Microadventuring, mini tours etc

fuck that shit.

anyways, planning to do a Berlin-Baltic sea ride next weekend, trackbike, tent, Trangia.

@SteadyCam I´d suggest trying some hostel and asking them if you can put your bike into the luggage room, otherwise bring a good lock

leaving for a 1 week UK trip tomorrow. I ride from De Panne (Belgium) to Calais where I take the boat to Dover. First stop in Tenderden (Kent) and than going NW to Great Missenden/Wendover to meet some friends. What comes after will depend on how fast I travel.

Leaving for a 4 day tour visiting family nr Malvern then onto friends in Abergavenny. Train back from Hereford to Paddington on Sunday. Route below, first time out on the bike proper since June so them hills are going to hurt!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25660234

Thinking of doing the western half of the ridgeway (Goring to Marlborough) one weekend soon, before the clocks change. Has anyone done it on a gravel bike? Mine has 38mm schwalbe g-ones which I assume will be fine, even if it is a bit wet.

Will probably get the train to Reading, ride from there and camp somewhere near Marlborough (couple of pubs with camping in the garden look promising) then ride back to Reading/Basingstoke on roads the next morning.

You can get a local stoppping service to Goring from Reading to save yourself the bother of cycling out of Reading. It's not that far to Goring but it's also not a very nice route out of Reading (silver lining: you're getting out of Reading).

That's a good idea, thanks! Would save my legs a bit too. I imagine it could quite a tough ride if it's a bit wet and windy, especially heading south-west for most of it.

I did Reading to Wantage via the Ridgeway a while ago. Reading to Goring, north of the Thames is ok, with one great offroad descent. But train to Goring would work too.

I did it singlespeed, its not that hilly, but theres a bit of a long grind up onto the Ridgeway from Goring

Didn't do it in the end. Too lazy! Will do soon though. Thanks for the tips.

Went on a little trip the weekend before though out along the river.

Camped at Cookham lock. £7 to camp and we were the only people there. Someone at the environment agency thought it would be a good idea to let people camp on some of the Thames lock islands. I agree.

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Obligatory bike pic...

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Anyone got any good ideas about a mini tour in the north this weekend. My first idea was to head in to north Wales and ride about out there but if any one has any sites they would like to recommend within 2/3 hours from Manchester or easy on the train I'd be happy to hear them.

I'm hoping to do some riding in Wales next year. Please do put up some photos and routes if you make it.

Shrewsbury is an hour from Manchester by train. From there, you could do the 2 day route round Shropshire that I did. Lovely bit of the world.

https://www.strava.com/routes/3992166

That looks a goer. Where did you camp?

Any other suggestions anyone?

between christmas and new year I wanted to do a little 2 day adventure, cycle somewhere, stay the night at a nice b&B then cycle back. I was considering the Dunwich Dynamo and back the next day, but it occurred to me that if I got an early train out of London I could do two decent rides somewhere more beautiful and interesting.

Isle of White seems tempting but I guess the winds could be really rough in late December which might not be any fun. Has anyone got any ideas?

We started and finished near Much Wenlock, then had an overnight at Clun YHA. We did it during the week, and out of season, so there was only one other guest that night, and the YHA sent someone over from a neighbouring hostel.
If you search this thread for "Shropshire" you should find my little write-up.

If you happen to pass through Ruyton XI Towns in Shropshire. Do stop at the cafe, my Mum owns it and always has great cake and sandwiches. Forum discount!

Ruyton XI Towns

best named town in the whole county

Its actually only a small village. It used to be the main village of the 11 surrounding ones which make up the parish and if I'm not mistaken, the only place in the world with Roman numerals in its name

yes, i've been through a few times on my way to sellatyn, where my parents are living now on the england/wales border. i'll stop for cake next time!

Ah awesome. Karen is my Mum, tell her you know Phil :)

Any other suggestions anyone?

Carnforth https://redbankfarm.co.uk ride from Lancaster

Wales
http://www.graigwen.co.uk/camping-3/ over the estuary from Barmouth we rode from Ffestiniog via Harlech but you could choose to go from a few different stations nearby.

Thanks all! Will research both but Bangor to Craig Wen looks like a great shout. Cheers all.

Enjoy!

Any suggestions for a 2-3 days max loop where we can get some snow in between Xmas and new year? A little caingorms route etc? Something easy to follow without a garmin but not technically challenging.
My ogre still needs to flex it’s nuts properly.