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This was going to be our third Cycling UK route over the last couple of years and this time Tim and I were looking forward to sharing our Autumn adventure with a couple of other friends. At 140 miles and an almost flat elevation profile, plus the opportunity to stop for ice-creams en-route, the Cantii Way looked to be a viable contender. Day 1 - Wye to Sandwich It was a typical start to any adventure. An early morning pickup from various parts of Surrey before briefly hitting the M20 and then finding a secure parking spot in Wye. Bikes unloaded, bags strapped on and water bottles filled we were quickly winding our way north for the start of our long weekend. We'd chosen to divert away from the "official" route, avoiding the leg through Kings Wood and Chilham Village. The guide book route takes a very pretty ride along a mix of lumpy single and double tracks. However, being the start of our expedition, we didn't fancy a puncture or lost pannier early on, so stuck with the Olantigh Road joining the route proper at Shalmsford Street some seven miles later. And being National Cycle Network 18 anyway, we didn't feel it detracted from the overall adventure at all. Next stop Canterbury, which for some unknown reason is by-passed by the guide book route. We had planned to take a straight line through the middle to ride its cobble streets and take a brief look at the world famous Cathedral. The Crab and Winkle Way (NCN 1) took us out of Canterbury, through the University of Kent and onto the pretty town of Whitstable, the first of our tick-list of quintessential sea-side towns we'd be passing through over the three days. What followed was a fantastically scenic jaunt round the coast, first west - passing through Hearn Bay, Reculver and Margate - then turning south towards Broadstairs and Ramsgate. Twenty five miles later, and with a horizon bending pink sky on our left, we switched on our lights as Ramsgate harbour did the same. I don't think I've ever visited this part of the world before but we all agreed it was pretty special. Boats bobbing in the marina, the ornate brick arches forming three tiers to the cliff side route and beautiful art deco lights illuminating our way up Royal Parade. The sun had set by the time we reached The Viking Ship Hugin near Pegwell Bay and from there it was three miles to our over night stop in Sandwich. Beers, Burgers and three in a Travelodge room for the evening finished the first day perfectly. Day 2 - Sandwich to Lydd We set off reasonably early, pausing to gather supplies from the local Spar and obligatory sausage rolls from Greggs. It was a cool Autumn morning, the sun not quite strong enough to take the chill out of the air as we wound our way back towards the coast at Sandwich Bay. Our first sight of sand and sea was approaching the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Course and rolling into Deal. We passed the pier on our left and castle on our right as we slipped once again onto the familiar dedicated sea-front cycle paths. The route crops off St. Margaret's at Cliffe and South Foreland Lighthouse, our direction being the first of only two real ascents on the entire journey via NCN 1. We were quickly topping the hills above Dover, the imposing castle in the foreground, recounting scenes from Ian Fleming's novel "Moonraker" where Bond drives his Bentley 4 1/2 litre to investigate Hugo Drax's rocket research establishment at Kingsdown. The Pedaler on the Port @theindiepedaler was a brilliant spur of the moment find, delivering coffee and cake while watching holiday makers board the channel crossing ferries. Refueled, we dived inland again for the last big ascent of the trip, this time round the back of Samphire Hoe towards Folkestone. We stumbled upon the Battle of Britain memorial on the cliff above The Warren, and as we still had a couple of hours before meeting our forth team member, we wandered around the mock Spitfire and German Junkers aircraft, understanding a little more about this decisive Second World War air campaign. Rather than cycle through Folkestone, our route stayed on the cliff behind, allowing us a brilliant view of the sprawling port town and Euro Tunnel terminal below. We'd been blessed with beautiful autumn sun the day before and it was same today as we stripped off layers before scooting down the hill to meet Paul in Peene. It was lunch time, so once again one of the multitude of cafes and restaurants on the route delivered. This time it was cans of Tango and fish finger baguettes in the Lazy Shack. Hythe. We diverted away from the busy coast road to follow the Royal Military Canal inland before heading south to pick up 7 miles of stunning coastal sea walls all the way to Dungeness for a cheeky half pint in the Pilot Inn over looking the alien landscaped bleakness. With dusk now on us and our front lights blinking our way out of the marshes, we took a straight course for Lydd and our over night stop at The George Hotel. The hotel restaurant was closed but the Guljar Tandoori next door wasn't. Chicken Tikka Masala and Cobra beers all round - could we have asked for a better end to the day? Day 3 - Lydd to Wye We stepped out of the hotel into a bright but chilly Autumn morning having already decided to buy a quick snack from the local convenience shop and then breakfast in luxury in Rye. Our route there was via NCN 2 heading towards the coast at Jury's Gap. It's was a pretty route, flat marsh land mainly, home to a number of bird species in the Walland Marsh on our right bordered by the no-go Lydd (firing) Range Danger Area on our left. An hour and a half later we were rolling through Rye's mediaeval "Landgate" arch and into The Old Grain Café for an obligatory, and fantastic, Full English breakfast, It's definitely worth a quick spin round the town if you have the time. Away from the general one-way-system the town is mainly olde-worldy cobbled streets and mediaeval houses. Mermaid Street perhaps being slightly reminiscent of Gold Hill in Dorset that starred in the famous Hovis bread advert. As Whitstable was the first, Rye was the last of our sea-side towns on this trip, as we now turned in land to head north towards Ashford and Wye. Our route joined the Military Road parallel to the southern part of the Royal Military Canal, an almost straight line all the way to Appledore. The road to Appledore was quite busy and a little uninspiring given our sea-view overdose over the last two days. We munched through the miles ticking off Woodchurch and Shadoxhurst, again choosing to cut out the official route that dog legs into some local woods. Ashford was upon us, its urban sprawl requiring slightly more attention to the GPS than the last fifteen miles and after that Wye and our waiting cars. We'd been blessed with perfect Autumn weather over the entire three days, particularly for early October, and we'd just caught the tail end of the tourist season so shops, accommodation and amenities were all still just about available. This is definitely one of our top Cycle UK routes so far. It's a brilliant adventure around some of England's finest Victorian sea-side towns. The easy riding coupled with lungful's of sea air, expansive horizons, architectural grandeur and a whiff of exuberant past times just makes it a perfect adventure. How to ride the Cantii Way Route The Cantii Way primarily uses a collection of National Cycle Network routes and local cycle trails to form a 140 mile (225km) circular route starting and finishing in Wye in Kent. It's more of a cycle touring route than an off-the-beaten-path bikepacking trip. and would be perfect as your first foray into multi day cycling adventures. We modified small sections of the journey to take in local landmarks and to cut out, what we felt, were needless detours into terrain more suited to a mountain bike. We felt the modifications enhanced our route - and of course CyclingUK encourage diverting away from the guidebook to suit your own adventure. We all thoroughly enjoyed the mix of coastal views, quiet back lanes, busy towns and the shear quantity of places to eat and drink on the way. It made for a brilliant adventure with plenty of opportunity to ride four abreast along many of the sea wall cycle paths. There are no public signs specifically for the route but if you take note of the NCN numbers and local cycle trail names before hand you can navigate a good percentage of the journey without being glued to your GPS. Clicking on the map title above takes you to my Ride with GPS route used for this adventure. It was created from scratch and checked against Ordnance Survey maps for accuracy and access rights at the time. It has also been tuned for turn by turn directions as best as possible. As mentioned above, we made minor modifications to the official route following feedback from previous route users and to include local attractions plus cut out some of the off-road terrain better suited to a different bike type. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. Alternatively you can download the official route from CyclingUK here. We chose to undertake the trip over three days with the first two days being slightly longer than the last. Our journey by car started from London which still fitted into the overall three day window. Day 1 - Wye to Sandwich. 51 miles (82km), 570m ascent Wye, Chilham (4), Canterbury (10), Whitstable (19), Herne Bay (24), Margate (36), Broadstairs (42), Ramsgate (44), Sandwich (51). Day 2 - Sandwich to Lydd. 54 miles (87km), 55om ascent Sandwich, Deal (6), Dover (15), Folkstone (22), Hythe (30), Dymchurch (39), Lade (44), Dungeness (47), Lydd (54) Day 3 - Lydd to Wye. 33 miles (53km), 295m ascent Lydd, Rye (9), Appledore (15), Woodchurch (19), Shadoxhurst (22), Ashford (27), Wye (33). Getting to the start Being a circular route, you can start at any point around the 150 mile circumference. We began our trip in Wye, the official start, where there was plenty of free on street parking on Churchfield Way next to the green. There's also public toilets and a small Co-op store for pre or post ride convenience. Wye train station is a few hundred meters from the start, which is an hour and a half train journey from London Charring Cross. If you were traveling in towards Kent, you could equally start in Rye, Canterbury or Ashford, all with good train links or parking. Terrain 86% paved... 14% unpaved If you choose to follow the Ride with GPS route above, which cuts out the short rough sections of the official route, what's left becomes classic touring bike terrain, echoing much of the National Cycle Network routes. It's best suited to a hybrid, gravel or touring bike, running something around a 35mm tyre. When to go Naturally, the best months are from May to September, when the weather is best and all the local attractions and facilities are open. It can of course be ridden at any time but do check the weather as much of the route is around very exposed coastal sections which would be severely impacted by strong winds or heavy rain. Accommodation Day 1 - Travelodge Sandwich. Spitfire Way, Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9FR Day 2 - The George Hotel Lydd. The George Hotel, 11 High Street, Lydd, Kent, TN29 9AJ Eating Given the amount of towns and villages the route passes through you're really spoilt for choice on where to eat. We stopped at the following places, outside of what our accommodation provided: The Pedaler on the Port, Dover (Indiepedaler). https://www.instagram.com/theindiepedaler/ Lazy Shack, Hythe. https://www.thelazyshack.co.uk/ The Pilot Inn, Dungeness. http://www.thepilotdungeness.co.uk/ Guljar Tandoori, Lydd. https://guljartandoori.com Old Grain Store Rye Convenience stuff There are plenty of public toilets along the route. A quick Google search at any point should bring up a number within a reasonable riding distance. Check for opening times if possible as toilets do tend to get locked up overnight and for the winter as soon as the main summer season has ended. Local food shops are in abundance given the amount of towns the route passes through. We struggled with cycle shops and did in fact have a minor mechanical when Tim's cassette decided to work its way loose. Nothing that a Leatherman multitool couldn't fix but we had tried two cycle shops in the mean time, both without success. Equipment The route is best suited to a touring, hybrid or gravel bike but as it's not particularly demanding any bike in good working order would suffice. The firm surface lends itself to a road bias tyre. Given our group dynamic, we chose not to camp, significantly cutting down on the kit we carried, and allowing sharing of common tools and equipment. We all carried a variation on the list below; this was my personal kit: Specialized CrossTrail "Adventure Bike", running Schwalbe Marathon Mondial 700 x 35 tyres; a 40T x 11-46t drive train and solid front forks. Bikepacking bags (22ltrs total): Self-made rear bag system (2 x 8 ltrs), Topeak Compact Handlebar Bag (2ltr), self made frame bag (3ltr), Topeak top tube bag (0.5ltr), Specialized seat pack S, Evoc Hip Pack Pro (3ltr) Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, cycling shorts (bibs), overshorts, wool cycle jersey, cycle gilet, arm warmers, neck buff, windproof smock. Spare clothes: Down jacket, light weight fleece, zip off trousers, socks, underwear, light weight trainers Wash kit, towel and first aid items Mobile phone, GPS, GoPro, Drone, battery(s), charger, cables Bike tools, innertube, pump, lights, bike lock, bell 1.5 ltrs (2 x water bottles) carried on the bike, snacks Final thoughts The Cantii Way is definitely not a wild camping bikepacking trip, but it is one of my all time favorite routes. If you're new to bikepacking or cycle touring and looking for your first multi day trip, I'd definitely pop this one towards the top of the list. With it's almost tick-list quantity of amazing towns, villages, castles and sea views, and terrain that's not too challenging, it makes for a simple ride which feels like a propper adventure. Happy Adventuring!

If you're looking for a 230 mile adventure where either the mile-munching friendly banter between old mates or the peaceful solitude of being at one with the bike speeds the journey along, then this is the route to choose. Day 1 - Oxborough to Heacham Cycling UK's, Rebellion Way officially starts in Norwich, although being a circular route, kicking off at any point on its 230 mile circumference is entirely possible. It had taken us a good few weeks of prior head scratching to get the five of us from Surrey to Norfolk in an efficient manner. We were looking to maximise our annual leave and keep the daily riding distance and overall trip cost wallet friendly. We settled on four days riding and a start and finish in Oxborough which meant we were relatively close to the main road from London, whilst cleverly avoiding the honey pot towns for our overnight accommodation. Cars parked, bikes unloaded and bags strapped to racks, we quickly found ourselves rolling down quiet back lanes and sandy tracks. The entrance to a field provided a decent enough backdrop for the group photo then it was onto Swaffham, the first of a number of towns on the route. Although in past times the busy town was a place of fame, modern shops have slightly tarnished its former appeal. Still, its got plenty to offer the passing traveller with pubs, convenience stores and toilets, but as we were fresh into our ride we passed through and headed north towards the pre-Norman, former walled town of Castle Acre. At just over thirteen miles in, and the next significant stopping point some twenty miles further, Castle Acre's Wittles Cafe, enticed us to rest on the village green and enjoy tea and cake. Suitably fueled and up to speed with the surrounding 'Castle and Bailey' history via Roly's pristine copy of the guide book, we jumped back on the bikes and headed north. Hedge lined back lanes, forest double track complete with swathes of orange sand, a big puddle and a puncture at a ruined church, more or less summed up the next couple of hours. Norfolk is a vast patchwork of multifaceted greens, hundreds of thousands of fields edged with paths and roads. Every once in a while, a small village or collection of houses signify human habitation. Our route felt like a dot-to-dot puzzle, weaving it's way through the ancient managed landscape joining habitation to habitation. We joined part of the Peddars Way before turning left towards Bawsey Lakes. Then north again to pass by the eleventh century Church of St. James, before heading west and into the outskirts of Kings Lynn. In contrast to the last thirty miles, the next ten were spent riding through a series of merged towns. The run into King's Lynn along local cycle lanes and park side paths was pleasant enough and sitting on the harbour front was a welcome lunch stop. The route retraced its steps in part before turning northward through Gaywood, South Wootton and North Wootton, the end of this section signified by the 1138 mediaeval ruins of Castle rising. Next waypoint, the well manicured Sandringham Estate. Then, with lights at the ready, it was back into the lanes and onto Sedgeford and the seaside town of Heacham where our six berth caravan and evening meal awaited. Day 2 - Heacham to Sheringham Rain is tolerable when it starts part way through the journey. Stepping out into blustery showers first thing in the morning does take a slightly hardy demeanour and degree of self motivation, particularly as our first stop was to find breakfast. An internet search had revealed a number of likely candidates and the Cliff Top Cafe and Beach Shop in Old Hunstanton, just five miles away, was a good find. Thankfully, in the time it took us to consume our various egg and bacon interpretations, the rain eased and the sun emerged from behind the grey coastal cloud. It was ten miles to Burnham Market and another ten to Wells-next-the-Sea. So with everyone now fuelled we set off on the north coast leg of our adventure. The route to Burnham Market avoids the coast road, which is a bit of a shame, but understandably the A149 can be busy and doesn't actually afford a true coastal view anyway. With no need to stop for provisions, we passed through the old market town and pressed on. Like much of this north west corner of Norfolk, the land is made up of a number of large country estates, their brick or flint stone walls signifying a passage around one vast perimeter or another. Today was the turn of Holkham Hall, the 18th century home of the current Earl of Leicester. After negotiating its slimline metal access gate we were met with an impressive two mile long drive, complete with imposing stone obelisk. After Holkham it was onto Wells-next-the-Sea, along what was probably one of the prettiest sections of the route following a pine wood gravel path next to Holkham Beach. We'd skipped the recommended Lookout Cafe at the western end of the nature reserve but succumbed to ice creams at the cafe near the Coast Watch Station. It was nearing lunch time so a brief stop in the main town filled our panniers with artisan (priced) baguettes and sweet delights from the bakery. This part of the Norfolk coast is always a popular tourist destination and today was no different, so we pressed on to eat in the relative seclusion of the village green at Great Walsingham. The next sixteen miles were fairly uneventful. Little Walsingham was very pretty and worth a stop if you fancied a sit down meal. More quiet back lanes, a couple of main roads and a smattering of gravel tracks followed until we arrived at Holt at around 4pm. A short break for weary legs opposite the Kings Head and then onto to Fish and Chips at The Two Lifeboats and an overnight stay at YHA Sheringham. Day 3 - Sheringham to Diss For some ungodly reason we'd decided to get up at 6am. The general plan was sound - try and finish todays 75 miles sometime before midnight. But swinging tired legs over the cross bar this early didn't feel like a holiday. So, as breakfast at the YHA wasn't served until 8am, we stocked up at the local Tesco superstore on our way down to the pretty harbour front in readiness for breakfast en-route. The route turned off-road fairly quickly with a steep ascent into Beeston Regis Heath, the wooded hills south of Sheringham. After struggling to find the route at the junction of the house and bridle way at Calves Well Lane, our party managed to get split up as we sought to find an alternate route to the top. Whilst three of the group pressed on through the woods, Paul and I managed to bag the view point and were rewarded with blue skies and a stunning coastal view. Picking our way through the woods was fun. A further mix of lanes, a busy stretch of road and more forest tracks took us to the rather grand, if some what austere, Felbridge House and the perfect spot for breakfast. The next fifteen miles were typical Norfolk quiet lanes - hedge lined in places - all with expansive views over a mix of arable produce. In contrast to yesterday's wet start, we were blessed with blue skies and a warm Autumn sun, just right for short sleeves and making the miles roll by. Blicklington Hall's impeccably manicured front lawn and surrounding buildings made for a convenient backdrop to the days Instagram photo and a useful pause to check the map for the next part of the route, the Bure Valley Railway. It was 11am and we'd covered twenty miles so far. As ever, the local bakery in Aylesham lured us in with sweet treats, tea and coffee but the town had a distinct lack of seating, so we didn't stay long. This next section was formed of a nine mile path running alongside the miniature railway line that connected Aylesham to Hoveton and provided a timely alternative from the Norfolk lanes. It's been advised that this section of the route can get busy with walkers and being only about a bike width in many places could be slow going. However it was a weekday morning for us and we pretty much had the path to ourselves. We'd set ourselves a 9am cut-off at Erpington and an 11:30am cut-off at Wroxham. These were both points at which we could shorten the official route to make up time. We'd hit the first but were thirty minutes behind the second. The decision was whether to pedal straight to Norwich via Salhouse or to include the Ranworth dogleg and make up the time elsewhere. With a trump card in our back pocket and good weather on our side we made the decision to stick with the official route. Our 2pm lunch was a mixed feast of burgers, left over sausage rolls from the bakery, plates of chips and pints of beer at the Maltsters in Ranworth right next to the picturesque Norfolk Broads. I guess the culmination of two and a half days of riding and three early starts were beginning to show as we munched our way through our pub grub in lazy fashion putting aside the fact we were only just over halfway through the distance for the day. We rolled past Norwich Cathedral at around 3pm and had decided to play our trump card, the fifteen minute train ride which runs from Norwich to Diss, cutting out twenty five miles of picturesque but all-to familiar Norfolk back lanes. It was absolutely the right call. After all, this was an adventure, not a bike slog and given our group has been adventuring together for over thirty five years none of us had anything to prove. After purchasing tickets, bike reservations and a short wait before boarding the train, we eventually stepped out at Diss station comforted by the fact it was only three miles to our pub lodgings, a meal and a shower. Twin room partners selected and the bikes crammed into the rather magnificent "olde-worlde" Scole Inn foyer we dined on red meat and beer before heading to bed. Day 4 - Diss to Oxborough It was another early start. Yesterdays rain had been replaced with an autumnal chill and our waterproofs now served as a useful thermal layer this time. First stop was to hunt for breakfast - which had now become our daily routine. Last nights lodgings were only a mile or so off route, so as the promising sky turned from patchy blue to grey we rolled into Diss high street to be met by the ever friendly Greggs the baker. The route today once again had a number of long sections devoid of food or drink so we stuffed our panniers with cakes and sandwiches and trundled off westward aiming for our first check point - the small village of Hopton. The miles just rolled by, most of us now comfortable with the dynamics of our ever morphing mini peloton. Our conversations were interrupted by shouts of 'left' or 'right' and we understood that the topic of discussion would fit around everyones pace as we rode up or down the rolling terrain. Hopton came and went, a contradictory crossroads with a generous modern corner store opposite a 14th century church. Before we knew it we were dodging heavy lorries for the two minute stint on the A1066 Thetford road before turning onto quieter lanes and the first of many acres of Thetford Forest. Our party had split up due to conflicting GPS directions and while phoning each other to agree a rendezvous point, three of us happened to come across an elaborate water pumping tap and a herd of white deer near St. Andrew Church. After several minutes of playing with our camera's maximum zoom and steady hands to get a photo, we pressed on stopping briefly at Thetford's Tesco superstore before heading north east on our zig zag route through Thetford Forest. The next twenty five miles were a pleasant ride through some quiet forest tracks and bracken-lined woodland roads, interrupted only by the sound of afterburners from the supersonic fighter jets based at RAF Lakenheath and the odd car. We stopped for lunch on a generous grassy corner, again for an afternoon snack at the Shepherds Baa woodland cabin, and once more for a group photo at the Desert Rat memorial. Four days and 230 miles later we rolled past the sign to Oxborough and our waiting cars. For some, it was their longest single ride. For everyone, it was a well earned achievement. How to ride the Rebellion Way Route The Rebellion Way blends quiet back roads, byways, cycle paths and bridleways into a 230 mile (370km) circular route. Norfolk isn't entirely flat but there's nothing particularly steep and the off-road sections are all manageable in good weather on a 35mm touring tyre. Clicking on the map (title) above takes you to the Ride with GPS route we used for this adventure. Please feel free to download and modify to suit. Alternatively you can download the official route from CyclingUK here. We started at Oxborough, which is in between Thetford and Kings Lynn. This allowed us to access more reasonably priced accomodation away from the main hot spots with the benefit of enjoying the major towns and cities at lunch time rather than at the end of the day. We chose to undertake the trip over four days with the cycling distance on the first and last days slightly shorter to allow for travel to and from home. Day 1 - Oxborough to Heacham. 