Long(ish) distance tour suggestions

[GlamorganGuy]

I don't know the Broads at all but I'm quite familiar with Wells and have stayed in the village of Gt Bircham. Wasn't aware of campsite but thanks for the heads-up. Open to possibility of wild camping though I haven't yet tried it, sounds like an awesome spot at Covehithe. Always amazed at how much more there is to discover in this region despite living here over 10 years.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

In Hunstanton, end of the Peddars Way, there are some beach huts below the pub. When we rode Peddars a way back we slept on the verandas of the huts after having spent evening in pub.

For Cambridgeshire you have the paved busway from St Ives to Cambridge. It’s paved and traffic free. Sections of Ermine street are also bridleway. The Ickneild way also crosses Cambridgeshire.

 

[GlamorganGuy]

Cheers, great fish and chips in Hunstanton too... Have done the busway a couple of times, good ride unless the wind is against you, in which case there's no escape as route is dead straight and unsheltered by trees etc. Will check out Ermine Street, I've not heard of that one. Thanks for all this, I really appreciate it!

 

[berty bassett]

I believe my bil found a site with all the thorough fares around Britain for his off road motorbike - he said that he got to top of wales from Northants without touching a road
Although this is the same bloke who was admitted to hospital with 2slashed wrists when he phoned me up from a phone box and told me how big the fish was that got away 😁

 

[MichaelW2]

I believe my bil found a site with all the thorough fares around Britain for his off road motorbike - he said that he got to top of wales from Northants without touching a road
Although this is the same bloke who was admitted to hospital with 2slashed wrists when he phoned me up from a phone box and told me how big the fish was that got away 😁

Up until 1994 there wasn't a single road in the City of London.

 

[mjr]

In Hunstanton, end of the Peddars Way,

Peddars Way ends in Holme next the Sea, but it's not far from there to Hunny.

 

[GlamorganGuy]

Yup and it’s a sweet stretch of road, man I can’t wait to get up there again...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Peddars Way ends in Holme next the Sea, but it's not far from there to Hunny.

Exactly, 2 miles, nothing in it

 

[Blue Hills]

I don't know the Broads at all but I'm quite familiar with Wells and have stayed in the village of Gt Bircham. Wasn't aware of campsite but thanks for the heads-up. Open to possibility of wild camping though I haven't yet tried it, sounds like an awesome spot at Covehithe. Always amazed at how much more there is to discover in this region despite living here over 10 years.

with regard to wild camping, just try it - recommended. You can freecamp in some extraordinary places in that they might seem to be close to passing folk, but if they are passing fastish in a car I reckon those are amongst the most peaceful in terms of risk of being disturbed. No great prob to do without a shower for one night/day if you had a good scrub in the morning and know you will get one the coming evening as you get up in the morning. Mix and match.
Apologies - did you answer the question about when you are planning to do this?

 

[GlamorganGuy]

with regard to wild camping, just try it - recommended. You can freecamp in some extraordinary places in that they might seem to be close to passing folk, but if they are passing fastish in a car I reckon those are amongst the most peaceful in terms of risk of being disturbed. No great prob to do without a shower for one night/day if you had a good scrub in the morning and know you will get one the coming evening as you get up in the morning. Mix and match.
Apologies - did you answer the question about when you are planning to do this?

Thanks for the advice... When it gets a bit warmer is the short answer! Prob March-ish at the earliest? Like everyone else I'm absolutely desperate to get out there but everything's just too much hassle/too cold right now so I'm contenting myself with not-very-ambitious one-day rides from Cambridge.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A note on wild camping. A lot of church porches are open, even when the main church is locked. You get out the weather , have a nice flat surface to lay your mat and bag on, and can use the seating for shelving. Just ensure to be on your way early enough.

 

[GlamorganGuy]

Good point! Found an awesome church the other week out in the middle of nowhere, it'd be ideal for this.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Thanks for the advice... When it gets a bit warmer is the short answer! Prob March-ish at the earliest? Like everyone else I'm absolutely desperate to get out there but everything's just too much hassle/too cold right now so I'm contenting myself with not-very-ambitious one-day rides from Cambridge.

Since you used the word "desperate"

I came to really enjoy winter camping despite thinking I'd hate it. Those long nights can be a very pleasant break from "normal" life, snuggled up in a tent with a kindle or a podcast. And a flask of something hot - tea, chocolate and sometimes gluhwein  Of course, decent or suitable gear helps.

Do you have any farmer friends? Anyone with a garden for a tent? It might seem strange, but loading up and heading off, even if to a friend, can go a long way to recreating "touring mode".
My first winter camp was about 8km from home at a friend's farm!

When time was short and the urge was high I could often be found pitched up not too far from my home after riding 80-90 km. Home early the next day.

Warmshowers is a cycle touring community where people offer cycle tourists accommodation. In these Covid times, perhaps not much help, but they might have "local" knowledge that can be helpful or a socially distanced garden.

Where there's a will, there's a way!

Good luck!

 

[Blue Hills]

Since you used the word "desperate"

I came to really enjoy winter camping despite thinking I'd hate it. Those long nights can be a very pleasant break from "normal" life, snuggled up in a tent with a kindle or a podcast. And a flask of something hot - tea, chocolate and sometimes gluhwein  Of course, decent or suitable gear helps.

Do you have any farmer friends? Anyone with a garden for a tent? It might seem strange, but loading up and heading off, even if to a friend, can go a long way to recreating "touring mode".
My first winter camp was about 8km from home at a friend's farm!

When time was short and the urge was high I could often be found pitched up not too far from my home after riding 80-90 km. Home early the next day.

Warmshowers is a cycle touring community where people offer cycle tourists accommodation. In these Covid times, perhaps not much help, but they might have "local" knowledge that can be helpful or a socially distanced garden.

Where there's a will, there's a way!

Good luck!

I'd love to hear your winter wildcamping tips hobbes, any tales, pics.
Was intending to do this winter but not sure that I'm allowed to at the mo.
I have some spots in mind.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I'd love to hear your winter wildcamping tips hobbes, any tales, pics.
Was intending to do this winter but not sure that I'm allowed to at the mo.
I have some spots in mind.

I rarely wildcamped in winter. In NL there were always year round campsites, some of them fitted out with kitchens which were great!

Early morning starts are key for wildcamping and in winter? That's hard!!

I did try out a couple of "paalcamping" sites, "official" stealth camping sites, but that was less winter and more off-season.

I lived close to the border with Belgium and while not common, it did happen that the remains of drug labs got dumped - often in the very areas that a wildcamper might be. These are not the kinds of people that I want to meet on my travels. Hence my good friend the farmer!

My first night it hit -8C so that was a good learning experience! He knew of my dreams for a big, exotic adventure and unknown to me had set up a speaker in a tree that played wild animal noises all night!
His wife, very kindly, left the kitchen door unlocked so that if I was too soft I had a way inside.

The only practical advice I can give anyone is not to go to bed cold and have a pee bottle inside because going outside in the middle of the night is too darn cold!

I only went off on the bike in winter because I wanted the experience. I never thought I'd enjoy it! But I did! Short days, long nights suited my lazy energy conservationist nature

A couple of write-ups here
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/touring-the-ijselmeer-nl-in-winter-2016.229057/

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/wandering-around-wwii-holland.248202/