Tag: Spain

The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 068 – Tony Lenihan – Cycling Bilbao To Athens

Tony Lenihan, a retired policeman, works for his local council in the English Midlands as their ‘Sustainable Travel and Wellbeing Coordinator’. He’s also a keen cyclist and, in the early autumn of 2022, after more than 40 years of work, he decided to take a career break and head off on a solo cycling adventure from Bilbao to Athens. It would be a 7-week ferry-hopping Greek odyssey that took him through northern Spain, to the islands of Sardinia and Scilly, across the heel of Italy to Brindisi before sailing the Adriatic to his final destination of Greece. He talked to The Cycling Europe Podcast about his continental experiences… but also about ‘active travel’ in the UK and how the country measures up (or not) to its European neighbours. 

YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE: Episode 068 Of The Cycling Europe Podcast

Tony Lenihan, a retired policeman, works for his local council in the English Midlands as their ‘Sustainable Travel and Wellbeing Coordinator’. He’s also a keen cyclist and, in the early autumn of 2022, after more than 40 years of work, he decided to take a career break and head off on a solo cycling adventure from Bilbao to Athens. It would be a 7-week ferry-hopping Greek odyssey that took him through northern Spain, to the islands of Sardinia and Scilly, across the heel of Italy to Brindisi before sailing the Adriatic to his final destination of Greece.  He talked to The Cycling Europe Podcast about his continental experiences… but also about ‘active travel’ in the UK and how the country measures up (or not) to its European neighbours. 

The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 066 – Cycling On Tenerife

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?

YOUTUBE EXCLUSIVE: Episode 066 Of The Cycling Europe Podcast

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

Tenerife: Day 5

A few mindful moments just after sunrise on my final morning staying in Costa Adeje on the Spanish island of Tenerife. It’s interesting seeing how, from the perspective of the drone, the natural and man-made worlds have collided rather sharply. But at 8am there was still calm to be found before people crawl from their beds and take up position beside the pools, in the cafés and bars and on the beaches…

Tenerife: Day 4

When I was thinking about what to do today, top of the list of ‘possibles’ was staying at the hotel and cracking on with some writing. I was hoping to knock off at least another couple of chapters of the new book this week, but it hasn’t happened, yet. And it never happened this morning. With it been another nice day, it seemed a waste to sit at my computer, especially when there are so many things I haven’t done on this island. That includes getting anywhere near Mount Teide. Would today be the day I did?

Tenerife: Day 3

The cycling day… It’s strange being on a cycling holiday without a bicycle. That’s how it felt yesterday. Today the normal order was restored and I have been cycling. Not on my bike but a hire bike from a local company called Mr Bike Tenerife. I don’t think that’s his real name but Mr Bike delivered the ‘Pro Mountain Bike’ to the hotel this morning at just after 11:30 as promised. Let the cycling commence…

Tenerife: Day 2

I still have to jump on a bike but… I suppose that was never the plan until day 3. Today was spent wandering very slowly along the coast from Costa Adeje to Los Cristianos and then back again via a route slightly inland. My fitness app tells me 20km and 27,000 steps. Thant will work wonders on the average. ​