51 miles (82km), 550m ascent Oxborough, Swaffham 8, Castle Acre 13, Kings Lynn 32, Sandringham Estate 42, Heacham 51 Day 2 - Heacham to Sheringham 61 miles (98km), 783m ascent Heacham, Hunstanton 3, Burnham Market 14, Wells-next-the-sea 25, Little Walsingham 32, Holt 51, Sheringham 61 Day 3 - Sheringham to Scole 73 miles (117km), 795m ascent Sheringham, Rye 9, Aylesham 20, Buxton 24, Hoveton / Wroxham 30, Ranworth 37, Norwich 48, Stoke Holy Cross 54, Saxlington Nethergate 57, Scole 71. Day 4 - Scole to Oxborough 46 miles (74km), 440m ascent Scole, Diss 3, Hopton 12, Thetford 25, Foulden 44, Oxborough 46. Getting to the start The official start point is Norwich which is a great place to begin if you live locally or are heading up from London by train. Otherwise starting somewhere on the west side of the route, such as Thetford or Kings Lynn would be a better option. Diss is the stop before Norwich on the train from London, so again makes a good starting point. Terrain Approximately 80% paved & 20% unpaved The terrain is text book touring bike. Gentle rolling undulation, backroad tarmac and a smattering of gravelly byways. There's a little bit of mud in a couple of patches and a few stretches of sand that's probably best walked. Three of our group had chosen panniers over bikepacking bags and no one lost their luggage over the rougher trails. Whether it was Roly's beautiful Reynolds 725 Croix-de-fer, Paul's original Marin Bear Valley with much coveted retro parts, Tim's 3D printed wonder or Marcus' radioactive Pinnacle, almost everyone ran some kind of Schwalbe or Continental touring tyre around 35mm wide. I'd left my Adventure bike in its Brother in the Wild set up with 42mm Soma Cazadero's and suspension forks and, ironically, was the only one to suffer a puncture on the rough stuff! (Typical off-road terrain) When to go Naturally, the best months are from May to September, when the weather is at its best and all the local attractions and facilities are open. That said, the route could probably be ridden all year round as it's reasonably sheltered and mainly road based. The Norfolk back lanes can get a little bleak in winter but by splitting the route over say five or six days, and finding cosy pubs for over night accommodation, it could make it a cracking off-season adventure. Accommodation Due to the mixed riding ability within the group - and the fact it was a bit of a lads holiday - we chose not to camp. While this significantly reduced the amount of kit we needed to bring, it did quickly polarize the price of accommodation. The natural stopping points on the route generally coincide with the big towns where, surprisingly, room prices are quite expensive. We ended up starting and finishing in Oxborough which placed the natural overnight points in less cost prohibitive locations. We managed to bag three nights accommodation plus travel to and from the start for £100 each. Staying in the big towns would triple that amount. Day 1 - Lynton Caravan, ParkDean Resorts, South Beach Road, Heacham, Hunstanton, PPE31 7BD Day 2 - YHA Sheringham, 1 Cremer's Drift, Sheringham, Norfolk, NR26 8HX Day 3 - The Scole Inn, Ipswich Road, Scole, Diss, United Kingdom, IP21 4DR If you're touring on a budget, definitely consider camping. Eating Rather like the accommodation, eating does need a little bit of thought. In the main there's a good mix of cafe's, local shops, pubs and restaurants. We sampled all of these, including occasionally frequenting pubs more than once a day! However, there are long stretches of the route where you're well away from civilisation, so do check the route carefully and stock up ahead. Wittles Cafe, Stocks Green, Castle Acre, King's Lynn PE32 2AE Cobbles Tea Room, 5 Hanse House, South Quay, Kings Lynn, PE30 5GN Lynton Caravan, ParkDean Resorts, South Beach Road, Heacham, Hunstanton, PPE31 Cliff Top Cafe and Beach Shop, Lighthouse Cl, Hunstanton, PE36 6EL Well-next-the-sea Beach Cafe, Beach Road, Wells-next-the-Sea NR23 1DR The Two Lifeboats, 2 High St, Sheringham NR26 8JR Tesco Superstore, Cromer Rd, Sheringham NR26 8RS The Maltsters, The Hill, Ranworth, Norwich NR13 6AB Greggs, 22/24 Mere St, Diss IP22 4AD The Shepherds Baa, Lynford Rd, Mundford, Thetford IP26 5HW Convenience stuff Public toilets and convenience stores can be found in most of the main towns and villages along the route. A quick internet search at any point should bring up a number within a reasonable riding distance. Check for opening times for toilets as they can get locked up overnight and out of season. There are a number of cycle shops along the route, the majority located towards the northern part of the loop. Equipment The route is best suited to a touring, hybrid or gravel bike. Given our group dynamic, we chose not to camp, significantly cutting down on the kit we carried. We also shared common tools and equipment and carried a variation on the list below. This was my personal kit: Specialized CrossTrail "Adventure Bike", running 42mm Soma Cazadero tyres; a 40T x 11-46t drive train and suspension front forks (as set up from a previous off-road gravel event) Bikepacking bags (22ltrs total): Self-made rear bag system (2 x 8 ltrs), Wizard Works Lil Presto bar bag (1.8 ltr), Wizard Works Go-Go top tube bag (0.8 ltr), self-made frame bag (3ltrs), Topeak top tube bag, between top tube and seat post (0.5ltr), Specialized seat pack S, Amazon special stem bag/dump pouch. Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, cycling shorts (bibs), overshorts, wool cycle jersey, cycle gilet, arm warmers, neck buff, waterproof jacket. Spare clothes: 1 x cycling jersey, 1 x bib shorts, 3 x socks, 1 x cycling cloves Overnight clothes: T-shirt, lightweight fleece, zip off trousers, socks, underwear, lightweight trainers Wash kit, towel and first aid items Mobile phone, GPS, GoPro, battery(s), charger, cables Bike tools, innertube, pump, lights, bike lock, bell 1.5 ltrs (2 x water bottles) carried on the bike, snacks Final thoughts Finding the best way to appreciate the Rebellion Way does take a bit of interpretation. Given that two thirds of the images in Cycling UK's guide book depict rugged bikes covering off-road sections (set against a current trend for all things "bike packing"), it would be easy to presume this is an off-road adventure. It's not. Around 80%, of the route is on tarmac roads so it really makes for a good old fashioned touring bike adventure. In fairness, the guide book wording does describe the terrain well enough but a picture speaks a thousand words, as they say. I'd say this is a bit of a Marmite route. If you're into your history or enjoy seeing how the upper class lived there's plenty to see. The landscape itself is pleasant - picturesque and easy on the eye. If you're looking for rugged coast line, epic views, ancient woods and steep sided valleys, this one isn't for you. I wouldn't recommend the route as a good introduction to bikepacking either, given there are more varied and engaging routes in the UK for a similar distance and terrain, (I'd thoroughly recommend the Canti Way for a first time adventure though!) Dig a little deeper though and you'll find a brilliant route to enjoy with friends, a trip where conversation and camaraderie makes the miles roll by. Or perhaps a solo ride, one to get away from life for a handful of days and reflect on nothing more than the wide open sky and the turning of your pedals. Which ever angle you choose, I'd recommend a few changes. Tweak the route to go through the towns to provide additional interest. Take a picnic into Thetford Forest or take a day off and explore Norwich. Don't be afraid to cut out some of the roads between Sheringham and Diss if it means you get to enjoy another slice of cake in the tea shop or a pint in the pub. This is a route that needs an accompaniment, a steak that needs a peppercorn sauce, if you will. Happy Adventuring!

The South Downs Way had been my nemesis since a dreary trudge along its chalky ridge in my mid-teens. Now, some thirty five years later, it was time to put that experience behind me and give this well ridden and much loved route, the respect it deserves. Day 1 - Winchester to Truleigh Hill It was a spur of the moment decision to ride the South Downs Way that had me stepping off the train at Winchester at 8:05am on a bright sunny August morning. The official start to the route is marked as the centre of Winchester so, in the same fashion as the King Alfred's Way, I made the imposing statue the start point for another cycling adventure along the South Coast of England. Being a national trail, the route is well signposted throughout. I picked up the first acorn symbol just out of town and within a few minutes I was over the M3 motorway and into the Hampshire countryside. The first twenty five miles to Queen Elizabeth Country Park are a mix of bridleways and quiet backroads, threading a route eastwards through fields, over Cheesefoot Head, Beacon Hill and Old Winchester Hill Fort, with a convenient pass through the village of Exton. The approach to Butser Hill from the west provides an almost roller coaster descent down its well manicured grassy slope to the A3. Despite not being on the ridge propper, this section of the route is still hilly and ending here would make a great first day if you'd chosen to split the route into four days. The Queen Elizabeth Country Park is, as you would expect, a wooded expanse of downland chalk with ancient trees, well marked circular walking routes and some brilliant mountain biking trails of varying difficulty. It has a good cafe / restaurant, a water point and a bike tool station. The Shipwrights Way passes through here and my route briefly ventured onto it as I continued east and up onto the chalky ridge. The next twenty miles to Amberley, I would say, were the prettiest. Although the route sits on the ridge, the surrounding landscape is a well manicured patchwork of crop fields and sheep filled greenery. It alternates between open woodland and heath with occasional glimpses of the Weald to the left and the South Coast to the right. The climbs are still steep with big ascents at Cocking Hill and Bignor Hill which is on the Slindon Estate. Both added to the constant undulation but the Cadence Cycle Club Cafe provided a much needed rest and refuel at around half way. The climb up to Rackham Hill was too steep for tiring legs but the reward for pretty much all of the remaining ten miles was an unmatched horizon-bending view in all directions. Time was pressing and aside from general weariness I felt good and was looking forward to dinner at the YHA. I'd taken the drone and the GoPro to capture this trip and in hindsight spent far to long setting up shots, riding back and forth to capture the moment. Accordingly my overall average speed for the day was around five miles an hour. That lead to being seven miles short of the YHA, which stops serving food at eight o'clock, and only three quarters of an hour to get there. I managed a brief wave at a bunch of mountain bikers out for an evening ride as I flew past at just under twenty miles per hour along the flint strewn path, and unnervingly more on the downhills! With the sun touching the horizon I propped my bike against YHA Truleigh Hill's minibeast signboard and ran upstairs to order a pizza. It was one minute past eight. I'd ridden sixty miles from Newbury to Bath earlier in the year in an afternoon. They say two off-road miles are worth one on road so after taking almost twelve hours to do sixty five miles (and 30 gates!), I'd endorse that, one hundred percent. Day 2 - Truleigh Hill to Eastbourne After day one's exhaustion and a less than full nights sleep in the communal YHA room, I wasn't in any rush to depart this morning. The impending rain storm was the conversation between residents the night before and I was using it as my own barometer for the day. But at nine AM it hadn't materialised so I strapped on my last bag and pushed off into the clearing hilltop mist. Looking back, I think the photos capture the second day quite well, or the first part at least. Brooding with a sense of anticipation, quiet urgency and stoic resignation to another day of slow overall progress. I put the progress part down to gear selection. I knew I should have swapped the thirty six tooth front chainring for something smaller but pre-ride bravado relegated that thought to the "nah, it'll be fine" box. The scenery once again was stunning, much the same as the last ten miles of the previous day. Expansive views across the Weald to the left, the English Channel to the right and a rolling strip of green stretching out in front and behind. Apart from the North East coast of the UK, I don't think anywhere else evokes the same emotion. The storm had been rattling around behind me for the last hour or so and it was only when I looked back from Firle Beacon to the West that I realised its intensity. The sky had turned orange under a thick black cloud and a solid screen of white rain obliterated any further visibility past a mile or so. The pre storm urged me on. With the hair on my arms standing on end and new found leg energy, I sped past hikers hurrying to their parked cars as the storms electricity crackled in the air. I needed to get off the ridge. Images of Eric Langmur's hiker sitting on a coil of rope sheltering from an impending lightning strike, illustrated in his book Mountain Craft & Leadership, flashed through my mind. Pushing twenty five miles per hour down flinty chalk paths is not a wise choice at the best of times, but the Felt is a cross country race bike at heart and when you crank up the speed, it flies. And fly I did. It only took a smattering of rain drops, an off camber corner and a bald section of chalk and I found myself making my way down the hill on my thigh and elbow. Three hundred metres later I was sheltering under two large chestnut trees on the outskirts of Alfriston licking my wounds, the torrential rain hammering down around me. By some miracle, the bare chalk that caused the front wheel to slide out was devoid of flint and apart from a couple of bloody grazes, I was ok. Elbow and knee wounds tended, I donned waterproofs, switched on my lights and headed out into the rain for the final ten miles. Two hours later I was standing on Warren Hill overlooking Eastbourne. There had been a brief respite in the rain, enough to dry out my jacket and shorts, and the sun was doing its best to melt a hole through the storm clouds. I propped my bike against the official trail sign at Helen Garden, wet, cut, bruised and the bike smelling of sheep s****. But, much like the beginning of any new trip, the end of an adventure always has its own special feeling. Achievement, pride, experience and relief. As we journeyed back in the car, the storm in full force again, it occurred to me that it's always the weather that defines my adventures and also why adventuring in the UK is so special. How to ride the South Downs Way Route Just to avoid any confusion, this is the cyclists version of the South Downs Way and not to be confused with the walking route. That said, unlike the North Downs Way, the walking and cycling routes are very similar, which ensures the allure of the original ridgeway route is still captured when you're in the saddle. It's a challenging route, both in terms of fitness and technical trail riding ability. The chalky, flinty surface can get treacherous when wet and the constant climbing and descending requires a good level of fitness and trail riding skills. The route is generally undertaken over two or three days but can be completed in one day if you're exceptionally fit. (Or you could have a go at doing the whole thing twice in 24 hours!) Clicking on the map title above takes you to the Ride with GPS route used for this adventure. Please feel free to download and modify to suit. There's some really good advice and the official route on the National Trail website (GPX downloads tab - Cycling GPX). There's also another brilliant resource on the South Downs Way website, in particular how to split the route over two, three or four days. Route split I chose to undertake the trip over two days with the first day being longer than the second. My first day included getting from London to Winchester by train and the second day back into London from Eastbourne. Day 1 - Winchester to Truleigh Hill YHA. 63 miles (101km), 1,950m ascent Winchester, Exton (13), Meon Tap (17.5), The sustainability Centre + Tap (20), Queen Elizabeth Country Park visitor centre + tap (24), Caydence Cycle Club Cocking + tap (37), Caydence Cycle Club Upwaltham (42), Amberley tap (48), Washington tap (55), Botolphs tap (62), Truleigh Hill YHA + tap (63) Day 2 - Truleigh Hill YHA to Eastbourne Pier. 37 miles (60km), 1,100m ascent Truleigh Hill YHA, Saddlescombe tap (4), Pyecombe (5), Housedean Farm Tap (13.5), Southease Tap (20), YHA Southdowns (20), Alfriston (27), Jevington Tap (31), Cadence Cycle Club Eastbourne (Helen Garden) and official route end (36), Eastbourne Pier (37) Getting to the start This is a one way route starting at Winchester and ending at Eastbourne. Train links to both are good, particularly out of London. Winchester train station is 1 mile from the King Alfred's statue and the start of the route. Eastbourne Train station is about 1.5 miles from the official end point or just under a mile from the pier. Leaving cars at either end is, of course, possible but it's a good two and a half hours one way by car so factor in plenty of time if this is your only option. Terrain 80% Unpaved - 19% paved (1% Unknown) The route was originally designed for mountain bikes and I'd wholeheartedly support this. A full suspension XC bike with 29" wheels would be ideal. A hardtail would equally be at home albeit slightly less comfortable. Go for a 2.3" tyre upwards, with good carcass strength and plenty of offroad grip. Personally, I wouldn't tackle the South Downs Way on a gravel bike, but plenty of people do. Go for the best weather possible, the widest tyre you can fit and the lowest gearing you can. Apart for around 2o miles of tarmac / unsurfaced roads, the surface consist of three main types: short grass single tracks; rough, flinty, chalky tracks, and loose single / double track paths. Apart from the possibility of the flint being razor sharp, the lumps can be quite large, typically golf ball size although it can increase to apple diameter in places. Be prepared for a few sidewall dinks! The route also has around twenty significant climbs between 3% and 8%, which coupled with the loose surface makes for slow climbing (or sketchy descents!). A wide knobbly tyre really comes into its own on this type of surface. Gearing wise, get as close to 20 gear inches as possible. And if that wasn't enough, there are approximately one hundred gates to open and close along the route, many at the bottom of a long descent, just when you need the momentum to take you up the next incline! When to go This is really a ride for taking the views of the Weald and the English Channel on warm, cloudless, summer days with a period of good weather forecast. I think the flora and fauna are at their best at this time of year and so too are the trails. It can be quite bleak when the cloud is down, rain makes the chalk very slippery and the exposed ridge leaves little in the way of shelter when the weather turns worse. Aim for May to August. Accommodation I stayed at YHA Truleigh Hill, S Downs Way, Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5FB. (OS Grid TQ 220 105) Eating Food and particularly water, are well catered for along the entire route. The Caydence Cycle Club (CCC) has a number of brilliant cycle cafe's along the latter part of the route and there are around twelve water taps, free for use, located from start to finish. The YHA provides food at Truleigh Hill and at Southease The Sustainability Centre. Droxford Rd, Petersfield GU32 1HR, United Kingdom Queen Elizabeth Country Park. S Downs Way, Waterlooville PO8 0QE YHA's YHA Truleigh Hill, S Downs Way, Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5FB. (OS Grid TQ 220 105) YHA South Downs. YHA South Downs, Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes BN8 6JS. (OS Grid TQ 433 055) YHA Eastbourne. 1 E Dean Rd, Eastbourne BN20 8ES. (OS Grid TV 582 986 Caydence Cycle Clubs Cocking Hill. The Old Dairy, Hilltop, Cocking, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0HTh Upwaltham. Chichester, West Sussex, GU28 0LX Eastbourne. The Helen Garden, King Edward’s Parade, Eastbourne BN20 7XL There are further CCC cafe's at Litlington and Beachy Head, both of which are a few miles off the South Downs Way route. Water taps http://bikebible.co.uk/water.html https://www.southdownsdouble.co.uk/taps/ Convenience stuff As the route is mainly offroad and away from civilisation, any toilets will be located in the villages, cafe's or YHA's en-route. Away from the open ridge there are plenty of wooded areas for a quick stop if you're comfortable with an outdoor view. There are a number of convenience stores in the towns and villages the route passes through, supplying food drink and essentials. The Caydence Cycle cafe's have bike repair stations and so do the YHA's. Cycle shops are few and far between given the route is mainly on top of the South Downs. You'll need to drop into one of the big coastal towns if you're in need of something more than a trail side fix. Equipment Given the tough nature of the route, coupled with the well serviced water and food points plus a YHA for overnight accomodation, I opted for the bare minimum of kit. The first day was hot and although I drunk around 6 ltrs of water throughout the journey the regular water points meant I only needed a one litre bottle. You only really need shorts, t-shirt and socks to be comfortable in the YHA and they can also supply towels if required. All my kit fitted neatly into a number of frame and bar bags across the bike. Felt Edict, full suspension XC mountain bike, running Vittoria Mezcal tyres. Bikepacking bags (10 ltrs total): Wizard Works Lil Presto bar bag (1.8 ltr), Wizard Works Go-Go top tube bag (0.8 ltr), self-made frame bag (3ltrs), Topeak top tube bag, between top tube and seat post (0.5ltr), Topeak seat pack (0.5 ltr), EVOC waist pack (3ltr) for carrying the drone. Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, cycling bibs, merino wool jersey. Arm warmers, neck buff, windproof / water resistant smock. Spare / overnight clothes: Sports shorts, long sleeve thermal top, grippy toe socks. Wash kit and first aid items Mobile phone, GPS, GoPro, Drone, battery(s), charger, cables Bike tools, innertube, pump, lights, bell 800ml water bottle Final thoughts The South Downs Way is a brilliant route, fully serviced with strategically placed water stops along its length, decent signage and trails built for bikes. It's undulating, rough and steep, pretty much all the way along it's 100 mile length. The surrounding countryside views are amazing - expansive and beautiful. Like a hearty soup on a winters night, completing this route is wholesome and satisfying. Save it for when you're feeling fit and the weather and trail conditions are at their best. It won't disappoint. Happy Adventuring!

