Packing for a cycle tour is a major event and somewhat stressful simply because there is always that “what if” and “do I really need that” moment.
Yes you can repack again and again and even do various mini tours to help to sort you out. But I’m sure that even the most seasoned tourer will be carrying something that they haven’t used for a while. Great way to figure out what to pack is to talk to people on various online forums, read other people’s tour write-ups and talk with people you meet while touring.
They all will pack differently from you, so what one person is carrying might not be what you need, as we all have different needs. But from that talk you will learn some tricks of the trade and along with doing a few long weekends you will find your comfort zone/needs for your touring.
There are a few questions you can ask yourself which will help you narrow down what you pack.
Where you are going : is it a developing country, mountainous, flat covered in forest?
Time of year : holiday season where you are going, will you be fighting over the campsite with all the other …

Great paths, great food and company and it turned into our hardest 75 miles we have ever done.

We set off from London St. Pancras towards Luton, simply because that would allow us to avoid riding out of London, and also because our friend lives there. Dave then led us out for 25 miles north on quiet and pleasant roads.

On Saturday the 21st we are jumping on a train here in London and head north to Luton. No we are not flying out, we are cycling away to save around 30miles of the worst and not so fun London. It will also give us a good start to the next 235 miles we are planing over the next six days.
This is the route as it stands right now and hopefully on the 26th of August we will have arrived.
We are planing to do around 35miles the first day and to shssss don’t tell anyone to wild camp, simply because I have given up on finding a campsite in that area.
The more we manage on the first day the less we have to do on the second day. So hopefully less that 55miles as we are staying at Whatoff Lodge Farm just north of Leicester for one night.
Then we are cutting right over to the bottom of the Peak District where we will be joined for some of the ride by our friend whom we are staying with that night. That would be around 43miles unless our friend knows a good short cut :)
The next day is our …

No I’m not sorry for this swear word because I totally have reason for it and when you have read this post you will understand why.
I tend to be eaten alive when it comes to any kind of blood suckers, gnats, mossies etc. The best way to describe it is that I’m everyone else’s insect repellent. For some reason they just love me. It’s like one smells me and then calls its extended family around for dinner. Yes, and long lost uncle Bob who lives on his own is invited too.
It is not really the biting that annoys me, yes I get bitten (though way more than others) and it doesn’t itch that bad. What the main annoyance is, is that they swell up like no tomorrow and then become very warm, really burning. And then there is the oozing of what ever it is, looks a bit like amber on a tree, but it is not nice to look at either.
Years ago I was on holiday in Sweden with me old folks, while my dad was setting up a picnic my mum was busy applying protection on me. She first sprayed something on me and then she used the …

Description: (From ukcampsite) Evergreen Farm is set in beautiful scenery of fields and woodland close to the medieval town of East Grinstead. Evergreen Farm has 12 pitches each with an optional fire pit (wood provided) set in 10 acres of idyllic woodland incorporating a natural pond. Natural wildlife on the site includes deer and badgers.
Site visited: 14,15,16th of May 2010.
As seen on the blog: Light my fire.
Last minute booking and since we had already booked the train tickets we had to go with the site or else we didn’t have a place to sleep that weekend. Jane at Evergreen Farm was very nice and even when we missed our train and would arrive late we were told that that would be fine. She even called up to check if we could find our way ok.
We arrived around 21:30 and were greeted by Chris and big pig and a few dogs, who are only doing their job. Chris took us to our plot, where he had already left two deck chairs, portable table along with some firewood and water. We didn’t expect the chairs and table at all, thank you very much for that, it made sitting around the fire so …

We got up and ate our left overs, since we ran out of gas yesterday, packed up and left the wonderful campsite. Since the station was only one-two miles away from the campsite we asked the proprietor if there was a little loop we could do to get some miles in our legs plus to kill some time before departure of the train.
He sent us on a nice little loop around the Weir Wood Reservoir to Forest Row and then onto East Grinstead. We stopped at the reservoir and had a look at the blue bells in full bloom before we headed onto The Swan in Forest Row. We had picked the right pub as we were greeted by smiles by five other cyclist. Who at first was very impressed by our bicycles and was very keen to know how far we had come and where we where heading with all that gear.
Them : How far have you come today ? Us : From a campsite outside East Grinstead.
Them : How far do you have to go today ? Us : To the train station in East Grinstead, was our answer to much amusement.
Them : And you are all ready, …

Last Thursday I was utterly knackered and couldn’t see beyond my bed that night. But Peli managed to talk me into going camping since I had one of my rare weekends off. If we just train it down and then rest the whole day Saturday, I could go for a spin while you sleep, was her argument.
So we booked the cheapest train tickets we could find for the Friday and found a campsite that was within easy reach of the train station. Forgetting all about booking the bicycles etc and started to pack our panniers. Peli for the next morning as she would go direct from work to the train station. I would rush home hit the shower, pack and sprint to the station for the departure.
We arrived with minutes to spare and were told no bicycles on the trains between 16:00-19:00, rush hours. I was utterly creamed knackered and was quite keen on just packing it in and going home to bed. But Peli did what she does best and on our bicycles we went.
I knew a route down to around 3 miles away from the campsite off by heart, so it wouldn’t be that hard to find. …

Description: (From their site) Outdoor folk will be spoiled for choice at this former Victorian rectory, set in 25 acres of relaxing riverside grounds with splendid views of the Royal Forest of Dean and Symonds Yat rock. Hire a canoe and take in the picturesque valley from the River Wye or choose pedal power to explore the Forest of Dean. Walkers will find miles of footpaths to follow – we recommend you start with the Wye Valley Walk which runs past the door.
Site visited: 10th of April 2010.
As seen on the blog: What goes down must go up.
If you arrive here on bicycle to make sure that you have some oomph left in your legs because you have to ride the one and a half miles from Goodrige to the YHA. Up one steep hill then a drop down to Welsh Bickor YHA. They are not lying on their website when they say that there is a very steep hill and a hairpin down to them.
We were very relieved to learn that the kitchen would be open and ready to cook us something. Because there was no way that we would be able to get back up that hill without …

Description: (From their site) An ideal holiday location especially for families or groups keen to visit The Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons, or walk the Offa`s Dyke Path. The village has The Skirrid Mountain Inn, which is the oldest pub in Wales and was used as Judge Jeffrie`s Court. The scenery is superb with The Skirrid Mountain behind and The Black Mountains just beyond the village.
Site visited: 8th of April 2010.
As seen on the blog: The roads have gone pots.
Pen-y-dre is a nice little site attached to the farm, which also is a self catering farm holiday cottages along with a farm Bed & Breakfast, so a bit of everything. We didn’t see the cottages or the B&B from the inside but from the outside they looked very nice.
I had emailed the owner to hear if it was ok to arrive a bit late since we would be on the train from London via Cardiff, which wasn’t a problem. We arrived around 19:30 and was greeted by a barking dog and a smile by the owner, the dog soon went quite as soon as we said hello, some guard dog :)
We where pointed to the campsite which is on the …