Sunday 18th July 2021 Last year, a few of us had planned a cycling holiday in Italy in the summer. It soon became obvious that it wasn’t going to happen, but what was to replace it? As it turned out, the next best option is a cottage near Durham in July. Which is why we’re […]
Monday 7th June 2021 I had booked a stay in Hartington Hall hostel in February 2020 but an encounter with a car in the January left me with no bike and a broken collar bone so I had to cancel. Then Covid-19 struck, so it’s only now that I am able to go on the […]
Wednesday 19th May 2021 I haven’t been cycle touring (defined by me as travelling with panniers and moving on each day) for over 18 months now and I’m really missing it. I’ve booked a hostel in Derbyshire in June but the main trouble with the location is that Manchester is slap bang between me and […]
For most of us, 2020 was a very strange year. From a cycling perspective, it began normally for me, but then I was knocked off the bike in January and suffered a broken collar bone (and a broken bike!). By the time I was able to ride again, the country was in lockdown, so I […]
Tuesday 1st December 2020 My reluctance to venture out very far on my bike during the Covid-19 period has meant that I have generally only cycled out from Brindle. I decided to change this in December when I loaded the bike on the carrier and drove to Waddington on a cold, crisp day. The ride […]
To misquote Arkwright (Open all Hours), “It’s been a funny old year”, but sadly for most of us, 2020 profoundly lacked humour. The year started off fine, at least for me, but rapidly worsened as all my plans evaporated in March as I expect they did for most of us. I was reminded of the […]
Tuesday 8th September I readily admit it: I am risk averse. I wouldn’t say overly so, but the affliction is getting worse as I age. Perhaps I just have a good imagination, and I can always envisage what could go wrong. I’ve had four cycle touring trips cancelled this year, and although I’ve had offers […]
It’s at times like these I really feel sorry for the Queen. How on earth is she going to write her broadcast message after the year she’s just had? I’m thinking of that now, because I’m struggling to find a way to start my annual letter, not that I’ve had a bad year (far from […]
Saturday 12th October 2019 Less than a month after my last adventure which began in the Swiss Alps, I’m going back again. This trip is quite different, however, and not nearly so logistically challenging. The plan is to fly to Geneva, leave immediately (without spending a fortune in Swiss Francs on the price of a […]
Cycling from the source of the Rhine to the sea along the EuroVelo route 15 (EV15) cycle route which is one of many long distance cross-Europe cycle routes. Tuesday 3rd September 2019 Tomorrow I’m heading south with my bike packed in a box to start the longest ride of my life. I will drive to […]