Feb 08 2013

Unexplored UK Cycle Paths From London to the Lake District

bike rider on bike trail

Image by hotblack via Morguefile

Mother Nature’s Bike Trails

Hypnotic silence reigns, like a king over its subjects. Here, Mother Nature is at her best, alleviating the hectic hum-drum of traffic, tension and tourism. At times,Nature’s orchestra punctuates a glorious tapestry of silence. Silence is tranquil, awe-inspiring and stunning…it’s pure bliss for the cyclists who have chosen to observe nature at its work, a world away from the more common routes.

Welcome to one of Mother Nature’s best-kept secrets: her lesser-known cycle paths….

1)  London’s Scenic Gardens

Our first cycle circuit takes us to the realms of Bloomsbury and Shoreditch to spy London’s lesser-known greenery; a route perfect for a lazy summer day. In all, the route is expected to take a few hours. But don’t worry! If you fancy a day out, the route can be easily extended to a whole day.

The route covers a stunning 24 gardens, starting and finishing with Russell Square, whisking you to historical gardens, architectural gems and memorials to cultural icons such as Daniel Defoe.

Keen to start peddling? Handy street maps and an adaptable route planner can be found here.

2) The Lake District and Cumbria

Enjoy the sights of the Lake District on one of its lesser-known cycle tours. Start at Whitehaven Harbour to Ennerdale Bridge and traverse through town roads, traffic-free cycle paths and back roads, with gently-undulating hills.

This particular route is suited to the more experienced cyclist as it involves travelling with traffic.

Keen to discover some breathtaking scenery? Check out maps and a cycling guide here.

3) The Lancaster Loop via Glasson Dock

Covering 17 miles, this cycle route takes you around Lancaster, allowing you to explore this quaint city with history and charm. The tour takes you to various country lanes, canal tow paths and cycle paths with some hills. It also circulates around Lancaster’s restaurants, shops and pubs.

Want a taste of Lancaster? Well, access maps and instructions here.

4) A Leisure Ride in Bristol

Take a short and sweet cycle ride on one of Bristol’s lesser-known gems: Frome Greenway. Explore historical sites such as Eastville Park and Hermitage Wood. The route takes you to off-road and on-road cycle paths, as well as some busy roads so is suitable for the more experienced cyclist.

Like the sound of Bristol? Print out a map here.

 

5) The Royal Forest of Dean

Explore one of the UK’s lesser-known forests. The Royal Forest of Dean is a beautiful cycling location with 27000 acres of deciduous and conifer woods. The forest provides breathtaking scenery and is suitable for both beginner and advanced cyclists.

Want to connect with nature? Check out all of the forest’s routes here.

England’s Cycle Paths

So, these are some of the UK’s lesser-known cycle paths ranging from London to Lancaster. All you need now is a helmet and a bike! Many locations provide leisure bikes to hire. So, enjoy peddling down the road less travelled.

What do you think? Leave your comments below…

Featured images:
License: Creative Commons image source

Jennifer Leung is currently a student at the University of Manchester. She writes for All Terrain Cycles as well as maintaining her own lifestyle blog.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/02/08/unexplored-uk-cycle-paths-from-london-to-the-lake-district/

Feb 03 2013

HoboRoll by GobiGear

Hoboroll luggage organization system

Hoboroll by GobiGear

Compress Your Gear

You’ll find an abundance of travel advice about how to pack lighter for your worldwide travels. Often the advice involves you getting by with less. Pack fewer shirts, fewer pants, fewer underwear, fewer socks and so on. But wouldn’t it be nice to pack a smaller footprint while still bringing the same amount of swag? Impossible you say? Not with the Hoboroll from GobiGear. Remember those cartoons where they had a miracle shrinking ray? The evil villain pointed it at his nemesis (or a car or dinosaur or…) and the ubiquitous eerie sounds and wavy lines would spout forth from the shrink-ray gun and, poof, the shrink-ray recipient would be 1/10th the size as before. That’s kind of what the hobo roll does with your clothes and gear. It shrinks them down to a more manageable size. Now you can fit more into your backpack, suitcase, pannier or glovebox. But it goes one step further and also helps you organize your stuff. Here’s how it works:

ski gear for ski trip

Will it fit?

How to Use the Hoboroll Luggage Organizer

  1. Open the Hoboroll nice and wide so that you can see all five compartments.
  2. Start adding your travel items. (Clothing is ideal, but it works for other travel necessities too.)
  3. Separate your gear by compartment. So socks go in one, gloves & hat in another, etc.
  4. Once you’ve got everything in, cinch up the ends of the Hoboroll by pulling on the outside
    ski clothes packed in hobo roll

    It fit!!

    cords.

