Spring has sprung – and what a spring it’s been! That amazing July weather in the middle of March, the entire country side exploding with early blossom and that wonderful restless itch that Spring brings on to be outdoors and going some place new and different, blazing trails on blazing saddles. 

One of the pleasures of cycle touring in the countryside is that no matter how well you think you now a particular area, there is always something new to discover.   Chris and I think we know the area immediately around Winchester very well, we’ve been cycling through it for years.  We’re familiar with all the points of interest, the scenic views and interesting things to do.   Just goes to show you can never get smug about your local knowledge.  

This spring in one of our many tours around the pretty village of Arlesford, about 8 miles from Winchester we discovered The Long Barn Lavender Farm.   I’m embarrassed to say it has been there for twelve years, so I don’t know how it escaped our notice.  As you cycle down the High Street  instead of turning left and getting distracted by Carricoli’s coffee shop, or the Globe Pub and the bird sanctuary, you  cycle right through the village  and just on the outskirts is the Long Barn to your left. 

The Long Barn is home to a lavender farm enterprise where for the last 12 years,  the Long Barn partners have been growing and distilling lavender from which they produce aromatic beauty and bath products made entirely from natural ingredients.    The lavender fields behind the Long Barn shop will be blooming in late May and June and I can’t wait to go back and see the haze of mauve blooms and experience the  warm waft of lavender as it ripens in the sun.  Why would you go to France when you can have the sensual pleasure of a lavender experience right here in Hampshire? 

The Long Barn itself was built of green oak by a local construction company on the original site of the ancient Alresford Sheep Fair, which dates to the middle ages.   Local lore has it that in the middle ages over 100,000 sheep would be herded from miles around to be penned on the Long Barn site waiting to be sold.  In living memory, the last sheep fair was held in Arlesford in 1977, where 16,000 sheep were herded through the town.   Not a sheep in site at the Long Barn these days, only the lavender fields and plant nursery to browse and a charming gift shop stocked with the Lavender products as well as beautiful  things, some  practical and some very whimsical for your home or garden. Picnic tables have been place overlooking the 2 acres of Lavender fields where you can enjoy a tea or coffee and chat to the friendly local staff about lavender production or which lavender plant from their large selection would be best for your garden. 

The Long Barn is just one of the many attractions of the village of Alresford, and this quaint village is one of my favourite cycling destinations from Winchester for a day out.  Alresford’s High Street is one of those rare village streets free of chain shops, and it’s delightful to see the variety of independently owned stores selling everything from fine art, to good old fashioned house ware in a proper hardware store.  Alresford is also a Mecca of charming tea and coffee shops, and there must be an army of local bakers in the area supplying them with the best home made cakes and scones imaginable.  I can never make it out of Alresford without a substantial slab of coffee walnut cake.  Cycling effort must be rewarded has always been my motto.  

Cake aside, Alresford also boasts the Watercress Steam train line with regular runs between Alresford and Alton which is great fun, and the kiddies big and small love a steam train ride.  There is also a bird sanctuary behind the Globe Pub, as well as the emerald green watercress fields which are unique to the Itchen River valley and if you’ve never seen water cress being farmed – well you haven’t lived! 

Alresford seen through the handle bars of a bicycle on a day tour is a delightful experience.  Cycle Tours UK would enjoy introducing you to Alresford and the surrounding area as part of a guided tour for a day, a mini-break,  or help you organise a self-guided tour, or a day out on a bike rental.  We are now renting bikes on a daily basis from £25.00 a day, including a helmet, water bottle, and bike storage box for your bits and pieces.  GPS systems, and rain gear may also be rented for an additional fee. 

It’s Spring!  Come out to the country and experience it for yourself!  Get Active, Get Healthy, Get on a Bike!     

I don’t usually make a point of cycling into cities however, as part of the Carluccios Glasgow to London cycle challenge, I have had to work out routes in and out of Glasgow, Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester, Milton Keynes, St Albans and finally London itself so that the ride can tie together various Carluccios restaurants by bicycle.

I have to say when I first drove through Leeds city centre I was faced with traffic jams and a maze of dual carriageways and major traffic intersections. I was a little daunted by the prospect of bringing a group of cyclists safely into the city centre.

