Book Suggestions

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Elizabeth_S
Posts: 254
Joined: 27 May 2013, 3:18pm
Location: somewhere

Book Suggestions

Post by Elizabeth_S »

Hi,
For my brother in law's retirement present I'm looking for suggestions for books on cycling routes in:
Wiltshire and surrounding counties
France
The Netherlands
Brother in law and sister haven't cycled for a while, knees are going a bit so nothing too technical. Think they might like a long distance route (or two), in France, or something they can pop across the channel to. But local everyday rides would be good also. I thought the Netherlands as it's a great place to cycle if you want to travel and haven't done much in a while.
(I should also add that my sister is a nurse, so they will very much need some relaxation when this is all over.)
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by simonineaston »

Hi Elizabeth,
I know how depressing it is when no one responds to a post! :wink: so I'm going to pitch in. I'm not sure that a book for identifying routes is the best choice. In my experience, the best way to research / identify routes may be better done on-line. Books go out of date with alarming rapidity. The ones I've bought, I've hardly look at. Websites are dynamic. One of favourites is cycle.travel (a search of posts on this very forum will be fruitful). If I was about to retire, with a view to doing more cycling, I'd prefer to receive books about cycle travel, of which there are a ton, if you look.
https://cycle.travel
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
User avatar
pedalsheep
Posts: 1324
Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 7:57pm

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by pedalsheep »

You could try Jack Thurston's 'Lost Lanes West Country' which covers Wiltshire and the counties to the south west. The books describe circular routes on quiet roads and are beautifully presented and illustrated so would make a nice present.
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
crossy
Posts: 389
Joined: 9 Aug 2011, 6:48pm

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by crossy »

Hi I live in Wiltshire. Phillips do an atlas of Wiltshire. I have written down all the town and villages from the index there are 950 all together and I’m going to go out and ride to each one. Prop my bike against the village/town sign and take a photo. Just to make it interesting I allow myself only one photo on a ride. It’s going to take me years to do it.
ICE Adventure E51, Van Nic Amazon E40, NWT Bike Friday E17, Orange Rohloff, Total E58
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Cyril Haearn »

+950 for that suggestion, please to report on progress
Maps are good too
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by simonineaston »

crossy wrote:Hi I live in Wiltshire.
I went there once and thought it quite nice. Pewsey - great little museum & a shop selling very generous bacon baps. :-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
richardfm
Posts: 969
Joined: 15 Apr 2018, 3:17pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by richardfm »

pedalsheep wrote:You could try Jack Thurston's 'Lost Lanes West Country' which covers Wiltshire and the counties to the south west. The books describe circular routes on quiet roads and are beautifully presented and illustrated so would make a nice present.

I was about to suggest the same. I have the Wales book, if that is anything to go by then the West Country one should be great. If you buy it direct from https://lostlanes.thebikeshow.net/ you will get it signed by the author
Richard M
Cardiff
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11009
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Bonefishblues »

Deleted post
Last edited by Bonefishblues on 12 Apr 2020, 11:22am, edited 1 time in total.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Cyrille Guimard! d'oh :wink:
We are legion
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
User avatar
Cunobelin
Posts: 10801
Joined: 6 Feb 2007, 7:22pm

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Cunobelin »

Slightly off the main intention...

I plan most tours using the Muirhead Blue Guides from 1926

I love old books, and it is fun and sometimes a challenge to follow historical routes and see which hotels, churches and other buildings have survived.

There are also Pevsner's guides, and many old guides and maps. They give lots to research and investigate.

Perhaps a guide, book, map or similar from the year of his birth?

For example , if born in 1940 .....An example was chosen at random, starting as little as £4
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by simonineaston »

Cunobelin wrote:I love old books, and it is fun and sometimes a challenge to follow historical routes and see which hotels, churches and other buildings have survived. There are also Pevsner's guides, and many old guides and maps. They give lots to research and investigate.
That's true! A hobby of its own. And as a technical aid, to help with the interpretation, I like the National Library of Scotland's side-by-side maps *, where you can identify locations exactly and view them as they appeared on older maps. I have just splashed for the Kindle version of Lost Lanes West Country :-) Ah, the anticipation!
Gloucestershire Cricket Club... note useful railway station nearby, on Left map
Gloucestershire Cricket Club... note useful railway station nearby, on Left map

* other side-by-side mapping websites are available... ;-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Mike Sales
Posts: 7882
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Mike Sales »

I don't know whether Cassini's facsimiles of old O.S. maps are still available.
I chanced upon a set of my local ones going cheap.
1824, Old Series: 1901-02 Revised New Series: 1922 Popular Edition.
Serendipity! Hours of pleasure comparing changes with the different editions of the 131 Landranger I have.
The coastline here and the course of rivers have changed here.
Of course all the roads which were not built for motor vehicles are shown.

The sheet borders have been rearranged and the maps rescaled so that a direct comparison with the modern 1;50000 is easy.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
slowster
Moderator
Posts: 4629
Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by slowster »

Mike Sales wrote:I don't know whether Cassini's facsimiles of old O.S. maps are still available. <SNIP>

The sheet borders have been rearranged and the maps rescaled so that a direct comparison with the modern 1;50000 is easy.

Cassini also have a custom option for the various historic (and new) editions of OS maps which allows the map(s) to be centred on a chosen location. The maps are available both folded and flat for mounting.

http://www.cassinimaps.co.uk/shop/mmplus1-C.asp
User avatar
simonineaston
Posts: 8003
Joined: 9 May 2007, 1:06pm
Location: ...at a cricket ground

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by simonineaston »

I love old maps! I'm going to have eat crow here, after dissing the notion of buying a book to gain inspiration for tours... I've just had a look at my newly purchased copy of Lost Lanes West Country and it's Great!! Here's a review from Amazon, too which refers to the printed version, i think.
This cycling guide is lavishly enhanced by the photographs that would encourage anyone to want to get on their bikes and go off on the routes suggested. The content is well organised, the guide is informative, and the whole style appeals to me. Above all, this book is written by a cyclist for other cyclists. After previously buying the edition for the South-East and Southern England, I had no hesitation in buying this new edition for the West and South-West as soon as it was published. I warmly recommend Jack Thurston's book to everyone, including 'armchair' cyclists and those who cannot actually go on the rides, for whatever reason.
...and signed copies can be get bought here:
https://lostlanes.co.uk/shop/
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Galloper
Posts: 217
Joined: 6 Dec 2012, 2:21pm

Re: Book Suggestions

Post by Galloper »

Not so much about routes, more about the journey, can I recommend Edward Enfield's books, particularly "Downhill all the Way" and also those of Anne Mustoe. I particularly liked Anne's idea of following Roman roads.

For many of my trips in the UK, I use an excellent map, "The Ultimate UK Cycle Route Planner". It shows all the Sustrans routes and highlights road and traffic free sections, ideal for browsing an planning trips.
Post Reply