Will
Surrender
The word surrender usually conjures up negative connotation, often centred around war, or battle. Surrender means giving up, and that’s usually see as a bad thing. But there is one kind of surrender that can change your cycling. Rain The UK is exquisitely beautiful and green. The reason behind all that lush greenery, and many … Read more
The Art of the Five-Minute Ride
The world tells us that journeys need to be big to matter. That the real adventures start where maps start to fade, where days stretch long, and where you lose sight of home. But the humble five-minute ride – the trip to the shop, the detour to the post box, the spin around the block … Read more
On the bright side
Lights. We all-too-often hear about drivers ranting about seeing cyclists riding at night, without lights. Ignoring for the moment that they admit they saw the cyclists, the fact is it really is a VERY good idea to have lights on your bike at night. To see, or to be seen? That is the question Lights … Read more
All you need to know about cycling on Dartmoor
Dartmoor is England’s last true wilderness, and receives millions of visitors each year. It’s easy to see why – Dartmoor is beautiful. From the annual Ten Tors event for school kids, to the Dartmoor Classic sportive, to smaller events like Dartmoor In A Day, to just casual visitors and families having a picnic, Dartmoor caters … Read more
Coospo CS600 smart cycling computer
I recently obtained a Coospo CS600 cycling computer to review. Full disclosure from the outset: I didn’t pay for the unit. However, I do honest reviews, and that’s exactly what this one is. Overview The CS600 is the top-of-the-range bicycle computer from Coospo, a Chinese manufacturer. This is by no means the best cycling computer … Read more
Baguettes and bicycles – Steven Herrick
When the blurb for a book start with “Award-winning author”, you immediately have high hopes for the book. In this book, Herrick tells of when he crossed France by bicycle, from west to east. The book is somewhat unusual in that Henrick didn’t do a continuous 1 200 km journey. Instead, at times he hired … Read more
Far Sweeter Than Honey – William Spencer
William Spencer, and his mate Brian, were young men when they decided to set off from 1970s England, and cycle to India. Inspired by what he read about Auroville, in India, Spencer developed a growing interest in meditation (though it wasn’t something he could actually do). Newbies The pair weren’t very experienced cycle tourers, but … Read more
What does “Leave No Trace really mean?
Throughout this site, you will find regular references to Leave No Trace, but what does it actually mean? Is it simply about picking up your litter, or is there more to it? Actions have consequences In South Africa, there’s an area known as Namaqualand. It’s barren desert most of the time, but when it does … Read more
Secret Plymouth – Plumtown
Secret Plymouth routes are part of the Secret Cities series of cycle route guides. This one sets off from Coypool Park & Ride, to go explore some roads and lanes in Plympton that you probably never even knew existed. Why is this route called Plumtown? Plympton is considered to have taken it’s name from the … Read more
An act of rebellion
You can’t accuse me of not nailing my colours to the mast. I loudly and proudly oppose racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, xenophobia, genocide and more. Climate change I understand the severity of the threat climate breakdown poses, and that we’re rushing headlong into making this planet uninhabitable for humans. And of course I’m continuously working … Read more
The Road Headed West – Leon McCarron
During the economic crash of 2008, Leon McCarron was in a predicament: jobs were few and far between, and after a 6 month stint of working in New York city, he’d had enough. What he needed was an adventure, and what better adventure than to cycle across the USA? This book tells the story of … Read more
But travel is for the rich…
Let us be honest: it will cost a lot of money to take a few years out to go cycle around the world. Mark Beaumont’s latest world record cost over £250 000, placing even an attempt well beyond the reach of most people. Even if your budget was to survive on just £10 per day, … Read more