However after close inspection of Google satellite mapping, Memory Map and the Leeds City bike route maps I slowly pieced together a route that for the most part avoided any major roads except a couple of intersections. The revelation on the East side of Leeds was what seemed to be a bike path that had been constructed beside the dual carriageway. I wasn’t certain what condition the path was in or for that matter if it was gravel or tarmac and so the only way to find out was to cycle it and see for myself.

With GPS loaded with the proposed route through the heart of Leeds, I set off. What a relief to find that not only was there a beautiful surfaced bike path but also a connecting tunnel underneath the motorway so that the busy roundabout could be avoided. I followed the bike path for a kilometre or so and it made for a very pleasurable ride, although you do have to navigate through bike barriers at each junction. 

However when I got close to the city centre my lovely path stopped and I had to make a detour through an industrial estate onto a pathway that went through a park. Still OK.

At the end of this path though I ended up in a housing estate and thanks to the GPS managed to track a way through the various estate roads out onto a major intersection close to the city centre. Whilst cycling along these pathways there were various signs for cyclists pointing this way and that so for good measure I decided to follow one of them to see if there was a better route into town. Unfortunately after cycling down a pathway the cycle route seemed to spill me out down some steps onto a dual carriageway with pedestrian crossings, so I decided to follow my own mapped route. It is so difficult to mark out cycling routes in our cities because at some point you do have to cross a major intersection.

After weaving through the inner streets, I managed to find the somewhat calmer town centre which is now mostly pedestrianised. I passed by modern blocks of flats that had been built to replace the streets of terraced housing. I am a great fan of the terraced house as very efficient, economical housing and I despair at how we have replaced these houses with blocks of soulless flats in the bid to “upgrade” our cities.

After finding the Carluccios restaurant on Greek Street, I kept on cycling through the city centre and out onto the road toward Ilkley Moor. After a tough climb up a steep hill, joy of joys I chanced upon a cafe where a delicious sausage bap and coffee really hit the spot.

As I found when exploring London for another cycling challenge last year, there are so many good things that have happened in Britain the past few years concerning cycling. The very fact there was a cycle path out of the city was a massive improvement. However it is frustrating to have to weave your way through paths and streets trying to access this bike path.

We will never be a Copenhagen, but it would be nice if just once the bike took precedence over the car and we created rights of ways for the bike. I guess we can always dream.

There is always a buzz around sporting events, big or small, that I love. The nervous expectation, the comraderie, the pressure of performing in front of the public. I remember to this day my father taking me to my first rugby international at Murrayfield when I was only 9 years old. The Scots were playing the mighty All Blacks and in those days with a crowd of over 100,000 the atmosphere was electric. Of course I could only see something when my dad or somebody around us put me up on his shoulders, but it was a day of infamy for Colin Meads when he got sent off. I didn’t see much of the match but I do remember Meads walking off the pitch to resounding boos from the crowd. Those were the days when rugby was a game of thuggery played by gentlemen and Meads had stepped over the line.

The Hotelympia 10K on Sunday Feb 26^th was a much more sedate affair, but no less an event for that. The 700 or so runners (and the organisers), still had the nervous anticipation that any sporting event creates. We had a smattering of celebrity with Steve Cram, (1983 1500m World Champion), doing the honours at the start line.

 It had taken months to sort out a running route out of the Excel Building in East London because of the Olympic construction, test events, Cross Rail Tunneling and the O2 Cable Car construction. The final route was a 5km loop up the quayside along the historic Victoria and Royal Albert Docks. The old warehouses and cranes have now been replaced by apartment blocks, office buildings and the City Airport but the statue of “working men” at the front of the Excel Building does give a timely reminder of the days when the docks buzzed with activity and commerce.

It came as a surprise when setting out the course on the Saturday, to find that a shuttle bus service had been set up to feed the Diving Test Event at the Olympic Park that week. The usually quiet back street now had double decker buses running up it every 15 minutes. Unfortunately there was no way around it and so it meant placing a lot of marshals to simply make sure the runners and buses didn’t compete. My apologies to the runners and thanks for an incident free event.