So you've ridden a whole bunch of well worn routes and have a good idea of what kind of adventure floats your boat. Why not have a go at creating your own bikepacking route? This post is split into two sections. The first section provides a background into what makes a good route. It covers how to calculate distances and timings and a number of excellent resources you can use for inspiration. The second section is a step-by-step guide, gathering all the information and piecing it together to create your route. If you've landed here looking for how to plan a bikepacking trip and already have a route planned, then why not head over to my previous post, how to plan a bikepacking adventure, for hints and tips about how to prepare an awesome trip. What's behind a good Bikepacking route? Building a good route is an iterative process. For me, it normally starts with a simple thought; perhaps a stunning clifftop campsite I want to visit, a part of the country I haven't explored or maybe I just want to get away and de-stress after a busy week at work. Whatever it may be, it helps shape the route and influences where I stay and the paths I take. There’s nothing quite like sitting round the kitchen table with a cup of tea in hand and an Ordnance Survey map spread out, stitching a path through the landscape to get from one place to another. Digital mapping platforms are great but it's far easier to see good routes through the surrounding landscape when it’s all laid out in front of you in infinite detail. Where exactly can I cycle? In the UK cycles are not allowed on public footpaths or Motorways, so look for a combination of the following: Public bridleways Public by-ways Permissive bridleways Dedicated cycling trails (National, Regional or Local cycle ways) Quiet B or C roads. I would definitely avoiding using a digital route planning app as your sole tool for creating a route. They are notorious for plotting routes across private land, down public footpaths or on busy roads. Some don't even use path terminology relevant to the UK leaving you bemused when a landowner is giving you grief for being on a "Path" or wasting time looking for an elusive "State Road." Having said that, these apps are great tools if used in the right way and I regularly use them in the later stages of the planning process to get the route into a digital format for my GPS. Understanding the terrain is also important on a cycle ride. On a road bike, routes around quiet C roads are more pleasant than battling it out with speeding traffic on an A road. A low geared mountain bike will be better if you’re looking to venture solely off road on rugged bridleways. National Cycle Network routes cover mixed terrain so a hybrid, touring or gravel bike would be a great all round choice that will pretty much take you anywhere in the UK. Ordnance Survey maps As old school as it might sound, an Ordnance Survey map is an excellent place to start. They contain a wealth of information about the surrounding landscape and have easy to follow symbols for roads and trails making it quick to identify good quality routes. They are also as close as you can get for representing definitive rights of way in the UK. As far as I know there isn't any other resource that has this level of accurate information contained in one place. For about the equivalent cost of four paper maps, you can download the Ordnance Survey app and subscribe (yearly) to the full suite of 1:50,000 and 1:25,000 maps across the entire UK. Apart from being incredibly good value, it's extremely useful for carrying on your phone as a back up to your GPS. I normally have my route running on my GPS for primary navigation and the same route downloaded onto the Ordnance Survey app, so I can quickly refer to it if I'm struggling to find the correct paths. I can't really emphasis enough the importance of using Ordnance Survey maps as part of your route making process. Although we commonly enjoy using terminology such as: Trail, Single Track, Double Track, Gravel Trail, Dirt Road and so on, these don't exist when it comes to looking for Rights of Way in the UK. The National Cycle Network The UK charity Sustrans, manages a network of approximately 16,000 miles (21,000km) of signed cycle routes. The criteria for a National Cycle route is that 50% of the total mileage should be away from a road and all sections should be suitable for an unsupervised 12 year old to ride on. These cycle trails can form the basis of a really great adventure. Cycle UK's Cantii Way follows the best part of five National Cycle routes to form its loop of the Kent coast and the utterly brilliant Lon Las Cymru is in fact National Cycle route #8. My long way round to Brighton and back, stitched together National Cycle routes #21, 2, 223 & 22 to form a excellent three day adventure from London to the south coast. (Image courtesy of Sustrans) The National Cycle Network can be found as a map overlay accessed via both the Ordnance Survey and Sustrans websites. Route planning inspiration There are oodles of fantastic resources that offer great ideas for routes. The selection below are by no means exhaustive, but I've found they're a great place to start. Travel guides, books, magazines, web articles, social media These provide a plethora of inspiration, normally accompanied by stunning photos and evocative descriptions. This is probably where I get the first seeds of a cycle adventure. Below are just a few of my favourites: Pannier.cc a cool and funky UK site dedicated to the art of Bikepacking. Just looking at the photos will have you strapping on your bike bags and heading off for an adventure. Bikepacking.com An American website, YouTube channel and glossy publication. Heaps of useful information and plenty of UK route inspiration as well. Lost Lanes Beautifully produced cycling guide books, now covering most of England and Wales, written by The Bike Show's, Jack Thurston. Although primarily single day rides, they celebrate scenic cycling with detailed ride descriptions and evocative photography. I sometimes incorporate parts of Jack's routes into longer point-to-point multi-day rides. They also come with access to downloadable gpx routes. Keep Smiling Adventures A YouTube channel featuring the ever happy Josh Parsons, a long distance cyclist who appears to be on a mission to ride all the UK bikepacking routes (along with creating his own). Inspiring bike rides Down to earth people who just enjoy cycle touring without the accompanying marketing hype. It was this site that got me back into multi-day cycling. (Unfortunately their site is down at present but hopefully will return soon) Sustrans As well as offering access to the National Cycle Network and some great information about using the trails, Sustrans also have a 'Find a route' function on their website allowing you to select a location, ideal distance/length of ride, and route type. For the latter you can select: "all road", "traffic free" or anywhere in between. The routes are printable but they also offer digital and paper cycle route maps, plus a whole host of other useful cycling information. Cycling UK Formerly the Cyclist Tourist Club (CTC), Cycling UK has set about reinvigorating UK touring and bikepacking by releasing a steady stream of new routes, such as the King Alfred's Way, the West Kernow Way and the Cantii Way. Whilst these are great routes in themselves, they also have accompanying guide books with numerous route variations making a good basis for understanding cycling around a location if you didn't fancy following the prescribed route. cycle.travel In my opinion cycle.travel is one of the best route resources, and certainly the most intuitive route planning software on the internet. Created by Richard Fairhurst, a Cartographer, Sustrans volunteer and an early pioneer of Open Street Map, cycle.travel is the route planners secret weapon for creating brilliant routes anywhere across the UK. The software uses a clever algorithm to derive point to point routes, not just by the correct UK specific path type but by analysing traffic density and choosing roads that are less frequented by other vehicles. In addition to its clever mapping tool, it has a huge selection of route guides which include detailed descriptions, overnight stops, suggested leg distances and so on. In terms of a route mapping tool it beats all the mainstream sites hands down! However you go about planning your route, it’s advisable to be a little flexible at first so you can tailor the route to encompass the best views, stopping points and accommodation. It’s not uncommon for me to tweak the route a couple of times before it finally fits the bill, so don't just plump for the shortest line between destinations. How far should I make my route? For me, this is dependent on two factors: the terrain (and therefore what type of bike I'll be riding), and how many hours per day I want to ride. Mode of travel and terrain A rough trail on a mountain bike with wider tyres will take more effort to pedal than a road bike on smooth tarmac. Therefore, you'll travel slower and cover less distance on a MTB than a road bike for the same given time. It’s also important to take into account how hilly the route is and the added weight you'll be carrying on the bike, as these will also have a significant effect on the amount of miles coverable in one day. If you're a Sunday morning road cyclist, expect to double the distance, duration and weight of the bike for a bikepacking trip. (Image courtesy of cycle.travel) One of the great features of a digital route planning tool is the ability to quickly display the terrain type across the entire route. The example above is from Lon Las Cymru in Wales and at a glance shows that 93% of the route will be on road or cycle path. It made it an easy choice to take my gravel bike with low gearing fitted with touring tyres. Duration I like to set off relatively early in the morning and get to my destination by late afternoon giving me plenty of time to put up my tent, cook and wind down. This also gives me a small buffer if the route is taking longer than expected, Building time in to stop on route for photo's, breaks and lunch all means that I may only be physically riding for around 6 hours. Unless your planning your trips around the middle of the year, it's also worth checking the times for sunrise and sunset. Late Autumn, Winter and early Spring have short daylight hours so factor this in or bring good quality lights! The effects of elevation / ascent on cycle time In the world of hill walking, a clever chap named William Naismith came up with a rule of thumb for the effects of ascent on walking time. I haven’t discovered an official cycling ‘rule’ yet, perhaps because there are so many other factors involved (type of bike, range of gears, load carried, terrain etc.), however by analysing my own mixed terrain journeys I’ve found that Naismith's rule still works. Therefore the following approximations can be made. I'll add on another 5 minutes for crossing a single gradient arrow (14%+) on the OS Map and possibly 10 minutes for a double arrow (20%). Ordnance Survey Map symbols - Note: The arrows point down the hill. Add time if cycling up the hill! Bikepacking distance ready-reckoner By pulling together the typical terrain, distance and ascent you've pretty much ticked off the basic factors of a successful route. The table below is my take on these aspects drawn together into a simple ready-reckoner for a 6 hour cycling window. (km in brackets) Flow Putting aside landscape and scenery, flow is the single biggest aspect that differentiates a good route from a satisfactory one. A good cycle route should flow from start to finish. It should to take you from valley to mountain, road to rugged track all within the limits of the bike you've chosen to ride. A journey in a beautiful part of the country that doesn't flow could potentially spoil the experience. What does this mean in practice though? In essence, any route that better suits a different type of bike, or a route that flits between extremes of terrain types, is one with poor flow. Cycling the Welsh National Trail, Lon Las Cymru, with a detour over Snowdon might seem appealing on paper but try it with a pannier loaded touring bike and a pair of smooth soled cycling shoes and you may not live to regret the day... Use an 80% - 20% terrain ratio and the Terrain-o-meter below. By biasing a minimum of 80% of the route to suit the type of bike and terrain you're planning the trip around, the remaining 20% (or less) should fall into either of the adjacent boxes. Eg. For a route based around a touring or hybrid bike, ensure that 80% is on general roads and the remaining 20% is either smooth tarmac or easy gravel tracks. Naturally, the ends of the scale are for illustrative purposes and don't necessarily reflect a bike packing trip. However, Alee from Cycling About used an Enduro bike for his bikepacking set-up which perfectly matched the terrain he was riding and is an excellent example of how the scale can be applied for a route. He perhaps could get away with part of his route on a Down Country / X Country bike but a Gravel bike wouldn't be sufficient. Hike-a-bike sections (pushing a bike along the route rather than cycling) and trails with multitudes of gates also have a detrimental effect on the flow of the route. A mile of hike-a-bike could take half an hour. Cycling for the same duration would cover around 5 miles. All in all, the overall average speed and distance the bike type dictates, as suggested in the Ready Reckoner, shouldn't be overly affected by the type of terrain the route covers. The UK's National Cycle Network regularly encompasses sections of semi rugged off-road track along their length, making touring, hybrid or gravel bikes the ideal choice. It's interesting to see that the middle three categories in the terrain-o-meter encompass the majority of bikepacking journeys and perhaps the Gravel / Adventure bike is the "jack-of-all-trades"? I felt that CyclingUK's, West Kernow Way, suffered from poor flow. Billed as an off-road route, around 70% was on roads. Of the remaining off-road sections, an MTB was only just sufficient and a number of stretches involved hike-a-bike along public footpaths. Cornwall is a beautiful part of the world and the trip was a fantastic adventure but the overall route itself was spoiled by poor flow. Digital route planning tools Navigating by map and compass in the hills is pretty easy but on a bike the GPS is king. In order to get a route into a format for use on a GPS, it'll need to be built on a digital route planning app and a .gpx file created. There are plenty of good tools around, these are just a handful of the most popular. Ride with GPS I've recently switched from Map my Ride over to Ride with GPS. Over the years this tool has got better and better and now offers most of the features needed in a route planning tool. It still has its quirks. It's not UK specific so the terrain feature needs some interpretation and it doesn't fully define which type of paths you are allowed on so you'll still have to check with the OS map as you plan. Map my Ride A really basic but superbly functioning tool. Because of its simplicity it's very quick to build good routes. There's no guidance on path, legitimate access or road type so you'll need the OS map open at the same time as you plot your route. Cycle.travel I've already waxed lyrical about this site, so please use and support it. Unfortunately, as it lacks the backing of the marketing departments of Komoot or Ride with GPS, it doesn't quite have the extras that make for a great all round tool, such as an app based version (although it is in development) and the process of plotting the route is not quite as slick. Ordnance Survey Whilst this is still the definitive route identification resource, it's route planning tool works on an older straight line, waypoint to waypoint format and doesn't follow the curves in the route. Good for hiking but not great for GPS based cycling. (NB: this has just been upgraded and routes now bend to follow the paths as in many other route planning tools. I've had a quick go, but will add some comments here as I use the feature more thoroughly.) These next two are great for recording your trips, analysing data and sharing on social media but I avoid using them for route planning. Komoot This platform works on a place to place route building process, but its base map and supporting route selection programming is poor in my opinion. When you want to modify the route avoiding the private path that it has taken you down, you'll have to add points and bend the route to hold it in place, all the while it's re-routing former unfixed points and taking you down yet more paths with no right of way. That said, it's actually great if you are just looking to plot a simple road route as it can handle this quite well. There are also plenty of good routes on Komoot and I cover this on my how to plan a bikepacking adventure article. Strava The original trip data analysis tool, which it does supremely well. Just don't bother using it to try and plan a route from scratch, stick with the others at the top of this list. Most of the good route planning tools allow you to create and shape the route as you see fit and offer a plethora of route export options to suit your GPS. Check your GPS model to see which file types work best. A .gpx file is generally the standard, but there are also .fit and .tcx files which may work better with your device. If you're using turn-by-turn directions, make sure you have reviewed the cue sheet before you export the route to ensure the direction instructions match the planned direction of travel. (Image courtesy of Ride with GPS) Route planning tools allow you to see the terrain and distance evolve as you create your route. It's a good idea to keep an eye on these as you select each waypoint to avoid carving out large sections of the route if the terrain or distance don't match your expectations. Image courtesy of cycle.travel. Note the route summary terrain types on the left. At 68% paved paths and just over 1% of busy road, this was brilliant for planning the Red Squirrel Trail route on our kids 2-day cycle trip in 2022. Pulling it all together - four steps to planning a good route In reality these steps are a series of tasks that you'll cover off a number of times, each occasion refining the distance, points of interest, choice of path and so on, until you end up with something you're happy to go and ride. Establish points of interest Establish a realistic distance Get the route down digitally Tweak the route Step 1 - Establish points of interest Begin with at least a fixed start or end point to the journey. After this try and incorporate a number of things to see on the way. Having intermediate points of interest helps to provide a natural break or check points that can be ticked off towards the destination. Mark these on the map to get a general feel for where they are in relation to one another. Factor in getting to the start or finish, can you ride there, catch a train or park your car if you're driving? Try to see if there is a natural route between the points and what type of tracks it uses. How much is on road, are there bridleways or cycle network trails that get you from point to point. Is there a river that can only be crossed at a certain point? Also consider adding in stopping points en-route for things like food and water or lunch / dinner if you're not planning on cooking for yourself. If you're planning on wild camping check to see there is somewhere off the beaten track for a stealthy tarp pitch. Alternatively, is there a cosy B&B in a quiet village that you'd really like to stay at? Step 2 - Establish a realistic distance Having established where to go or what to see, consider how far you can realistically travel in a day or how much time you'd like to be in the saddle. 50 miles a day is a great place to start for an average rider. Use the ready-reckoner to get an idea on distances vs bike type. The route planning tool on Google Maps is really handy for establishing very rough distances from place to place at this stage, just remember to set the mode of transport to "cycle"! Step 3 - Get the route down digitally When you're happy you've included all your points of interest and you're comfortable with your rough distances, start to get the route plotted on a digital route making platform. A digital route plan will facilitate the creation of a .gpx file which can be uploaded to a GPS (and phone for back-up). Currently I create and store my routes on Ride with GPS but I'll also have the Ordnance Survey online mapping app open alongside for double checking road and path types. Tips for creating a good digital route: Place waypoints / control points (picking a point on the map for the route to include) at a significant point. This could be a junction, a feature you want to include or a hazard to be aware of. Some tools will permit added descriptions to the points to help when navigating. It's important to place sufficient waypoints in order to anchor the route along the selected paths. When placing a waypoint try to place it just before or just after a turning. Placing on the turning can sometimes confuse the route. Try to be as accurate as possible when placing a waypoint. When using turn-by-turn guidance on a GPS, a poorly placed waypoint at a junction may create confusing or contradictory directions. Also, pay attention to the direction of traffic on major roads or roads where a cycle lane is adjacent to ensure you stay on the right side of the carriageway. Turn-by-turn directions Turn-by-turn directions add another layer of navigational ease but also added complexity when creating the route. Most apps provide access to a number of navigable lines on the map. These could be Google (default) maps, Google satellite view, Open Cycle Map and so on. These are digital lines under the map image overlay on which you place your waypoint to create the route. In coding terms they are defined as: route=bicycle. Sometimes it's worth toggling between the different maps to get the best route for turn-by-turn directions. For example, you may be confident to cross a junction using the general road layout rather than the surrounding cycle lanes. The digital line for the cycle lane may suggest a number of confusing left and right turns over a very short distance as it takes you over a pedestrian / cycle crossing, whereas you may just want to stay with the traffic and take a single right turn. Judge each of these on an individual basis. Routing off-road sections may not be possible by using the selectable roads or paths. Firstly try toggling between the map types as above to see if it provides you with a selectable option, if this doesn't work you may need to use a 'free-hand' function. These can generally be found within the menu or tool bar options. Remember to place a waypoint as close to the end of the 'selectable' road / path, before switching to freehand mode to avoid any 'undo' corrections re-routing previously uncontrolled path selection. Close the free-hand section as soon as possible by placing a waypoint on a 'selectable' section of the road or path. Elevation During this whole step, it's important to take note of the daily mileage and elevation. The more jagged the elevation profile, the more hilly the route will be and the more time it will take to cover the distance. The West Kernow Way elevation profile - Cornwall is very hilly! (Images courtesy of Ride with GPS) Step 4 - Tweak the route Nine times out of ten, after creating a first pass of a digital route, it'll need a good tweaking. The route may have become particularly twisty and the overall mileage has increased or the elevation profile is so jagged that it might be worth going round some of the hills. Go back through the steps above a number of times to alter the route to make it more achievable. Use the elevation table in the previous section to add time for ascent accordingly. Check for flow to make sure the bike you're planning to use won't leave you frustrated for half the journey. If you're really looking to refine the route as best as possible from behind a desk, try the Satellite View and Street View functions on Google Maps to look at parts of the route that might be unclear. Even with an off-road route, you can normally stand your blue person at the start and end of a bridleway to see what it looks like, giving you a pretty good idea of the overall trail. Sometimes 360 degree images can be found at points down the trail as well. Some platforms can also provide a .kml file, which can be imported into Google Earth for a fly-through of the entire route! Ordnance Survey allows this feature straight from the route view tool bar. When you're happy with the route, download a .gpx file ready for use on your GPS / Phone. Realistic expectations It’s far more pleasant to travel at an easy pace than be chasing your tail the whole way, arriving after dark and missing your pre-booked meal (all said from bitter experience!). The weather is a big factor in the UK and can make even the shortest distances arduous. Lower your distance expectations and don’t be too over ambitious. If you’re new to this, a short route fairly close to home just to get used to being in the saddle for more than a couple of hours, is a perfect start. If it all goes wrong, you don’t have too far to limp home. Final thoughts... On my last few trips I've taken a paper map. Navigating by GPS is excellent for cycling but sometimes the small screen doesn't really give you a sense of place. Occasionally referring to a large area map is not only great for seeing where you are relative to your surroundings, it's also good for showing others the route if you're in a group and the only one with the GPS. Again, on my more recent trips, I've stored a handful of en-route cycle shops onto my GPS across each of the days and twice we've had to use them! One for a snapped rear derailleur and the other for a loose cassette. If, having read this far, creating a new route still seems too daunting then just stick with tried and tested well documented cycle routes. The main thing is to just get out and have fun! Happy adventuring!

