Guided Cycle Touring

A large appeal of cycling for me is cycle-touring. It is one of the many facets of cycling that encouraged me back on to two wheels in 2008. I had have visions of taking off on an extended cycle trip to far flung areas for weeks or even months. Something I would will organise myself and be as self sufficient as possible.

Such a trip remains an ambition I may never achieve but in the meantime I do enjoy the little cycle tours I can fit in around other commitments. On these multi-day trips (rather than multi-week or month) I carry a fair bit of kit including camping and cooking stuff, plan the route myself rather than just follow a signed way and like to set my own pace for the most part (for 'own pace' read travel alone!). I want adventure not cosseting.

I know these kind of trips are not everyone's cup of tea and I am certainly not averse to other versions of cycle touring. Currently I am trying to bring together family, friends and dates for a four day trip following the Way of the Roses (WotR) from Morecambe to Bridlington this Summer. This will be a lightweight cycle tour, carrying just the minimal kit, covering less than 50 miles per day and staying in pre-booked B&B/hostels. I'm really looking forward to it.

I have been guided on a cycle tour myself in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it. This was back in 2010 in New York and it was a cycle tour of lower Manhattan lasting a few hours. I loved it. I also hope to go on a guided tour of London at some point. I have even toyed with the idea of setting up my own guided cycle tours of Manchester but I think I would struggle trying to compete with the attractions of the Big Apple and London!

So I am quite intrigued by what Will, a fellow cycle blogger (of WillCycle) is setting up in Devon where he lives. He is offering guided cycle tours lasting 2-3 days following the Devon Coast to Coast cycle route (AKA National Cycle Network 27). This runs north-south (or vice-versa) from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, utilises some picturesque cycle paths such as the Tarka Trail, Granite Way and Drake's Trail and follows old railway lines through gorgeous countryside for large parts - always a winning combination in my book. 

He knows other companies offer cycle tours in the area that provide directions and a baggage carrying service but his is different. These will be escorted trips by a cyclist who lives in the area and knows the history and geography well. What I really enjoyed about my guided trip in New York was the guide who escorted us and gave our little group a rich insight into a fascinating place in a short period of time. Get this right and you are halfway there IMO.

I wish him well with his venture and will follow his progress with just a little envy*. If you have ever fancied dipping your toe into the cycle touring lark but aren't ready for or don't fancy solo touring then what better place to start than with an escorted trip through one of England's most beautiful areas. This is his company website.

*The MiddleAgeCyclist has not received any payment (monetary or otherwise) for this blog post and genuinely just wants to help out a fellow cycle blogger with a great sounding business venture. Thank you.

Cycling Underwater

This week I have been cycling underwater. This is something I have wanted to do for a year or so and it was on my bucket list of things to achieve before I pop my clogs or...kick the bucket. Anyway, I have done it now, so that is one less thing I need to do before I die.

This particular desire arose after I heard of a purpose built cycle tunnel under the River Clyde. I then found one existed under the River Tyne too. Well, as I am a regular visitor to the Newcastle area I decided to make cycling the Tyne a priority and this week I got to do it.

I cycled the 25 miles or so down from Morpeth, joining National Cycle Route One just south of Blyth and followed the coast along through Whitley Bay and onto Tynemouth. I found the tunnel entrance off a non descript road and made a trip from the north side at Howden to Jarrow on the south before retracing my route. Of course I have made a video.

Please note. Will not play on mobile devices. Sorry

The cycle tunnel is actually one of two parallel tunnels, the other being for pedestrians. The Tunnels are grade 2 listed buildings and were opened in 1951 in time for the Festival of Britain. These are two of three which form the Tyne Tunnel Project which includes the original road tunnel completed in 1967. The whole project was actually concieved in 1937 but WW2 kind of delayed things a bit. 

At each end of the cycle and pedestrian tunnels are two escalators and a lift. The escalators have 306 wooden steps each and are the original models from 1951. These escalators remain the longest wooden escalators in the World but when I visited only one was working, as was only one of the much more modern lifts. There are plans to update the escalators, making one at each end into a kind of funicular lift while overhauling the remaining ones and keeping them for reasons of heritage.

It is obvious the vision behind these tunnels stems from a time when the car was not supreme and there was serious infrastructure provison for cyclists and pedestrians. The tunnels are certainly dated but are charming none the less. I think they are great slice of England - visionary but a little past thier glory days.

I can't be the only one who likes them because, despite the loss of much of the shipbuilding workforce who originally used the tunnels, 20,000 trips are still made through them each month. This number is split pretty equally between pedestrians and cyclists and is slowly increasing. 

Now, when can I arrange a trip to Glasgow to cycle under the Clyde?