GoCycle Expert Guide – Somerset Circle

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A touring bicycle on the Somerset levels, during a cycle tour of the Somerset Circle route
Go  exploring  along  the  gorgeous  Somerset  Circle! The UK has many disused railways, and many of these have been converted into shared paths. In fact, Sustrans’ very first path was the Bristol And Bath Rail Path, which follows the course of an old, disused railway, and forms part of the Somerset Circle. The Camel Trail in ... Read more

Summer holidays adventures with kids

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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

Life Cycles – Julian Sayarer

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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

The Strawberry Line debacle

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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

A Bike Ride, by Anne Mustoe

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In 1983, the head teacher of a posh girl’s school in Suffolk was on holiday in India. Out the window of the tour bus, she saw a cyclist, and instantly decided that she wanted to cycle not only across India, but around the world. This was Anne Mustoe. In 1988, she finally quit her job, ... Read more

The Swiss Valley Trail

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Swiss Valley Trail cycle route overall rating: B3⭐⭐⭐ Mostly following the old Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Mineral Railway, the 13 mile Swiss Valley Trail links the coastline at Lannelli with Cross Hands. This route forms part of National Cycle Network (NCN) route 47, and it’s a stunning ride. Though there are a few roads to ... Read more

How to waterproof anything

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Psst!! Cm’ere! Want to learn how to properly waterproof anything? Obviously not anything – you can’t waterproof dust, or air, or things like that, but cycling coats, cycling shoes, panniers, tarps, tents, or even jeans? Those you certainly can waterproof! So, you ready to learn how? And if you didn’t believe me about the jeans, scroll down ... Read more

A 1986-style Devon Coast To Coast

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selective focus photography of black cassette tape
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

The WillCam mount options

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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

Potholes and Pavements, by Laura Laker

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Potholes and Pavements: A bumpy ride on Britain's National Cycle Network, by Laura Laker
I must confess a few things I thought before reading this book:1) Laker is a journalist, and British journalism is probably at it’s lowest, and least trustworthy, ever. As a result, not knowing Laker’s work very well, I was seriously apprehensive.2) I’ve written about Sustrans and the NCN before, so thought there wouldn’t be much ... Read more

Le Grand Tour – by Andrew P Sykes

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I’ve a confession to make, right from the outset: I’ve read all of Sykes’ books, and I’m a big fan of his work. Why am I starting a book review with this disclosure? Simple: this will be a positive review. However, it’s a positive review because it’s a great book, and not because of his ... Read more

#RideForGaza

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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

And they called it puppy love

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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

Why do you ride?

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woman in brown coat riding a bicycle
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

Cycle tour destroyer

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If like me, you spend considerable time planning and preparing for a cycle tour, then you’ll be excited when the day comes to go cycle touring. Finally, a chance to escape the everyday humdrum of life, and explore the world in the best way possible: on two wheels, and under your own efforts. Because you’re ... Read more

Best-value helmet cam

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So, you’re looking for a decent-quality cycling helmet camera? You want a battery life of around two and a half hours, decent video quality (4K), digital image stabilisation, AND WiFi connectivity, right? The WillCam OK, I don’t manufacture these, but as I do sell them, I get to name my product. From the outset I ... Read more

Upgrade is the new N+1

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Upgrade is the new N+1
My bike is, as I’m writing this, eight years old, and has carried me over many thousands of miles. As you’d expect, it took a battering over that time, including a few crashes. Most cyclists know the supposed formula of N+1 to determine the ideal number of bikes to own. In that formula, N equals ... Read more

Peace of mind when solo cycle touring

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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

Book review – Wild Camping the Wild Atlantic Way

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Wild Camping the Wild Atlantic Way - a book about cycle touring the Wild Atlantic Way
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

Just be

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For most of your life, you were told to become this, or become that, or to strive to be better, be different, or simply be something else. Far too many cyclists – on a daily basis, and as a normal part of their ride – try to be faster. Many try to be the fastest ... Read more

Top ten worst things about cycle touring

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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