Club rides are good I get it – there’s a certain thrill to be had from being head-down, riding as fast as you can go in a tight pack. Road bikes are sleek speed machines, and for a short while, you become an inextricable component of something bigger, while you focus on keeping the gap … Read more
Eurovelo routes Eurovelo routes are a series of often amazing, long-distance cycle touring routes, criss-crossing the continent of Europe. Some of these you may already know (or at least have heard of) like the Danube Route, or the Rhine Route. Those two follow two big rivers in Europe. The Eurovelo network is brought to you … Read more
So Will, how do I plan my first bicycle tour? Unless you are one of the idle rich, retired, or have absolutely nobody who depends on you in any way, chances are that you will have limited free time. Many people believe that money is the biggest limiter. That’s not the case – it’s time. … Read more
Brighton Bimble The Brighton Bimble is the latest in my growing series of GoCycle route guides, and will soon be published. This is the story of when I went to cycle it the first time. Gentle Adventure I’m a huge fan of what I call Gentle Adventures. These are multi-day rides, though usually only around 100 … Read more
Brighton Bimble? A have a slowly-expanding list of highly-detailed cycle touring route guides, called GoCycle guides. GoCycle bike touring route guides don’t simply show you the way. No, my bicycle touring guides act like a tour leader, and tells you about the landscape through which you’re cycling. A GoCycle guide will keep you on track, … Read more
Where are you legally allowed to wild camp in the UK? In most of Scotland, you’re allowed to wild camp, but there are limitations. In England and Wales, with the exception of almost half of Dartmoor National Park, wild camping anywhere is against the law. Immediately, that sounds dreadful, like you’ll be led away in … Read more
Cycling the Rhine The Rhine is one of Europe’s biggest rivers, and is steeped in history and folklore. From spectacular Alpine views, around the source of the river in Switzerland, to battle-scarred WW2 (and earlier wars) fortifications, to fairy-tale castles, beautiful valleys adorned with vineyards, plus much more, it has something for everyone. No wonder … Read more
Is live-sharing your location always bad? I recently created a Where’s Will Now page. That page contains an embedded map. When I manually switch on live-logging, the RideWithGPS app on my phone will update that map, and anyone looking at it will be able to see my location. Some will think that in doing so … Read more
A cycle tourer’s dream What’s a Bampton Cycle Shelter? Is it a new kind of cycling infrastructure? Well, yes, and no. Many cycle tourers, like me, prefer to wild camp when touring. Wild camping brings with it some challenges: for starters, in England and Wales, more often than not, wild camping is trespass. Though I … Read more
Did the PCSC Bill turn wild camping into a crime? Such a deceptively simple question, but it turned out to be rather difficult to get an answer to it. Well, at least a straight, reliable answer. I’m a huge fan of wild camping, and personally find the UK’s new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill … Read more
An alternative to camp sites I only recently became aware of Welcome To My Garden, and I already think it’s a superb site. So what is it? That’s easy to explain: much like Warmshowers offer overnight accommodation to cycle tourers, Welcome To My Garden offers a camping spot for the night in people’s gardens. In … Read more
Cycle camping in the UK Camping is great – that feeling of waking up under canvas is a great start to the day. Of course, wild-camping – as in camping away from formal camp sites – is the best, but there are issues with it, too. For starters, some people prefer to have showers and … Read more
Is longer cycle touring any different? There isn’t a simple yes or no answer to this question. Yes, it’s different, because it’s longer. No, it’s not different, because you’re still cycling, and carrying all your gear. Both preceding answers simply look at one aspect of cycle touring, but the reality can be far more complex. … Read more
The burning question everyone asks Just four simple words: Am I good enough? Such destructive four words, too. All your life you were taught and told to somehow “measure up”, to be better. Better than what, though? Destructive? Absolutely! People’s lives have been ruined because they were made to feel inadequate. And even if their … Read more
Best-laid plans, and all that On Sunday, I had a gorgeous ride. Unfortunately, some 2 miles from home, things changed rapidly. While cycling downhill, along a very narrow rural lane, I crashed. From the state of my bike’s front wheel, it seems something must’ve gotten stuck in the spokes, breaking at least 10 spokes an … Read more