Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
bikehog164
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Joined: 2 Feb 2014, 4:04pm

Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by bikehog164 »

Hey guys,

I've wanted to go touring for a while and want to know where peoples most ideal place for them to go and why?
yakdiver
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Location: North Baddesley Hampshire

Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by yakdiver »

Where there's no hills :lol:
Psamathe
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by Psamathe »

yakdiver wrote:Where there's no hills :lol:

Or headwinds ?
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jamesgilbert
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Location: Lyon

Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by jamesgilbert »

Outer Hebrides in nice weather in May. Why? Scenery, quiet roads, the sea, a few ferries to break up the cycling, wildlife, a good mix of flat and hilly.
patpalloon
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by patpalloon »

jamesgilbert wrote:Outer Hebrides in nice weather in May. Why? Scenery, quiet roads, the sea, a few ferries to break up the cycling, wildlife, a good mix of flat and hilly.


I'm going there in July. Why May? Is is better weather, quieter?
I feel sure that the genius that did this, didn't even feel a thud as he drove by.
Gearoidmuar
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Location: Cork, Ireland. Corcaigh, Éire má tá Gaeilge agat.

Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by Gearoidmuar »

patpalloon wrote:
jamesgilbert wrote:Outer Hebrides in nice weather in May. Why? Scenery, quiet roads, the sea, a few ferries to break up the cycling, wildlife, a good mix of flat and hilly.


I'm going there in July. Why May? Is is better weather, quieter?


Be sure to go South to North. I did the opposite and was into a galeforce wind the whole way.
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jamesgilbert
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by jamesgilbert »

patpalloon wrote: Why May? Is is better weather, quieter?


I don't know really, I assume it's a bit quieter outside of school holidays, although it's difficult to imagine it ever being incredibly busy. The machair flowers are meant to be best late May / early June, and it's a good time of year for wildlife, especially birds. July should be fantastic too though!
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JohnClimber
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by JohnClimber »

patpalloon wrote:I'm going there in July. Why May? Is is better weather, quieter?


No evil Scottish midges in May (or not as many)
patpalloon
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by patpalloon »

Yep, going south to north. How much time do you recommend for the Outer Hebrides? About 150 miles from Barra to Stornoway. Going to Ireland as well so can be flexible.
I feel sure that the genius that did this, didn't even feel a thud as he drove by.
Phil66
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Joined: 10 Jul 2009, 9:46am

Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by Phil66 »

South East Asia every time if I could, but off to France for 2.5 weeks on Sunday, so can't moan.. :lol:
TonyR
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by TonyR »

Take good rain gear for the Outer Hebrides!

My favourite? Switzerland. Stunning scenery, you can cycle on a good cycle network and if you follow the valleys its not hilly. Drivers are bike friendly, trains & ferries are set up to carry bikes and you can take the trains up valleys & cycle back down to avoid big hills if you want. Plenty of good camping and sunny warm weather in the summer. The only downside is its not the most exciting food.
simonhill
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by simonhill »

How long is a bit of string?

If I want to go away for 3 or 4 days with minimal hassle then it's East Anglia because its close to home. Easy cycling, good scenery and plenty of camp sites and pubs.

For my long winter tours its usually S E Asia. For me its got everything at a fairly cheap price. Recently I have started heading further east and last year was in Taiwan - that was brilliant for cycle touring. This autumn I am off to Japan. Will include a bit of Malaysia and Thailand at the end as the weather will be too cold in Japan after November.

Time available, accom requirements, budget, etc make 'ideal place to go touring' a very personal thing.
hamster
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by hamster »

patpalloon wrote:
jamesgilbert wrote:Outer Hebrides in nice weather in May. Why? Scenery, quiet roads, the sea, a few ferries to break up the cycling, wildlife, a good mix of flat and hilly.


I'm going there in July. Why May? Is is better weather, quieter?


Having lived there for 2 years the best weather is May, June and September. July and August tend to be rainier. If you are lucky in the other months a nice high pressure area sits over Scotland and you get stable dry weather. In August the high sits over Europe and the wet stuff slides over Scotland.

To answer the original post, Spain in September / October presses most buttons for me for credit card touring, lightly loaded, staying in Fondas, Pensions or just a room over a bar. Italy would come a close second. Warmish weather, cycle-friendly people, lots to see, gorgeous food.
iandriver
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Location: Cambridge.

Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by iandriver »

The next place I haven't been........
Supporter of the A10 corridor cycling campaign serving Royston to Cambridge http://a10corridorcycle.com. Never knew gardening secateurs were an essential part of the on bike tool kit until I took up campaigning.....
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foxyrider
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Re: Where is your most Ideal place to go touring?

Post by foxyrider »

Germany - mountains if you want them, flat in the north, great cycle routes, facilities, food, not too hot in summer, nor wet and big enough to keep you occupied for years! And its pretty easy to get to 8)
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
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