I'm hoping to go on a cycling tour this summer before I start university. Scotland, the Highlands in particular, looks fantastic (although the midges sound scary!), or maybe a coast to coast tour. I'll be going on my own and I'm a first-timer. While I navigate London every day on my bike (I have a decent Trek road bike and not so good Marin hybrid), I know it hasn't done much for my stamina, so a low-level guided tour would probably be best.
I've been doing lots of searches on the internet but my research is a bit haphazard, so I could use a good starting point. Could anyone recommend a not-outrageously expensive tour operator? I don't think I can spend much more than 500 pounds, and I'm hoping to keep the costs as low as possible bearing in mind the cost of getting there from London in the first place. I was looking at 2-3 day tours over the weekend to begin with (trying to fit it in around work) but I can always leave my job a week early and go in mid September if a 7-10 day tour sounds particularly promising. If anyone has any general advice for first-timers I'd be really grateful.
Many thanks.
Stella
First cycling tour...to Scotland? - advice much appreciated!
Stella, I'd suggest you do it yourself. Don't worry about stamina, just take your time and choose a route with bail-out options along the way. There's no need to hurry on a tour unless you need to hook up with public transport so if you only go 20 miles in a day, so what? And if you're not with a group you're not forced to go at someone else's pace (or feel bad about slowing down other folks to yours).
The first big tour I did with my wife (details at http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/tourdunord.htm had very little planning beyond a start point and initial direction. We just meandered up NCN1 from Aberdeen with the odd loop out here and there, decided to keep on 1 after Inverness, stopped when we were getting tired, and had a great time. Want a day off? Take a day off? Feeling fit and want to carry on past the plan? Nothing stopping you.
There are advantages to organised tours, but many of them (hire of bikes, organisation of food and lodging and interconnecting transport where you don't speak the language) don't really apply in the UK.
Our East coast route in the tour mentioned was largely midge-free, and there's no shortage of bonny scenery.
HTH, Pete.
The first big tour I did with my wife (details at http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/tourdunord.htm had very little planning beyond a start point and initial direction. We just meandered up NCN1 from Aberdeen with the odd loop out here and there, decided to keep on 1 after Inverness, stopped when we were getting tired, and had a great time. Want a day off? Take a day off? Feeling fit and want to carry on past the plan? Nothing stopping you.
There are advantages to organised tours, but many of them (hire of bikes, organisation of food and lodging and interconnecting transport where you don't speak the language) don't really apply in the UK.
Our East coast route in the tour mentioned was largely midge-free, and there's no shortage of bonny scenery.
HTH, Pete.
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Stella
Thanks for the reply pjclinch. I'll definitely consider it, as going it alone is by far the most cost-effective option. I guess I'm a little scared as I've never travelled alone before (in that I've always had someone to meet or stay with at the end of a flight), much less done a cycle tour where I'm on an empty-ish and unfamiliar road, travelling for miles and miles towards a destination I've never been to, and am a little freaked out by the idea of getting lost in the dark in the middle of nowhere. But I guess if I'm smart about planning and keep the distances between destinations relatively short and plan bail-outs as you suggested, it's a non-problem. I do want to cultivate a more adventurous side! I want in the long-term to tour Eastern Europe by bike, and thought sticking to the UK would be a good first start, but the planning seems so complicated! Maybe I shouldn't go so far afield for the first time...but all those pictures of mountains and lakes is completely seductive!
Planning isn't complicated, you just need a rough idea of where you're going and to have at least as much mapping as you need to get to a local map seller if you change your mind.
I would start on something smaller, say a long weekend down into Surrey and/or Sussex. You can stay at YHA hostels or get started with camping and just see how you take to cycling for a few days with a load and with nobody else along. Also lets you get happy with panniers etc., then after a shakedown cruise like that you can start looking at Scotland.
Pete.
I would start on something smaller, say a long weekend down into Surrey and/or Sussex. You can stay at YHA hostels or get started with camping and just see how you take to cycling for a few days with a load and with nobody else along. Also lets you get happy with panniers etc., then after a shakedown cruise like that you can start looking at Scotland.
Pete.
I'd agree with Pete on this one.
I'm planning my first ever tour (and yes it's solo too) in August sometime. London to Paris, and no it's not for charity, it's for fun.
