I’ve simply returned from a solo-cycle journey which took me from South-eastern Turkey to England. I acquired many questions from individuals I met in the course of the journey, steadily revolving round my gender and lack of companionship; nevertheless, some of the frequent inquiries was concerning the potential for cycle touring (or, bikepacking) within the UK. Everybody wished to know the place to go, what to see and the best way to get there.
I used to be puzzled. I started to marvel, how had I missed obvious treasures nearer to house? So, after biking 1000’s of miles over a number of international locations, I ignored the “get an actual job!” groans from family and friends, and alighted the ferry at Dover and got down to proceed to out-pedal grownup commitments throughout a few of the UK’s bicycle routes.
Having cycled over fenland, throughout ridgeways and coastal paths, over mountains and thru main cities, criss-crossing England and Wales on street and gravel paths, I found that bikepacking/touring within the UK was not as easy as predicted. My bike is clogged with mud, my sneakers destroyed by floodwater, and I believe I could have tinnitus from the relentless wind, however the effort was value it.
Should you fancy giving it a go – I’ve acquired loads of suggestions…
Count on single observe adventures
Quickfire suggestions
(Picture credit score: Isobel Duxfield)
1) If deciding on a river or canal facet route, wider and extra resilient tyres are undoubtedly suggested. I’d warning anyone travelling with a recumbent or trailer towards selecting these sections.
2) If you could hop on a prepare, discover the prices of trains to neighbouring cities and full the journey by bike. The value distinction between trains is astonishing.
3) Biking tools may be costly. But, because of the proliferation of second hand platforms (EBay, Fb market, Vinted and so forth), there are a lot of bargains available, particularly presently of 12 months when many need to improve their current package.
4) For these biking out and in of the UK, boat is the most suitable choice. Eurostar requires you to deconstruct your bike and could be very costly.
I’ve lived overseas for a number of years, and having returned to the UK, I used to be astounded by the extent to which the UK’s biking infrastructure has improved. Cycle lanes and bike parking are unrecognisable.
Nevertheless, navigating the nation by bike nonetheless requires perseverance and lateral considering. For instance, riverside routes and canal towpaths supply nice traffic-free routes between city centres, however they’re extra single observe gravel journey than the vast, asphalt avenues beside the Scheldt, Danube or Rhône. These waterway routes usually contain leapfrogging gates, mounting steep cobbled bridges, traversing extremely slim passages and different pesky obstacles which made me marvel who had had the audacity to mark this as a ‘bike route’.
This mentioned, it’s alongside these routes, suffering from hen nesting websites,18th century locks and fascinating narrowboat communities, that I discovered a few of the most intriguing wildlife, historic and cultural websites of the journey.
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Navigating with the Nationwide Cycle Community
The Nationwide Cycle Community wasn’t all the time straightforward to navigate
(Picture credit score: Isobel Duxfield)
I used the UK’s Nationwide Cycle Community when and the place I may. Europe’s notorious EuroVelo routes entice cyclists from all corners of the globe; but, the lesser identified Nationwide Cycle Community within the UK additionally provides a terrific inroad into long-distance touring.
The Community is a nexus of interconnecting routes, marked with blue signposts, which direct cyclists round low visitors, and visitors free roads and paths.
In contrast to many routes I had adopted in mainland Europe, Britain’s meandering street system means it’s not as easy as ‘heading in a basic route’ alongside a single river valley or street. That is the place the Community actually comes into its personal, serving to one traverse the common twists and turns which outline cycle touring within the UK.
I discovered that the Community additionally supplies ultimate low-traffic choices for getting into and exiting main cities, which are sometimes essentially the most advanced and harmful segments of cycle excursions. For instance, the place Komoot, Google Maps and Maps.me inspired me to utilise some panic-inducing A-roads, utilizing the Nationwide Cycle Community I used to be capable of keep away from them. Admittedly, sticking to the community just isn’t totally hassle-free, and it does require an excellent cellular app or GPS biking pc when signage mysteriously evaporates in lots of sections.
Get multi-modal… a budget(er) approach
Britain’s sprawling rail community makes it fairly straightforward to achieve your place to begin or skip over sections when the poor climate (inevitably) attracts in. Nevertheless, as many know all too properly, prepare journey is usually eye-wateringly costly, one thing which cyclists travelling from Germany, Belgium or Holland don’t typically finances for.
Discovering low price fares may be an art-form, however not unattainable, and I devoted quite a lot of time looking for the most affordable choices. My greatest piece of recommendation to others right here is to spend money on a railcard and take a look at platforms resembling Trainline, the place inexpensive tickets to or from in style begin and finish factors together with Dover, Plymouth or Chester may be discovered.
Additionally it is important to know the prepare operator’s bicycle laws and amenities. Though bicycles may be carried freed from cost, some strains solely supply a couple of bike areas per prepare, and they’re snapped up properly in advance- notably in the course of the summer time months. And, as I discovered, station employees can’t be haggled with.
Lodging doesn’t must price the earth!
(Picture credit score: Isobel Duxfield)
Discovering an inexpensive and protected place to sleep at evening may be essentially the most advanced and dear a part of cycle touring. Little marvel it’s typically the most important deterrent towards a visit for a lot of. Nevertheless, as soon as the array of choices accessible, it’s far much less daunting.
Given the UK’s ‘variable’ local weather, and restrictions on wild (free) tenting, discovering comfy and dry shelter does require a bit extra ahead planning than in lots of different locations.
Tenting is one choice. Wild tenting is permitted in Scotland, however largely unlawful in England (except for Dartmoor). There are nevertheless quite a few campsites, in unbelievable places; from cliff-top fields in Pembrokeshire to riverside spots within the Dales, and family-run farms within the Peak District. Pitches are sometimes reserved early, so be ready for disappointment if you do not need to e-book forward.
Warmshowers can be an effective way to search out free lodging and implausible firm. This web site (and app) connects cycle tourers with hosts who open their house as a possible location for travellers to remain, offering a mattress, a sofa or a tenting area of their backyard. Now over a decade previous, Warmshowers has over 100,000 customers, and has grown right into a community connecting cyclists everywhere in the world.
For me, it was in actual fact the individuals who hosted me on this journey which outlined it. I stayed with many implausible people, listening to fascinating, and sometimes hilarious tales about their very own biking experiences, and sharing maybe a couple of too many glasses of wine, which I undoubtedly felt the subsequent morning.
Have I satisfied you?
It’s that point of 12 months once more. Because the temperatures rise, winds abate, and sunlight hours improve, cyclists start to plan their summer time excursions. Biking membership group chats and on-line boards are buzzing with discussions about discovering scenic roads throughout the Alps, the accessibility of Jap European routes, or the best way to clinch a motorcycle spot on German trains (the reply is critical ahead planning and a little bit of fairy mud).
For these with out the annual go away or (let’s be trustworthy) disposable earnings typically required for such abroad journeys, additionally it is the season for FOMO.
Nevertheless, the previous few weeks have taught me that you don’t in actual fact must look so removed from house for thrilling bike excursions. There’s nonetheless a lot of the UK I’m desirous to expertise by bike… however maybe subsequent time in higher climate!