There’s a great sense of anticipation and excitement in planning a bikepacking adventure. Each element of the planning has its own little pleasures. Perhaps it's the satisfaction of creating a perfect route stopping by all your bucket list places, or maybe it's the thought of an evening meal in a cosy pub just round the corner from your campsite. What ever it is, there's nothing that quite beats planning your very own adventure. This particular blog post is probably more suited to the kind of person that’s read an adventure article on line or watched something inspirational on TV and wished they could make it happen for themselves. Contrary to Enid Blyton's Famous Five, "falling into adventure" doesn’t really happen. It takes a little bit of planning and some prior preparation, but it’s easy enough for anyone to do, and pretty much guarantees an epic and memorable time away. The basics When to go I find the best months for really enjoying a cycle adventure are April to October. The weather is generally better which certainly alleviates the requirement for more expensive specialist winter riding gear, the days are longer and there's generally more accommodation available. Where to go Rolling hills, coastal routes overlooking the sea, quiet country back roads, national parks, old cities, you can pretty much cycle the whole of the UK. Personally, I avoid anything too mountainous, leaving that for walking and scrambling adventures, and stick to routes I know I can get up and down with a bike loaded with equipment. Who to go with I’ve travelled solo and with groups of friends. No party size is better than the other, it’s just a different riding dynamic. If this is going to be your first trip then I would suggest going with at least one other person. It’s handy for sharing gear, having a friend to talk to and if you get into trouble, having two of you to sort out a problem is better than struggling on your own. How long to go for Again, if this is your first time then how about a short ride and an overnight at a B&B? If you like it then go for a longer trip or try camping. People have cycled around the world so there really isn’t any maximum duration. If you can cycle for a week then you can probably cycle for a month. If you are planning a longer trip then do remember to plan for rest days. Your legs will thank you for them! How to plan a successful bikepacking adventure These are my six tried and tested steps for planning a bikepacking trip. Establish a goal Plan a route Book accommodation Plan a menu Select kit and equipment Double check the itinerary 1. Establish a goal Having a goal gives an adventure a sense of purpose. It doesn’t need to be anything life changing or dramatic, it may be to get away and de-stress, or perhaps there’s a new cycle trail that you want to explore or a cliff top campsite overlooking the sea that would make a great Instagram photo. Whatever it may be, I feel having a goal in mind helps shape the route and influences where to stay. Josh at Keep Smiling Adventures bikepacked 200 miles just to get himself a traditional Cornish Pasty! 2. Plan a route If this is your first trip, I would strongly recommend following a tried and tested route. There are oodles of fantastic resources that offer great ideas for routes. The selection below are by no means exhaustive, but I've found they're are a great place to start. Sustrans The UK charity Sustrans, manages a network of approximately 15,000 miles (21,000km) of signed cycle routes. The criteria for a National Cycle route is that 50% of the miles should be away from a road and all sections should be suitable for an unsupervised 12 year old to ride on. These cycle trails can form the basis of a really great adventure. Routes like the Tarka Trail, is a 180 mile, figure of eight loop joining the North Devon coast to Dartmoor and is part of National Cycle route #27. The southern loop incorporates the longest, continuous off-road cycle path in the UK. As well as offering access to the National Cycle Network and some great information about using the trails, Sustrans also have a 'Find a route' function on their website allowing you to select a location, ideal distance/length of ride, and route type. For the latter you can select: "all road", "traffic free" or anywhere in between. The routes are printable but they also offer digital and paper cycle route maps, plus a whole host of other useful cycling information. Cycling UK Formerly the Cyclist Tourist Club (CTC), Cycling UK has set about reinvigorating UK touring and bikepacking by releasing a steady stream of new routes, such as the King Alfred's Way, the West Kernow Way and the Cantii Way. These are great routes with an accompanying guide book explaining the route, typical stop over points and the history behind the local area. Cycle.travel In my opinion cycle.travel is one of the best route resources, and certainly the most intuitive route planning software on the internet. Created by Richard Fairhurst, a Cartographer, Sustrans volunteer and an early pioneer of Open Street Map, cycle.travel has a huge selection of route guides which include detailed descriptions, overnight stops, suggested leg distances and so on. Travel guides, books, magazines, web articles, social media These offer a plethora of inspiration, normally accompanied by stunning photos and evocative descriptions. This is probably where I get the first seeds of a cycle adventure before looking into some of the more dedicated cycle resources above. These are just a few of my favourites: Pannier.cc a cool and funky UK site dedicated to the art of Bikepacking. Just looking at the photos, will have you strapping on your bike bags and heading off for an adventure. Bikepacking.com An American website, YouTube channel and glossy publication. Heaps of useful information and plenty of UK route inspiration as well. Keep Smiling Adventures A YouTube channel featuring the ever happy Josh Parsons, a long distance cyclist who appears to be on a mission to ride all the UK bikepacking routes (along with creating his own). Inspiring bike rides Down to earth people who just enjoy cycle touring without the accompanying marketing hype. It was this site that got me back into into multi-day cycling. (The link is to their Instagram page as the website appears to be down...) Navigating by map and compass in the hills is pretty easy but on a bike I'd go for a GPS (Global Positioning System). In order to use a GPS, you'll need a .gpx file of the route, Most of the resources listed above provide the ability to download a .gpx file and they'll be reliable and thoroughly tested. If you don't have a GPS you can use your smart phone. Just watch your battery as these apps will drain power very quickly. Plan to take a portable battery pack with you if this is your only navigational device. Other sources for routes The sites below are household names within the cycling community and are used by millions of cyclists for route planning. They hold a plethora of readily available routes from half hour local rides to full blown multi-day adventures. The routes are available for download or alternately, by installing the relevant app, can be used straight from your phone. Ride with GPS Komoot Strava Map my Ride However, I'd steer clear of these platforms if it's your first trip. Not all the contributors are as thorough when it comes to creating routes for navigational suitability or access rights. Their 'easy' level of ride might be 'difficult' to you or they may enjoy facing the wrath of irate walkers by cycling down a Foot Path, not what you want for your first Bikepacking adventure! If you are going to use these resources, look for star rated contributors such as Katherine Moore on Komoot or any of the Brand Ambassadors on Ride with GPS. And when you've ridden everyone else's routes, how about having a go at creating your own route? 3. Book accommodation Booking accommodation is pretty easy these days and with such a vast amount of places to stay, it really isn't that difficult finding something suitable. These are probably the top types of accommodation available to cyclists. Campsites Bothies (Originally Scottish camping barn but there are now a number in England and Wales) Wild camp spots (Legal in Scotland and parts of Dartmoor only) Youth Hostels (YHA). Although membership is not needed in order to stay at their hostels, you do get a discount on accommodation and your membership fee goes into supporting this amazing network of facilities. B&B’s Hotels - Premier Inn, Travelodge etc. Warm Showers This is a growing community of touring cyclists providing reciprocal hospitality for cyclists and hosts. I haven't used the network but it gets great reviews. Distance and budget are all influences on my choice of accommodation. Two or three nights wild camping is perfectly doable but there comes a point when you really need a decent shower or to sort out your washing. I tend to mix up the accommodation with perhaps a few days camping then a B&B and a pub meal. It’s also nice to sometimes treat yourself to either of these for the last night of a long trip! I find it easy to find and book accommodation on the internet, although I still like to try and book in person if at all possible, especially if you want to find out if they have secure storage for a muddy bike. I organised a Brighton to London charity cycle ride in 2014 for a large group, and I rang to book the Brighton Premier Inn for our overnight stay before we set off. They happily accommodated us and all of our 25 bikes without question! Communication is key and a friendly note or request via a personal email or telephone call goes a long way. For longer, wild camping trips where the luxury of a shower has been absent for a few days, why not try a spot of wild swimming? If that’s not your thing then how about stopping at a leisure centre and using their facilities for a small charge. Check in with your accommodation on the morning of your planned arrival Unless your wild camping, I find it a good idea to give my planned overnight destination a quick courtesy call to advise them of my approximate time of arrival. It’s not uncommon for people to book accommodation and fail to turn up. The last thing I want is for a campsite to close its check in if I’m running late on the presumption that I’m one of those people who have failed to turn up. I find this particularly important if I haven’t had the opportunity to book in person and it’s only been an automated web-booking system. It’s also comforting to know that someone is looking out for you when you finally arrive bedraggled and tired after a long day in the saddle. Many years ago, my wife and I enjoyed a two day walk in the Lake District. On the second day we got absolutely drenched and arrived late at our camp site. I’d called the owners to advise of our slightly delayed arrival time and when we finally reached our campsite we were greeted with warm towels and a piping hot cup of tea! Travel arrangements Whilst I’m securing my accommodation, I’ll also check my travel arrangements at the same time. If I’m driving to a start point, I’ll want to make sure I can park my car securely and if I’m travelling by train I’ll check the train operators cycle policy. Many train operators require you to book your bike on the day to avoid too many bikes on any one train. There may also be a supplementary fee to pay. Wild Camping Wild camping is not permitted anywhere other than Scotland and parts of Dartmoor. If you do wish to camp somewhere other than a public campsite then always seek the landowner’s permission before hand. That said, there are a plenty of guidelines on how to wild camp anywhere if you choose. Being discrete and respectful, setting up after dusk and departing at dawn and leaving no trace have always put me in good stead whenever I've wild camped. 4. Plan a menu If your goal is to travel well off the beaten track, then carrying your own stove, water and food is the best option. Conversely if you’re planning more of a lightweight trip, or an adventure that will take you through pretty villages or bustling towns, then utilising food stops on the way will be more practical. Evening meals If you're staying in a hostel, B&B, or hotel etc. then I'd definitely take advantage of whatever they’re offering on the menu. Camping is slightly more involved but again not too much of a challenge. A cheap and easy option is to cook up some pasta/rice/noodles and combine with a sauce, veg or meat. If you're happy to spend a bit more money and feel space and weight isn’t an issue then the 'boil in the bag' type foods such as Wayfayrer meals, are delicious, pre-cooked food. They simply require heating in their sealed pouch in boiling water for a few minutes or at a pinch they’re even safe to be eaten cold. They weigh more compared to dehydrated meals as they already contain the necessary liquid, so if you’re looking for something lighter, particularly if you’re carrying food for 3 or 4 days then I’ve found Adventure Food to be a great alternate. Just remember to have enough fresh water to boil your meal at the end of the day. Lunch This is an easy meal and can either be a packed lunch or purchased en-route, (first ensuring I planned the route through a town or village…) More often than not, lunch consists of whatever I can find on the way. Which could be this... Or better still, this... Breakfast Not a problem if you are staying in a B&B or hostel. If I’m wild camping then I’ll get up with the sunrise, pack up my kit and cook up or buy breakfast away from my camping area some time later. If I’m on a campsite then I prefer something simple. Museli with powdered milk and perhaps a cup of tea or coffee will still allow me to get on my way quickly without worrying about cleaning my pots and pans or waiting for my stove to cool down. Or similarly, I'll eat something small like a trail bar then stop for a decent breakfast where there’s a bit more civilisation a little later. Wayfayrer and Adventure Foods both have a number of meals in their breakfast range. Water I always carry 2 x one litre bottles of water on my bike. It’s important to stay hydrated so I’ll probably drink this throughout the day. If I’m at a campsite for the evening then there’s normally a ready supply of water for cooking, washing up and refilling for the next days journey. I need to be more careful when wild camping however, so I might take slightly more water or refill my bottles for a second time on the same day. There’s a really handy UK wide free water bottle filling service that’s been set up over the last few years. Download the app and it will show you the nearest place to refill your water bottle for free! If you're really looking to stay off the beaten track then you might want to consider collecting and purifying your own water on the way. Typically you'll be looking either to add a bacteria killing chemical in the form of a liquid or tablet or strain the water through a filter. There are plenty of good instructional articles or vlogs explaining how this is done, so do some research and find the best solution to suit your trip. Food quantity There’s heaps of information readily available on the internet regarding what and how to eat when you’re exercising. However for completeness I’ll add a few pointers which hopefully will assist. I typically burn twice as many calories in a day cycling than a normal (inactive) day, therefore I need to consume more to keep my energy levels up. I always build up my carbohydrate reserves a day or so before I set off on my adventure. I find it better to graze throughout the day in between meals to keep energy levels up rather than overeating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Trail mix – nuts, dried fruit, seeds etc. is a great grazing food. I sometimes add chocolate chips and jelly babies for a treat. I regularly use products from the Science in Sport (SIS) range to help me top up my energy levels without having to consume more meals. Stoves and eating equipment In terms of stoves, there are so many types and brands on the market that suggesting one becomes very much opinionated. Therefore, I’ll simply offer a few pointers and guidelines: In the real world I’ve found that there is no difference to the time you eat when heating food via a Trangia taking ten minutes to boil a litre of water verses a Jetboil taking three minutes. It’s more about when I start to cook my food relative to what I’m doing at the time. I ensure I have a stove which has a fuel source readily available in the country I am travelling. (Be aware of the restrictions on stoves and fuel canisters when flying.) A windshield and a lid help preserve fuel and speed up cooking. Remember to pack something to light the stove with! In terms of cutlery / crockery, I tend to only carry a spoon, a mug and a single small pot. 5. Kit and Equipment It goes without saying that you'll need a certain level of equipment in order to go on a cycle adventure – a bike being the obvious one. However after reading this blog, please don’t rush out and spend thousands of pounds on all the latest equipment thinking it’s going to facilitate an epic adventure. In fact it probably won’t. Borrow equipment or use what you already have first and see how you get on. You can have just as good an adventure on a well maintained budget bike as you can on one costing five times as much. When you know what you like then spend as much as you can afford that suits your personal taste. With that in mind, this list is pretty much what you’ll need but kept in very generic terms. A bicycle. In good working order and suitable for the terrain Kit bag. A rucksack would work for a short trip staying at a Youth Hostel, B&B or hotel. Anything longer and you'll probably want to get the weight of your kit onto your bike. Cycling clothes. Something to cycle in, different from your spare clothes: Helmet, shoes, socks, underwear, t-shirt, shorts, fleece or jumper and a waterproof / showerproof jacket. I also take cycling gloves, cycling glasses and padded cycling shorts. Avoid anything that may chafe or restrict your movement. Spare clothes. A second set of clothes that you can wear in the evening or if your cycling clothes get wet or damaged. Depending on the length of trip I may take a spare pair of shoes or flip-flops. Wash kit and towel. Toothbrush and toothpaste as a minimum, hand sanitiser gel is handy, deodorant if you're planning on staying close to your friends! I always take a small pack-towel. The rest is up to you. First aid or medication items. A handful of plasters and some painkillers are helpful. Also consider other items such as insect repellent or tweezers. Take suncream as arms, knees and the back of your neck all get maximum exposure when sitting on a bike for long periods. Food. Snacks as a minimum, more if you’re not planning on buying on the way. Water. At least a couple of litres of water in some kind of bike mounted water bottles should be considered a minimum. Water bladders are great but are a little less practical, particularly when you’re asking a pub landlord to fill up your water bottle. Mobile phone. Obvious uses but can also be used to hold a digital copy of your route. Paper map and / or GPS. With the route clearly marked or downloaded electronically. You may choose to carry a paper map and use your phone to navigate. Just watch for battery life. Portable power bank / battery, charger and cables. For charging your electronic devices on the move and at the end of the day. Bike lock and bike lights. Failing to secure your bike could bring the trip to an abrupt end! And always take lights just in case you end up riding after dark. Bike tools and spares. A basic set of tools to maintain the bike, spare inner tube, puncture repair kit, chain lubrication, cable ties etc. I also find it really handy to carry a Leatherman / Swiss Army type multitool and a disposable glove. In addition to this, you'll also need the following items if you're camping. Cycle bags (and cycle rack). Dedicated bike bags such as panniers or bike-packing bags are better for larger / heavier loads. Your local bike shop will be able to advise what rack will fit your bike. The internet provides a great source of knowledge and opinion on the pros and cons of all types of bike bags. My advice would be to minimise the amount of kit you carry in the first place then look to balance the load across a number of bags at the front and back of the bike to maintain safe handling. Tent or shelter. Travelling with at least one other person is great when it comes to tents. Generally, a two person tent split between two people is lighter than a one person tent carried individually. Again, the internet is great for thoughts and opinions. You don’t have to spend much here at all. I used a £40 one-person tent for a 5 day cycle tour in early Spring, sleeping in campsites, and it was perfectly adequate. Sleeping bag and sleeping mat. It’s necessary to take a sleeping bag and inflatable mattress /sleeping mat if you want any degree of comfort when camping. Also consider an inflatable pillow. The time of year will influence your sleeping bag's “season rating” – summer being the lightest / thinnest bags, winter being the thickest. Down filling is great as it packs down small and it’s warmth to weight ratio is superior to synthetic fillings. However, it’s more expensive and doesn’t perform well if it gets wet. Cooking and eating equipment. A stove, fuel, a pot and a spoon is really all you need. Check your food / cooking requirements against the equipment you’re taking. Don't forget some thing to light your stove with. Food. If you’re planning to cook your own breakfast and an evening meal then don’t forget to pack these as well. There’s more detailed information in the “Eating” section of this blog. Collapsible seat / sit mat. It's only when you start cooking or want to relax that you realise a noticeable lack of seating on campsites. I take a small collapsible seat on practically every adventure, whether that’s cycling, walking or canoeing. Highly recommended. Head torch. Great for camping and far easier than trying to use your bike lights. These are a couple of other items I carry if I’m a little more off the beaten track: Wet wipes / baby wipes. Excellent for a quick freshen up if you’re nowhere near a shower for a few days. Rubbish bag. Something to contain my rubbish until I can dispose of it safely. Top tip! Put all your kit into plastic (waterproof) bags to avoid your equipment getting wet if it rains. Where should I spend my money to give me the biggest value? For me versatility is the key. An item that can double up to do more than one task removes the need to carry two separate items. Also reducing bulky or heavy kit is a good place to spend money. Equipment that makes the ride more comfortable is also worth while for obvious reasons. If you don’t maintain your bike yourself then perhaps take it for a service at your local bike shop. A functioning bike with good brakes and gears that work well, doesn’t cost much and makes a huge difference to your adventure. Equally I would thoroughly recommend getting a good quality saddle that fits. There’s plenty of great advice on the internet on types of saddles and saddle sizing. You could consider upgrading your tyres if they’re looking a little worn and fitting puncture proof innertubes save time and frustration from annoying punctures. A helmet is a must for obvious reasons but padded cycle shorts and gloves can avoid sores and blisters if your prone to them and a pair of glasses can avoid the all too frequent “fly in the eye”. If you're camping then this is where I would also spend my money: A good night’s sleep gives you the energy to get back into the saddle the next day. Spend your money on a good quality sleeping bag and inflatable mattress. Insulation from the ground is important as not only will it keep you warm, it will cushion you from the hard and invariably lumpy camping ground. As these items are being improved year after year, search for the latest internet reviews to see what the best products are to suit your budget. Buying wisely on these two items alone can double your comfort and halve the physical space taken up in your bike bags. The sleeping bag and inflatable mattress on the right are significantly smaller, lighter, warmer and more comfortable than the larger items on the left. Food is covered in the previous section but if you don’t have, or can’t get access to a stove, why not consider self-heating meals. They’re delicious, pre-cooked food that rely on a chemical reaction sachet in a heating pouch to heat them up without the use of a cooker or any of the associated cleaning up afterwards. I frequently use these for overnight mini adventures. Consider replacing your standard towel with a microfibre version. You can pick one up in most good camping stores for a few pounds, significantly reducing the size and weight of a traditional towel. A thought on bikepacking clothing Wearing a set of lycra cycle clothing on a bike is comfortable and functional, after all that’s what it’s been designed for. However when I’m cycle touring, I go for a more casual look. I still wear my padded cycle shorts but perhaps a pair of walking shorts over the top and a short sleeve shirt over a wool t-shirt. Wool is great as it doesn’t retain body odour and can still look like an item of casual clothing. Muted colours work well as they tend to hide the trail dust (or mud!) and I carry a cap which I can quickly put on covering my “hat hair”. This is a good idea if I decide to stop in a public place, perhaps for a pub lunch, and is better than sitting in pongy lycra accentuating parts of my anatomy! 6. Double check the itinerary A couple of days before hand I’ll double check my adventure itinerary. This will include telephoning or an email to all my pre-booked locations to ensure they are still expecting me when planned. Bookings can get lost, a location has closed down or a train / bus timetable changed. Checking your itinerary a few days before hand gives you the time to re-arrange your plans to suit and still have a great adventure. I'll have the whole route programmed into my GPS and use this for navigation and I also carry the route on my mobile phone. I also find it handy to pre-programme my accommodation telephone numbers into my phone for easy access. A few final tips Please don’t spend a huge amount of money on kit and equipment if this is your first adventure. Borrow what you need and see what works best for you first. When it is time to buy something then go for the item that gives you the most overall value. Go out for a few longer rides on your bike before your main trip to get used to being in the saddle for greater periods of time. Learn how to fix a puncture and carry out basic bicycle maintenance before you go. Learning how to fix a damaged part in the pouring rain next to a busy road is not fun! YouTube has a huge amount of really useful “How to” videos on this kind of stuff. Check over your bike before you set off each day. Check brakes, tyre pressures and lubricate your chain as a minimum. Take advantage of the small moments whilst you're on the go, perhaps dry your tent during your lunch or strap a portable solar charger to your bike bags to charge your batteries whilst you’re riding. If there’s more than one of you on your trip, think about sharing equipment where possible and avoid duplication. Carry a paper or electronic copy of your itinerary with you and leave a copy with a friend or partner safe in the comfort that they have a rough idea where you're staying at any time during your adventure. So that’s it really, if you follow the advice here you’re sure to have a great adventure. Don’t get hung up on the details of which stove is the best or whether you've got the right bike shoes, just get out and enjoy the adventure and learn from the experience. Happy Adventuring!

