2021 in review

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2020 was a bastard! There’s no way of pretending it was anything else – so how did 2021 measure up? Obviously, ’21 remained dominated by COVID, and as I’m writing this, upward of 146 000 people have died from COVID in the UK alone this year. Undoubtedly vaccine rollouts have massively reduced deaths, but as ... Read more

The death of wild-camping in the UK?

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wild-camping is simply the best

Wild-camping, at least in England and Wales, is strictly speaking against the law, unless done with the explicit consent of the landowner. Here’s where things immediately become murky: against the law is not the same as being a crime. In fact, under the law (at least in England and Wales) trespass is a civil offense, not a criminal offense.

What this means in practice is better explained with an example: Imagine you own a piece of land somewhere, and I trespass onto that land, for whatever reason (but I’m not breaking any other laws, and certainly not damaging anything on your land). In this scenario, your options are extremely limited. Basically, you can ask me to leave. If at that point, I humbly apologise, and start packing up, legally there is nothing further you can do. If you tried to frogmarch me off your land, I can charge you with assault, which is a crime, and if you break anything of mine, that may incur some extra charges.

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Money? You want money? Are you selling out?

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“Hey, Will, what’s with T-shirts and route guides for sale on your site? Have you sold out?” I’m glad you asked – grab a pew and I’ll explain.  No, however much I might love it to, my site will never bring in much more than a small amount of pocket money.  In fact, income from ... Read more

Cycloffee – city edition

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Cycloffee  is  like  a  treasure  hunt,  but  with  coffee  shops For full details of the original (and national) Cyclofee game, please read this post first. Not everyone will want, or be able to participate in a game that’s deliberately spread across the whole UK, and from the outset I figured there’d be room for city-based ... Read more

SheCycles – Sara

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This SheCycles post introduces you to Sara
Time for another SheCycles post! This time, I get to introduce you to the incredible Sara – she’s on Twitter as @SezRamos and on Instagram under the same name, so make sure you follow her. In case you still didn’t know, SheCycles is a growing series of posts that highlight a bunch of completely different, ... Read more

There’s a long, long trail a-winding…

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A  simple  question:  Which  is  the  UK’s  longest  traffic-free  cycle  path? The UK has quite a collection of traffic-free cycle paths. Some are better known than others, and some are far longer than others. Some have smooth tarred surfaces, while others have unsealed, and often muddy surfaces. Some are simply obviously better than others, but ... Read more

LEJOGLE Relay

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LEJOG is a British cycle touring rite of passage. It is short for Land’s End – John O’Groats, and refers to cycling between the two destinations. Prevailing winds mean most people start at the bottom and cycle up, but a fair number cycle it in the opposite direction, when it’s referred to as JOGLE. The ... Read more

Idle ramblings

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I have a very busy mind – it’s chaotic at times – and I’ve long known that cycling calms my mind, especially longer bike rides. It is for this reason I prefer to cycle outside – I ride for the pure enjoyment of it first, then for transport or leisure, and lastly for training. There’s ... Read more

Crash card

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Nobody ever wants to crash, especially when that crash involves being hit by a driver. In fact, most of us don’t even want to think about that! What I’ve learned from painful personal experience is that shock will impact on your behaviour, and decisions after a crash. You are extremely likely to make poor decisions, and to ... Read more

GoCycle Guide – Kennet and Avon Canal cycle route

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A picture of my laden bicycle, taken on a bridge, while cycling the Kennet And Avon Canal cycle route
Cycle the Kennet and Avon Canal Ah, the romance of cycling along canals, wind in your hair, sun on your face, and birds swooping around! You’ll smile and exchange pleasantries with boaters as you pass each other by along the Kennet and Avon Canal cycle route. Canal cycling is gorgeous, usually flat, incredibly scenic, and a wonderful introduction to cycle ... Read more

SheCycles – Nadine

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Nadine on her bicycle
In this latest SheCycles post, we hear from Nadine Ansorg – she’s Nadine_Ansorg on Twitter, and you should definitely follow her. Nadine offers insight of being a woman who cycles, both in the UK and in Europe, especially Germany, where she’s originally from. SheCycles is a growing series of posts in which a wide array ... Read more

Cycloffee

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Cycloffee is a challenge that will benefit both cyclists, and coffee shops. As is commonly known, cycling and coffee is a match made in heaven! The idea is to visit as many of the coffee shops as possible, and get your Caffeine Card stamped. Rules are simple: a visit to a coffee shop only counts if you cycled there, and obviously you can only get a single stamp per café.