Hippy life in Yorkshire? I can promise you, having grown up through them, that the Swinging Sixties barely even wobbled in Hull, never mind swung. All that love, peace and alternative living may have gone on in the decadent south but it never made it north of Sheffield. So it’s a pleasant surprise to come…
Author: Rob Ainsley
Calderdale 1: Four seasons in a day
I’m with Tim researching bike routes round Todmorden and Calderdale, and we had a fabulous day today cycling the moors around Hebden Bridge. We had four seasons in one day: winter, spring, wintry spring, and midwinter. Rochdale Canal has fabulous scenery, and you’ll keep stopping to admire the views and take pictures. And search for…
E: York to Bridlington
The third of my Yorkshire Compass Rides was a wind-assisted glide through the Wolds to seaside Bridlington, and the eastern promontory of Flamborough Head. It included the area’s most scenic downhill, a Roman Road, a lighthouse-rich chalkberg, and a land train. There’s always something nice about returning home. Less so this morning, though, as I…
S: York to Harthill
The second of my Yorkshire Compass Rides took me south to the county’s most obscure extremity, and was a day of planets, power stations, pints, and a place called Wales. I rode south alongside a mirror-flat Ouse out of York and down the planets trail, a fantastic scale model of the solar system where the…
N: York to Redcar
The first of my Yorkshire Compass Rides was a glorious day offering some characteristic Yorkshire views – stately homes; the North York Moors; beaches with hardy bathers; closed factories; and penguins. I headed north out of York through the misty Howardian Hills (pic). They take their name from the Howard family, who still own much…
London: Emirates Air Line cable car
Researching a few London routes, and taking our bikes on the Emirates cable car over the Thames. Because we can. And because it makes sure we get the entire car to ourselves.
Taiwan 19: Taipei
And finally, a pleasant surprise: a bike exhibition we stumbled on, Turning Wheels: Bicycle and Daily Life in Taiwan. It was at the National Museum of Taiwan, which is deceptively spacious. Because from the outside (pic) it looks spacious. But inside… well, I’ve been to bigger Wetherspoons. Still, of the handful of galleries, two were…
Taiwan 18: Taipei
We’re off the bikes now, since Tainan, but here’s a quick round-up of our non-cycling travels back to Taipei. Tim copped a leg infection in Tainan so – with the help of his fellow Bradt author Steven, who lives here – we got it sorted at the local hospital last Sunday (pic). Very efficient and…
Taiwan 13: Tainan
All that End to End stuff on high-grade carbon-frame fast touring bikes (now returned) is fine, but we did some real cycle touring here in Tainan today… …on our hotel’s free hire machines (pic). I always love exploring a city on one of these: a cheap, clanky town bike stuck in its one functioning gear,…
Taiwan 11: Kaohsiung
Today was an easy day exploring Kaohsiung by bike. We decided we hadn’t spotted enough monkeys on this trip, so we cycled up to Shoushan (‘Long life mountain’) and walked some of the trails. Lots of monkeys, including this grooming pair (pic). Given the excellent quality of food here in Taiwan, I was surprised that…