We were blessed with a beautiful sunny warm day which was remarkable in February. We had some elete athletes amongst the 700 runners and the fastest runner finished in just over 33 minutes. Taking into account some of the sharp turns on the course this was an amazing time. Our lead cyclist, (Graham), had trouble keeping ahead on his bike.

We had been more concerned about hypothermia in the planning stages, but the weather was so warm that water supplies became our main concern. It is always a real pleasure in these sort of events, to see the look of pure joy on people’s faces when they complete what is perhaps their first ever competitive run. The mere fact of pushing the boundaries beyond what they ever imagined possible is great to watch. One lady wanted to take home a “Run Route” sign so that she could put it up in her kitchen to remind the whole family of the achievements that day.

Of course the ultimate beneficiary was the Springboard charity for whom everybody was running. The funds generated from the event go toward helping young people enter the hospitality industry and never has this been more important than now with over 2 million people unemployed.

My thanks go to the team who helped me through a hectic couple of days, (Carol, Graham, Scott, Luke, Matt, Russell and Caryn)  and especially the marshals who gave up their Sunday to volunteer. Believe me these events cannot happen without their generous support.

In partnership with Adriatic Villas, the owners of Villa Sunrise, (http://www.adriatic-villas.com), Cycle Tours UK (CTUK), have developed a 4 day cycling break in Croatia. The costs are based upon a group of 6 and include flights, accommodation, breakfasts, an evening bar-b-que at the villa and most importantly the transfer of personal bikes and luggage to Croatia. Cycle Tours UK will support the cyclists during the day.

The itinerary would include;

Bicycles, cycling gear and luggage to be delivered to Winchester so that CTUK can transfer it to Croatia.

Flights with BA from Gatwick to Dubrovnik.

Day 1: arrive Dubrovnik airport, picked up by CTUK and transferred to villa. Short cycle ride to top of cable car for drink and stunning view over Dubrovnik.  Descend cable car and take dinner in Dubrovnik (CTUK to look after bikes and  pick up guests after dinner).

Day 2: Cycle to Molunat, a coastal village. Round trip of 50 miles or one way of 25 miles (return in van).  All road cycling through Alpine terrain.  Lunch in Molunat, with a swim if weather permits. Cycle back to Cavtat, a delightful fishing port with harbourside cafes. Either return by bike or in van for barbecue at Villa Sunrise.

Day 3: Cycling trip to the stunning island of Peljesac. Drive from villa to Ston, where cycling trip commences. Cycle across the island and if time permits, hop on the ferry to another island, Korcula.  Round trip 75 miles finishing with oyster dinner in Ston. Lift back to villa with CTUK.  

Day 4.  Walk the old city walls of Dubrovnik or relax by the villa pool.  Transfer to the airport for flight home.

The price is £990 per person.

The tours are planned for the off season to avoid the hottest days of summer. Proposed dates are May 19^th – 22^nd and May 24^th - 27^th or if you prefer a later break then September 22^nd - 25^th and September 27^th – 30^th.

If you are interested please contact Cycle Tours UK or Adriatic Villas and we will be happy to discuss your particular tour needs.

So winter has finally hit us and woken us up from our contented state of smugness that climate change was bringing us warmer winters. The mild weather we were experiencing has been replaced by a Siberian cold front bringing snow and ice to all parts of Britain. It is always easier when the winter weather closes in to make excuses and stay put in front of the fire and always so very difficult to make that move into the great outdoors. So the other day rather than getting into the car and going off to the shops, I thought I will just get on the bike and cycle. I needed some air and the weather didn’t look too ominous so off I went.

To justify the trip I thought I would cycle out to the lovely market town of Stockbridge about 10 miles outside of Winchester and buy some fish. This isn’t as stupid as it sounds because there are no fish shops left in Winchester city centre and the only choice now are the supermarket fish stalls that always look so unappealing.

On the way out to Stockbridge my route took me past the Moorcroft Farm and so being on a bit of a shopping trip as well as a bike ride I stopped in to the ever amiable farm shop and purchased some very fresh meat. The ride out of Winchester involves some pretty steep climbs but once you recover from bumping up the heart rate, the ride over Farley Mount is always a pleasure. The views out over the Test Valley and all parts of N Hampshire are quite breathtaking. There was also that winter pall that gives the landscape a smoky, misty air.

