Category: Featured

Anything you can do we can do… well, in a different but equally intriguing way. Eroica Britannia is inspired by the original L’Eroica (The Heroes) born in 1997 to celebrate Tuscany’s Strade Bianchi – White Roads – with the UK version blending a love of cycling, history and the environment into one jam-packed weekend event.

 

Like its Italian cousin Eroica Britannia adheres to strict rules of ‘vintage’. Bikes must be pre-1987, gear shifts on the down tube only, no quick release pedals, even the number of spokes is specified (32 or more please.) Vintage or ‘era-specific’ clothing, although mentioned generally in the rules, is so ubiquitous as to be practically compulsory. We assume it’s up for friendly debate whether your reproduction gear is convincing enough.

 

As it moves into its second year, the 2015 Eroica Britannia will feature three days of family focused festivities celebrating the ‘Best of Great Britain.’ The line up includes live music and entertainment, shopping at the ‘British Bazaar’, the ‘World’s Greatest Bike Jumble’, Food Festival and Sports Day. The main attraction is, of course, the rides of 30, 55 and 100miles over the white roads and gravel tracks of the beautiful Peak District. Villages on route will be holding their own mini festivals as well as providing much needed refreshments.

 

All routes start and finish in Bakewell on the banks of the River Wye and head on to the Monsal Trail, which for most of it’s length, follows the course of the Old Midland Railway line (complete with tunnels) through the heart of the Peak National Park. The route then takes all riders through Millers Dale where the fun really starts. You choose from:

 

The Short Route

A 30mile option with an ascent of 2528ft (771m) and an off-road element of 25%; refreshment stops are at 14 and 21miles. Described as: ‘a great choice for riders of all levels of fitness. It is fairly undulating but definitely enough of a stretch to give you a challenge’. Don’t miss out on Eyam the famous ‘plague village’…

 

The Medium Route

55 miles with an ascent of 6113ft (1864m) and an off-road element of 30%; refreshment stops are at miles 20, 37 and 52. Much more of a challenge, this route is billed as: ‘a bit more adventurous and does require you to be reasonably fit.’ You might consider a stop at Hartington Village a bustling market town and the home of Stilton Cheese; you may need it as the next stage is all uphill to the Tissington Trail.

 

The Long Route

At 100miles with ascents totaling 9252ft (2821m) and an off-road element of 25% (refreshment stops at 10, 37, 51, 63, 78miles, and finally Chatsworth House at the 94 mile mark.) Eroica Britannia say this is ‘…a real challenge which covers all the very best of the Peak District National Park’. The route features a number of climbs including a 2-miler over the dramatic Mam Nick rising to 15% at points.

 

So, to the details: Eroica Britannia is centred on The Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, starting on Friday June 19 and running until Sunday, June 21. The inclusive ethos is underpinned by the ticketing policy that enables a family of four to park, camp and enjoy the three days and nights of the festival for under £100. Tickets for the rides cost an additional £60 and are going fast and are best booked in advance online.

 

Although marketing statements like bringing the ‘…Handsome back into British Summertime life’ and finding the ‘…romance of heritage, sustainability, environment and lifestyle’ might make it sound like hipster hell, don’t be put off. Any event that attracts 200 vendors, 2,000 riders and a crowd of 30,000 in its first year must be doing something very, very right.

 

Cyclo will be dusting off that 1970’s Peugeot, knitting some woolen shorts, and heading for the Peak District…

 

Further details and tickets for Eroica Britannia at eroicabritannia.co.uk

Without question, Britain is blessed with some of the most idyllic cycling routes in Europe of which so many are perfect for the whole family. But when that curious itch sets in and the call for adventure further afield must be answered, just what kinds of delights await across the Channel?

 

To explore Europe by bike is to enjoy a uniquely privileged vantage point from which to take in the sights, sounds and flavours of so many different cultures right on the UK’s doorstep. And, with such simple transport links available, a summer cycling holiday on the continent really has never been a more realistic or rewarding prospect for the family.

 

Take, for example, France – home to sumptuous food, arguably the world’s finest wine and the prettiest of villages basking in the warmth of summer sun. What France delivers is the perfect blend of relaxation and invigoration, as you and the family make your way around majestic chateaux, sprawling vineyards and beautiful beaches. What’s more, France is home to some of the safest, most enjoyable and most expansive cycle lane networks to be found anywhere in Europe. All of which set the scene for a glorious family trip.

 

One of the most popular cycling regions in France is Brittany which delivers everything from rolling hills to stunning golden sands all within a short ride of each another. France’s ‘summer playground’ can be reached with ease – regular UK to France ferry crossings from the likes of Brittany Ferries will get you, the kids, the car, your bikes and all your luggage there for next to nothing.

 

If however you’d like to take your journey into the continent in a different direction, take the same Channel ferry crossing and plan a relaxing drive to Belgium – another European family cycling haven and the continental and spiritual home of the bike.

 

For example, Bruges happens to be not only one of the most beautiful cities you could ever hope to see, it’s also a city best explored by bicycle. While so many of Bruges’ visitors never look further than the famed cobbled streets of the city centre, a gentle ride beyond the city limits will bring you and the family right into the heart of what could be considered the real Belgium.

 

With landscapes ranging from sandy beaches to beautiful nature reserves and an endless networks of riverside cycle paths to explore, you’ll get a taste for the stunning side of Belgium seen only by the privileged few. The whole experience has the feel of a fairy-tale, which is made all the more indulgent with the decadent local cuisine you’ll find yourself falling head over heels for. After all, there’s more to Belgium than moules-frites and beer…

 

Another option for those looking to take the family on a genuinely thrilling cycling holiday can be found just a little further in the tulip-laden splendor of Holland. It takes less than a day to ferry the whole family over to France and set out on an exciting adventure to the heart of the Netherlands; Amsterdam in particular having a well-earned reputation for sublime cycling.

 

Something of an unofficial cycling capital for Europe, the bike really is the only way to travel in and around the Dutch capital. After taking in the sights of the city itself, you’ll cruise a little further afield to pass the picturesque windmills and canals that make this wonderful corner of the world so unique. Take the car to the famed tulip fields in the springtime for a sight the whole family will never forget, before returning to the city’s iconic parks to soak up the best of the summer sun.

 

For family cycling at its finest this summer, Europe is hard to beat and so easy to reach.