What are your touring plans this year?

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Nothing set in stone for this year, yet. Have a long standing wish to cycle the western isles of Scotland from Stornoway to Barra, but an aversion to wet weather makes me a bit wary of this. An alternative plan is to cycle from my home town of Largs to our twin town of Andernos-les-Bains, near Bordeaux. If the weather doesn't dry up soon and I don't get any training miles in, then I might have to revert to the other 2 wheeler which has a 600cc engine to assist .

from what I heard, last year the inner & outer hebrides had the best weather of all of the UK.

 

[Brandane]

from what I heard, last year the inner & outer hebrides had the best weather of all of the UK.

Apparently they had to cut whisky production because of water shortages! As the crow flies, I'm not that far away from the islands, and like most of the UK, we had a very wet summer. You can be sure that if I decide to cycle the western isles, no matter when, it will be unusually WET!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Apparently they had to cut whisky production because of water shortages! As the crow flies, I'm not that far away from the islands, and like most of the UK, we had a very wet summer. You can be sure that if I decide to cycle the western isles, no matter when, it will be unusually WET!

last time I was up there, it was in an attempt to get away from the heat of the UK! It actually didn't work.... If I am not working by the summer, I may consider going up there again myself. the orange tent in the picture is mine... Bhaltos on the Isle of Lewis.

 

[ceepeebee]

Toying with the idea of a short circular trip in May - ferry from Harwch to Hook of Holland then down into northern Belgium and possibly France before heading back north to the Hook along the coast.
There's a crazy place called Baarle Nassau I hope to visit that I have always wanted to go to, since I spotted it as a kid on a map once. It is a series of islands of Belgian territory (or exclaves) within Holland and in places islands of Holland, within the islands of Belgium. Apparently in some parts of the town, the only way you know which country you are in is by looking at the flags on people's front doors. There's an element of 'Passport to Pimlico' about it all. Bonkers- but I love that kind of stuff so looking forward to it.

Oh, that's a really good shout.

 

[User169]

Planning a first tour with my daughters (8 and 5). We'll head out from home south towards Zeeland, camp on the way and spend a few days on the beach. Aiming for 20km a day, but we'll see how things go.

 

[xilios]

That's a really nice website of all your tours, I really enjoyed reading it- thanks for sharing.

Glad you liked the site
cheers George and Monique

 

[mcr]

Current plan is to rent a gite on the periphery of the Vercors in France in September. I'll cycle there - either from the Channel or from further down via a Bike Bus drop-off, such as Orleans or Bordeaux - meet my other half, who will have driven down, and after the stay at the gite get a lift home!

Now all the questions of routing are starting to occupy me. The 'easy' options would involve following either the Rhone N-S or the the Canal du Midi W-E, but I really fancy exploring bits of the Massif Central - the rivers and gorges, for instance, from the Dordogne down to the Tarn. In practical terms, though, I probably need to decide on just one of them to follow west-east, and they all have their draws. Trouble is, I love being and cycling in mountainous/dramatic scenery, but my body just doesn't 'do' hills. Hence the search for the route of least resistance and the concentration on river valleys.

 

[Muddyfox]

My plan for this year is the Velodyssey, looks like it will be quite a good tour for a novice at the cycle - camping touring

 

[theloafer]

no plans for the moment.. been getting treatment for glaucoma last year with eye drops .. works out not working .. progress on eye problem needed a few days to soak it all in last tues had to go for my 2 monthly check... and had to wait and see the consultant which was unusual ends up the right eye needs to be operated on or i am going to be blind in it ... she explained the op but most went over my head but in the end no op and right eye will be nackered but when i got home did the internet thing and found some info on the operation most of what she said made sense ..also found a youtube vidio of it . watched it first time 15 secs in then my arse went ..lol but watched it all the other night ...not sure if i feel better for it though.. then this fri got letter op is due to be done march the 6th

larry



http://www.clinical-ophthalmology.com/images/pdf/trabeculectomyadvicesheet.pdf


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJFC5fo_XQ (not for the squimish) any one here had this op

 

[GarminDave]

I'm continuing with my planned North Sea Cycle Route. Did the first bite sized piece last year, the story is HERE. The next leg will be Harwich to South Shields but with more camping. I too feel a wimp sometimes compared to others Globe-trotting exploits but each day on the bike is brilliant whether it's in the UK or Timbuktu! I motorcycle a lot and always wanted to go further but believe me when I say someone has always been further, faster, longer etc. so now I just ensure I'm happy; its amazing how peaceful that is.

Later

Dave

 

[CopperBrompton]

Hook of Holland to Esbjerg, Denmark, in May. Very roughly this (though it is showing the wrong direction in this link): http://bit.ly/Wjljub

 

[Iainj837]

No plans as yet maybe a weekend tour

 

[snorri]

That said, I fancy just setting out from home and cycling to the north of Scotland, but if the summer weather in 2013 is anything like that in 2012 then I'll be putting that idea on hold for another year.

We are unlikely to get a drought two years running in the far north, risk it

 

[GarminDave]

"Hook of Holland to Esbjerg, Denmark, in May. Very roughly this (though it is showing the wrong direction in this link): http://bit.ly/Wjljub"

Trikeman, that is also part of the North Sea Cycle Route. My intention is to complete all the UK side first before venturing to foreign climes!

Enjoy your ride on your Gentleman's Touring Contraption,

Later

Dave

 

[CopperBrompton]

Dave, yes, though I won't be following the NSCR religiously, especially in Germany where I'm told it gets quite scrappy.

I've done Hook of Holland to Amsterdam a couple of times, about half of which is on the NSCR, and really enjoyed it. The original plan was to go to Hamburg, but ferries back to Blighty no longer run from there, so then the obvious solution was to keep heading north. :-)