Sliding down the hill into Kings Somborne, the cold air freshened up the cheeks and made the eyes water but I was wrapped up with layers of clothing so didn’t feel cold. It is only the extremes of the fingers and toes that do feel the effects of the cold.

Out of Kings Somborne there is a very steep climb which again warmed me up and got the heart racing but again the reward is a beautiful view down the Test Valley. The rest of the road into Stockbridge is a lovely quiet country lane which makes for great cycling.

The fish shop I was aiming for is situated in the thyme and tides bistro and the sight and smell of fresh coffee and cakes was hard to resist.

With fish safely purchased I closed the loop and cycled down the Test Valley to Houghton and back into Kings Somborne. I have to say the real reason for taking the alternate route was to avoid the hill outside Kings Somborne rather than any aesthetic reasons.  

Back at Moorcroft Farm I picked up the meat purchased earlier and then headed down the hill back into Winchester. A welcome hot shower got the circulation back into my toes and fingers and that evening I did sit in front of the fire safe in the knowledge that I deserved it.

I don’t know about you, but I was always very confused about the breakup of Yugoslavia, the countries that resulted and who was fighting who in the ensuing wars. I was therefore very pleased to accept an invitation from Villa Sunrise to visit Croatia and explore the countryside around Dubrovnik. The primary reason was to research the possibility of establishing a cycle touring destination, at the same time as hopefully getting a better understanding of the region.

Landing in the quiet Dubrovnik airport was possibly one of the easiest travel experiences I have had. It was the off-season but I gather this airport never gets too busy. Villa Sunrise is situated up in the hills overlooking the coast. It consists of 5 apartments each one fully appointed with a kitchen, living room and bedroom(s). The large balconies on the 1^st and 2^nd floors make ideal meal and relaxation venues, with outstanding views down the coast. The villa is situated behind Dubrovnik in a small village called Bragt Gornji, very close to the Bosnian border, how close I didn’t realise until our exploration the following day.

We headed into Dubrovnik for dinner and I have to say that the medieval city did live up to its reputation. Walking down the main street was quite breathtaking and it was so difficult to imagine the horrors of only 20 years ago. I gather it does get very busy in the summer months with cruise ship visitors, but we would be planning the cycle tours in the off season so that shouldn’t be a problem.

The following day started with breakfast in the warm sunshine on the balcony. Quite a change from the wet and windy weather in the UK. Tim and I drove off first to the south to explore the small coastal town of Molunat. The main coastal road to Cavtat is quite busy but after about 10kms we turned off onto a quieter back road which followed the coastline into Molunat. The first thing that strikes you is the excellent condition of the roads. Perfect for cycling. Molunat itself is a beautiful bay with crystal clear water and even though it was November, the water looked very inviting.

From Molunat we drove up into the mountains and discovered a trout farm/restaurant in the town of Gruda. We were looking for a crossing into Bosnia and after driving over some Alpine type climbs we ended up instead crossing into Montenegro. Not understanding the local language we ran into a bit of bother with the customs official who we finally figured out wanted our insurance green card.

Montenegro seemed a poorer relation to Croatia and after a few miles we turned off the coast road and back up into the mountains where we did find the border crossing into Bosnia. Another minor communications problem did occur when we gave the toll booth official our passports thinking we had reached passport control and hadn’t realised it was simply a road toll.

The crossing into Bosnia was very much up in the mountains with peaks of 3000’ to 6000’ surrounding us. Bosnia seemed to be relatively depopulated after the hustle and bustle of the coast, and the town of Trebinje made an interesting pit stop on our trails. It had a very austere feeling with concrete tenement blocks and a look of post war rehabilitation. The roads again were in excellent condition and the following day we explored more of the country roads around Trebinje and mapped out some interesting cycling routes around the Bosnian countryside. It would be cycling for experienced cyclists, but the range of coastal rides, islands and mountain climbs would make for an exciting (and challenging) break.

