I’m sort of finished for the season but I still have a few mop-up rides to get pix for the new book project. I took the train from Newcastle on Monday evening and got off at Chathill, the stop past Alnmouth. It was dark by the time I got to the off road section where...
After a hiatus that took in my birthday and a run of particularly foul weather I discovered my legs still spin on this 78 mile ride along the north east coast, ending off to the side of a minor road near Bamburgh which, conveniently for me, had been blocked for...
No, I wasn’t Everesting Shaftesbury’s Gold Hill; I was rattling up and down this famous “cobbled”* ramp to capture photos and videos. In a reasonably faithful recreation of Ridley Scott’s legendary 1973 Hovis TV advert I also pushed my bike up and, of course, came...
I've been very lucky or, as I prefer to think, very skilful with my wild camping spots — I have yet to be discovered on any of my bivvying nights.Unmolested by get-off-my-land farmers or Iron Age ghosts (I slept next to two tumuli) I rolled downhill at dawn to the...
I wild camp for several reasons, and only sometimes because of cost (even the dingiest of hotels in Dorset at the moment seem to go for north of £200 a night). I like the cool evening air and the views I get from on high but I also like to be within easy striking...
The view from my room at the Mercure Exeter was blocked by a wall. Part of Exeter’s medieval city wall. After breakfast I followed the wall to the cathedral and to the parts of the city wall that have Roman foundations.Exeter still have many fine medieval buildings...
Today was a book loop day, but with an added podcast recording. I chatted with veteran transport planner Zsolt Schuller who is now working as the “cyclists welcome” manager at the National Trust. That was later in the morning. Earlier — much earlier — I rode down to...
I was prepared for the many hills on this route —no getting around topography — but I wasn’t over keen on the steady morning rain. Mind you, it made for some moody images. The grouped Neolithic stone circles known as the Hurlers, and St Michael’s church atop Bren Tor...
I did two rides today — a dawn photography ride to beyond Mevagissey and back to the Pierhouse for breakfast and then an afternoon book loop. Wedged in the middle was a quick swim from the beach. Sea was bitterly cold so the hotel’s Dry Robe came in very handy. A...
At just over 10 miles this was my shortest ride to date, riding up and down (mostly down) from “camping field” near Luxulyan to the wonderfully refurbed Pierhouse hotel in the wow harbour of Charlestown. My boutique bedroom overlooks the 18th Century harbour that is...