I think the first time I slept under a tarp I was on a Scout canoeing expedition when I was about fourteen. On that occasion the tarp was made of two orange survival bags, gaffa taped together and strung between the trees forming a weather-proof shelter above our bundle of sleeping bags. Since then, I’ve enjoyed a good number of nights away under some sort of rudimentary shelter, including the classic blue tarpaulin, army poncho, old groundsheets and a dining shelter canvas. For me, the simplicity of a tarp shelter invokes a feeling of being at one with nature but with the luxury of a roof over my head if the heavens open. So last year, as an experiment to reduce the weight of my bikepacking gear, I thought I’d ditch the tent and see if a good old tarp could take its place. In order for the tarp system to challenge my tent, it had to fulfil a couple of key criteria. I wanted a proper shelter over my head and something to protect me from the bugs. The idea wasn’t to go super light or ultra minimalist, but the set-up still needed to provide decent functionality and comfort for an overnight stay with space for me, my gear and somewhere to cook under if it was raining. Also, the overall “shelter system” had to weigh less than a decent light-weight one person tent, say around 1kg, and cost significantly less as well. This was my selection: DD Hammocks Superlight Tarp S, 260g (305g), £45 Outdoor Research Bug Bivy, 365g, £115 Pegs, 135g, £15 Support poles (my bike) It came out at approximately 800g and £175. Not bad for a first go and definitely a viable contender as a lighter-than-a-tent replacement. DD Hammocks Superlight Tarp S (2.8m x 1.5m) There are plenty of great tarps on the market and before I bought this one I was using a standard 3m x 3m version from the same manufacturer. In practice the larger version is probably better for two people but at 800g it’s nearly tent weight. The Superlight version at 2.8m x 1.5m gives just about the right amount of coverage for one person and a minimal weight to boot. I attached eight Dyneema guy ropes to the key attachment points bringing the final weight to around 305g. Outdoor Research Bug Bivy With the shelter sorted I still needed the “anti-bug layer”. I already own a RAB Alpine Bivi bag which would have been the simple choice, however I wanted something I could seal up to keep the critters out but wouldn’t lead to condensation and a damp sleeping bag. The OR Bug Bivy is rather like a standard hooped bivi but made out of a fine "No-See-Um" mesh. It allows air to circulate avoiding condensation (although it’s surprisingly wind resistant) and it’s mosquito proof. It has a hoop to keep the netting off your face and a polyamide waterproof base. Pegs Four (gold) aluminium pegs came with the DD tarp (9 grams each) and I added a number of other lightweight aluminium pegs (red), made by Odoland, to make a set. This lot came in at 135g. Support poles Unless you’re camping in the woods or next to some kind of structure, it’s difficult to rig a tarp to form a decent shelter without some kind of pole(s). I didn’t want to carry poles or chance on finding two fixed points two meters apart every time I camped, so I started to experiment with my bike being the tarp structure therefore doing away with a separate structural element. The setup Using a bike as the frame for the tarp certainly isn’t my idea, or even a new one. I remember reading a 1950’s bicycle touring book at my Nan’s house when I was a kid and seeing images of the bike being used as the shelter structure. There are even specialist tents which are designed with this philosophy in mind. A couple of hours of up to date research gave me some ideas to try out in the back garden before committing to a set up for a bikepacking trip. And it wasn't until I started experimenting with different layouts, did I understand the particular nuances of each one. This one looked great, until... ...I realised I couldn't get in, and I only had about five feet of usable length. Turning the bike sideways, allowed for better access but now only had four feet of useable length and the tarp wasn't taught enough. I also tried a couple of permutations using the bike the right way up. This needed additional guys to hold the bike upright before tackling the tarp. With the front wheel off, but still the right way up, the bike was slightly more stable but was still prone to toppling so ultimately I ended up guying the bike out again. Inverting the bike made for a far more stable support structure. The width of the bars spread the load meaning the bike was pretty much stable without additional guy ropes and still allowed me to rig the tarp. It does come with a downside though. With flat bars at anywhere from 650mm to 800mm wide they significantly ate into the sleeping space, unless I positioned the bike in a way that placed the bars outside. Drop bars would be far better as they are much narrower but at the sacrifice of stability. I wanted to pitch the tarp low to the ground to block as much wind as possible and to avoid rain ingress. Again using a bike has its limitations as the ridge height is pretty much a fixed dimension according to the size of the bike. Adjusting the seat post up and down gave some height adjustability but not enough to make a significant difference. Due to the size and shape of my Bug Bivy, I elected to use the wheels to form part of the structure giving a nicely rounded roof shape at the ends. This worked well when employed on a single wheel but trying to form a shelter using both wheels removed from the bike (one at either end) required a feat of acrobatics to hold everything upright as I pegged it all out. I also avoided using the rear wheel whilst fitted to the bike as the tarp always rubbed on at least one drivetrain component and would have easily worn through the thin material. I eventually opted for a setup where the bike forks formed the rear support and the front wheel formed the head end arch. For the rear I ran the ridge guy line over the drop outs on the front fork and guyed it out at an angle. I found this setup maximized the stability of the bike as the wide bars were directly underneath the rear guy. The front wheel then formed the front arched shape support via the ridge guy and two side guys. I tried this setup (the one on the right) on an overnighter with some mates last summer and it appeared to work really well. However when I used it again two months later on my three-day London to Brighton round trip, the flaws started to appear... When you’re inside the bivi, all is well. The issue was getting in and out when the floor was damp or the underside of the tarp was wet with condensation - both of which are very much factors of our British weather. Because the tarp was pitched low, mainly dictated by the height of the bike, I had to assume a kind of snake like manoeuvre to post myself in through the corner while trying to open the Bug Bivy and avoid the underside of the wet roof! And if getting in was tricky, the reverse was even harder! I considered a number of different options whilst cycling along the Brighton seafront the next day and decided to see if I could simply find a way of raising the head end sufficiently to give me a little extra height. And this is exactly what I did courtesy of a picnic bench at the campsite on the second night. It allowed me to anchor the foot end to the bench, a fraction higher than normal, and use the front wheel still attached to the inverted bike to provide a higher front structure. And it worked well. There was just enough height to get in and out whilst taking off my muddy shoes. In practice Both the DD Hammocks Superlight S tarp and the Outdoor Research Bug Bivy work really well. The tarp is light, strong and waterproof and the Bug Bivy does a great job of keeping out the bugs whilst allowing for air circulation. I also like the internal straps inside the bivi which keep the sleeping mat in place. A larger tarp would help by offering a greater scope for pitching variants. But with the increase in size come an increase in weight which takes it into the light weight tent category. Perhaps a larger tarp shared between two people would allow for a central bike support with sleeping either side under the angle? I could have pitched the tarp bias to one side allowing better access along one length but this would have left the bivi quite exposed on one side. I also found that mud and condensation didn't help when trying to pack everything away. I had been rolling my sleeping bag, sleeping mat, pillow and Bug Bivy up as one for ease of packing into my front bar bag for transport but this didn't work when the base of the bivi was wet. There is something to be said for being able to pack your gear away inside a tent when it's raining outside, leaving only the wet tent to contend with. It's difficult to achieve this in a bivi setup. I ended up using benches and tables to pack my gear whilst waiting for my tarp and Bug Bivy base to semi dry. Design improvements I like the simplicity of rolling my sleeping kit up together in one bag but this only works when the base of the Bug Bivy is dry. So I’m in the process of making a Bug Bivy footprint, in a similar style to a tent footprint to protect the underside of the bivi and to also give me something extra to sit on when I'm under the tarp. This will allow me to pack up all my gear, whilst still under the shelter, leaving me with only a wet tarp and muddy footprint to deal with. These can easily be stowed in a separate bag away from my dry gear. However with this additional weight, say 200g, am I pushing the weight into realms of a light weight tent? The other improvement would be to continue to try alternate layouts for the bike and tarp to gain a few extra inches head height. So is there a place for bikepacking with a tarp? Yes, I think so - for wild camping. I’ve wild camped in tents, under tarps and in bivi bags but I still feel slightly more comfortable under a “makeshift” tarp shelter than blatant tent if I’m somewhere I technically shouldn’t be. It’s also more flexible, I could just sleep in the Bug Bivy if I’m confident it won't rain or take shelter under the tarp for a few hours if it's chucking it down. I also like the fact the bike is part of the structure making the bike less likely to be stolen (I think this is more of a psychological thing rather than reality though). The biggest game changer for me would be the location I choose for my overnight stay. Camping in the woods and having two trees to suspend the tarp from, without the limitations of the bike, would allow me to vary the height of the tarp almost negating the access and egress issues mentioned previously. Ultimately though, a tent is more secure, allows for greater comfort, is easier to set up and affords more privacy. And all for only an extra couple of hundred grams. For me, I would be happy with a one or two night tarp bikepacking trip with more of a wild camping bias. For something longer or based around public campsites I think I'd opt for a tent. I'm going to give it another go soon, with the footprint, and see how it all works... Now if there was a way to suspend a Hennessy hammock from a bike, that could be the ultimate solution! Useful links Here's a link to my Pinterest page with loads of tarp bikepacking ideas: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/nick_adventuring/tarp-bikepacking/ DD Hammocks https://www.ddhammocks.com/ Outdoor Research https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/

On a Tuesday evening in June 2018, a mate sent round the following message to our lads WhatsApp group: “Inflatable canoes, Lidl, central isle, £40, I’ve bought 2”. By Thursday we all had one, and predictably when a group of like-minded people are in receipt of a bunch of newly purchased river craft, a water based adventure must swiftly follow. A river adventure had been on the cards for some time and a few months prior I’d bought a superb paddling guide called “Paddle the Thames” by Mark Rainsley. It therefore made perfect sense to pick a suitable section of this river, pack our kit and set off on a two day overnight paddle adventure. Day 1 - Ferry Lane, Aston to Ferry Lane, Cookham As is invariably the case when four guys all with young families decide to go away together, there’s degree of understandable faff and compromise before we get going. But come 10am on Saturday morning we were busy at our Aston launch point dividing up essentials, inflating the canoes and ensuring anything we didn’t want to get wet was inside something waterproof. The launch was easy enough via the gentle slipway and an hour later we were heading downstream. Navigation is a doddle on the river, you really can’t go that wrong, so it’s more a case of ticking off the landmarks as you go and keeping check on progress towards our destination. So it was fair to say that most of the morning was spent learning how the boats handled and what sort of cruising speed we could expect. The boats weren’t exactly rigid, it was more akin to paddling an enclosed lilo and the relatively low travelling speed was a result of their blunt and rather floppy design which was easily affected by the surface breeze or the wake of other passing river craft. But for a boat costing £40 and the fact they were facilitating a river adventure, we were absolutely chuffed to bits. The river at Aston was perfect for our adventure; it’s about 40m wide with plenty of space for all river craft to pass and good towpaths if an emergency exit was required. We were aiming for the campsite at Cookham Lock some 15km away and at 3km per hour we were confident enough of an arrival around 5pm. We passed the tree covered and mysteriously named Magpie Island and spent probably a little too long recounting scenes from an Indiana Jones film as we explored some of its narrow backwaters. After detangling ourselves from the drooping willow trees we pressed on, rejoining the main channel and quickly arriving at the churning weir at Hurley Lock. Keeping well to the right we avoided its magnetic-like attraction and found a suitable point to alight for our first portage of the day. Hurley Lock was a great place to stop and stretch our legs, grab a slice of cake and at hot coffee at the café and, for some of us, to dry off. We’d decided to take three canoes between the four of us, myself and Marcus in one and Dan and Tim paddling solo. Inside our boat was relatively dry as Marcus and I were using half a paddle each – Canadian style - but the paddle drip stops didn’t work particularly well and when the paddle was used with a double blade - Kayak style - the water ran down the paddle into the cockpit meaning both Tim and Dan were soaked from the waist down. A short paddle down the river brought us to Temple Lock with an alighting point to the left and fast flowing weir to the right. We carried the canoes around the locks once again and took full advantage of the public toilet facilities. I was pleasantly surprised with the Environment Agency run locks and facilities – ok they’re not the most salubrious - but they’re functional enough with toilets, hand basins and showers taking away the inconvenience of having to find decent facilities on route. The launch points are low enough for a kayak to easily enter and exit the river and the paths and steps are all well maintained. There’s quite a sense on grandeur to the next section of the river. It’s lined with mature trees and equally mature old houses and the swans look perfectly at home gliding gracefully across the foreground. Arriving at Marlow we’d happened upon a school regatta. It was quite comical listening to the event marshals struggling to get a bunch of eager young lads to line up their rowing boats on the virtual start line. But seeing an opportunity to test our new river craft, we felt a race was in order. We hung back, well off to the side of the river, confident in our age and experience over the younger rowers, waiting for the starting gun to fire... I think we kept pace for all of about three meters before their boats sped past us to shouts of encouragement from competitive parents on the far bank. Marlow is a pretty town, even when viewed from the river, and its crescent shaped weir is equally as impressive. The nearby lock demanded another portage and, after a day of wet shorts and continually bailing out their boats, Tim and Dan decided to rejoin the water in a single canoe adopting the somewhat dryer paddling style myself and Marcus had enjoyed throughout the day. The river opened out at this point, our boats feeling somewhat dwarfed by the expanse of flat water, but an hour after passing Gibraltar Island, we arrived at the slipway on Ferry Lane next to Cookham Lock pretty much on schedule. A well-deserved dinner at “The Ferry” pub topped of the trio of “Ferry” names for the day before heading down to the campsite on the island at Cookham Lock. Day 2 – Cookham Lock to Windsor None of us appeared to be hanging around this morning and as breakfast was planned for a later stop, we were back in the water by nine o’clock. Cookham Lock is a narrow shortcut across the main curve of the Thames with trees pressed hard up against the banks their boughs drooping low into the water. With a low layer of early morning river mist and just the sound of birds to accompany us, it felt like we were paddling down the Amazon. The National Trust's Cliveden House is just on the other side of the river and although the bankside trees block a direct view there are a number of pretty, mock Tudor buildings closer to the water. Soon we were approaching Boulters Weir, an impressively large tier of steps with crashing water and ominous “Danger” signs protecting its entrance. Staying well to the right we avoided the natural pull of the water and docked at our alighting point. Although this is an island, much like many of the other locks, it is connected to the riverbank and can get quite touristy. Nothing wrong with that, in fact it provided us with good toilets, a great café and plenty of seating. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was already hot and our bacon baguettes and coffee purposefully took that much longer to consume. We found departing the island quite tricky for small river craft. The banks downstream of the weir are quite high and necessitated sitting on the bankside and lowering ourselves down into the boat from above. It’s quite tricky for a canoe or kayak but one with a floppy hull made it that much harder. Nevertheless, we all managed to get in our boats without an early morning swim and were back on our way. The river is much busier on this stretch, with gardens backing onto the river and plenty of boats lining the banks. A little further on, the main Ray Mead road runs parallel at this point bringing pedestrians and cyclists within conversational distance and a look more akin to a canal in Amsterdam. Shortly after this we were greeted by Brunel’s viaduct, built in 1838 for the Great Western Railway with it’s two, thirty nine meter long arches, which are apparently the longest in the world. Whilst the history was great, we found more fun in indulging our childlike antics finding out what sounds made the best echo! Just beyond was Bray, the location of some significantly expensive houses and a number of multiple Michelin Star pubs. As you depart millionaires row, the river banks open out a little giving way to Bray studios on the right and, although you can’t see it, the almost runway like, Dorney Lake. The mornings hot sun had been rapidly fading throughout the last few hours and the head wind picking up. Speed was down to about 1.5kph at this point and with the first few drops of rain bouncing off our stretched polyurethane cocoons we decided to heed the words of the Lock Master at Bray Lock and call it a day. We dragged the boats out of the water a few kilometres short of Windsor and with a taxi ride to collect our cars we were packed up and heading home, weary, slightly damp but immensely smug at the success of our Lidl inflatable river adventure. Tips for canoeing the River Thames Route: Total 18 miles (30km) The route starts at Ferry Lane slipway, just north of the small village of Aston, Henley-on-Thames RG9. Day 1 – Aston to Cookham - 9 miles (15km). Aston, Hurley Lock, Temple Lock, Marlow Lock, Gibraltar Islands, Bourne End Railway and Footbridge, Cookham Bridge, (Ferry Inn slipway), Cookham Lock. Day 2 – Cookham to Windsor - 9 miles (15km). Cookham, Ray Mill Island / Boulters Lock, A4 (Bray) Bath Road Bridge, Guards Club Island, Maidenhead (Brunel / GWR) Railway Bridge, Bray Lock, M4 Motorway bridge, Monkey Island, Summerleaze Footbridge, Boveney Lock, A332 Road bridge, Windsor Leisure Centre. The attachments below are .gpx files of the entire route for Day 1 and Day 2. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. Accommodation: Cookham Lock campsite, Odney Lane, Cookham, SL6 9SRH https://www.visitthames.co.uk/about-the-river/river-thames-locks/cookham-lock Eating and Drinking: Hurley Lock Tea Shop, 112A Mill Ln, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5ND. The Ferry pub, Sutton Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 9SN. 01628 525123. https://www.theferry.co.uk/ Ray Mill Island café, Boulters Lock, Ray Mead Rd, Maidenhead SL6 8PE Equipment: We had three Inshore 335 mk 5 inflatable canoes purchased from Lidl which come with one, split double paddle. You could equally use a canoe, kayak, paddle board, raft or rubber ring. 30 ltr, fully waterproof, roll top dry bag + 5 ltr dry bag to carry equipment needed in the cockpit. Sleeping: Tarp, Bug bivi, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow Paddling clothes: Buoyancy aid, wetsuit boots, swimming shorts, t-shirt, windproof smock, waterproof jacket, cap, glasses. Spare clothes: Complete change of clothes including down jacket and trainers. Wash kit and first aid items (including sun cream) Head torch, multitool Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 map in map case Mobile phone, GPS, battery, cables Snacks, 1 ltr water bottle Collapsible seat and sit mat Canoe maintenance kit: Pump, sponge, gaffa tape, puncture repair kit, rope, throw line and a selection of karabiners for securing equipment on board. Most of this was in another dry bag and carried as group kit between the four of us. Notes: The Thames section we were paddling on is managed by The Environment Agency. Some useful information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/river-thames-locks-and-facilities-for-boaters#camping-at-lock-sites We only took snacks and a 1 ltr water bottle each as there were plenty of places to eat and drink on route. Stopping is necessary for portages and also made for convenient occasions to stretch our legs and use the public toilets. You'll need a license to paddle on many of the UK’s rivers, including the Thames. We all joined British Canoeing which, for the single membership fee, granted us a license to paddle across the whole of the UK for a year. If you've never paddled down a river before then its also worth familiarising yourself with some do's and don'ts of river travel and some appropriate river etiquette in order to stay the right side of other (bigger!) boats. https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk

This was the second cycling adventure we’d been on as two families, the first being a cycle to the South Downs and back the previous year. So the bar had been set, the kids were all one year older and the lure of a two day trek across the wilds of the New Forest in Hampshire felt the right balance of distance, terrain and adventure. Day 1 - Normansland to Burley Our journey began in loose convoy, four bikes strapped to each car making our way out of London towards Hampshire. Our overnight accommodation was the Youth Hostel in Burley, and as it was located in the south west corner of the Forest, it was natural to start on the opposite side and make our route diagonally across the National Park from one corner to the other. We parked the cars in a small car park near the Lamb Pub in Normansland and by 10am were saddled up and ready to embark on our intrepid expedition. April can be a fickle month, I remember crowding round a barbeque to keep warm on an Easter camp some years earlier after it decided to snow, but this morning was a warm spring day, with blue sky stretching out across the tops of the tress and jumpers firmly relegated to the bottom of our bags. The first fifteen minutes of cycling provoked a few unspoken reactions from the group. A gut buster of a hill on a reasonably busy road saw red faces, bikes being pushed and a slight look of apprehension from a number of the adults about my route selection. But this was quickly dispelled as the road levelled, the trees receded making way for one hundred and eighty degrees of heather and yellow flowered gorse and a flat road stretching away into the distance. The New Forest never fails to amaze me. It’s a quiet, tranquil place, the real owners being the wild ponies and, as it has a distinct lack of fences, boundaries or significant hills across much of its seventy one thousand acres, much of it feels wild and expansive. We stopped for an early lunch under the shade of a small wood near Long Beach Inclosure campsite. We knew the key to the success of the trip would be an easy pace, plenty of stops for food and drink and clear waypoints that everyone could recognise as we progressed along our route. The kids really warm to the latter knowing they have a number of landmarks to count down as the journey unfolds. A small reward (preferably one that they can consume!) at each point really helps keep them involved and motivated from start to finish. We left the heathland behind us for much of the second half of the day as we passed through Newtown and slipped under the shade of the trees, enjoying the gravelled trackways that make so much of the route easy to cycle on. It’s still mildly undulating however, and a number of the inclines a little too steep for those with younger legs but a gentle push or a short walk was all that was needed in order to crest the rise and coast back down the other side. A refreshing lemonade in the Queens Head in Burley just before our arriving at our overnight accommodation was a welcome treat and a few minutes later we were bumping down the dusty track, over the cattle grid and into the welcome arms of the Youth Hostel. Youth Hostel's are amazing places to stay whether you’re travelling solo, with a group or as a family. Since their recent national refurbishment programme, they are bright, well decorated, friendly places, with great staff and plenty of modern amenities including WiFi and USB charging sockets at your bedside. We each had a family room, allowing us the space to spread out in privacy and the Youth Hostel supplied bedding was clean and fresh. Warm showers washed away the dust of the trails and soon after we regrouped in the lounge for a well-earned rest and a few rounds of Uno before our pizza dinner (and a bottle of red wine for the adults!) Day 2 - Burley to Normansland After a varied breakfast, cereal for some and a full English for others, we were back on the bikes and heading out into the warm but hazy morning. The route was pretty much a reversal of the previous day but in order to give the impression of continuing our journey we turned left out of the Youth Hostel instead of right to pick up the forest trail a little further north. The morning cloud had burnt off by now making way for a hot sun and blue skies once again. We’d passed the Canadian War memorial on our way to the Youth Hostel the day before but we decided this time to stop and learn a little more about the Canadian soldiers who were stationed in the New Forest prior to the D-Day landings. Everyone was still in good spirits and lunch time was approaching, but despite having food in our bags, the lure of “Acres Down Cream Tea’s and Ice Creams” was far too tempting and within minutes the bikes were slotted into the handy bike rack and we were stuffing our faces with tea, cakes, scones and ice-creams. Some of the younger members struggled with a few of the longer inclines but one particular incline, a long gentle downhill the day before, proved a test of mental strength as well as physical. Some walked, parents encouraged, but they all made it to the top in the end proud of their achievement. As the last few miles passed we hopped on and off the roads as the trail dictated, competent in our new found peloton riding skills. The final leg was a speedy decent down the "gut buster" hill we struggled up the previous day, across the green, avoiding the ponies to our waiting cars. Overall this was a brilliant route for families with younger kids. With the majority of the route away from public roads and set in a beautiful National Park it made for a great adventure and stress free cycling. Tips for cycling across the New Forest Route: Terrain: Gravel – 60%, Paved – 30%, Dirt – 10% (approx.) Total: 32miles (52km), 705m total ascent. Day 1 – Normansland to Burley - 16 miles (26km), 340m ascent. Normansland, Longcross Plain, Kings Garn Gutter Inclosure, Stoney Cross, Newtown, Canadian War Memorial, Outer Rails Inclosure, Burley. Day 2 – Burley to Normansland - 16 miles (26km), 365m ascent. Burley, Outer Rails Inclosure, Canadian War Memorial, Newtown, Stoney Cross, Kings Garn Gutter Inclosure, Longcross Plain, Normansland. Day 2 is slightly different to Day 1 around the Kings Garn Gutter Inclosure. Otherwise it’s pretty much a reversal of the previous day. (Maps and images courtesy of Map my Ride) The attachments below are .gpx files of the entire route, split over the two days. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. Accommodation: YHA New Forest. Cott Ln, Burley, Ringwood BH24 4BB. 0345 371 9309. https://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/yha-new-forest Eating and Drinking: Queens Head Pub. The Cross, Burley, Ringwood BH24 4AB. 01425 403 423. https://www.chefandbrewer.com/pubs/hampshire/queens-head Acres Down Farm, Minstead, Lyndhurst SO43 7GE. 0238 081 3693 http://www.acresdownfarm.co.uk/cream-teas.html Evening meal, breakfast and packed lunch the second day were all provided by the YHA, details above. Equipment: Adults kit: Hybrid or Mountain bike (in good working order) 30 litre rucksack Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes / trainers, padded cycling shorts / shorts / leggings, cycling jersey / t-shirt, fleece / long sleeve cycling top, waterproof jacket Spare clothes: Underwear, socks, t-shirt, shorts / leggings, jumper, sandals / flip flops Wash kit, pack towel and first aid / medication items Mobile phone, battery, cables, charger Bike lock, lights, 2 x 1ltr water bottles Lunch and snacks for the first day We also carried between us: a GPS, bike tools, pump and bike spares Kids kit: Hybrid / Mountain bike (in good working order) 10-15 litre rucksack Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, trainers, socks, padded cycling shorts, t-shirt, fleece, waterproof jacket. Spare clothes: Underwear, socks, t-shirt, shorts / leggings, jumper, sandals / flip flops Wash kit, pack towel and first aid / medication items 1ltr water bottle Lunch and snacks for the first day The adults carried the kids spare clothes, wash kits, towels, and bicycle accessories. The kids carried their own water, lunch, snacks and waterproof jacket. The Youth Hostel supplies all bedding which significantly reduces the amount of kit required. Notes: Our party consisted of four adults and four children. The youngest child was seven and the oldest was thirteen. The youngest needed some assistance on the climbs but otherwise completed the adventure as well as everyone else. At first glance it may look as though there aren’t many bridleways in the New Forest and that off road cycling may not be possible. Thankfully this isn’t the case as the entire area is crisscrossed with dedicated cycle routes, many of them marked as orange dots on an Ordnance Survey Explorer (1:25.000) map. However, off road cycling is only permitted on these routes so if you’re planning to design your own route then it’s a good idea to get familiar with the rules and guidelines. Dedicated cycle trail routes and other cycling relating information can be downloaded here: https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/things-to-do/cycling/cycling-routes/ Some of our route was on B or C roads. Aside from the first road out of Normansland they are all pretty quiet country lanes. However, please make sure all the members of your party are confident riding on public roads and there are enough adults to supervise.

National Cycle Network route 2 runs between Dover in Kent to Dawlish, just west of Exmouth. In March 2020, literally a week before national lockdown, I decided to pack my panniers and ride 240 miles over 5 days from London to Exmouth along NCN #2. Day 1 - Sutton to Chichester #Muscle memory? For some reason I hadn’t been out on the bike that much over the previous six months. So, much of the first twenty miles were spent pondering whether my legs and perhaps more importantly my derriere were ready for the next two hundred plus miles. I chose to start the adventure at Sutton train station and ride cross country to pick up NCN 2 in Chichester, purely because I had another ride in mind that would take me along the Brighton stretch later in the year. The initial part of the route was mainly on roads, passing through a number of Green Belt towns and was pleasant enough just to get the legs working. After two months of almost continuous rain the sun had finally asserted its authority with bright skies, puffy clouds and the temperature just warm enough for cycling. As I weaved my way across the North Downs and descended into Shere, I felt a touch guilty when I elected to stop for a coffee in the Dabbling Duck and their lunch time menu relegated my packed lunch to a mid-afternoon snack. My route turned west for a while, onto NCN route 22, an off-road trail taking me cross country to Shamley Green where I’d turn due south again. An unhurried road route scooted me through the wooded lanes of Haslemere, Dunsfold (the home of the old Top Gear test track) and my first glimpse of the South Downs. Overall the route was quite undulating, perhaps not surprising as I had to cross the North and South Downs, so by the time I trundled into Singleton I was pretty tired. Thankfully, Regional Cycle Route 88, the New Lipchis Way / Emperor Way, took pity on me and rolled out a few miles of smooth tarmac all the way to Chichester. At the south west corner of Chichester I finally connected with NCN route 2, my guide for the next four days and an easy cruise into Bosham for an overnight stay at The Boat House B&B. Gammon, eggs and chips was courtesy of the White Swan, a ten minute walk away, then it was into bed for a well-earned first nights sleep. Thankfully my legs had woken up to the fact that they were going to be the engine house for the next four days, unfortunately the same positivity couldn't be said for the saddle sores I could feel brewing. Day 2 - Chichester to New Forest #Messing about in boats I suffered a slight delay to my departure after the Boathouse owners, Jane and Hamish, asked if I’d feature on their new website. Vanity getting the better of me, I adopted various poses with my bike for the next few minutes as photos were duly taken. It’s a great B&B, spotlessly clean with well-appointed rooms and caters for cyclists with secure bike storage and the route literally passing the front door. The flat roads out of Chichester, albeit slightly busy, allowed me to catch up the lost time. I passed through Emsworth, onto Hayling Island and enjoyed a beautiful ride along the nature reserve on the western edge, arriving with five minutes to spare for the scheduled 10:45am Hayling Island ferry departure. This was to be the first of five ferry crossings I’d make on this journey each one with its own quirks and peculiarities. It was also the only one I’d arrive at on time. An easy ride round the sea front, past South Parade Pier and numerous war and naval memorials brought me into Portsmouth. After taking a few wrong turns through a cluster of newly developed water front properties, I arrived at the Gosport ferry. Somehow I’d managed to forget to make allowance for the ferry crossing times into my route plan, so I’d ended up with only twenty minutes to cycle seven miles from the Hayling Island ferry to Portsmouth! Thankfully the ferry departed every fifteen minutes so only my pride was damaged and I made a mental note to alter the times on my route plan for the rest of the day. The “Millennium Town” of Gosport was looking a little tired round the edges as I arrived on the other side of the harbour. But a few miles west the coastal cycle way opened out to horizon bending views of the dark brown sea meeting the pale grey sky as I looked across to the Isle of Wight. The previous days bright sunshine had continued to around eleven o’clock this morning but was now struggling to fight its way out from behind a thickening layer of clouds. Coupled with an inshore headwind, it had me zipping up my jacket and tucking in my neck scarf. Lunch was a quick affair courtesy of shop bought sandwiches and eaten on a sea view bench at Lee-on-the-Solent. Another short ride took me to the River Hamble and the Wasash ferry. It’s difficult to miss in its barbie pink livery and thankfully I didn’t have to wait long for it to arrive. I was carrying all my gear in my two rear panniers, plus the tent on my rack which made the bike a little off balance and challenging to manoeuvre. Lifting it onto the ferry was a sorry affair and almost necessitated removing the panniers in order to get it onboard! The trip across the Hamble was only five minutes but it’s a pretty crossing point full of sailing boats and has great views up the river and out to sea. The Solent Way provided the route for the next stretch, linking the River Hamble to Southampton. Royal Victoria Park still has a slight regal feel to it with its open grass and wind swept Scots pines surrounding the gravel paths and brick built chapel. But the Itchen Bridge at Southampton with its exposed height and a gusty wind makes for a nervous ride next to the speeding traffic. Crossing the River Test is a functional activity and with its hourly crossings, timing your arrival is beneficial otherwise be prepared to make use of the motorway service style waiting room. Arriving at Hythe is a polar opposite. It’s a quaint if somewhat weather beaten green wooden building and six hundred metre long wooden pier served by a train which takes passengers from one end to the other. Unfortunately cycles are not allowed on the train and you can’t ride down the pier so I had a long walk overlooking the sea and watching the little train disappear into the distance. A ride through Hythe town, including a short stop to pick up some extras for my evening meal, saw me cross the A326 and into the New Forest. I’ve been visiting the New Forest for years but crossing the boundary cattle bridge never fails to humble me. It’s like two worlds; on the outside the hustle and bustle of every day life, urban sprawl and development; and inside, the calm serenity of unspoiled open rolling heathland, small pockets of woodland and the pony’s roaming free and easy where ever they please. My campsite was a few miles down the road where a hot shower awaited. Tent pitched and dinner on, I watched the sun go down as I sorted my kit and caught up with general admin. The temperature had been just the wrong side of cold today, I never really built up enough effort to warm up my extremities but sitting in my down jacket eating Pasta Bolognese washed down with a mini bottle of red wine, I was now warm and content. Day 3 - New Forest to Dorchester #Blame it on the campsite manager With all good intentions I’d planned to set off at 8am today. I had a long ride ahead and I was just leaving when a slightly over enthusiastic campsite manager got chatting. An hour later I wound my way up the camp site drive and out onto the road, cursing my inability to cut the (albeit interesting) conversation short. I felt like I had the whole of the forest to myself this morning. Aside from the odd car, I don’t think I saw a single person until I reached Brockenhurst. It felt slightly surreal, but I was enjoying the peaceful calmness as I trundled along the forest tracks talking out loud to myself. At one point I glanced back to find a mountain biker on my tail, the only person I’d seen for miles. The illusive figure stayed at a small distance off my rear wheel for around four or five miles until I made efforts to loose them as I snaked my way down towards Christchurch. For a brief moment I felt like Richard Hannay in the novel The Thirty Nine Steps being chased across the open moorland not knowing whether the follower was friend or foe. Christchurch is an interesting town, and if I had more time I would have stopped for longer. It’s a perfect blend of bustling activity, medieval ruins and pretty houses. But, with time pressing I passed through and onto the eastern end of Bournemouth beach. The route was a flat ride along the beach promenade and although I had the advantage of very few pedestrians being out, the headwind had picked up and the sand had been blown into a thick layer covering the path. I made it to Bournemouth pier, grabbed a bite to eat and took shelter. The headwind was relentless and the sand too loose to ride at any speed, so I made the decision to break from my flat route and head inland for some shelter and less treacherous surface. A steep climb up over Canford Cliffs followed by a long descent down the other side took me away from the headwind and brought me to the chainlink ferry at Sandbanks. My legs still felt good at this point but the same couldn’t be said for my rear end. A quick application of chamois cream in the toilets on the ferry would help me through the next few hours but I knew the sores were only going to get worse as I continued. Studland on the Isle of Purbeck is beautiful, rather like a cousin of the New Forest and the route was equally as good. It wound its way off-road on almost single track type trails, weaving in between the gorse and heather, and was quite muddy in sections as well. By the time I picked up smooth tarmac on the western edge I felt like I’d ridden for a day already. Unfortunately, I was only half way… The route west continued on country lanes, reasonably flat, passing through East Stoke, Wool and Moreton. I think the high hedged country lanes would be quite cheerful in the summer, but now, in March with the cold wind and the prospect of another twenty miles still to go it just seemed a little bleak. I rolled into Dorchester and skirted south of the main high street as dusk approached and I felt the first drops of rain. Lights and water proofs donned and a raisin Yorkie and a cup of tea still in reserve I pressed on. There was a fairly chunky hill ahead and I’d decided to chose whether to go over or round it when I arrived at the junction. Somehow I’d managed to pass the “go round it” turning so I was committed to an off road route taking me up and over. Darkness fell as I came off the hill. I pressed on, fog now settling in the valley and enveloping my silent journey. One final hill loomed, one of those with a number of false summits made worse by the fact I couldn’t see any more than fifty meters in front of me. I crested the hill top, the Hardy Monument looming out of the darkness and began a brake squealing decent down into Portesham. There was a distinct lack of street lights in the village and I had to use my GPS to locate the campsite entrance but it appeared soon enough allowing me to trundle in, straight into the middle of a bunch of caravans. I found a decent spot for my lonesome tent, locked my bike up, dived into the shower then headed over to the Kings Arms pub for dinner and a pint. Whilst I sipped my beer waiting for my home-made burger I wrote my diary and wondered how much easier this last leg would have been if I’d set off one hour earlier… Day 4 - Dorchester to Exmouth #Horsey, horsey, don’t you stop… At the pub the previous night I had been dragged out of my cosy corner seat (where I was drying my clothes and charging my various electronic devices) to join the locals at the bar. One too many beers later I crawled into my tent only to wake at 6am, bladder at bursting point. Deciding to go for the early start I hadn’t managed the day before, I packed up my wet tent, gobbled down a cold Wayfayrer breakfast and a carbohydrate drink. All not very appealing, but a kind lady offered me coffee for my flask as I was securing my panniers, which I gratefully accepted before setting off into the morning drizzle. And not three minutes later I was back off the bike pushing it up the first of many, very steep Devon hills. Despite it being a grey, cold, drizzly day, the scenery was trying its best to cheer me up. Swathes of green rolling hills, all very Devonish with low stone walls lining the narrow roads and the daffodils just coming into bloom along the hedgerows. But even this didn’t detract from my painfully cold hands and feet and the mud rivers washing across the road covering me and all my gear. I found some brief respite from the rain and cold outside an old telephone box which had been converted into a medley of hill walker's paraphernalia. "Please leave a comment in the visitor book" it said. At this point I thought it would be more useful to burn it to warm up! Despite the hills, they were actually a welcome distraction. Stomping up them gave me the opportunity to warm my feet up at the expense of making clipperty clop - horsey noises as my cycle cleats struck the tarmac. And so the cycle loop continued, down hill - freeze. Uphill - "clipperty clop" - thaw. To be honest most of the section from Portesham and through Bridport my head was down just battling the cold, potholes, mud and rain so lunch on the forecourt of a Tesco's petrol station in Axminster was a blissful haven for ten minutes. Thankfully the sky cleared a little after that and by about 3pm the sun was just peeking out of the clouds making the ride along the coast past the seaside towns of Seaton and Sidmouth quite picturesque. As I approached Budleigh Salterton I knew it wasn't that much further and also that the last leg was on a disused railway. However, as if to remind me that I was still firmly in Devon even the old railway line was steep! Thankfully it was only a short climb, giving way to a long straight descent, dodging evening runners and cyclists, leading me into Exmouth just as the sun was setting. Day 5 - Exmouth to Exeter #A distinct lack of planned preventative maintenance A well-deserved overnight stay at Premier Inn Exmouth was topped off with an "all you can eat" breakfast before setting off on today's