Villa Sunrise would make the perfect venue for groups of 6 to 8 people and offers the option of having meals cooked in-house or visiting the many restaurants in the area. In our short visit we only managed to explore a tiny part of the Dalmation coastline, however we saw enough to convince us that cycling in the region is certainly feasible and could be the experience of a lifetime. We mapped out some possible options for cycling loops around the region including the coast and islands and the more extreme loop into Bosnia.

If you are interested then give us a call or talk to Adriatic Villas directly and we will hopefully be able to help.

The hills are alive…..with the sound of moaning.   Okay, I’m going to let you in on a little secret, even though I’m Mrs. Cycle Tours UK,  I didn’t always enjoy cycling up hills.  In fact, I hated hills. So I understand when people I talk to about cycling immediately say,  ‘Oh,  I like cycling except for the hills – can’t do hills, hate hills, only like to cycle where it’s flat,  it’s too much hard work doing the hills.”

I can hear their pain, I can be sympathetic to a point . The fact is that unless you’re cycling in Holland, or in the English  counties of Essex and Norfolk on the east coast,  it’s difficult to find terrain that is absolutely flat, and offers what people think is ‘easy’ cycling.  Their legs pump around with out much effort,  their heart rate stays steady, and they don’t break a sweat.   Easy peasy and enjoyable.   What doesn’t factor into the big picture here, is often these flat landscapes are open and exposed to the invisible challenge of the wind.  Flat cycling is often into a strong headwind which means that in fact you do have to peddle with increased effort to push against the wind.  Bang goes the easy-peasy.

Most of the world is a rolling and undulating landscape, hills are everywhere, you can’t escape them, and if you want to cycle to get some reasonable exercise and enjoy what nature has to offer in the country side you have to accept there will be hills to climb. 

When I first started cycling in the Hampshire countryside surrounding Winchester, I hated the hills, I hated how peddling up the hills made my thigh muscles burn, how I was having to breathe hard with the effort, and how I had to stop at the top and have a breather.   It didn’t help to have Mr. Enthusiasm up ahead wittering on about how great the view was going to be at the top, and cycling up hills was like life – the uphill struggles would be rewarded by down hill good times – utter crap when I had to give up, get off the bike and push it to the top, breathing like a freight train and sweating like a race horse .  His relentless stream of cheerful acceptance of  hills made me want to throw my bike in the ditch and stomp off home on foot.  Except that we were 20 Kilometres away, and there was nothing for it but to get back on the bike and keep going on promises of stopping at the next  tea shop for a refreshing brew and a large piece of lemon drizzle cake.   Effort must be rewarded.

Much to my surprise, within a few months,  I began to notice that it seemed to be taking less effort to climb the hills,  that I was actually getting to the top of significant hills without having to get off and push.   My legs were a lot stronger, and  I was learning to anticipate how to use my gears to  best help me up the hill.  I’d also devised a lot of mental games that shifted my focus from the physical effort I was putting in, to something else entirely. Most importantly I gave up trying to compete with Mr. Cycle Tours UK  and set my own pace .   For me that was ‘slow and steady wins the day…or the hill, or whatever’.

Hill climbing strategies are quite useful actually.  I quite like singing favourite songs in my head – I don’t usually have enough breath to actually sing out loud,  and I’d feel a fool and scare the wild life if I did, so a few verses of  Fields of Gold will usually get me over the top and down the other side.  I’m not that good at remembering the words, so figuring out the missing words keeps my mind concentrating on something other than the effort I’m putting into the climb.   I’m a teacher, so often I work out entire lesson plans, and schemes of work as I’m chugging up a big one. How best to re-plant that tricky area of the garden that’s dry and shady, can create diverting mental images ,  or next year’s Christmas shopping   would a new lap rug be suitable for Great Aunt Mabel,  or maybe she’d like one of those duvet things you wear while sitting on the sofa.   It’s amazing how when the mind is occupied and the legs are pumping round seemingly on their own,  you just suddenly arrive at the top of the hill and think Wow!  I did it, and it didn’t seem all that difficult.  In  fact what you really feel is this huge sense of satisfaction,  a certain smugness even.   

