If you’re a parent, you don’t need reminding how expensive kids can be, or how difficult it can be to incorporate healthy activity and adventure into family outings. Fortunately, there are options that won’t break the bank, and if you can get to the start by train, you can save CO2, save on parking, and … Read more
When Mark Beaumont set a new round-the-world cycling record, he managed to get corporate sponsorship to finance his record attempt. One London cycling courier saw that as an affront, and was determined to set a new world record on a self-financed, shoe-string budget. That courier is Julian Sayarer, and Life Cycles is the book that … Read more
Let me start off by saying that overall, the Strawberry Line has the potential to be phenomenally good, and the people behind it have achieved so much, with limited resources. The Strawberry Line, in case you didn’t know, is a (mostly) traffic-free route linking Yatton with Cheddar. There are aspirations to link it up with … Read more
1986 was a great year – Duran Duran were a supergroup, and it was my last year of school, in South Africa. In 1986, computers existed – I owned a Sinclair ZX Spectrum – but it was largely the pre-digital era. Mobile phones weren’t a thing, so you couldn’t phone people as such, only places, … Read more
Some people seem to have had a little difficulty in figuring out how to use the different mount options that comes with each WillCam, so I put these instructions together to help. The bike mount options First up, we’ll look at the options for mounting the WillCam to your bicycle (not your helmet). Your new … Read more
WillCycle isn’t meant to be political, as in, I have deliberately and intentionally kept politics off this site. I’m not about to change that. This is not a political post. Instead, it’s a call for basic human decency, and human rights, alongside a call to accept the rule of law. Have you ever heard someone … Read more
I have a new love in my life: he’s called Alfie, and he’s the most adorable ball of fluff I’ve seen in a while. Alfie’s a Shih Zu puppy, though I’m convinced there’s another breed in there somewhere, too. I’m not a Kennel Club snob, and while I have nothing against “pure breed” dogs, I … Read more
When I got back into cycling, it was because my kids – still little at the time – wanted to go riding further than just up and down the pavement in front of the house where we used to live. As a result, I got a really cheap mountain bike, which I absolutely loved! That … Read more
A 70 year old reader of my newsletter, The Spirit Of Adventure (you are signed up, aren’t you?) emailed me, explaining health issues he overcame, and asked the following: “So the question I have is, while venturing out alone, whether cycle camping or touring, what would your top ten tips be for planning a trip … Read more
Every traveller’s journey is unique to them, and is a snapshot in time. This book tells the story of when I cycled the bottom half of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. If I had to cycle exactly the same route today, I’d end up with a completely new, and different experience. This is my adventure, and … Read more
Obviously, I remain an enormous fan of cycle touring, and often wish I was financially able to go cycle touring for half the year, every year. And why not? After all, you get to experience so many wonderful things, see stunning sights, and meet interesting people along the way. However, cycle touring isn’t just moonshine … Read more
With climate change comes the reality of hotter days. When cycle touring, that has real-world implications for you, in multiple ways. You No matter how advanced we may think of ourselves as a species, the fact remains that we’re still only mammals. That means our bodies like to remain with a core temperature of around … Read more
If you do cycle touring in the UK, and you usually camp along the way, sooner or later you’ll end up camping in the rain. After all, the UK is luscious and green because of the rain we get, so you can’t really complain. Of course, not all wet-weather camping is the same. It depends … Read more
We can’t all be on adventures all the time. Even the world’s most persistent cycle tourer, Heinz Stücke, eventually settled down. However, what we can do is start planning our next adventures! Decide on a timescale Time is the greatest limiter. You can always get more money, but you can never get more time. Your … Read more
If you’re new to camping, the tips on this page are sure to make your camping trip far better! What to take There are many different styles of camping, and some of them are extremely minimalist. My focus is heavily flavoured by cycle touring, and hiking. These are activities where you transport all your camping … Read more
No matter what kind of cyclist you are, you will love these 24 routes! 24 routes in 12 months obviously averages to two routes per month. Your challenge is to go cycle as many of these as you possibly can. There’s a free cycling cap as prize to the first person who can prove they … Read more
I went on a gentle adventure, with my youngest daughter, and it was so good! Why? Well, to answer that you’ll need to settle in, but it’s worth your time. Multi-modal I’ve long been a fan of taking my bicycle on the train, and that was the plan for this adventure, right from the start. … Read more
Time pauses for nobody, and before you know it – if you’re not already there, or beyond it – you too will be middle-aged. That does have implications for your cycling, but it certainly doesn’t mean it’s the end of your cycling! Over the years, I discovered a few tricks that work for me. Your … Read more
Right, here’s your mission (and don’t give me any of that “I don’t accept it” nonsense): go camping in November! I don’t care where you go camping, how you get there, or who you’re going with. However, there are rules attached! A digital detox Yup, that very much means no phone usage. Sure, you can … Read more