leisurely ride up the river Exe. The sun was back out again, although it was still cold, it was bright and cheery and a welcome change from yesterday’s grim conditions. Now I wasn't worried about mud, hills or the cold, I was suddenly in tune to the awful sound of my gears grinding and chain squeaking; every turn of the pedals had me wincing in sympathy. It hadn't seemed appropriate maintaining my filthy bike in the hotel conference room last night. And anyway a glass of wine and a chicken pie was much more appealing. Should I stop and put some lube on now? No, it's stuffed in my spare shoes which are at the bottom of my left pannier, and it's only a few more miles to go anyway. It’s a delightful ride along the Exe, following the train line past the Commando training ground at Lympstone and the dog leg through Exton and on to Topsham. The boardwalks over the water also make for an interesting thrumming sound as my tyres rolled across the semi smooth surface. And it’s at this point that I departed NCN route 2, my friend for the last three days, and made a brief acquaintance with NCN #34 along the Exe Valley Way for the last few miles into Exeter City. I found I was taking it more and more slowly at this point. Was it perhaps because I had an hour to kill before the train departed, or perhaps it was because my legs were tired? I had a feeling it was probably because this mini adventure was coming to a close and I really didn’t want it to. Exeter St. Davids train station appeared on the left as my GPS predicted and it was journeys end to a great ride. But now both my bike and I needed a long rest and some much needed maintenance. And perhaps a saddle fitting session booked up as soon as possible. Tips for bikepacking NCN 2 Route: 240miles (385km), 4230m total ascent. The route starts at Sutton Station, SM1 1DE, which has plenty of great rail connections. Day 1 – Sutton to Bosham (Chichester) - 57 miles (92km), 1020m ascent. Leatherhead, Shere, Dunsfold, Lodsworth, Singleton. Day 2 – Bosham (Chichester) to Beaulieu (New Forest) - 45 miles (72km), 335m ascent. Havant, Hayling Ferry, Portsmouth (Gosport ferry), (Hamble ferry), Southampton (Hythe ferry), Beaulieu. Day 3 - Beaulieu (New Forest) to Portesham (nr. Dorchester) - 68 miles (109km), 837m ascent. Christchurch, Bournemouth, Sandbanks (ferry), Wareham, Dorchester. Day 4 - Portesham (nr. Dorchester) to Exmouth - 59 miles (95km), 1798m ascent. Pymore, Axminster, Brainscombe, Sidmouth. Day 5 – Exmouth to Exeter (Exeter St. David’s train station) - 12 miles (19km), 238m ascent. Topsham (Maps and images courtesy of cycle.travel) The attachment below is a .gpx file for the entire 5 day route from Sutton in Surrey to Exmouth. Please feel free to download the route and modify it to suit your own adventure accordingly. NCN route 2 can be viewed on the Sustrans website https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-2, which if you haven’t visited before is an excellent source of cycling information. You can also purchase the paper maps of the route here as well. My return journey was via GWR trains from Exeter St. David’s to London Paddington and took 2hrs 15 mins. They have dedicated bike storage on board but you do need to book your cycle in advance. Ferries: Hayling Island – The Hayling Ferry - https://www.haylingferry.net/ Portsmouth – Gosport Ferry - https://www.gosportferry.co.uk/ Hamble – Hamble Warsash Ferry - https://www.hambleferry.co.uk/ Southampton - Hythe Ferry (Blue Funnel Ferries) - https://hytheferry.co.uk/ Sandbanks / Poole - Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Co. - http://www.sandbanksferry.co.uk/ Accommodation: Day 1 – The Bosham Boat House. Main Road, Bosham, Chichester, PO18 8EH https://www.theboshamboathouse.co.uk/ Day 2 – Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre, New Forest (not open to general public) Day 3 – Portesham Dairy Farm Campsite. 7 Bramdon Lane, Portesham, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4HG. https://www.porteshamdairyfarm.co.uk/ Day 4 – Premier Inn. Exmouth Seafront, The Esplanade, Devon. EX8 2AZ https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/devon/exmouth/exmouth-seafront.html Eating: The Dabbling Duck. Middle Street, Shere, Guildford GU5 9HF. https://www.thedabblingduck.uk.com/ The White Swan. Station Rd, Bosham, Chichester PO18 8NG. https://whiteswanbosham.co.uk/ The Kings Arms. 2 Front Street, Portesham, Weymouth DT3 4ET. https://www.kingsarmsportesham.co.uk/ Premier Inn. Exmouth Seafront, The Esplanade, Devon. EX8 2AZ Equipment: Specialized CrossTrail “Adventure Bike” running Schwalbe Marathon Mondial 35c tyres 40 ltr rear pannier set + 5 ltr bar bag Sleeping: 1 person tent, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, overshoes, padded cycling shorts, cycling jersey, cycling gilet, arm warmers, windproof smock, neck warmer Spare clothes: 2nd set of cycling kit – gloves, jersey, shorts. Plus down jacket, zip off trousers, short sleeved shirt, socks, underwear, thermal top and leggings, waterproof jacket, trainers Wash kit and first aid items Collapsible seat and sit mat Stove, pot, gas, food 2 x 1ltr water bottles, thermal flask/mug Head torch, multitool GoPro, GPS, mobile phone, battery, cables Bike tools, innertube, pump, bike lock, lights Notes: The majority of this route is on tarmac roads, however some parts are off-road and across some fairly rough terrain. Any good gravel, hybrid or mountain bike would be suitable for this route, something with a reasonably wide tyre with some off-road grip. I wouldn’t personally take a road bike with slick tyres as the terrain is really not suitable. My route starts at Sutton train station in Surrey, however there is a good train service which runs from London Victoria to Brighton which takes just under one hour. It’s possible therefore to start cycling a whole section further back along NCN route 2 and ride along the coast from Brighton (Ovingdean) to Bosham, then onto Exmouth (Dawlish) as follows: Day 1 – Ovingdean to Bosham – 44 miles Day 2 – Bosham to Brockenhurst – 53 miles Day 3 – Brockenhurst to Moreton – 45 miles Day 4 – Moreton to Axminster – 43 miles Day 5 – Axminster to Dawlish – 47 miles

2020 was a pretty bad year for many of us due to the Covid pandemic, but by September I found myself craving the open road (cycle path in this case) and planned a 3-day round trip down to Brighton and back to try and get away from it all. I was suitably impressed with my previous National Cycle Network adventure back in March of 2020, that I decided to plan another trip on these excellent trails, this time it was numbers 2, 21, 22 & 223. Day 1 - Sutton to Horam Having packed the bike up the night before, all that was left to do was say my goodbye’s to the family, grab the bike and go. The first part of the cycle route was purely my own, taking me away from Sutton train station, over the M25 and on to East Grinstead on bridal paths and quiet country lanes. I arrived at East Grinstead around midday, planning to grab something to eat for lunch and also for my evening meal. The latter was in the form of a Wayfayrer meal purchased from a Millets camping store that I'd pre-arranged to collect the day before. I don’t really like leaving my bike unattended with all its bags, lights and other paraphernalia so a convenient Costa Coffee next to the start of the Bluebell Railway provided suitable outside lunchtime eating. I picked up NCN route 21, otherwise known as The Forest Trail, just outside the town and headed due south for what would be the remainder of the day. For the main, this trail is a disused railway, its tracks having long since been removed, turning it into a superb dedicated cycle path. The surface was made up of finely crushed stone, a little worn in places but generally in good repair. It made for fast off-road riding and easy navigation through farmers fields and autumnal woodland. The route flits on and off of the old rail line south of Eridge Green until it starts again in earnest as the Cuckoo Trail at Heathfield. Horam Manor Country Park campsite was good. Its main custom would appear to be caravans – making my tarp set up, nestled in between them look quite comical – but the ground was flat and it had excellent toilet and wash facilities. After a delicious chicken curry Wayfayrer meal followed by sticky toffee pudding, the pub beckoned. Lakeside Horum (pub) was closed due to Covid so a five minute walk brought me to the May Garland Inn. Despite its 3.7 star Google rating, it had good service, a cheery bar lady and they had no problem with me charging up my various electronic gadgets whilst enjoying a pint or two. I'd recommend it. Day 2 - Horam to Henfield I like to get going early in the morning (although it takes me an age to pack up…) and stop for breakfast slightly later. So after gobbling down a trail bar first thing I was happy to push on a few miles before considering something more hearty. The remainder of the old rail line quickly ushered me onwards, quickly arriving at the coast and the aptly named seaside town of Seaford. Contrary to the traditional London to Brighton route, this particular trail and the one I’d use at Shoreham-by-sea conveniently use the natural gaps in the South Downs making crossing this small but not insignificant hill range somewhat easier. I joined the eastern part of NCN route 2 at Seaford, the same route I’d ridden the western part of back in March. Most of this section is tarmac, starting with the aptly named “Seaford exercise path”, so again progress was good. And little did I know that delaying breakfast on this occasion was saving up for a real treat. As I hit the very western end of Brighton I came across The Whitecliffs Café, a chic establishment selling every delectable morsel you could wish for, be that a savory snack or chocolatey pudding. After munching my way through a full English breakfast pasty and saving half my chocolate brownie for later, I joined the sea wall cycle way which passes along the base of the towering chalk cliffs for an easy ride into Brighton. (I say it was an easy ride, and it would be normally if it wasn't for the niggling pain I had in my left knee...) Brighton’s best explored on foot so I passed through reasonably quickly via the dedicated cycle way taking me out towards Shoreham's shore side industrial area and power station. My coast route turned north at Shoreham-by-sea, away from NCN 2, over the South Downs and onto NCN 223 – The Downs Link. I’ve cycled this trail a number of times before, the last was in the Summer of 2019 with my family on a two-day cycle adventure. It’s another great cycle path, formerly a rail line from Guildford to Shoreham-by-sea, with miles of traffic free, reasonably flat terrain. A final push up over the South Downs to Steyning, saw me arrive - somewhat later than I had planned - at Blacklands Farm Campsite, just north of Henfield. A request to campsite owners – please put more tables and seats around your sites for the likes of us that can’t carry them around with us! Sitting and cooking dinner on a muddy field just isn’t that pleasant. However, I’m pleased to say that Blackland’s has picnic benches dotted around, so I bagged one to use for my shelter and to sort my gear. Heaven! Dinner was a treat, a deliciously creamy fish pie at the Wheatsheaf pub a short walk up the road. Day 3 - Henfield to Sutton I’ve always taken slightly longer than most to get my kit packed up in the morning. I like to have everything neatly folded and stowed away, whether that’s my rucksack for a weekend hiking or my dry bags for a canoeing trip, it just takes time! Also my knee hadn’t got any better and I was in two minds whether to push on. As ever, optimism prevailed and I was back on the bike and heading out to pick up the Downs Link trail once again. My “breakfast later” mindset really paid off this time as, not ten minutes later, the smell of bacon wafted across the road just as I was set to re-join NCN 223. Sausage butty and coffee consumed, and a brief chat with a couple of riders that belonged to a Dorking MTB club, left me fuelled and raring to hit the trail. The route was once again easy – a straight cycle path with a few interesting villages and cafés en-route if you’re in need of a mid ride snack. I’d collected sloe berries during a family camp just prior to this ride; if your looking for a good crop then this route has bushes full of them. I turned off NCN 223 at Shamley Green and stopped for lunch. My knee was in a bad way at this point. I'd torn one of my knee ligaments a few years ago and it took four months to heal, so I made the disappointing decision to call out the calvary (my wife with the car) a few miles further down the route. I’m ever the optimist and probably would have ridden all the way home only to find myself booked into the osteopath and cycling well and truly off the cards for the next few months if I'd continued. I met my wife in Shere, just outside Guildford at around 2pm, packed up the bike and headed home. I guess I was slightly disappointed with the outcome of the day but ultimately wholly satisfied with the overall trip. It had certainly reset the stress-o’meter and combined a number of previously ridden cycle ways into an awesome 3 day adventure. It’s definitely one I’ll do again, perhaps with friends as I now know the route works well. Easy riding along great paths, with good campsites and plenty of excellent places to stop and eat. Perfect! Tips for bikepacking London to Brighton Route: 150miles (240km), 3000m total ascent The route starts and finishes at Sutton Station, SM1 1DE, which has plenty of great rail connections. Day 1 – 51 miles (85km), 1250m ascent - Sutton, Coulsdon, Bletchingley, East Grinstead, Eridge Green, Rotherfield, Mayfield, Heathfield, Horam. Day 2 – 52 miles (89km) 850m ascent – Horam, Hailsham, Polegate, Seaford, Newhaven, Brighton, Shoreham-by-sea, Steyning, Henfield. Day 3 – 47 miles (82km), 950m ascent – Henfield, Horsham, Cranleigh, Gomshall, Dorking, Epsom, Ewell, Sutton The attachment below is a .gpx file of the entire route without detours for overnight stops. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. Accommodation: Day 1 – Horam Manor Country Park, Horam, Healthfield, East-Sussex – TN21 0YD https://horammanorcountrypark.com/ Day 2 – Blacklands Farm, Wheatsheaf Road (B2116), Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9AT https://www.blacklandsfarm.co.uk/ Eating: May Garland Inn, Horam, Heathfield, East Sussex, N21 0LJ. https://maygarlandinn.co.uk/ The Whitecliffs café, Marine Drive Saltdean, Brighton BN2 8SQ The Wheatsheaf, Wheatsheaf road, Woodmancote, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9BD. https://www.thewheatsheafhenfield.co.uk/ Cat and Canary Pub breakfast café. Upper Station Rd, Henfield BN5 9PJ. (I couldn’t find a website for this establishment, but it's literally to the left of the pub at the back of the open seating area.) Equipment: Specialized CrossTrail “Adventure Bike” running Schwalbe Marathon Mondial 35c tyres Self made bikepacking bags (using Sea to Summit dry bags) – 15ltr bar bag, 2 x 8ltr rear bags. Waist pack. Sleeping: Tarp, Bug bivi, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, padded cycling shorts, zip off trousers, wool t-shirt, short sleeve shirt, windproof smock. Spare clothes: Down gilet, zip off trouser legs, socks, underwear, waterproof jacket Wash kit and first aid items Collapsible seat and sit mat Stove, pot, gas, food Head torch, multitool GoPro, GPS, battery, cables Bike lock, lights, 2 x 1ltr water bottles Bike tools, innertube, pump Notes: Any good Gravel, Hybrid or Mountain bike would be suitable for these routes, something with a reasonably wide tyre with some off-road grip. I wouldn’t take a road bike as the terrain is really not suitable. After I’d booked my camping arrangements for Horam, I stumbled across the “Runt in a Tun” pub in Maynards Green, a few miles up the road from Horam. It had good reviews and also offered camping in a field at the back. There's just something about rolling out of the pub and straight into your tent... Unfortunately, a non-refundable booking fee at Horam Manor campsite kept me to my original plans, but if I did this route again I’d definitely give this place a go. Runt in Tun - Hailsham Road, Maynards Green, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0DJ. http://www.runtintun.co.uk/16334.html

I had originally set out to complete this as a solo adventure over 3 days, but when my brother asked if he could join me and raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the adventure took on a whole new dimension. In August 2020, Cycling UK officially launched 'The King Alfred’s Way', a 220 mile off-road cycle route, beautifully detailed in a paperback and down-loadable guidebook. The guide provides a fantastic background to the rich history surrounding the area, details about the route, suggestions on itinerary and what to expect on the way. We’d elected to ride our cross-country mountain bikes in a bikepacking set-up and split the route over four days, camping for two nights with a hotel stay mid-point in Reading. Day 1 – Winchester to All Cannings We arrived in Winchester, parked, unloaded and were passing through the ancient "Westgate" by nine thirty. Winchester is a pretty city, its centre full of cobbled side streets and pavement café’s, all with that air of quiet longevity that a medieval city exudes. As we wound our way through the leafy suburbs, stopping occasionally for the usual beginning-of-the-ride-faff - to tighten a bike bag or remove a layer - the wide residential roads quickly turned to gravel track and open farmland. It had been a wet summer so far and our four-day adventure didn’t look to buck the current weather trend. Rain was forecast (again), as if there wasn’t enough in the myriad of puddles that littered the trails, and our bikes were soon clagged with mud and our gears grinding under the lack of lubrication. Although it was wet, it was still warm. The kind of weather where you don’t mind riding through the rain in a jersey rather than donning the boil-in-a-bag waterproof. Continuing west through King’s Somborne, we passed a couple of joggers who warned us of an overgrown path up ahead..Not only had the wet summer brought mud to otherwise dry trails, the path side vegetation was wild and heavily overgrown and in some places impassable. And coupled with the weight of the moist air, the nettles and brambles drooped low across the path like claws; scratching, biting and stinging us as we gingerly picked our way down the Monarch Way old Roman road. Finally free from the lacerating confines of the narrow path, we made a quick detour into Salisbury to grab some food then back up the hill for lunch at the Old Sarum Hill Fort. After the hill, the route turned northward along the Pewsey Avon Trail and parts of National Cycle Network route 45 up towards Stonehenge. And with it brought a welcomed dose of warm sun and a break in the cloud. It wasn’t our plan to stop here but a brief look at the ancient stones from the non-paying side of the boundary fence was enough to satisfy our cultural appetite for the day. Onwards, past the traveller’s vans and army camp at Larkhill, brought us to the edge of the British Army’s training area on Salisbury Plain, it’s ominous “DANGER” signs firmly warning us of the imminent hazards of crossing the virtual boundary. It was relatively good riding from here on, skirting the edge of the plain, the route alternating from tarmac perimeter road to expansive rolling crop fields with broad open skies. We dropped off the ridge at Market Lavington to stock up on food for dinner, then back on route passing through Chirton and Patney all the while acutely conscious of the black clouds gathering just off to the east. We knew the rain would catch up with us at some point, it had been menacing us all day. But when it came, it was like an unsuspecting wave, a brief rush of cold air against the surrounding humidity and then the full force of the heavens burst upon us. We were soaked through within a minute, the chestnut trees we’d optimistically taken shelter under at the side of the road offering scant protection as we watched the road flood and water stream off into the already overflowing gutters. We decided to ride on, the rain still relentless, arriving at our campsite just outside All Cannings, drenched, cold and definitely not looking forward to pitching our shelter. A neighbouring family in a camper van took pity on us as we struggled with the tarp and kindly offered us a cup of tea and handful of biscuits. Shivering, but now under cover, we slipped on dry clothes and got dinner on the go. Chicken Pot Noodles, Scotch eggs and pork pies! The rain continued well into the night but that now seamed a world away as we sat cocooned in our sleeping bags and shared a dram or two of Scotland’s finest. Day 2 - All Cannings to Reading The morning started by donning wet clothes, wet shoes, putting away our wet shelter and pretty much anything else with the word “wet” in it. Dark clouds still dominated the horizon but as they scuttled across the sky, occassional optimistic shafts of sunlight streaked out from behind, with the tease of better weather to come. The route started with a steep climb into the clouds and up onto the White Horse Trail, then a long descent down into Avebury. It’s worth noting that The King Alfred’s Way, being a relatively new cycle route, has yet to ‘wear-in’. Combined with the overgrown path-side vegetation, a good percentage of the trails are literally a six-inch wide rut down the middle of a grassy strip and more fool the rider who gets their front wheel stuck in the groove and can’t hold their nerve! After breakfast in Avebury and a quick visit to our second set of ancient stones, The Avebury Ring, we climbed up onto the Ridgeway, a trail that would pretty much be our companion for the majority of the day (or so we thought...) We were devoid of views across the valleys either side due to the low cloud, but the wide track perched on the chalk ridge was decent enough and initially made for good going. Barbury Castle came and went, silent in the mist, Smeathe’s Ridge could well have been at the bottom of a valley for all we could see and we would have missed Ogbourne St. George had we not purposefully decided to stop there. The problem we were facing at this point was our generally slow progress. Some parts of the Ridgeway were so overgrown and so rutted that hikers were travelling faster than we were and our average speed at this point was around 4 mph. Fine if we had all the time in the world, but we still had forty miles to go and a reservation in the pub for dinner at 6pm! It’s at times like this that experience prevails and being able to adapt the route to suit the circumstances is more important than blindly following what the guidebook says. As a result, we dropped off of the Ridgeway and progressed via the parallel road to try and catch up lost time, an action that paid off over the following twenty miles allowing us to get back on schedule and re-join the Ridgeway just after Wantage. Which, coincidentally, made for a great place to stop for a late lunch sitting on King Alfred’s statue in the town centre! The Ridgeway is a stunning section, full of ancient history, littered with hill forts, barrows, hill side carvings (The White Horse) and pockets of woodland evoking images of long past travellers camping out keeping watch for