A mass campout? Indeed! You are invited to participate in the WillCycle Mass Campout, on the 18th of June, 2022. Now we dealt with when it will happen, we’ll swiftly move on to where it will happen. Here’s where things get, well, interesting. A virtually physical event Wait, or maybe a physically virtual event! This is getting confusing, … Read more
GoCycle – route guides you can trust You may have wondered what goes into the making of a GoCycle route guide, so I’ll explain the process here. GoCycle guides are multi-day leisure/touring route guides. If you’re a regular visitor to WillCycle, then you would know I’m a huge fan of cycle touring and cycle camping. Alongside … Read more
But cycle touring is expensive… Or is it? I mean sure, it can be expensive, but does it have to be expensive? All the marketing tells you to buy expedition-grade kit. To be fair, price is often (but not always) an indicator of quality, and higher quality kit usually lasts longer. With that in mind, there’s a … Read more
What is a S24O? Adventure is to be found where you look for it. In a hectic, modern life, it can be so easy to lose sight of that though. We are under constant pressure at work, and often at home, too. So how do you find time for adventure? Sub 24-hours Overnighter A Sub … Read more
We have a winner! When I started the WillCycle Adventure Fund, I was naïve enough to think it would be far more popular than it turned out to be. I was quite mistaken, but at least we have one lucky winner. Given how unpopular this was, there won’t be another one, but that’s neither bad news, … Read more
The Cheshire Ring If you’re a regular visitor to WillCycle, you’d know that I’m quite a fan of cycling the very many canals in the UK. The reasons are simple, and very obvious: canal routes are often extremely stunning, are almost entirely traffic-free and are relics from the Industrial Revolution. I freely admit to being … Read more
Food, glorious food I have a confession to make: I’m not a foodie. In fact, sometimes I’m quite envious of people who seem to find far more pleasure in food than I ever would. To me, food is primarily fuel. As a result, I’m not a good source for recipes. However, the people I interact … Read more
The WillCycle Adventure Journal I’m excited to announce the WillCycle Adventure Journal. What’s an Adventure Journal, you ask? It’s a small book that you are meant to take with you on adventures, to make notes in. Some of my best thinking’s been done on the bike, and I expect that may be true for you, … Read more
Here are the entries to the WillCycle Adventure Fund. For obvious reasons, I’ve removed people’s names from the entries. Voting is now open, and on the 9th of May I’ll announce the winner. I will never repeat the WillCycle Adventure Fund, as entry numbers were disappointingly low. Still, we have a total of £95 raised … Read more
Top ten reasons to go cycle touring Everyone likes a List Of 10, right? Well, here are 10 Good Reasons To Go Cycle Touring The freedom! You get to experience the landscape in a far better way It’s very good for your physical and mental health It’s good for the planet It’s good for the … Read more
Excitement! The night before you set off on your first ever cycle wild camping trip on your own, you will probably be nervous. And more than a little excited! It’s a big thing you’re doing – stepping out of your comfort zone, and into the unknown. Of course, when we’re nervous, we’re most likely to … Read more
The Grand Union Canal I long wanted to cycle the full 144 miles of the Grand Union Canal. The plan was to set off from Paddington Basin, right next to Paddington station, then follow the Paddington branch of the Grand Union Canal (GUC for short). The reasoning was simple: though a branch of the GUC, … Read more
Travelling slowly Remember, even if you win the rat race, you remain a rat. Life comes at you fast, and that pace will only ever get faster. Yes, there’s a thrill to be had from ducking the knocks life throws your way in time, but there’s something even better: taking time out. Step out of … Read more
But REAL adventurers… There is this enduring image that people have that to be a real cycle tourer, you should at least have cycled around the world. Barefoot. On a unicycle. That is, of course, utter rubbish. Simply put, a cycle tourer is someone who went touring on their bicycle, regardless how long, or short their … Read more
What is wild-camping? Wild-camping is camping away from formal camp sites. In the UK, wild-camping is legal in almost all of Scotland, but against the law in England and Wales (with the exception of parts of Dartmoor), unless you have explicit permission from the landowner. Here’s where things get a bit complicated: yes, wild-camping is … Read more