Before I break down or get emotional in France
I'm going to do a test ride to Cambridge or somewhere in the Downs.
Seems sensible and it can be done in a weekend.
Get out of smelly London. Get yerself some confidence.
I think touring is a bit like any new thing, you can get freaked out by a steep learning curve. But to be honest, the bike will get you there and civilization is not far away.
Sep
I'm planning my first ever tour (and yes it's solo too) in August sometime. London to Paris, and no it's not for charity, it's for fun.
Before I break down or get emotional in France
I'm going to do a test ride to Cambridge or somewhere in the Downs.
Seems sensible and it can be done in a weekend.
Get out of smelly London. Get yerself some confidence.
I think touring is a bit like any new thing, you can get freaked out by a steep learning curve. But to be honest, the bike will get you there and civilization is not far away.
Sep
"How can I be of use in the world? Can't I serve some purpose and be of any good?"
Vincent Van Gogh to Theo
July 1880
Letter 133
Vincent Van Gogh to Theo
July 1880
Letter 133
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Stella
Ok, I've been spending the last 5 hours on the internet reading up about touring and I'm coming around to the idea of going it alone. I'm using www.cycling.visitscotland.com as my focus for planning a possible tour, but would you recommend any other sites?
You're right about having confidence. If I was with someone else, it would be easy, and not because of the planning, but the comfort of having someone with you in case it all goes wrong! I think if I can plan a route with specific destinations to aim for, castles or whatever, and there were stops along the way, say every 10-20 miles, I won't feel so alone. My colleague at the desk opposite me keeps saying I should just go for it!
You're right about having confidence. If I was with someone else, it would be easy, and not because of the planning, but the comfort of having someone with you in case it all goes wrong! I think if I can plan a route with specific destinations to aim for, castles or whatever, and there were stops along the way, say every 10-20 miles, I won't feel so alone. My colleague at the desk opposite me keeps saying I should just go for it!
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Stella
Me and a mate did a tour of Scotland. Went by train to Glasgow, cycled to Loch Lomond YHA, then to Oban and up the west coast as far as Ullapool, then over to the east side (Bonar Bridge) then Inverness, Aviemore, Stirling and back to Glasgow. The further north you get, the better the scenery is, so going to Fort William by train is a good idea. We stayed in hostels mostly. We went in August and had some really nice sunny days but some really wet ones as well. Weather can be better in Scotland in September, than August.
As a thought.....
There is an organisation called "Sustrans" which organises routes along with Councils.
They have their fans and opponents. However there ar a number of routes in Scotland..
Inverness to Glasgow
Glasgow to Carlisle
Berwick to Glasgow
There is also a good route along the "Great Glen"
These routes are usually relatively well signposted and us quieter roads and tracks. However as they are Local Council designed, the links are often not direct or well designed. They can be a good start though.
Cycle-n-Sleep shows some of the options.
There is an organisation called "Sustrans" which organises routes along with Councils.
They have their fans and opponents. However there ar a number of routes in Scotland..
Inverness to Glasgow
Glasgow to Carlisle
Berwick to Glasgow
There is also a good route along the "Great Glen"
These routes are usually relatively well signposted and us quieter roads and tracks. However as they are Local Council designed, the links are often not direct or well designed. They can be a good start though.
Cycle-n-Sleep shows some of the options.
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Stella
I'm tempted to wait until September tbh. The sleeper trains only have tickets on the 9th at the earliest, and maybe I an visit Edinburgh without all Festival hoopla.
The West coast looks amazing, but it has a 4 out of 5 on the midge forecast
How seriously do I have to take this on a bike? I visited Iceland last year, and could barely enjoy the explosion craters and whatnot with all the bugs, which weren't even biting. Maybe I should start at Aberdeen and go south? I like the idea of checking out the islands but a ferry journey on top of everything else might just be a journey too far!
Thanks for the Sustrans tip -looking at it now,,,
The West coast looks amazing, but it has a 4 out of 5 on the midge forecast
How seriously do I have to take this on a bike? I visited Iceland last year, and could barely enjoy the explosion craters and whatnot with all the bugs, which weren't even biting. Maybe I should start at Aberdeen and go south? I like the idea of checking out the islands but a ferry journey on top of everything else might just be a journey too far!
