest free sporting event. Thousands line the streets of France every year to cheer on […]
Three Kings, From London To Barcelona
Here are three guys who cycled along a similar route to me but from London Barcelona taking in large chunks of my 2010 journey from England to Italy and then my 2013 across southern France and into Spain. I wrote books about my adventures; these chaps have made […]
Is Reading Ready For Ready Bike?
During my European cycling exploits I have often cycled into towns and cities where there is a bike hire system up and running. Increasingly it’s not just the major cities that have them, the smaller cities and towns are jumping in and offering their own bike hire services. However, […]
Inspiration For The Next Cycling Generation
By guest blogger Tom Nelson The countdown to Le Grand Depart has at long last begun with a one hundred day cultural festival that celebrates the start of arguably the greatest cycle race of all time, the Tour de France. Indeed it is the first time that such a […]
Cycling Europe… On A Penny Farthing!
I’ve mentioned the first two days of the Tour de France 2014 frequently in recent months as it will be visiting Yorkshire, the region where I myself was born and grew up. I haven’t really written about day 3 of Le Tour which will see the cyclists set off […]
Top Four Road Bike Routes In The UK
By guest blogger Tom Nelson With the National Road Race cycling route now confirmed and the weather picking up into longer, brighter spring days it’s time to get on your bike and explore the beauty of Britain. The plethora of exciting cycle routes in this relatively small country […]
The Not-So-Quiet Season In Southern England
When I set off for work on Tuesday morning I knew that I would have to be careful on the roads; to say it has been wet in southern England since Christmas is somewhat of an understatement. But it hasn’t been particularly cold, in fact it has been […]
Too Good Not To Share…
Taken this morning in the grounds of Gillotts School in Henley-on-Thames where I ply my trade as a French teacher… It even made it onto the local news in the South of England:
“Excellent & Amusing Commentary On A Solo Bicycle Trip… I Was Sorry When It Stopped”
From Amazon.co.uk about Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie: “Excellent and amusing commentary on a solo bicycle trip from Reading in England to Brindisi, on the heel of Italy. This isn’t a journey through Outer Mongolia. Sykes always has the option of stopping and getting a train […]
Richmond, Yorkshire (Not Virginia, Not Surrey…)
Richmond is posh Yorkshire. I think William Hague is the MP and he is the ultimate in posh Yorkshire. You can hear it in the way he speaks. I’ve heard lots of people sing the praises of Richmond but I can’t ever remember having been there. Until today. […]
A Short Walk Around Penrith
After a second full English breakfast in as many days the walking party split and we all headed off in our respective directions; some back to Norwich, one to Cardiff, one to Derby and me in the direction of Yorkshire. I’m due to West Yorkshire to visit family […]
The Reading ‘Protest*’ Ride (*See Below)
I’m not one of life’s protestors. In fact, I can’t remember ever having protested about anything in an organised way before. There must be something… [pause for thought / reflection…]. I once joined a teachers’ march in France during a six-week stint in Nice while training to be […]
Cycling Day 37: Perpignan To L’Estartit
The problem with writing these updates a couple of days after the events is that I forget so much so quickly. It can be very frustrating but here goes… I had breakfast in the centre of Perpignan and was still not sure which route to take into Spain. […]
Cycling Day 35: Béziers To ‘The Pilgrims’ Nest’ (Near Villardebelle)
Here we go. Apologies for the late update but I’m not going to move from my seat here in the garden of the Ibis hotel in central Perpignan until cycling days 35 & 36 are written. I may order another beer at some point. Life can be tough […]
Cycling Day 31: Castellane To Gréoux-les-Bains
Back in summer 2010 it took me 30 cycling days to get to Brindisi in the south of Italy from my home in southern England. It’s now cycling day 31 on this particular trip. I cycled 3,311km three years ago averaging 110km per day. I’m currently averaging about […]
Rest Day 5: Novi Vinodolski
When I normally say ‘rest day’ it is no such thing. It’s a ‘day off the bike day’ but today really is a ‘rest day’. I won’t go into detail but I wasn’t particularly well yesterday evening. The symptoms were more associated with a bug of some sort […]
Cycling Day 14: Ulcinj To Tivat
I wasn’t in the greatest of moods this morning when I woke. I had slept relatively well (who wouldn’t after most of a bottle of Montenegrin Chardonnay?) but was still narked that I had been taken in by the wide boy who had turned the patch of land […]
Rest Day 1: The Acropolis & The Parthenon
‘Hang on!’ I hear you cry… OK, I’ve only done one cycling day so far but I couldn’t very well pass through what is arguably the birthplace of modern western civilisation and not pause for a look around. The Parthenon is the main attraction in these parts and […]
