Mark Wedgwood had always been a lover of maps. In 2022, newly liberated from the constraints of a full-time job, he decided to cycle across every Ordnance Survey Landranger map of Britain. He spoke to The Cycling Europe Podcast about the challenge that took him from the northernmost point of Shetland (map 1) to Fowey in Cornwall (map 204)โฆ the long way.
Mark Wedgwood had always been a lover of maps. In 2022, newly liberated from the constraints of a full-time job, he decided to cycle across every Ordnance Survey Landranger map of Britain. He spoke to The Cycling Europe Podcast about the challenge that took him from the northernmost point of Shetland (map 1) to Fowey in Cornwall (map 204)โฆ the long way
โHours, days, weeks and months in the saddle does something funny to your brain. We came back from the trip convinced that cycling was the answer to all of lifeโs problems and that if we could convince every last one of you to choose a bike not a car, weโd be well on our way to saving the planet. Easy, right?!โ Those are the words of Beth Ward who, alongside her partner Robin, cycled from Wales to Istanbul in 2019. As they pedalled an idea grew in their minds to set up a community bike workshop. When they returned home, thatโs exactly what they did in Llangollen. Beth has now been included in Cycling UKโs list of 100 women in cycling in 2022. The Cycling Europe Podcast headed down the Dee Valley to investigateโฆย ย
โHours, days, weeks and months in the saddle does something funny to your brain. We came back from the trip convinced that cycling was the answer to all of lifeโs problems and that if we could convince every last one of you to choose a bike not a car, weโd be well on our way to saving the planet. Easy, right?!โ Those are the words of Beth Ward who, alongside her partner Robin, cycled from Wales to Istanbul in 2019. As they pedalled an idea grew in their minds to set up a community bike workshop. When they returned home, thatโs exactly what they did in Llangollen. Beth has now been included in Cycling UKโs list of 100 women in cycling in 2022. The Cycling Europe Podcast headed down the Dee Valley to investigateโฆย ย
And so is the Highway Code. It’s been interesting to see how the gammons, ‘kippers and Nigels (apologies if you are a Nigel who doesn’t adhere to the thoughts of the ridiculous Nigel Farage) of Britain have been reacting this week to the news that the updated Highway Code will (shock horror!) introduce a pyramid of hierarchy that sees those who are more likely (and able) to inflict death and destruction on the roads being assumed to have more responsibility that those who pose little danger to others.
Despite the headlines on today’s newspapers that are screaming that we will be able to travel out of the UK this summer, I suspect that for the majority of us, it’s more likely to be another year of staycationing. So the arrival of a new map of Britain on my doorstep yesterday was welcome. But it’s not just any old map… MarvellousMaps.com make a series of these detailed themed maps of the country…
This weekend sees the start of the 2021 Cycle Touring Festival. It’s virtual once again so you can listen to the speakers and watch the films from the comfort of your own living room. You do need to register however for each of the sessions (delivered via Zoom) and you can full details on how to do that by visiting the Cycle Touring Festival website. My contribution this year will be mainly in the form of a short talk in the first session at 8pm on Friday 12th February. The theme is ‘touring in a time of COVID’ and I’ll be discussing the motivation behind setting off last summer to cycle to the four capital cities of the UK as well as the journey itself. Below are a few screenshots to whet your appetite. Look forward to seeing some of you there.
In these somewhat strange times, heading out to the cinema to watch a film, let alone attending a film premiรจre, might be off the agenda for most people. Yet today I can offer you the chance to do just that from the comfort of your own home. You are formally invited to the film premiere of The Great British Cycle Tour: The Film. The film premiรจres on YouTube on Sunday 27th December at 6pm UK time (that’s GMT)…
