Category: Route research

Takeaway-delivery robots, concrete cows (replicas), and Stone Age Circles (est. 2000): yes, I’m researching bike routes in Milton Keynes.

More route research, cycling High Cup Nick up in the Pennines. Coming from the east is astounding and dramatic: after three hours of tarmac, farm track and bog in empty grey-brown moorland, the vast bowl of High Cup suddenly appears and fills the view, with the lush green Eden farmland beyond, and Lakes fells in…

More lovely cycle route research round Northumberland. Saw another enhanced road sign, this time to Shilbottle. Perhaps the same person who amended the sign to Snitter that I posted a picture of two days ago…

Smashing first day researching cycle routes in Northumberland. The weather and scenery was fab, but the traffic occasionally got in the way, as you can see from all those sheep.

End of another work trip. Bet you wish you could make a living doing this. So do I.

Super day of cycling alongside Trossachs lochs: Venachar, Drunkie, Ard, Chon, Katrine, Arklet, Lomond. Lots of cyclists at the Pier Cafe, Stronachlachar, passionately debating which loch is the best. Not quite as passionately as they debated which Trossachs cafe does the best cakes, though. (Answer: Liz MacGregor’s in Aberfoyle, obvs.)

Cycled up gorgeous Glen Lyon, Perthshire, and over the remote back mountain road (closed to cars, open to bikes) from Pubil to Killin. Definitely Scotland’s longest, arguably Scotland’s loveliest, and possibly Scotland’s rainiest glen. I’m now dripping dry with a pint in the Killin Hotel.

A few days researching routes around lovely Loch Tay up in Perthshire.

More fab cycling in the mountains of east Wales. The indie hostel here in Llangollen is great – except for the group of raucous, cackling people playing loud music and dominating the common room and kitchen. Yes, U3A are here on a group outing.

More very enjoyable exploration of the hills round Llangollen and the Dee valley.