Cycling Holidays

Specialist Reports Activity Holidays Cycling Holidays Organisations 

The CTC (Cyclists' Touring Club)

Cotterell House, 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey GU7 3HS
(0870) 873 0060

Almost certainly the most useful cycling organisation to join. Membership includes preferential rates on insurance, discounts on cycle products and services and free third party insurance and legal advice from experts. There are family membership rates and the organisation produces a wide range of cycle guides which are either free or reduced price to members, including on quiet and traffic free cycling. It also produces a Cycle Holiday Guide including tips and articles about how to tackle a cycling holiday.
In return for SAEs the CTC can also provide touring notes on a wide range of areas in the UK and overseas, a handbook on cycle friendly accommodation, cafes and cycle shops, and information on taking bikes on trains, coaches and buses.
Because of tight budgets the organisations asks that you do not phone or e-mail requests unless they are very urgent and if you do, to send some stamps to pay for the service. You should allow 7-10 days for a reply and during busy periods up to three weeks.

National Cycle Network

Sustrans (Sustainable Transport)
PO Box 21, Bristol BS99 2HA
(0227) 929 0888

Sustrans the UK's leading sustainable transport charity and the National Cycle Network is their baby. The 6,000+ mile network opened in June 2000, the country's most expensive Millennium project after the Dome. It is likely to make cycling even more popular and considerably safer though not all of it is along dedicated cycle paths. However, much of it is on minor roads and routes such as disused railway lines. Among the most popular long distance cycle routes are the Sea to Sea Route coast to coast across Northern England, Hull to Harwich, Padstow to Bristol and Bath, and the Scottish and Welsh national routes. There are also 250,000 miles of rural lanes recognised as suitable for cyclists.
Sustrans publishes information on the network including maps and an official guidebook with maps and photographs. For details request a catalogue.

The National Trust

Is committed to reducing car dependency and where possible is introducing improvements for cyclists with the provision of safe cycle and pedestrian routes, providing secure stores for cycles and, wherever possible, the owner's equipment.
Sustrans estimates that more than 160 Trust properties are located within 1km of its National Cycle Network routes.There are cycle racks at 68 properties with more planned. At Clumber Park in Nottingshire two new circular cycle trails totalling 18 miles will be created and at Ashridge in Hertfordshire there are now nine miles of public bridlepaths open to cyclists.

Bike Events

(0870) 755 8519

Details of bike tours and events around the UK.