Cycling UK Forum

We went to my wife’s ageing Aunt’s 90th birthday party in Aberdovey on Saturday which gave me the excuse to cycle back to Taunton. I took 3 x days, if I did it again would probably take 4. Some great scenery along the way and I was lucky with dry if windy weather.

Campsites were quiet and cheap (Outdoors at Hay £14 and Beeches Farm North of Chepstow £10, both with good facilities and hot showers). But the last few nights have been cold and I had to kit up to stay warm…..new sleeping bag needed!

I probably over pushed myself with 80 miles / 6600ft climbs on the first day and 81 miles on the last day, but I survived.

So where were other touring cyclists? I saw very few. An occasional ebike day tripper and a young guy at Hay who was on his first long ride on a gravel bike…..but no others. A shame as now seems a good time of year to tour.

It’s been too cold here in Scotland for me to even consider a tent.

Away in the caravan a couple of weeks ago and a 60 van site had 6 on it. Very quiet.

I saw lots of touring cyclists doing the Hebridean Way over the last week when I was in Harris and Lewis, so may be that is where they have all gone.

AndyB1 wrote: 12 May 2026, 8:59pm We went to my wife’s ageing Aunt’s 90th birthday party in Aberdovey on Saturday which gave me the excuse to cycle back to Taunton. I took 3 x days, if I did it again would probably take 4. Some great scenery along the way and I was lucky with dry if windy weather.

Campsites were quiet and cheap (Outdoors at Hay £14 and Beeches Farm North of Chepstow £10, both with good facilities and hot showers). But the last few nights have been cold and I had to kit up to stay warm…..new sleeping bag needed!

I probably over pushed myself with 80 miles / 6600ft climbs on the first day and 81 miles on the last day, but I survived.

So where were other touring cyclists? I saw very few. An occasional ebike day tripper and a young guy at Hay who was on his first long ride on a gravel bike…..but no others. A shame as now seems a good time of year to tour.

Nice picture Andy but that bike could've done with mudguardscos your gear would get all muddy if it rains. Why the big heavy ( bulky ) rubber mat?

AndyB1 wrote: 12 May 2026, 8:59pm We went to my wife’s ageing Aunt’s 90th birthday party in Aberdovey on Saturday which gave me the excuse to cycle back to Taunton. I took 3 x days, if I did it again would probably take 4. Some great scenery along the way and I was lucky with dry if windy weather.

Wales is criminally under-used by leisure riders IMO. I did an Audax up to Aberdovey* at Easter; I reckon we saw single figures of other riders from dawn-to-dusk!

*I've stuck with your spelling! :-)

AndyB1 wrote: 12 May 2026, 8:59pm Campsites were quiet and cheap (Outdoors at Hay £14 and Beeches Farm North of Chepstow £10, both with good facilities and hot showers). But the last few nights have been cold and I had to kit up to stay warm…..new sleeping bag needed!

That is probably another factor - lots of camping types (and cyclists generally) really only want to be out long-haul once the temperature reliably picks up. Which is basically July onwards for many!

(Scotland is a bit different, as the experienced and in-the-know want to visit before Midge Season, so that skews the month-to-month pattern.)

I rarely see touring cycles away from designated cycle routes.

Applies in UK (well Essex and Suffolk) and particularly in Europe.

Just look at this forum. I'd say a majority of posts are about EVs, etc and UK routes.

If you want good weather come here spring into start of summer

So where were other touring cyclists?

Not in the same place as you at the same time.

Fully loaded cycle camping, whether by pushbike or EAPC, is the nichiest of niche pursuits, so you wouldn’t expect to be in the same place as others at the same time. It’s like snow leopards trying to find mates.

I’m a mere dilettante in the game, a few “one or two nighters” and a couple of fortnight trundles each year, and even in Sussex and Norfolk, my usual trundling territory, both popular with “heavy campers” and bikepackers, it’s an event when I meet other cycle campers.

