Olde Worlde England

Cycling

The west country is arguably the area of England where you can enjoy the most olde worlde character in the whole of the country. We will start in Bristol, and enjoy an easy first day along cycle paths to Bath, leaving plenty of time to explore. From there we will loop north into the Cotswalds, back south to Stonehenge and Salisbury before heading back towards Bristol via Cheddar Gorge. No day is very long, with the emphasis very much on enjoying sightseeing as well as riding. Yes, there is some climbing – that is impossible to avoid. But the daily distances are very short.

Highlights

• Bath! Elegant Georgian architecture at its best.
• The Cotswalds AONB: the chance to imagine you have stepped back in time as we wander through the most scenic villages.
• Stonehenge: the most spectacular stone circle in England.
• Cheddar Gorge: a stunning feature of the natural landscape to go alongside the wonderful cultural sites we visit en route.
• Gently rolling cycling: hills are almost enjoyable when they roll up and down like this!

Accommodation

Your accommodation, on a twin share bed and breakfast basis, will be in comfortable hotels and good quality bed and breakfasts. We will endeavour to accommodate the group in the same location however on occasions this might not be possible.

Single accommodation is available for a supplement price.

Meals

The hotels will provide breakfast whilst the support team will provide a pack-up lunch, this will depend on what is available on the day and could include a mix of fresh sandwiches, pasties or easy grab and bites sourced from local bakeries. If weather doesn’t permit outdoors we will get into cafes for quick lunch.

​You will need to purchase your own evening meals, which are usually eaten communally although of course you are free to opt out if you wish.

We will carry emergency energy gels and bars in the support van but you are advised to bring along your own preferred sports nutrition to fuel your ride. There will be water refills, fruits bars etc provided to keep you hydrated.

In the Tour Plan, (B, L, D) refers to meals included in the trip cost i.e. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Bike Transfers

Getting your bike to and from the Capital of The Highlands can be difficult, we aim to remove this difficulty by offering a totally free of charge delivery service to the start in Inverness and back to Sheffield at the conclusion of the event. All that you need to do in the days leading up to the tour is drop off your bike at our Sheffield office and we will deliver it to Inverness. On the day preceding your arrival the support crew drives to Scotland and we can arrange bike collection at convenient motorway services as we head north. We will be using the M1, A1, M6, M74 and the A9 as we drive from Sheffield to Inverness.  Please ring the office or contact us if you would like further clarification of our bike collection and drop off service.

While we will take all reasonable care while handling your bikes, using padded covers and making sure they are securely stored, we are not liable for any loss or damage during transportation and storage. We recommend you have appropriate insurance.