Hello from East Sussex

[Harril]

Hello, Thanks to Shaun for approving my forum membership. I'm currently planning my first long tour(Normandy Coast) Then hopefully after that, the North Sea Cycle Route. Although I've been commuting to work on a bike for many, many years, I realise long-distance cycling is a whole new beast! I'm very much looking forward to the challenges, and new experiences.

Regards
Harril

 

[weareHKR]

Hello & Welcome Harril...
I'd love to do that Normandy Coast thing, hope you take plenty of pictures... 📸

 

[Chris S]

 

[Harril]

Thanks Guys.

 

[Harril]

Hello & Welcome Harril...
I'd love to do that Normandy Coast thing, hope you take plenty of pictures... 📸

I hope to. I'm still undecided whether to invest in a dedicated camera or just stick with the smartphone.

 

[Blue Hills]

Hello & Welcome Harril...
I'd love to do that Normandy Coast thing, hope you take plenty of pictures... 📸

Seconded

 

[Blue Hills]

Question harril, is your interest in the normandy coast related to the WW2 stuff?

 

[Harril]

I do plan on taking in some of the WW2 stuff during my ride, but the main motivators for this trip are the relative ease of getting across the Channel.

 

[Blue Hills]

I do plan on taking in some of the WW2 stuff during my ride, but the main motivators for this trip are the relative ease of getting across the Channel.

Ok, will spare you the book recommendation. Enjoy your trip, food and wine. I look forward to the pics/report.

 

[SallyRussell]

Welcome. I'm new here, too, just like you in search of mass Cycling events with a multi-day tour.

 

[Harril]

Ok, will spare you the book recommendation. Enjoy your trip, food and wine. I look forward to the pics/report.

Blue Hills, please go ahead, book recommendations are always very welcome.

 

[Blue Hills]

Blue Hills, please go ahead, book recommendations are always very welcome.

OK, this:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/normandy-44/james-holland/9781787631274

Yes I know he appears on the telly but it struck me as a well researched/persuasively written book*

He tackles a few of what he describes as "myths" about the two sides.

The book won't spare you the horror of war (good in my book) as he uses the experiences of individual players on both sides a fair bit.

It's not too heavy on "troop movements" which is good as I tend to switch off when those get too dense - I used offline OSMand maps on my Android tab to follow some of those/check out some of the locations mentioned.

It does head inland a bit of course later in the book, but that may encourage further travels.

* If your travels should later head further south, he also wrote a truly excellent book on the Italian campaign - Italy's Sorrow.

 

[Harril]

That's a great looking read! Plenty there to get stuck into. I do hope to head inland too, time permitting, of course!

Many thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Blue Hills]

That's a great looking read! Plenty there to get stuck into. I do hope to head inland too, time permitting, of course!

Many thanks for the recommendation.

yes it is - just finished - at the end he describes a truly beautiful view from the top of a peak (looks like you could get there by bike) near Falais and contrasts that with the sheer destruction and horror of the Falaise pocket - I hesitate to look up the pics of that which he says are available and gut wrenching even in black and white.
Ouistreham (near Pegasus Bridge) to Falais appears to be only 50k according to cycle travel.
I'd recommend OSMand plus - you can use it offline, see war memorials scattered around, mark things of your own.

 

[Harril]

yes it is - just finished - at the end he describes a truly beautiful view from the top of a peak (looks like you could get there by bike) near Falais and contrasts that with the sheer destruction and horror of the Falaise pocket - I hesitate to look up the pics of that which he says are available and gut wrenching even in black and white.
Ouistreham (near Pegasus Bridge) to Falais appears to be only 50k according to cycle travel.
I'd recommend OSMand plus - you can use it offline, see war memorials scattered around, mark things of your own.

Great, many thanks for the heads-up.