Cycling UK Forum

Can anyone personally recommend some parts of the uk coast for a short tour in easter? Preferably where wild camping wont be an issue.

Northumberland?

Scotland obviously, where wild camping is allowed, but you have to ride on fairly busy roads.

I like the north/west coast of Wales... there is a fairly long section of cycle path that you can use to avoid the main roads around Conwy/Bangor/Rhyl

I did map something for an Audax project... feel free to use parts of it

https://www.strava.com/routes/16290841

has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

no idea - but clearly a good idea to check tides.

Sweep wrote:

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

no idea - but clearly a good idea to check tides.

I was thinking of the North Beach north of Lowestoft which is well beyond the tides

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

Frowned upon down here in Dorset, I would also check the beach isn't NT owned either as they get really narked.

That said below the high water mark I believe is owned by the crown - best of luck with that

Any experience of welsh coast camping? Scotland is too far given the time constraints.

Isle of Wight, a charming place with nice old fashioned seaside places and interesting places too. Decent climbing on the west side and a useful N to S cycle path in the middle.

Al

1982john wrote:Any experience of welsh coast camping? Scotland is too far given the time constraints.

Do you mean wild camping? If so it is quite feasible, I have done a few nights on Anglesey while backpacking the coastal path.

Otherwise, there are plenty of campsites in the touristy parts e.g. the Lleyn peninsula and Pembrokeshire but it might be a good idea to book ahead during peak holiday peiods.

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

I have in Norfolk, but had a very uncomfortable night trying to ensure that no biting sand hoppers got into my bivvy bag.i think like many places you'll probably be ok if you choose somewhere quiet just at dark and leave early you'll be ok. The Norfolk/Suffolk coast is worth a little trip; I went from Felixstowe up to king's Lynn, lots of castles/ ruins, and some cool small ferries. One was a rowing boat with a ferrywoman who is the latest in a 120 year un-broken line of her family rowing that ferry.
https://www.suffolkmag.co.uk/people/wal ... -1-5407675
She had a sun bleached Stephen king novel for the down time!

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

There are some local beaches here in south Devon people wild camp. Be warned that it tends to be teenagers! The local ones I know of are Strete Gate where I’ve seen people camping (there’s a public loos etc) and I gather some people camp at Beesands too. Strete Gate is maybe national trust-not sure about Beesands.

Despite mentioning the local to me options I would also lean to the view that less populated areas might be a good direction to head in so agree with the suggestion of Northumberland although I have no practical experience to offer in that area.

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

The law of nature is that if you camp on a beach you are likely to be disturbed or worse by the tide unless you do a lot of careful planning. If you include the sand dunes as "beach" then I believe camping is likely to damage them. They form a very delicate environment.

Talk of being drowned on the beach reminds me of the Wigtown Martyrs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigtown_Martyrs

I'd recommend the coast of Dumfries and Galloway as an ideal area for cycling, so long as you avoid the A75.

mercalia wrote:has any one wild camped on beaches? what is the law regarding that?

That's Raasay, where I guess the law is the same as wild camping on any other bit of it. As a sea kayaker I've camped on beaches a lot, but again that's in the context of Scotland (not necessarily that remote though).

We also camped on a seafront dune in Benbecula. As we arrived a chap was digging some potatoes nearby, so we figured it wasn't that wild, so we asked him if it would be okay and he didn't have any problems with it.

Pete.

Northumberland, the east coast, at Easter!
You guys are tougher than me I wouldn’t even consider it. I recall a 300k I did "Northumbria Castles" Beautiful day up throu Elsdon and onto Wooler. Across to Bamburgh and down the coast. It grew progressively colder and reached South Shields at 'closing time'. The scantily clad young ladies suggested it was like a summers breeze but that gale off the North Sea certainly chilled my bones.
I’d echo TC , SW Scotland and it’s quiet roads.