The underlying reward for your effort is of course, increased fitness.   If you limit yourself to just cycling where it’s flat, apart from the fresh air you’re breathing, you’re really not getting much physical benefit from the cycling at all.  You’re like those people in the gym who rock up onto the exercise bikes with their gossip magazine, and fortified energy drink designed for extreme athletes doing Iron Person challenges.  They sit back on the bike set on the lowest setting, and peddle  leisurely  for 20 sweat free minutes , then hop off glugging back the turquoise energy drink, like they’d actually been doing serious exercise.   Sad but true, no pain, no gain.  I  hate having to admit that.

I’d be lying if I said I just love cycling up hills, and that’s all I want to do now, is cycle up big hills.  I’ve come to accept hills are just part of cycling and cycle touring in the countryside and I’ve worked out ways to manage the effort that has to go into them .  I do see the hills as a challenge and I enjoy meeting that challenge and feeling the satisfaction of  having climbed the hill, where , yes, the view is fantastic, and  wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!   It’s down hill from there and that’s sweet.    I have to be honest,  there are still a few hills that defeat me,  the ones that climb then level out , then start a steep climb again,  I do the best I can, but I feel no shame in getting off and pushing up the rest of the way.  I don’t see it as defeat so much as knowing you’re limitations, especially if you tried your best.

All you hill haters out there,  stop your moaning and start accepting the hills as a personal challenge that you can manage.  Give yourself time to grow stronger,  only compete with yourself and find ways to manage your focus away from the physical effort of climbing.   The reward of smugness and large pieces of cake will be very satisfying in the end.   Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!   

At Cycle Tours UK we want to help you learn to manage your cycle touring so that it is an enjoyable experience rather than an endurance test.  Come and join us on a relaxing cycle touring holiday, designed for your fitness level that will keep you active, healthy and happy.                   

"Because it is there" was the famous response Sir Edmund Hillary made when asked why on earth he would climb Mt Everest. For us mere mortals it was a strange and non-committed response, but when asked recently "why would you cycle the Exclusive Loop" I had to respond "because it is there". After spending so much time mapping out the routes, driving the test runs and finally supporting the event I felt it was necessary to close the loop and cycle the whole 5 legs.

Day 1 started at Lainston House Hotel in Winchester. I was joined for this leg by Paul Morgan, the regional manager from Macmillan Cancer Support and Antonio from Lainston House. A friend of his Louis also joined us for the day. The weather gods were with us and although the day was a little cloudy it wasn't raining and there was a lovely SW breeze on our backs the whole day. I was to find out that the weather gods having done their work for the first day, packed their bags, went on vacation and left me with the weather demons for days 2, 3 and 4.

Paul and Antonio were not regular cyclists and so it was a real reward for them to complete the 100 or so kms to South Lodge near Horsham in W Sussex. The route took us through the most beautiful parts of Hampshire and everybody was jolly until we hit our first major hill after Petworth. It was great though to see both Paul and Antonio keep pedalling and get to the top. In Wiseborough Green we were joined by Sarah, who had undertaken the PR work for the event and wanted to participate. Her afternoon didn't start well though with a flat tyre and a chain falling off.  Some friends of Sarah's also turned up to cheer us on with the help of a vuvuzela, whistles and other encumbrances. All good stuff and really helped us along the way.

We made it to South Lodge in great spirits after a lovely day's ride. The sunshine did of course help and Paul and Antonio were thrilled to have completed the whole day without too many ill effects. Paul has since collected a remarkable £1090. A great contribution.

Day 2 started with a rather optimistic weather report that suggested the worst of the rain storms had passed. I set off in good spirits, but a little tentative at the thought of cycling right through the heart of London. After a few miles a gentle drizzle turned into a torrential rain storm. I did shelter under a tree for a little while hoping that it would pass but with no break in sight, I decided to carry on. My route took me up past Gatwick airport and then when the rain was at it worst I saw Box Hill looming on the horizon. Box Hill is of course on the 2012 Olympic road race route, however they will be climbing it 7 times which made my efforts look rather feeble. As the skies darkened, the rain got heavier and the road got steeper. At the summit I was soaking wet and breathing rather heavily but pleased that the worst hill of the day was out of the way.