On NCN 6 and 51, which run very close to home and which I use very frequently I might see an average of one loaded cycle camper per month, April to October only.

‘Nice picture Andy but that bike could've done with mudguardscos your gear would get all muddy if it rains. Why the big heavy ( bulky ) rubber mat?’

The ‘rubber mat’ might act as a shock absorber if I get tail gated…….it is actually my foam sleeping mat. Must be over 30 years old and apart from it’s size is fine. What do others use under their sleeping bags? Some of my gear is a bit dated.

Mudguards - well the weather looked dry so I used my black bike with wider and softer 2” tyres and no ‘guards.
My red bike is fairly similar (steel frame, 26 inch wheels with rohloff gears, narrower handlebars) but has mudguards and 1.5” tyres so is better on smoother roads. I guessed that the Welsh roads would not always be smooth.

The black bike has V brakes and my rear wheel is due a new rim soon, so trying to get my money’s worth out of the old one! Not sure how muddy my gear would get as I was using waterproof bags, but I would have certainly got wet.

MTB rider - great photos, not Wales……America?

Thanks for the other comments, all read and thought about.

My point was that this time of year can be good to tour in - long days, cooler air and less busy both on the roads and camp sites.

Closer to home. Light traffic and here is an image from a motorway bridge on today's cycle.

AndyB1 wrote: 13 May 2026, 6:55pm ‘Nice picture Andy but that bike could've done with mudguardscos your gear would get all muddy if it rains. Why the big heavy ( bulky ) rubber mat?’

The ‘rubber mat’ might act as a shock absorber if I get tail gated…….it is actually my foam sleeping mat. Must be over 30 years old and apart from it’s size is fine. What do others use under their sleeping bags? Some of my gear is a bit dated.

I use one of these https://amzn.eu/d/04xz0U9Y

Great value for money at under £30 about 900g in weight but very comfortable and packs down about the size of a big Thermos flask. There are ones that are half that weight and pack size but they are four times the price and only half the depth. ( if you're a side sleeper this matters)
These things are also much more robust than you'd think by looking at them. I used to use the big flock covered Tesco air mattresses but they were over 2kg and the plastic would degrade and leak after a couple of years not to mention they are very bulky compared to the Amazon one which lasts much longer too.

Thanks Cowsham, that sounds ideal.

Mtb tourer wrote: 13 May 2026, 7:12pm Closer to home. Light traffic and here is an image from a motorway bridge on today's cycle.
PXL_20260513_151436136.jpg

Morocco?

Cowsham wrote: 13 May 2026, 7:43pm

AndyB1 wrote: 13 May 2026, 6:55pm ‘Nice picture Andy but that bike could've done with mudguardscos your gear would get all muddy if it rains. Why the big heavy ( bulky ) rubber mat?’

The ‘rubber mat’ might act as a shock absorber if I get tail gated…….it is actually my foam sleeping mat. Must be over 30 years old and apart from it’s size is fine. What do others use under their sleeping bags? Some of my gear is a bit dated.

I use one of these https://amzn.eu/d/04xz0U9Y

Great value for money at under £30 about 900g in weight but very comfortable and packs down about the size of a big Thermos flask. There are ones that are half that weight and pack size but they are four times the price and only half the depth. ( if you're a side sleeper this matters)
These things are also much more robust than you'd think by looking at them. I used to use the big flock covered Tesco air mattresses but they were over 2kg and the plastic would degrade and leak after a couple of years not to mention they are very bulky compared to the Amazon one which lasts much longer too.

I weighed my foam mat with strap: 275g. Quite a bit lighter than a blow up mattress and no risk of punctures, so apart from it looking a bit funny sticking off the back of the bike I will stick with what I have at the moment.

AndyB1 wrote: 14 May 2026, 10:52am ... so apart from it looking a bit funny sticking off the back of the bike I will stick with what I have at the moment.

Good for you. If it works, changing it would just create more landfill etc!