Camping or b&b

[Iainj837]

I am thinking of going on a cycling holiday but unsure weather to go the camping route or b&b /youth hostel
never been on a cycling holiday so I would not know where to start.
Any advice would be brilliant

Iain

 

[andym]

It's hard to give more than general advice without more information about you eg Do you have a tent and sleeping bag? Can you borrow one? Have you camped before?

You don't have to camp -lots of people happily tour using B&Bs etc. Camping adds to your options and saves money, but decent equipment does require an upfront investment of (say) a couple of hundred quid. So if you just want to dip your toe in the water you might want to go down the B&B route first.

 

[Alan Whicker]

You could do both. If you're going with a mate, split the tent between you and you'll hardly know it's there. If you don't fancy camping one night, stop in a B&B, and vice versa.

 

[Telemark]

As Andym says, it al depends if you've got the camping gear and have camped before! If you haven't and aren't sure if you will like it, borrow a tent and try it out. Good camping gear is not cheap, but it will last for a very long time if you choose carefully. It's also a bit like buying a bike if you haven't ridden one in years, maybe not wise to invest in an expensive one straight away, if you don't know whether it'll be gathering dust in a shed for the next few years or whether it'll be your pride and joy.

I'f you've never stayed away from home with your bike at all, break yourself in gradually, by going for a weekend somewhere scenic and not to far away ...

You could take a train somewhere not too far away and cycle back over a couple of days, staying in a B&B or hostel. Neither involves carrying tent/cooking equipment/sleeping bag, but you'll still have to take a minimum tool kit, water proofs, some spare clothes and some food & drink, and perhaps a map or two ...

When you get back home, the bug may have bitten, and then you are in trouble.

If you prefer to travel lightly, credit card touring is the way forward.
If money is an issue, camping/hostels will be a lot cheaper.
If you want to be really flexible and not book ahead (in busy places or during main holiday times), camping is the way to go ... but it doesn't stop you from a night in a B&B occasionally, if the weather is carp.

Good luck - I'd just give it a go, during a nice spring weekend some time soon!

T

 

[jay clock]

I started off with the hotel route and bit by bit got into camping. Have a read of my write-ups in date order and you will see how I fared... www.crazyguyonabike.com/julian

 

[Gollyb]

Hello

my partner (61) and I (49) last year decided to cycle the Castle and Coast route through Northumberland. This was in July last year and the weather was not too bad good job because we were cycle camping! This was our first time! In the past we have camped and cycled but with the car to take all the strain. This year we booked the bikes on the train to Newcastle and a return journey from Berwick-on-Tween a week later.
The cost line route is not arduous nor is cycling fully loaded with 4 panniers each and a bar bag. The issue is sleeping comfortably on a thermarest style sleeping mat. At our age with the odd twinge of arthritis and carrying a few more kilos than we ought, we decided cycle camping is not for us. We managed 6 of the 7 nights in the tent, the last night however we decided to get a bed and breakfast, a bed, bliss!
Cycle Camping is all about traveling lite and taking the minimum you need, its all in the packing! And choosing what you need to take and what you can do without. When there is more than one going you can share your load for things like the tent, the stove etc. But how many spare pairs of cycling short or T's do you need, how long can you afford to honk, do you do you laundry when standing under the camp site shower every night!!

We sold the tent on ebay this week a Coleman Exponent Phad X3. Great tent easy to put up the right size for 2 blokes would take a third. Only 3.5kg. We almost got our money back via ebay.

Both Gelert X-Treme Lite full length mattresses are on ebay now, along with the two Multi mat chair converters. The converters are a clever invention changing your sleeping mat in to a backrest and seat for those warm summer nights. Both are a combined bid on ebay.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....88846&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT#ht_807wt_1138


Thanks for reading my short story....Keep Cadence up !

 

[HelenD123]

It partly depends on where you're going and what accommodation is available. Personally I love camping but don't hesitate to head for a B&B or hostel if the weather's bad or I just fancy a change. As others have said, it's quite an investment getting into camping and also means committing to carrying a lot more stuff so only worth it if you're going to camp for quite a few nights.

 

[andym]

The issue is sleeping comfortably on a thermarest style sleeping mat. At our age with the odd twinge of arthritis and carrying a few more kilos than we ought, we decided cycle camping is not for us. We managed 6 of the 7 nights in the tent, the last night however we decided to get a bed and breakfast, a bed, bliss!

A shame you've given up on the idea. There are more comfortable alternatives to the basic self-inflating mats - from Exped, Alpkit and Therma-rest themselves.

 

[Danny]

Unless you really enjoy camping I would suggest you stay in B&Bs or Youth Hostels on your first tour.

This will give you a chance to get a feel for how far you can comfortably cycle in a day and how much gear you feel comfortable carting around with you. Also, if it is your first tour you may feel quite tired at the end of each day and appreciate the relative comfort of a B&B or Youth Hostel - particularly if the weather is bad.

I'm not trying to put you off as I really enjoy cycle camping. If you are not planning to go on a hilly route, or are not too bothered by covering a lot of ground each day, by all means give it a go.

 

[Fandango]

Cycle camping is addictive! The thing I like about it is that you don't have to make reservations as you go, so you can do an extra 20 miles or spend the afternoon in the pub if you feel like it. I have tried getting last minute B&B's but they are often either full up or charge crazy prices when you just want a bed for the night. I do like to have a couple of nights in a bed mid trip (I normally go for 10 days or so) so I tend pick a town/city worth a rest day and ring around the day before I get there - Having internet access makes this sooo much easier than it used to be.

I would suggest joining the Camping and Caravanning Club as they have a lot of small sites you wouldn't otherwise know about, and they are members only which tends to keep out the type of campers who think everyone on the campsite wants to listen to their awful music all night.

As for gear, I bought a cheap £30 tent this one and it has served me well. I decided this year to try and lower the weight as I find hills hard going with 30KG of stuff, so I have bought a new tent, but the old one did me fine. I have decided to ditch all the cooking gear I normally take, apart from a Trangia Mini for making tea, and take less clothes. Hopefully I will be able to get up the hills easier. I did find cheap panniers were generally a poor investment and ended up with these which have been excellent.

Good luck with your trip, however you decide to do it, have fun

 

[seadragonpisces]

All comments above good ones. Personally I dont want to lug about all the camping gear, so B&B, Youth Hostel my choice. All depends on availability where you plan to ride I guess.

Either way its a good experience, have fun

 

[willem]

I spend far too much time in business hotels, so I will not do so in my spare time. I really love camping, and the more minimalistic the better. A complete kit of tent, mattress, bag and stove with pots should not be much more than 3kg. That is the stuff you need to carry over and above what you need for B&B's. If you are really strict and avoid nasty weather, you can get it below 2 kg. If there are two of you, the extra weight can be even less. Yes it is an investment, but one that you earn back within one or two years years at the most. Finally, and most importantly, it is sheer bliss.
Willem

 

[hubbike]

the flexibility of carrying camping gear is worthwhile in my opinion. if a storm whips up you can always stay in a b&b

 

[ComedyPilot]

Simply a question of 'Do you want to help pay someone else's mortgage, or sleep in nature?'