I ploughed on along some rather busy roads to the outskirts of London. I found a wonderful bakery in Carshalton and replenished some of the lost calories with coffee, sausage rolls and buns. Miraculously the rain actually stopped, the sun appeared and the temperature soared. I took off and managed to link up with the Barclays SuperHighway at Merton which would take me into Southwark, through Clapham. It wasn’t a dedicated bike path and I had to share with buses and parked vans and cars but it did make an easy route to follow into the heart of the City. Once I got to Southwark Bridge I stopped to marvel at the amazing vista of the Thames overlooked by St Pauls Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and the Tower Bridge. London really does have the most amazing collection of historic sights and on a sunny afternoon it lifts the spirits just to sit and look.

I headed up through the City of London into Hackney, the scene of some of the street riots only a few days before, but thankfully now very quiet. I was heading for the Lea Valley and the tow path up the canal. The path was a rather soggy gravel and not really suited to the hybrid bike, but it was a pleasure to get away from the traffic for a while. I followed the path all the way up through Tottenham to Waltham Abbey. After a short detour when my GPS battery ran out, I stopped to have a welcome cup of tea and scone. I then rejoined the roads and headed up to Ware and the very welcome sight of Fanhams Hall, the end of the second leg. A hot bath and delicious dinner were more than welcome.

Day 3 started again with an erroneous weather forecast, which suggested I could have a dry run. I had to clean off the bike which was caked in a muddy layer from the Lea Valley path. I cycled right into the most torrential rain again and was decidedly fed up with being perpetually soaked. I have to say though that the Cycle Tours rain jackets proved their worth and did keep my upper body dry and warm, if the rest of me was completely soaked.

The route followed the periphery of London, through Welwyn Garden City and the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead before heading south through Gerrards Cross and into Slough and Windsor. Fortunately the rain stopped again in the afternoon and I managed to dry out. The climbs through the Chilterns proved a test, however some of the countryside and villages were stunning and made for an enjoyable ride when the rain did finally stop. Sitting on the bridge across the Thames in the centre of Windsor, I have to admit to an element of elation at having most of this leg completed. The final push through Windsor Great Park was very busy but the sight of Pennyhill Hotel was very welcome.

Day 4 I was joined by my cycling buddy Matt Carolan, who picked up the pace and continued through the day to complain about how slow I was cycling. After getting out of Camberley and off the busy A30 this is a lovely ride past Stratfield Saye (the home of the Duke of Wellington) and the roman ruins at Silchester. We found a great little cafe on the outskirts of Newbury for some lunch and then headed off into the Kennet and Avon Canal valley through Hungerford. Legs started to get very tired by the time we stopped at Marlborough and I knew the toughest part of the day still lay ahead.

The climb over the Marlborough Downs is long and steep but is rewarded at the top with the most amazing view over the countryside of Wiltshire. There were also rain clouds looming on the horizon so we headed on as fast as our legs would go. This was the toughest part of the trip with a headwind all the way and some very steep hills to climb. We did however finally cruise down the steep hill into Castle Coombe and the welcome sight of the Manor House Hotel. I have never been so relieved to reach a destination in my life. The Exclusive Hotels staff were once again most welcoming and made our stay in this luxurious spot, very enjoyable indeed.

Day 5 and the final leg. This morning we had lovely sunny weather and that made a most welcome change. The steep hill out of Castle Coombe got the heart rate up and after cycling through Harry Potters village (Laycock) we hit Bowden Hill or rather Bowden Hill hit us. A tough climb made even worse when a young lycra lad cruised past us with seemingly no effort at all. This was quickly followed by the Wessex Ridgeway, another long climb that really tested my tired legs. The wind was behind us though and the sun was out so that made life a lot easier.

The ride took us through the Salisbury Plain and down the River Avon valley. The final leg into Hampshire and into the Test Valley had some short steep climbs and made for tough riding. Finally though we reached Kings Somborne and the lane into Lainston House Hotel meant we had made it. My wife, Paul Morgan and Antonio were there to welcome us and Lainstons laid on the most delicious afternoon tea I have ever tasted. There was no guilt in helping myself to everything on offer.