  5. Next, it’s time for the magic shrinking ray. Just snap the two strap buckles together, then pull tight on the straps until your HoboRoll is about half the size as it originally was.
  6. You’ll be amazed by how much time and space you’re going to save in your luggage with the condensing and organizing power of the Hoboroll by GobiGear.

Put the Hoboroll in Your Luggage or Use It As Your Luggage

hoboroll luggage compressing system

Ends cinched.

For short excursions, the Hoboroll may be all the luggage you need. It has plenty of room for most of your necessities on a short voyage of just a day or two. But for most of your travel needs, the Hoboroll provides you with a method for  condensing and organizing the stuff that you pack into your luggage. Once the Hoboroll has been filled and bound, it fits neatly and compactly into almost any luggage, daypack or backpack. And because of the five different segments in the Hoboroll, you’ll easily be able to find what you need. Here are some examples of ways that you can use the Hoboroll for active travel tours, regular travel or adventure travel vacations:

  • bike trips – The Hoboroll fits nicely in most panniers including the top compartment and the side-saddles.
    ski clothes

    Hoboroll compressed!

  • backpacking – The Hoboroll is perfect for fitting lots of clothing in a small nook of your pack.
  • personal transportation vehicles (PTVs) – The Hoboroll slips right into most storage compartments including the Glovebox of your Trikke. (See photo below.)
  • skiing trips – The Hoboroll is ideal for helping you organize and transport your volumes of ski gear. Instead of making  extra trips to and from your car, you can easily load all your gloves, extra socks, hats, snacks and other ski accoutrements into the Hoboroll, hang it on the doorknob so that you don’t forget it when you leave and just make one trip to the car or ski lodge with everything you need. It frees up your hands for carrying your skis, boots, poles, snowboard or Trikke Skki. It’s great for cross-country ski trips and snowshoe trips also.
    hang hoboroll on doorknob so you won't forget it

    hang on doorknob

hoboroll skiing

Great for skiing.

fits in a trikke glovebox

Fits in a Trikke Glovebox.

 

hoboroll in bike pannier

Fits in a pannier.

hoboroll luggage organizer in the side saddle of a bike pannier

Hoboroll in side compartment of bike pannier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trail product review by trailsnet, Public Relations by Deep Creek PR

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/02/03/hoboroll-by-gobigear/

Feb 01 2013

Ausangate Alpaca Performance Socks

ausangate socks on snowshoe boots

warm feet = happy feet

Warm Socks for Winter Sports

How can a pair of socks be so comfortable, yet so warm? The wind chill was below zero. My buddy’s feet were freezing yet mine stayed toasty warm. What was the difference? I was wearing Ausangate Socks that were made with ALPACOR® yarn, an incredibly soft fiber made using alpaca hair. Not only is alpaca hair comfortable, it is also antimicrobial and hypoallergenic. This meant no more itchy or stinky feet after a long day in boots.

So the Ausangate Socks passed the skiing test. But how would they perform on a snowshoe trail where blisters are a bigger concern than cold feet? As it turned out, they performed great not only in snowshoes and ski boots, but also on a bike path and hiking trail. No cold spots on the slopes and no hot spots on the trails. It would seem that alpaca makes the perfect material for socks. They are silky smooth yet hold up to just about any type of weather conditions. And, unlike many other socks, they stretch perfectly around the foot without bunching up during rigorous activity.

Ausungate socks with alpaca hair fiber

Ausungate Socks

Socks for All Seasons

Ausangate makes a wide range of socks including:

  • boot socks
  • casual socks
  • biking socks
  • golf/tennis socks
  • hiking socks
  • winter socks

So I thought I would have to wait until summer to test these comfy socks in all conditions. But then I was quickly reminded that I live in Colorado where temperatures might dip down below zero on the slopes one day and a couple days later be over 60° on the bike trail. I was incredibly pleased to note that the bicycle socks were just as comfortable as the winter socks without overheating after a dozen trail miles.

Trail Socks

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve found a new trail companion. From here on out, Ausangate Socks will accompany me on my many bike trips, snowshoe sojourns, nordic skiing treks and hiking journeys. So you’ll easily be able to recognize me on the trail. I’ll be the guy with the huge smile on his face and the Ausangate Socks on his feet.