local bandits or packs of roving wolves. The sun finally came out as we passed through the towns of Streatley and Goring, either side of a natural gap in the ridge worn by the River Thames, marking the end of the Ridgeway for us. We’d been heading east ever since the White Horse at Uffington and our route now switched to paralleling the Thames for the run into Reading. For a riverside trail it was surprisingly hilly but encouraged by the thought of a warm shower and a pub meal, now re-arranged for 8pm, we cruised into the Premier Inn in Reading with an hour to spare. Day 3 – Reading to Hindhead The grey clouds, both figurately and literally had lifted by this point and the ride southwards out of Reading was a marked improvement on the previous two days. Blue skies, warm sun and an interesting mix of urban sprawl, industrial expansion, wooded single track and quiet country lanes lasted for most of the morning as we wound our way towards Farnham. We stopped for lunch at a recently opened café, its shabby chic styling drawing us in after the somewhat alluring sign outside the pub next door. Refuelled we pressed on to Farnham the chalk terrain now firmly swapped for sand as we passed through heathland, plantations, commons and parks, the convoluted route necessitating constant checking of the GPS at every junction. Heathland is some of my favourite terrain and the heady scent of Scots Pines coupled with a sea of purple heather was absolutely stunning as we picked our way up onto Frensham Common. And it repeated itself twice more as we passed through Hankley and Thursley Commons a few miles further on. Hindhead has been totally transformed since the tunnel was built. What was once a bottleneck on the A3, it’s pretty shop fronts dirty from the constant stop-start vehicle traffic, has now become a beautiful town; its eastern end cul-de-sac’ed by the Devils Punchbowl and surrounding common. Our plans for accommodation were fairly loose for day three, we were definitely camping but had left the final booking until a day previous and plans for an evening meal were still not set. We opted for pub grub again and after confirming our camp site booking and asking for pub recommendations, we began a tour of the local hostelries in search for food and beer. After passing two pubs, one that was shut and one that was not serving food, we eventually ended up in The Deers Hut, three miles past our campsite! Back at the campsite, our bellies full of beer and burgers, we pitched our tarp in the shelter of a glamping cabin, showered and hit the sack for the last night of our adventure. Day 4 – Hindhead to Winchester Another torrential downpour overnight ensured the trails were wet once again. Dodging the puddles only meant we brushed past the - now expected - stinging nettles, wet bracken and brambles, opening up old wounds and soaking our feet for the fourth day running. Our route was westwards now and on the home straight back to Winchester, so these minor inconveniences really didn’t matter anymore and we could just enjoy the riding and look forward to the fourth section of the route, the South Downs. Breakfast first though, and a quick internet search alerted us to a 5 star cycle café pretty much en-route and a supermarket to stock up for lunch later on. It’s worth pointing out that this entire Cycle UK route purposefully circumvents most urban establishments meaning you’ll need to deviate off route to get food and water. If you’re used to road riding or National Cycle Network routes then please don’t expect to just come across somewhere to stop and eat or even refill your water bottle! We picked up the South Downs at South Harting and were quickly closing in on the Queen Elizabeth Country Park and Butser Hill. There’s some cracking MTB routes in the Country Park and Autumn brings a stunning swathe of gold across the valley as the Beech trees shed their green foliage. But for now, the middle of (our wet) summer, we were greeted with a dark canopy, flinty tracks the now customary wet chalk. As we emerged next to the visitor centre our brakes smoking from the steep decent, we could hear the rumble of the London to Portsmouth road and could see the steep hill to come in the distance. The underpass takes you safely to the other side of the A3 and onwards to the bottom of the long steep grassy slope of Butser Hill. There’s no shame in walking and it also gave us the chance to stop and admire the view, chat to walkers on the way and save our legs for the remaining twenty miles. We stopped for lunch and a cup of tea at the top before re-joining the South Downs ridge and cruising west again. There’s a similarity between the Ridgeway and the South Downs, they’re both chalk / flint trails, which undulate across the landscape with fantastic views all round, the South Downs having the advantage (in my opinion) of facilitating stunning views across the English Channel to the south if you’re not in the cloud. This was the hilliest day, six climbs in all, but we were on the closing stretch so didn't mind using up our remaining leg power knowing we didn't have to ride the next day. There’s a fantastic moment as you crest the hill at Twyford Down where all of a sudden Winchester comes into view, its cathedral spires rising proudly above the surrounding city. It was a poignant moment as we not only admired the view but reflected on the last four days, the first of them seeming a lifetime ago now. We finally arrived in Winchester at around 7pm, limbs aching, saddle sore, scratched and bruised as we posed for the obligatory photo next to King Alfred’s statue. A couple of guys wandered over keen to pick our brains about our journey. It turned out they were starting the route the next day and given the filthy state of our bikes were concerned about whether their gravel bikes were up to the job! It's an amazing route and one we'd both have no hesitancy recommending to anyone looking for a cracking multiday adventure! Tips for bikepacking The King Alfred's Way Route: 220miles (355km), 4550m total ascent (approx.) The route starts and finishes in Winchester which has good connections for both road and rail. There are no public signs for this route (as you might find for National Cycle Network trail) so you will need a GPS or map for direction finding. Day 1 – Winchester to All Cannings - 59 miles (95km), 1030m ascent, 3 x C5 climbs. Winchester, Sparsholt, King’s Somborne, Houghton, Broughton, Middle Winterslow, Old Sarum Hill Fort - Salisbury, Amesbury, Stonehenge/Larkhill, (Salisbury Plain), Orcheston, Tilshead, Market Lavington, All Cannings. Day 2 – All Cannings to Reading - 58 miles (93 km), 1055m ascent, 5 x C5 climbs. All Cannings to Reading. All Cannings, Alling Down, B'hmpton & Avebury, (Ridgeway), Barbury Hill, Ogborne St. George, Foxhill, Uffington Castle (White Horse), Streatley & Goring, (Thames Path), Whitchurch-on-Thames, Reading Day 3 – Reading to Bramshott Common - 55 miles (87km), 835m ascent, 3 x C5 climbs. Reading, Riseley, Crockham Village, Ewshot, Farnham, Frensham Common, Hankley Common, Thursley Common, Hindhead Common, Hindhead, Bramshott Common. Day 4 – Bramshott Common to Winchester - 46 miles (73km), 1035 ascent, 5 x C5 climbs. Bramshott, Weavers Down, Liss, (South Downs Way), Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Butser Hill, Old Winchester Hill, Exton, Cheesefoot Head, Winchester. The attachment below is a .gpx file of the entire route without detours for overnight stops. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. There is a version on the Cycling UK website which features route notes alongside each waypoint but I found this was incompatible with my Garmin GPS. Accommodation: Day 1 – Little Owls Camping, 3 South Farm, All Cannings, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 3JX. https://www.littleowlscamping.co.uk/ Day 2 – Premier Inn Reading (Caversham Bridge) hotel, Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berks RG1 8EQ. https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/berkshire/reading/reading-caversham-bridge.html Day 3 – Old Barn Farm Camping, Hewshott Lane, Liphook, GU30 7SY. http://www.oldbarnfarm.estate/ Eating: I haven't included any of the local shops we used for general supplies on route as these can be found in most villages. The list below contains the main places we stopped for an "eat-in" meal. Toby Carvery Caversham Bridge, Reading. https://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants/south-east/cavershambridgereading Nibbles Café, The St, Crookham Village, Fleet GU51 5SJ The Deers Hut (Pub), Longmoor Rd, Griggs Green, Liphook GU30 7PD https://thedeershutpub.co.uk/ Turtle Bean cafe, 41-43 Station Rd, Liss GU33 7DP https://turtlebeancafe.co.uk/ Equipment: Felt Edict, full suspension mountain bike, running Maxxis Ardent 2.25 tyres Bikepacking bags: Self-made bar bag (15ltr), Topeak seat pack (16ltr), self-made frame bag (3ltrs), Topeak top tube bag (0.5ltr), Evoc Hip Pack Pro (3ltr) Sleeping: Tarp, ground sheet, Bug bivi, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, cycling shoes, padded cycling shorts, zip off trousers, wool t-shirt, short sleeve shirt, arm warmers, neck buff, windproof smock. Spare clothes: Down gilet, light weight fleece, zip off trouser legs, socks, underwear, waterproof jacket Wash kit, towel and first aid items Collapsible seat and sit mat Stove, gas, mug, spork Food Head torch, multitool Mobile phone, GPS, GoPro, Drone, battery(s), charger, cables Bike tools, innertube, pump, lights Notes: Guide Book The Cycling UK guidebook is an excellent resource, providing a huge amount of information on the terrain, bike, kit, navigation, safety and the historical aspects of the entire route. It also provides useful considerations on how many days to break the route into and where to stay along the way. The guide can be downloaded here: https://www.cyclinguk.org/king-alfreds-way Bike choice This is definitely not a National Cycle Network Route. The guidebook says it's an off-road route, which I'd agree with, and they also suggest it can be ridden on a gravel bike - to which I'd have mixed thoughts. Two significant considerations will be the weather and the amount of equipment you’re intending to take. Weather - if the weather has been good over the preceding weeks and the trails are dry at the time of your trip then a gravel bike is fine. If you're attempting the route in Spring or Autumn (or even Winter), or when the trails are wet, I would definitely recommend a MTB. Equipment weight - If you're planning to self cater the whole way and your bike is loaded up with bags and gear then I'd suggest a MTB is the better choice. The terrain is quite varied: there’s plenty of chalk, which when wet is like ice and always mixed with tyre slashing flint. The earth over Salisbury is a kind of clay / gravel mix that clogs your tyres and throws up small sharp rocks. The heathland around Hindhead has wide tracks of 'wash-out inducing' sand. Much of the first 120 miles crosses washboard corrugated farm land and a good percentage of tracks are just generally muddy bridleways. The flip side to this are beautiful quiet country lanes, dusty single track and loamy wooded trails. Whatever bike you look to take, you’ll need a low gear ratio for the hills, wide tyres with a thick casing to protect from the sharp flint, a decent grip for wet chalk and mud and plenty of volume to iron out the washboard terrain. We both rode full suspension cross country mountain bikes and they were perfect. I locked out my rear suspension for a couple of days as I was suffering from some bag rub, so would suggest a hard tail MTB is a good choice as well. We met a fair few people on gravel bikes, none of whom were camping / carrying camping gear. Parking in Winchester Car parking facilities in Winchester are not great as most car parks only allow up to 24 hr parking. I did read that some people have 'fed the meter', remotely via an app for a number of 24hr periods, but the car park terms and conditions suggested I may be returning to a parking ticket if I tried to extend the stay past the maximum single visit. You could park outside the city itself and then cycle a mile or so to the start. We found a Premier Inn just on the outskirts that allowed us to park for the entire four days. Distance vs days The guide book contains some excellent information to help you to work out how many days you should break the journey into. We chose four days of approximately 55 miles a day. Obviously it all depends on your fitness, the weather / time of year, the amount of equipment you're carrying, whether you're camping or B&B'ing, even the amount of time you have available. I would however offer a thought that perhaps day 2, All-Cannings, to Reading, is quite a long stretch for one day. If everything is on your side then it's perfectly doable. But, as we found, the trails were slow making it a very, very long day.

We've enjoyed a number of joint-family adventures over the years and this one was originally planned for Summer 2020. But as the previous diary date had come and gone due to the Covid pandemic, the Nation decided to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee over the 2022 late May bank holiday, perfect for our long-awaited two-day Isle of Wight cycling adventure. Day 1 - Cowes to Shanklin With eight bikes packed onto two cars we headed out of London to catch the 10am Red Funnel, Southampton to East Cowes, car ferry. The journey was good and by 9:15am we were wheeling our bikes from the Triangle Car Park into the terminal building next door. Our kit was packed either on our backs or in dry bags strapped to the handle bars (bike-packing style). Boarding was dead simple via a quick check-in and a cycle lane straight on board the sizeable car ferry. Our friends were accompanied by the latest addition to their family, Sonny, a four month old Cocker Spaniel, who not only had his own bike trailer but also enjoyed a dog friendly bar on the top floor of the ferry. As soon as we departed the Red Funnel ferry, we turned right to cross another waterway this time on a chain link ferry, or floating bridge, taking us from East Cowes to Cowes for the start of the route proper. The Red Squirrel Trail is pretty much National Cycle Network route no. 23, running from Cowes to Sandown then onto Shanklin via, mostly traffic-free, old rail lines and dedicated paths. The return via a southern loop takes in Wroxall and Godshill on the Stenbury Trail before re-joining NCN #23 at Merstone. The route is around 32 miles long and we chose to split the trip into two days. The first was from Cowes to Shanklin at around 16.5 miles and the second day 15.5 miles with just a fraction more climbing. A short cycle through the houses takes you to the start of a former train line that forms much of the route following the River Medina from Cowes to Sandown. It's a wonderful trail, comprising of arched tree canopies, a good surface and every so often breaks in the foliage providing sweeping views out over the water. Unfortunately the beginning of the trail wasn’t going to be as smooth as our promised surface as a rather catastrophic mechanical failure brought the team to an abrupt stop when a rear derailleur managed to wind itself backwards, bending the hanger and snapping the jockey wheel cage clean off! After the heat of the moment had subsided, two of us walked a couple of hundred metres back down the path to Adrians Bike Shop in Cowes. After chatting with the wonderful staff we quickly elected to hire a bike for a very reasonable charge and leave the broken machine with them until our return the next day. Back on the route and eager to press on, we quickly made our way south along tarmac lanes passing through Newport in just under an hour. We'd elected to carry a packed lunch and knew we'd be hungry due to the early morning start so we found a peaceful spot just inside a farm field near Blackwater to eat our picnic and catch a few winks under the warm summer sun. On this occasion we should have perhaps held on for a little longer as the old station at Merstone, just one mile further along the trail, would have provided us with picnic tables, a BBQ and dedicated bike rack. (Images taken on the return leg) The continuing trail is much of the same, this time a little more open as it winds itself in a south easterly direction towards Sandown. The route is well sign posted all the way and deposits you neatly at the sea front at Sandown right next to a perfectly placed ice cream shop! The next 2 miles were a beautiful easy cruise down the Espanade with the English Channel on your left all the way into Shanklin. Our accommodation was the Harrow Lodge Hotel in Shanklin. A lovely 2 star hotel with friendly and helpful staff. The hotel is at the top of a hill, a short push (or ride for those with low gears) up from the sea-front to just outside the clifftop lift built in the late 1950's. After our bikes were securely locked away we ended our day with fish and chips on the sea wall and a pint (for those that could). DAY 2 - Shanklin to Cowes The weather reports had been threatening a wet second day and the heavy overnight rain certainly reinforced the point. As we munched on a tasty full English breakfast we were already thinking of fleeces and water proofs for the return journey. But as we set off into the grey sea mist, the air felt warm and the heavens remained leak free tempting us to remove our layers and trust the u-turned weather reports. We knew the first part of day 2 would be fairly hilly for those with little legs so we took it easy as we wound our way out of Shanklin via the off-road Stenbury Trail towards Wroxall and Godshill. Appuldurcombe House, and its majestic arched gate were both impressive and eery, a glimmer of former life and times. Passing through the ancient iron gate marked the point of a down hill route pretty much all the way into Cowes, 10 miles further on. The route joined back on to NCN #23 at Merstone where this time we made full use of the picnic tables, even just if it was for a few mid-ride snacks and a drink from our water bottles. One of the boys had tried to get us to stop at a trail side café just outside Newport on the first day, with the lure of ice creams, cold beer and "Bikes & Dogs welcome" as displayed on the blackboard. So we'd ear marked it for the return journey and turned right, off the trail, crossing the stream and into.... Newclose County Cricket Ground!?! Newclose Bar and Cafe Don't be fooled though, the trek around the grassy boundary into the cricket club is well worth the diversion as the food is superb and facilities excellent. We enjoyed an assortment of dishes: cream teas; jacket potatoes; tuna sandwiches and Sonny devoured a portion of dog friendly ice cream! We sat on the benches in the warm sun and despite delaying the inevitable restart with extra cups of tea, we knew we needed to press on with the last seven miles to Cowes for our 3:30pm ferry. The cruise back was good, along a mix of gravel and concrete paths and before we knew it we were back at the trail head, returning the hire bike and threading our way through the back streets towards the chain link ferry. Progress was so good we managed to hop on the earlier ferry and were back on the mainland loading the bikes onto the cars by 4pm. Tips for cycling The Red Squirrel Trail Route The Red Squirrel Trail was created by amalgamating two popular themed trails – The Sunshine Trail and the Troll Trail, in order to facilitate a circular route that could connect to the mainland via the ferry to Southampton. Full details, including the history, routes (both printable maps and .gpx files) and things to see and do on the way can be found on the Red Squirrel Trail website: https://redsquirreltrail.org.uk/ I used the brilliant cycle.travel website to plan the actual route. It is, in my opinion, a far better route planning tool than many of the more "mainstream" tools as it's developed and maintained by real UK based cyclists and someone who truly understands maps! https://cycle.travel/ Day 1 - Cowes to Shanklin, Red Squirrel Trail (northern loop) - 16.5 miles (27km), 125m ascent. Relatively flat, small hills at Sandown and Shanklin Cowes (0), Newport (5), Blackwater (7), Merstone (top of hill) (9), Sandown (14), Shanklin (16), Slope to get to hotel (16.5) (Maps and images courtesy of cycle.travel) Day 2 - Shanklin to Cowes, Red Squirrel Trail (southern loop) - 15.5 miles (25 miles), 165m ascent. Undulating, Shanklin to Appuldurcombe gate (4.5 miles), then descent all the way to Cowes (11 miles) Shanklin (0), Wroxall (3), Godshill (5), Blackwater (9), Newport (11), Cowes (15) (Maps and images courtesy of cycle.travel) The attachments below are .gpx files of the entire route split over our two days. Please feel free to download and modify to suit your own adventure accordingly. Alternatively, routes can be found here, although I haven't checked these myself. https://redsquirreltrail.org.uk/downloads/ We'd planned this ride for 2020 when the kids were aged 9, 12 and 14. Back then I think it would have been perfect for their age range, but now I would suggest the older kids could have easily ridden further given the flat route and excellent paved trail surface. Accommodation The Harrow Lodge Hotel (dog and bike friendly) 31 Palmerston Rd, Shanklin PO37 6BD. 01983 862 800 https://www.harrowlodge.co.uk/ Eating Horizons Take-Away and Cafe, Esplanade, Sandown Bayside Fish and Chips, Esplanade, Shanklin PO37 6BG Newclose County Cricket Ground, Blackwater Rd, Newport PO30 3BE These establishments were recommended although we didn't visit them on this trip: Newchurch - Peddallers Café Sandown – The Beach Shack, Western Esplanade, Sandown PO36 8JS. +44 1983 401392 Shanklin - The Salix Beach Café, Esplanade, Shanklin PO37 6BG. +44 7772 056204 Equipment We all carried a variation on the list below. Four of us transported our kit in drybags strapped to the handlebars, bikepacking style, others used rucksacks. Hybrid or MTB bike in good functioning condition. Water bottle or water bladder (min 1 ltr) Cycling clothes: Helmet, gloves, glasses, shoes, padded cycling shorts, over-shorts, wicking t-shirt, fleece, waterproof Spare clothes for the hotel, or the next day if day 1 clothes get wet (some of us also carried spare shoes) Wash kit, personal items Money, mobile phone etc. Maps, GPS, spare batteries etc. Bike tools, innertubes (to cover tyre sizes), pump, lights Useful info (Accurate at the time of publishing) Ferry Red Funnel Ferries. Southampton to East Cowes Terminal 1, Dock Gate 7 (Royal Pier), Town Quay Road, Southampton SO14 2AL 0238 001 9192 https://www.redfunnel.co.uk/ Southampton Parking Triangle Car Park Platform Rd, Southampton SO14 2HJ 0203 046 0010 https://www.trianglecarpark.com/ Chain link ferry East Cowes - Cowes Chain link ferry East Cowes PO32 6SL http://www.iwfloatingbridge.co.uk/ Cycle repair: Adrian's Bike Shop, Unit 4, Medina Court, Arctic Rd, Cowes PO31 7XD, +44 1983 755007 Wight Cycle Hire, Newport Halfords, Newport Red Squirrel Electric Bikes, Newport Wight Mountain, Newport. 31 Orchard St, Newport PO30 1JZ. +44 1983 520530 Al's Bikes, Unit 8, Senator Trading Estate, College Cl, Sandown PO36 8EH. 07962373277 W/C: West Cowes - Medina Rd/Floating Bridge, Cowes PO31 7BX Newport - Church Litten/South Street, Newport PO30 1JD Sandown - Pier Street, Sandown PO36 8JJ Shanklin - Esplanade Gardens, Shanklin PO37 6EL Godshill - Godshill Car Park, Godshill PO38 3JD