So there we are. The challenge completed and thankfully without serious incident. My thanks to Paul, Anotonio, Sarah (+ friends), Louis and Matt for their support along the route. My special thanks to the Exclusive Hotel management and staff for their wonderful hospitality. Also thanks to all of you who sponsored Paul and I and we now have an accumulated total of £1500 between the two of us (70% Paul!). The 30thirty30 event has now collected over £80,000 for Macmillan Support and Exclusive Hotels have donated £30,000 to the Springboard charity. It has been a pleasure to be involved with an event that has generated so much.

Here we go. Another challenge with about 600kms cycling around southern england over the next 5 days.

Weather looks a little damp and it will be a real test of endurance. I do have though Paul Morgan from Macmillans joining me for the first leg which will make the ride interesting.

If I can find a computer each evening then I will post a daily blog of my adventure.

Cheers for now

Chris Dawson

Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way you plan. After a week of lovely warm and sunny weather the day ride we had booked for five members of our local Women’s Institute should have been experienced under ideal conditions.  However, you know how it goes, Sod’s Law the day dawned overcast and threatening, but these lively ladies climbed on the bikes and were raring to go anyway.  We kitted them out with our CTUK rain jackets, just in case there should be a shower and off we went, leaving Stockbridge and heading for a lovely pub lunch in Dunbridge.

Our group of five was made up of three women who were quite fit to moderately fit and cycled short distances often, and two women who hadn’t been cycling for years. They didn’t consider themselves very fit, and were keen to see if cycling might provide a pleasant physical activity they would enjoy.   We had chosen the flattest route we could find, but there are always a few hills in this part of Hampshire that can’t be avoided.  Everyone was very game, and if the hills proved too much, the ladies got off their bikes and good naturedly pushed them to the top with a lot of teasing and cheerful  banter bless them. 

The women who weren’t regular cyclists were amazed at how easy the cycling was with good gears on the bike, and how the ride was enhanced by the comfortable wide gel saddles.

Things were going beautifully, and everyone was having such a lovely time enjoying the Hampshire countryside when about 20 minutes before the lunch stop, the sky opened and a drenching rain poured down as we peddled furiously along.  Our rain jackets kept us all bone dry on the top, but none of us had rain trousers, and by the time we got to the pub, our legs and feet were soaked through. 

This is a cycle tour operator’s nightmare – to have guests who are wet and uncomfortable, but the human capacity for good cheer, never ceases to amaze me.  With a lot of laughing and shaking off like a pack of Labradors, our ladies arrived at the pub in good spirits and ready to tuck into the bountiful platter of baguettes and pots of hot tea that were waiting for us. We all thought the rain would push through by the time we finished lunch allowing us to comfortably complete our return loop to Stockbridge.  The weather gods were having a laugh that day, and it continued to pour.  Chris offered to ride back and get the van to pick them up but in true WI style, they chose to Keep Calm and Carry On!  True Blitz spirit prevailed and off they went, laughing and splashing through puddles like cheeky school girls. 

It was still raining when we arrived back at our starting point in Stockbridge and once they were settled in the van and waiting for Chris to load the bikes onto the trailer, they all wanted to know how far they had ridden.  We had been out about four and a half hours, including our lunch break.  They were astounded to learn they had ridden just about 25 miles.  They were chuffed to bits  and all said they couldn’t believe they had ridden that far.  The two women who weren’t regular cyclists were amazed they had achieved that many miles.  They both said if someone had told them when they started they were going to cycle 25 miles, they wouldn’t have gone – they would have said they couldn’t possibly cycle that far.  They were grinning ear to ear and couldn’t wait to get home to tell their families.

So even though the cycling conditions were soggily less than perfect, the end result of the day was as uplifting as a massive ray of sunshine.  Our guests had been terrific sports, and had a personally rewarding positive experience despite the damp conditions.  They even said they wanted to do another cycle day out later in the year.  Our two women who weren’t as fit as they could be had realised that cycling was something enjoyable they could do that would improve their fitness.   

Our ethos at Cycle Tours UK is to raise awareness that you don’t have to cycle far, or fast to enjoy cycling. Its all about the experience of being active and outdoors and enjoying the world at your own pace.   As you build stamina and strength, you will want to explore further on your bike but that is a goal you can build on.  Thank you WI Ladies for your cheerful company and remember:

“Life is like riding a bicycle.  To keep your balance you must keep moving.”   - Albert Einstein