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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UPDATE: Due to a landslip just before Tumble (roughly 10.5 miles into the route) the Swiss Valley Trail is partially closed. You can still cycle the 10 miles to the closure, but to continue beyond that will require some on-road cycling. This is a long-term closure. Mostly following the old Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Mineral ... 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 good-quality cycling helmet camera? You want a battery life of around two and a half hours, good 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