On Your Bike
“You are one ride away from a good mood” British cyclist, Sarah Bentley.
Cycling is a good all-rounder not only for fitness but for mental health too. There are 10 main cycle routes in the UK, the biggest being the Great North Trail which runs from the Southern Peak District to the tip of Scotland, and of course this does attract those who are keen on personal challenges as well as competitor sports. Yet, leisure cycling is about the enjoyment time of going places and seeing things that you can easily miss by car.
Staying in certain places in East Anglia gives you the benefit of exploring coast, countryside and interesting towns and villages along your cycle ride, and of course the must do of stopping off at a pub lunch and perhaps a pint of the local brew. Side note; for those liking a real ale Norfolk and Suffolk alone has over 300 brewers, this includes microbreweries too, some of which set-up in retail shops in small towns.
Not to encourage too much drinking and riding as you do tend to get a wobble-on especially those of you who like just an occasional tipple, real ales are usually high gravity and very moreish so just a tad is recommended, I know I’ve been there…… Sun, sea and Spitfire, oooh dear!!!!
For special interest routes there’s so much ancient history in this area. Peddar’s Way in Norfolk is a popular route for cycling as well as walking, Wolf Way in Suffolk, and the Roman Road in Cambridgeshire.
While doing a little research for this blog I found Rebellion Way, and it looks right up my cycle path
There are many cycle routes accessible for leisure cyclists in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Most routes are short 30 kilometres or for cycling enthusiasts that need a longer fix many routes are closely linked – so you can easily hop from one circular route to another. Favourite rides are the Norfolk Broads, Sandringham, Thetford Forest, Ely, Southwold, Orford, Newmarket, Graffham Water and more. The book Cycling in East Anglia is a good guide to cycle routes.
Now you have your route map you’ll need a bike. Many resorts offer bike hire and if you’re keen to have a Famous Five Go Biking day on your holiday then planning ahead is a good idea. Obviously, web search is the first port of call for local operators and your holiday accommodation provider can help, most will have leisure activity links on their website or will be happy to point you in the direction of some pedal power. Or link to Visit Norfolk Cycle Hire , Suffolk Cycle Hire listings. As Cambridge is a cycle city there are lots of place to hire bikes.
For those of you who are cyclists at heart, you will no doubt have the top of the range machines with all the equipment to strap the prized wheels to transport.
I’ll finish here with the earworm for your day…….
Bicycle, bicycle, bicycleI want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycleI want to ride my bicycleI want to ride my bikeI want to ride my bicycleI want to ride it where I like.
Happy cycling
Jane.