Review by Trailsnet staff, Public Relations by Deep Creek PR

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/02/01/ausangate-alpaca-performance-socks/

Jan 27 2013

Trail Hiking Preparation Tips

Training Tips For Trail Hiking

family on hiking trail

hikers enjoy trails

There are a million reasons to be a lover of the outdoors. The fresh air in the woods can feel invigorating after spending weeks trapped in the city. Hearing the birds sing in the branches and seeing the creepy crawlers rustle the leaves is another reason some people love trail hiking. Other people, meanwhile, just enjoy spending time outside and hiking on trails because it is a much more pleasant form of exercise than running in place on a treadmill inside of a gym in a giant building with lots of other sweaty people. The solitude, the scenery, and the sounds are just better outside. But it’s important that if you are going to be going on a trail hike that you take some basic precautions and train yourself to be prepared for the trail hike ahead. Below are some training tips for trail hiking. Make sure you follow them before your next trail hike – whatever your reason is for getting outside.

TRAIL TRAINING TIP #1 – Pick the right trail.

The first thing anyone preparing for a trail hike needs to do is to select the right trail. Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Are you a beginner? Then don’t choose the biggest, hardest, longest, coldest trail in the area. Start with something easier. The Appalachian Trail, for example, is one that should only be braved by experienced trail hikers during the cold months. If there is snow on the ground on the trail you’ve chosen, find a different trail with less snow. Even a moderate trail will get exponentially more dangerous after a snowfall.

TRAIL TRAINING TIP #2 – Exercise your hiking muscles.

Even if you are generally pretty physically fit, it makes sense to do some exercises with a specific focus on the muscles you will use on the trail hike you are planning to go on. The most important muscles are, unsurprisingly, those in your legs. Make sure you exercise your calves, your thighs, your quads, and your ankles. You should also focus on your core – try Pilates for that. Cardiopulmonary exercise, meaning exercise that works on your lungs and heart, also should be done to make sure you are in top hiking condition. That includes running and jumping rope.

TRAIL TRAINING TIP #3 – Get the right gear.

You can’t go on a trail hike without being prepared with the right gear unless you want to find yourself in serious trouble. Make sure your boots, specifically, are comfortable and fit you correctly. You should also make sure that your backpack fits well on your hips and shoulders. It can be dangerous to go on a hike with poorly fitting boots and a pack that is too big or too small. You should also be prepared with plenty of water, the right snacks, a compass, and all the other accouterment.

TRAIL TRAINING TIP #4 – Learn basic First Aid.

It is also a good idea to train yourself to know how to deal with minor and serious health problems that can occur on the trail. If you are hiking alone, you may need to apply your medical knowledge to yourself. If you are hiking with a partner, you should all sign up for the first aid class together. Learn how to put a sling on a broken arm and how to perform CPR. These skills can’t hurt and having them can save lives.

About the author: Kennith Campbell writes for UltraSlide.  Kennith enjoys reviewing sideboards and other fitness equipment.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/01/27/trail-hiking-preparation-tips/

Jan 25 2013

Minneapolis Midtown Greenway

Commuting Trails & Recreational Trails

denver trails

Platte River Trail

Trails are fantastic recreational resources that help people get outdoors, stay in shape and have lots of fun. But it’s important to note that trails are more than just fun. They are becoming an important part of the commuting infrastructure of many cities also. For example, the Colorado Department of Transportations (CDOT) is just getting started on construction of an 18 mile trail that will link Denver and Boulder, two very active communities. Such a trail will allow commuters from both of those cities to forego their automobile and commute by bike. This is part of a program known as the 36 Commuting Solutions and the US 36 Express Lanes project.

Minneapolis Bicycle Commuting

Another city that is coming on board with safe and efficient cycle paths is Minneapolis, Minnesota. Watch the short video below to get an idea of what Minneapolis is doing to promote bicycling as a feasible commuting option.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/01/25/minneapolis-midtown-greenway/

Jan 24 2013

Electric Bike Trailer for Kids and…

logo for ridekick electric bike trailersRideKick Introduces Electric Bike Trailer for Kids

The folks from RideKick have come up with another great idea. First they came up with the electric bike trailer that turns any bike into an electric bike. Now they have come up with a kid bike trailer that is also an electric. So now, you can take your children on a bike ride and get that extra little boost for those tough hills, long hauls or “into the wind” sections of the ride. In other words, now you can take your children on your trail rides. Pure genius!!

Electric Boost, Plus It’s a Utility Bike Trailer

So you don’t have kids or your kids are all grown up? No problem. Personally, I think this trailer would also be great for hauling groceries, camping gear, trail maintenance supplies, etc. In other words the new Ridekick trailer would be great for providing a boost to anyone who needs to haul a load with a little extra oomph. And the best part… you can now be one of the first people to get the new Ridekick at a discounted price. Check out the video below for more information. Then go to RideKick’s IndieGoGo child trailer page and become a supporter of this great company and fantastic new innovation.

Permanent link to this article: https://trailsnet.com/2013/01/24/electric-bike-trailer-for-kids-and/