Cycling Holidays

[sean8997]

I'm looking at taking a holiday abroad this year but want to do something that does not involve lazing around a pool or on a beach all day so was thinking of a cycling holiday. After tapping into Google as you do there are an abundance of firms that offer these type of holidays.
The question is really has anyone taken a cycling holiday and could they recommend any companies, always find word of mouth always helps with the decision making.
Many thanks.

 

[kiwi-Sal]

Good question! I am intersted to see what people respond with.

 

[Hilldodger]

I haven't been on their holidays but I have worked with http://www.freewheelholidays.co.uk/ and they are a small but nice bunch of people.

 

[Globalti]

The ideal family cycling holiday would be somewhere with stunning scenery, going with the prevailing wind, with luggage carried on each day and nice accommodation with good food and beds. I bet that exists in Europe - maybe somewhere like the Rhine valley or the Netherlands and Belgium?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The ideal family cycling holiday would be somewhere with stunning scenery, going with the prevailing wind, with luggage carried on each day and nice accommodation with good food and beds. I bet that exists in Europe - maybe somewhere like the Rhine valley or the Netherlands and Belgium?

I thought you said stunning scenery? my definition of stunning scenery does not inlcude the Rhine Valley, the Netherlands or Belgium and the only one I have not cycled in is Belgium. Nice possibly but stunning? The Lofoten islands gets called stunning but not the above.

 

[Globalti]

Oh, okay, so where is stunning?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Oh, okay, so where is stunning?

I thought you said stunning scenery? my definition of stunning scenery does not inlcude the Rhine Valley, the Netherlands or Belgium and the only one I have not cycled in is Belgium. Nice possibly but stunning? The Lofoten islands gets called stunning but not the above.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=8S&page_id=230690&v=XO

 

[sean8997]

Cheers Hilldodger, only relevant reply so far!

 

[Dave7]

Just "throwing a spanner in the works". Reading between the lines of your post have you thought about going somewhere nice but taking your bike with you ? Depending on your level of cycling there are lots of stunning areas of France where you could cycle almost any distance to different places each day and stil be able to chill by the pool in the evening.
Feel free to totally ignore this suggestion

 

[lulubel]

What kind of cycling do you want to do? Road, MTB, light off-road? That will affect your choices.

As for stunning ....

Is this any good?

Southern Spain, near Malaga. There are plenty of companies that run cycling holidays around here.

 

[DooDah]

Yes, that does look stunning, as long as someone could drop me off at the top so I could just cycle down!

 

[oldfatfool]

Never been on a commercial cycling holiday and I would probably go with the ctc, but have also heard very good things about VeloVentoux. Having said that, strap a tent to the back and go touring.

 

[sean8997]

Cheers, think I'll be looking at the CTC, after road cycling, around 50 mile per day would be fine for me, just want all the hassle taken out of trying to book bike on plane and finding possibly multiple places to stay etc

 

[BrazingSaddles]

Stunning scenery often = hills. Big hills!! Check out the Touring part of this forum for lots of ideas.
Have you considered getting a ferry somewhere to avoid the "hassle" of taking the bike on a 'plane? My OH organised our first cycle holiday (tour - with tent etc) - ferry to St Malo, cycled to Île de Ré and back to St Malo for the ferry home. It was great and have been hooked ever since.
France has looooaaads of municipal camp sites (often staggeringly cheap), and failing that, wild camping is a breeze over there.

Happy holiday hunting...

 

[BrazingSaddles]

Oh, and maybe for a more relevant reply, as perhaps DIY tours are not what you were after, OH and I are planning to go further afield this year with a company called Exodus - but we will be taking our bikes with us.