Route research round Salisbury. Stonehenge: Fail. There are still many unanswered riddles about the ancient monument, such as, where am I supposed to park my bike, English Heritage? Needs better signage and parking. Staff oblivious, press office hopeless about bike access and facilities. Honestly, anyone would think it was the Stone Age.
Author: Rob Ainsley
Stratford 2: To be or not to be cycling
Final bits of cycle route research round Stratford and Warwick. Threw it down with rain today. No problem for my Ortlieb panniers, which are 100% waterproof. My socks on the other hand are 99% waterproof. Today was the other 1%.
Stratford 1: Shall I compare thee? No
Beautiful October day doing more cycle route research, this time round Shakespeare’s Stratford and the Cotswolds. Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Obviously not, ‘cos it’s October.
Staffs 3: Mow Cop
More route research, this time up spectacular Mow Cop (rhymes with ‘Cow Mop’) south of Congleton. A mile of relentless uphill, average 12%, max 25%, with sweeping views from the folly at the top. Cycled up it, and I didn’t stop once. More like four times.
Staffs 2: Roaches and Flash photography
Another wonderful day researching routes round the hillier and fordier bits of the underrated Staffordshire Moorlands. The scenery in the evening sunshine round Hen Cloud and the Roaches was particularly lovely, and inspired some music for guitar, which you can hear at the bottom of the page. Music for guitar: Hen Cloud Listen to my…
Staffs 1: Mr Kipling’s lakes
More cycle-route research, this time in Staffordshire Moorlands, aka the bits of the Peak District that aren’t in Derbyshire. Mr Kipling makes exceedingly good lakes.
Surrey Hills 3: Box Hill
Surrey Hills Cycle Route Research finished today with Box Hill, a secret known only to me and 15,000 other cyclists on this baking hot sunny day.
Surrey Hills 2: In the slow lane
More lovely cycle route research in the Surrey Hills that involved lots of traditional English things, such as quaint villages, more sunken country tracks, and anti-fracking protest camps.
Surrey Hills 1: Sunken lanes and horse touring
More cycle route research, this time in the lovely Surrey Hills. They’re hilly.
Faroes 1: Kirkjubøur to Eiði
Is the Faroe Islands – in the North Atlantic, halfway between Scotland and Iceland – a country? Actually no, because it’s a dependency of Denmark, which looks after its defence, currency, policing and foreign affairs. And only has about five trees. But actually yes, because it otherwise self-governs, has its own football team, and has…