Autumn blues

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The  melancholy  of  autumn While autumn is unquestionably a beautiful season, each autumn I get a sense of melancholy, a sense of almost sadness. I’m not referring to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – though winter certainly isn’t my favourite part of the year, I’m fortunate enough not to suffer from SAD. Perhaps it’s the passing ... Read more

Cycling tattoos

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My bicycle tattoo, immediately after it was done
Get  inked! Tattoos are a highly personal, and sometimes emotive subject. Some abhor them, some love them. I’m in the latter group, but of course it’s OK for you to not like tattoos. However, we all like cycling, don’t we? And what better way to celebrate cycling than with a collection of cycling-related tattoos? Cycling  ... Read more

The quest for power

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Satisfying  your  off-grid  cycle  touring  power  needs Off-grid cycle touring is exactly what the name suggests. Just you and your bike, going places, wild camping along the way. There’s no access to mains power, so you either have to carry sufficient battery capacity with you, or find a way to generate power along the way. ... Read more

Four Ferries & Freedom

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Cycling  Penzance  to  Plymouth I spent three days cycling from Penzance to Plymouth, wild camping along the way. I wanted to do this route for ages, but kept postponing to go cycling elsewhere in the UK instead. The reason for that’s simple: I know Cornwall reasonably well, but there are large swatches of the UK ... Read more

SheCycles – Sarah

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The SheCycles pic of Sarah
Sarah,  in  a  brand-new  SheCycles  post In case you still didn’t know, SheCycles is a growing series of posts highlighting women who cycle. They’re all quite different, and all totally amazing. If you haven’t yet, do go read all the other SheCycles posts! Sarah Sarah was born in Lincolnshire, and now lives in Northamptonshire. She’s ... Read more

Penzance – Plymouth Pootle – a Travelling Ouballies Ride

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Penzance – Plymouth Pootle I’ve wanted to cycle from Penzance to Plymouth for ages now, hugging the coastline. It’s an absolutely stunning part of the world, though as anyone would tell you, Cornwall is hilly. What makes things worse is hugging the coast inevitably means going up and down even more. Now to be fair, ... Read more

But you might die…

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Don’t go cycle touring as you might die Ever heard anyone say something along those lines? Ever put off going on an adventure because of such worries? I have news for you: you are going going to die. This may sound morbid, but every single one of us will die. The choice you need to make ... Read more

Stealth camping in the UK

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Why  stealth  camping? Stealth camping is wild camping done in such a way that nobody knows that you’re there. There are various reasons why you may want to do some stealth camping, but usually it’s because you may not have explicit permission to camp in a particular spot. What  does  the  law  say? With the ... Read more

Kit review: Adventuridge 2-person tent

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Another tent? For the past 10+ years, I’ve been using a little 2-person tent I bought from Tesco for £12. It’s just big enough for me and my kit, provided I sleep diagonally in it – and I’m not very tall! I’ve slept in that tent during very strong winds, on Dartmoor, and I used ... Read more

The Wild Atlantic Way calls

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Cliffs of Moher, on the Wild Atlantic Way
The  Wild  Atlantic  Way? The Wild Atlantic Way is a long-distance, incredibly scenic route along the west coast of Ireland. At 2 500 km (1 600 miles) in length, it’s the world’s longest defined coastal route. Officially, it runs from Kinsale, in County Cork, up to Derry, on the Inishowen Peninsula.  Obviously, the name is ... Read more

Planning that cycle touring route

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How much cycle touring route detail is enough? Some people love to have total freedom when cycle touring, including the route. I know of at least one person – who does very long tours – that regularly decides the day’s route just before setting off that morning. On the other hand, some people want every ... Read more

Digital navigation revisited

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Digital  navigation while  cycle  touring Quite some time ago I made a conscious decision regarding digital navigation and how I use it. Yes, I’m aware some people prefer paper maps, but much as I love paper maps, the world has moved on, and I moved with it. Digital navigation simply offers far more benefits to ... Read more

There’s more to cycling than just club rides

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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 touring

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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

Beginner’s Guide To Planning A Cycling Tour

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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