Thanks for the Sustrans tip -looking at it now,,,
Hi Stella,
I bought a single 1st Class ticket for me and Bike from Plymouth to Edinburgh for £50.
Bike hung from a hook in the bike stowage. Rotten way to stow a bike IMO, but I hung it by the rear wheel with plumbing insulation and gaffa tape for padding against the metalwork. I also locked Bike to the train with a long flexi cable lock - not because of possible theft, but because I didn't trust the train staff not to put Bike off at the wrong station!
All was ok, but although I'd safely stopped Bike moving fore and aft, there was nothing to strap it to to stop it from moving port and starboard. Luckily there was no other bike next to Bike.
I would have been far happier if Bike could have been with me on the next seat ........
Have a read of the first few pages of:
www.my-grand-tour.blogspot.com
Read the rest, if you want!
Edinburgh to Pitlochry
Inverness
Lochcarron and Applecross
Skye
Arisaig
Oban
Aran
Dumfries
Gretna
and into England - Yorkshire, Lancashire, Snowdonia, Mid Wales and back to Cornwall.
I bought a single 1st Class ticket for me and Bike from Plymouth to Edinburgh for £50.
Bike hung from a hook in the bike stowage. Rotten way to stow a bike IMO, but I hung it by the rear wheel with plumbing insulation and gaffa tape for padding against the metalwork. I also locked Bike to the train with a long flexi cable lock - not because of possible theft, but because I didn't trust the train staff not to put Bike off at the wrong station!
All was ok, but although I'd safely stopped Bike moving fore and aft, there was nothing to strap it to to stop it from moving port and starboard. Luckily there was no other bike next to Bike.
I would have been far happier if Bike could have been with me on the next seat ........
Have a read of the first few pages of:
www.my-grand-tour.blogspot.com
Read the rest, if you want!
Edinburgh to Pitlochry
Inverness
Lochcarron and Applecross
Skye
Arisaig
Oban
Aran
Dumfries
Gretna
and into England - Yorkshire, Lancashire, Snowdonia, Mid Wales and back to Cornwall.
Mick F. Cornwall
Hi Stella,
I'm about to go and set off on my first tour on Monday, getting the train from Manchester up to Mallaig and then getting the ferry across to Skye. Booked the train tickets today as I wasn't sure if my bike would be ready, but I'm assured it will be by friday. Anyway train tickets were expensive because I left it so late. Still looking forward to it, and had forgotten about the midges untill your post 4/5 eack! I'm going to be heading through and up Skye over a couple of days and then catching a ferry to the outer hebridies before then getting another ferry back to Oban and the train back south again. I got the idea for the route from a book titled Bike Scotland book 2 which has loads of ideas for cycling trips around the highlands and islands of Scotland, you can make the trip as long or as short as you like.
I'm travelling very light and staying in youth hostels, but only just as they are nearly all booked as well for next week, someone forgot to tell the tourists about the midges too.
Just go for it and with a little planning you'll go a long way, enjoy!
I'm about to go and set off on my first tour on Monday, getting the train from Manchester up to Mallaig and then getting the ferry across to Skye. Booked the train tickets today as I wasn't sure if my bike would be ready, but I'm assured it will be by friday. Anyway train tickets were expensive because I left it so late. Still looking forward to it, and had forgotten about the midges untill your post 4/5 eack! I'm going to be heading through and up Skye over a couple of days and then catching a ferry to the outer hebridies before then getting another ferry back to Oban and the train back south again. I got the idea for the route from a book titled Bike Scotland book 2 which has loads of ideas for cycling trips around the highlands and islands of Scotland, you can make the trip as long or as short as you like.
I'm travelling very light and staying in youth hostels, but only just as they are nearly all booked as well for next week, someone forgot to tell the tourists about the midges too.
Just go for it and with a little planning you'll go a long way, enjoy!
Stella
I agree with the comments above- do your own thing.
Check these out
http://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk
Its a listing of independent hostels, they cost about £15 a night. I have used several, one in Edinburgh and loads in the Western Isles, all very different, but all bike friendly, and met loads of interesting people.
I agree with the comments above- do your own thing.
Check these out
http://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk
Its a listing of independent hostels, they cost about £15 a night. I have used several, one in Edinburgh and loads in the Western Isles, all very different, but all bike friendly, and met loads of interesting people.