Category: Route research

Continuing route research today, on the gravel roads of South Arran.

More cycle route research, on the Isle of Arran, ‘Scotland in Miniature’ – presumably a whisky reference, as the island with no towns still manages to have two distilleries. No drams for me on this trip, though. And nothing miniature about the climbs, I can promise you.

More cycle route research in the lanes and hills round Kirkby Stephen.

More cycle route research, round Kirkby Stephen. Fabulous ride yesterday up the highest tarmac road in Britain and Ireland. The access road to Great Dun Fell’s radar station is closed to traffic and drivers need a permit – but it happens to be a bridleway, so you can cycle it. A smooth, car-free, tarmac road…

Cycle route research on the Wirral Peninsula, on a bright sunny day that was chillier than it looks. The traffic-free prom path from Hoylake to Birkenhead is miles long and was packed today.

I’m counting this as route research, even though it’s on my doorstep. On a lovely day I biked all York’s nine cyclable crossings of the Ouse (three of them ped/cycles-only), from northern ring road to southern railtrail, crossing to the other side at each one. Lots of sunny riverside trundling, and architecture ranging from charming…

Another fab day of cycle route research from Inverness, looping down to Tomatin and back over the moor (you say Tomartin, I say Tomaytin, let’s call the whole thing off).

Back researching cycle routes, at last, after five months of kicking my heels, twiddling my thumbs and drumming my fingers. Who says men can’t multi-task? Anyway, today was a loop from Inverness, through the lake district south of Loch Ness. All fab, varied scenery on tiny back roads devoid of traffic. And, er, cafes and…

I’m en route to Inverness for some route research at last, after months stuck at home, and stopped off in Edinburgh for an investigative cycle round.

A delightful couple of days researching routes round Wharfedale and Wensleydale with Andrew P Sykes (of CyclingEurope.org), who’s en route to Edinburgh. As we’re both cycling writers, we spent much of the trip doing what we know and like best: sitting in a pub, talking. Professionally, of course: it was for a podcast.