Fabulous day of route research cycling up over the North York Moors to Whitby, via Wheeldale Moor. This is high up on my list of most enjoyable places in the world to cycle-tour. It has all the essentials: quiet roads, climbs and descents, sweeping views, glorious solitude, friendly locals, and a Wetherspoon in Whitby by…
Category: Route research
Milton Keynes 3: Cricket and chameleons
More exploration of routes in and around Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes 2: Country lanes and castles
More route research in and around Milton Keynes. A lovely day cycling quiet country lanes.
Milton Keynes 1: Concrete cows, delivery robots
Takeaway-delivery robots, concrete cows (replicas), and Stone Age Circles (est. 2000): yes, I’m researching bike routes in Milton Keynes.
Pennines: High Cup Nick
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…
Alnwick 2: Amble and Warkworth
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…
Alnwick 1: Road blocks, bah
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.
Loch Tay 4: Kinloch Rannoch
End of another work trip. Bet you wish you could make a living doing this. So do I.
Loch Tay 3: The Trossachs
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.)
Loch Tay 2: Glen Lyon
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.