Will
Tips for going cycle camping Recently, I was asked what cooking gear I use when I go cycle camping, and that made me think about a general post about cycle camping. I’m a very big fan of cycle touring, and to me, cycle touring means cycle camping. Ernest Hemingway said it best: “It is by … Read more
I recently read about a cyclist based in Edinburgh, who crashed after hitting black ice. She both broke and dislocated her elbow, and couldn’t even stand up, due to the pain she was in. She was riding with another cyclist, who also crashed and was also injured. The crash happened at around 11h30, and from … Read more
COVID19 turned the world upside down – that’s an indisputable fact. It’s a horrid disease, and many thousands have died from it, with more still apparently suffering long-term health affects, after having survived it. As I write this, I’m aware of how lucky I am in not having had the illness, nor having anyone close … Read more
Star-rated traffic-free cycle routes As you may have noticed, I started grading the route guides I publish, using a star grading system. This grading system is to give an indication of family-friendliness of a route, which is a grading that will also help new adult cyclists, as well as less confident adult cyclists. Some routes … Read more
“Act as if our home is on fire. Because it is” *These are the words of the incredible Greta Thunberg, a 16 yo climate activist from Sweden, who has single-handedly done more to highlight this extinction-level issue than most politicians combined. That in itself is a damning indication of just how miserably politicians are failing their … Read more
I’m rather excited to share this with you! I’ve finished my Devon Coast To Coast guide, and it’s available right now! I’ve known for a long time I should write a detailed guide, similar to the far shorter Drake’s Trail guide on this blog, but covering the whole NCN 27 route. Several years ago I actually … Read more
As any cyclist living in or near Plymouth can tell you, we’re spoilt for routes down here! A firm favourite, amongst fast club riders and more social cyclists, is a Tavistock – Princetown loop. My version of that is detailed below. The starting point will be Coypool, where there is ample free parking available. At … Read more
There is a German word, weltschmerz (literally world pain or world grief) that roughly translates as a general feeling of gloom with regards to life overall, and weltschmerz sometimes perfectly describes how I feel when I’ve been overwhelmed with negative things. In life, we magnify what we focus on, and it is a sad side effect … Read more
Close overtakes and police response Two things almost any cyclist will tell you is that they’ve had dangerous, close overtakes from drivers, and that reporting it to police more often than not results in nothing being done. As a result, many (most?) cyclists have very little faith in police actually enforcing the law and taking … Read more
After much anticipation, the day finally arrived on which D & C Police would launch their Operation Closepass! For those unfamiliar with this, it is a method of roads policing pioneered by the West Mids Police Roads Policing Unit, and basically involves a cop, in plain clothes, riding a bicycle up and down a stretch … Read more
After what seemed forever, Darkmoor 2017 finally arrived, and everything was looking good. Even the weather was cooperating, with very light, broken cloud cover, mild temperature and little to no wind.As per usual, I was early at Cap’n Jaspers, feeling slightly apprehensive and hoping at least one other person would be crazy enough to join … Read more
How I wish I was able to tell you that D & C Police had firm plans to implement West Mids Police’s brilliant (and sorely needed!) Close Pass Initiative. Sadly, the reality is quite different, despite what many other sources may have told you. Here’s how things currently stand: D & C Police have three … Read more
This is a story of a lottery. No, not that national lottery, but a post code lottery. Specifically, a post code lottery in which where you live determines whether or not, as a cyclist, you can expect to receive any justice from police. If you live in Devon or Cornwall you’re bang out of luck, … Read more
