Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

It seems such a shame to mothball your bike for up to seven months. Would love to know if anyone has braved it. If so was it as bad as you thought, did you get soaked or frozen or the flue and where did you go (leaving aside destinations with summery climates)?
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by tatanab »

When I were a lad -- it was quite normal for us to go away for Christmas and over the new year. By "us" I mean members of my club, usually those in their 20s. We would book one of the youth hostels that was open for the Christmas period and then continue afterwards overnighting in other youth hostels along the way. Consequently we did not have a great deal of choice of where to go for the Christmas period itself. I do not recall any especially miserable times, but I do remember sitting on Exmouth sea front eating pasties on a bright sunny day, and I recall many very frosty mornings. Maybe I am suffering from rose tinted spectacles, or maybe things did not matter so much when away with your friends.
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by Vorpal »

I've done some winter trips in the past, but not recently.

I do ride my bike in the winter, and highly recommend studded tyres for icy or snowy conditions.

I'm afraid that I'm too fond of my luxuries these days to attempt winter cycle camping, though I would happily tour using hostels and hotels.

I quite enjoy going from a long, frosty or snowy bike ride into someplace with a warm fire and a hot meal :)

The main trick is dressing for the weather. Norwegians say that there is no such things as bad weather, only wrong clothing. There is something to that attitude, and people all over Scandinavia use their bikes through the winter.

Anyplace you can tour in summer, you can tour in winter, except that in mountains, the passes will often close.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
DaleFTW
Posts: 318
Joined: 8 Jun 2013, 7:18pm

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by DaleFTW »

It's the best time to tour. Less people.

Check out Helen Lloyd - she did a very snowy trip recently. Or Shane Little. (Or maybe they'll be along in a minute)
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by eileithyia »

Many a time; from winter weekends, the Christmas New Year hostel trip. What started to restrict such activities was RAH (rent a hostel), open hostels for just a handful (or 1-2 riders) became fewer further between, without renting the whole hostel for the weekend :-(
Yes I've been wet through, coped with snow, wind and glorious crisp sunny days.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

Vorpal wrote:I've done some winter trips in the past, but not recently.

I do ride my bike in the winter, and highly recommend studded tyres for icy or snowy conditions.

I'm afraid that I'm too fond of my luxuries these days to attempt winter cycle camping, though I would happily tour using hostels and hotels.

I quite enjoy going from a long, frosty or snowy bike ride into someplace with a warm fire and a hot meal :)

The main trick is dressing for the weather. Norwegians say that there is no such things as bad weather, only wrong clothing. There is something to that attitude, and people all over Scandinavia use their bikes through the winter.

Anyplace you can tour in summer, you can tour in winter, except that in mountains, the passes will often close.


That's encouraging. I'm beginning to think I'm a fair weather cyclist (for shame!). Yes the trick is the clothing. I've done many a wet ride through all day hard rain and whatever you do water seems to get through but what I cant tolerate is cold and rain. However it might be worth a try. I left it too late this year for a planned ride Weymouth along the coast to the IOW then around the island before Portsmouth and home. I'd still like to do it.
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

eileithyia wrote:Many a time; from winter weekends, the Christmas New Year hostel trip. What started to restrict such activities was RAH (rent a hostel), open hostels for just a handful (or 1-2 riders) became fewer further between, without renting the whole hostel for the weekend :-(
Yes I've been wet through, coped with snow, wind and glorious crisp sunny days.


Here's a medal! how many days were those rides and out of interest what did you use for leg and feet covering? If any :shock:
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by Si »

"Wayfarer", over Wayfarer's Pass in the snow, on a fixed, back before hi-tech clothing, GPS, etc.

(mind you he did walk most of it :wink: )

The issue for me with winter touring is that if you are a scenery watcher and historic house visitor, like what I am, one disappears into the dark and the other shuts!

On the other hand, B&Bs, if open, tend to be cheaper and have more vacancies (apart from at Christmas).
landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by landsurfer »

Last November 2 friends and i cycled from Inverness up the west coast of Scotland, along the north coast and across altnahara moor to the black isle and back to Inverness. We cycled across altnahara in a blizzard with herds of deer as company. Winter touring is a real adventure, don't miss it...
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by horizon »

I did a few days in early March (Welsh borders) a couple of years ago and will be repeating it this winter. I was caught in light snow blizzards but no lying snow. I YHA'd and Travelodge'd. On my next trip I will have my snow studs on top of my panniers ready for anything (last time I found out the day before that 1.9 snow studs don't fit Sardar forks). If you regularly cycle through the winter, touring in youth hostels and B and Bs will present no problems.

But if you mean cycle camping, that's a slightly different kettle of fish. I'm making plans though ... :wink:
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

Si wrote:"Wayfarer", over Wayfarer's Pass in the snow, on a fixed, back before hi-tech clothing, GPS, etc.

(mind you he did walk most of it :wink: )

The issue for me with winter touring is that if you are a scenery watcher and historic house visitor, like what I am, one disappears into the dark and the other shuts!

On the other hand, B&Bs, if open, tend to be cheaper and have more vacancies (apart from at Christmas).


'one disappears into the dark and the other shuts' True :(
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

landsurfer wrote:Last November 2 friends and i cycled from Inverness up the west coast of Scotland, along the north coast and across altnahara moor to the black isle and back to Inverness. We cycled across altnahara in a blizzard with herds of deer as company. Winter touring is a real adventure, don't miss it...


My hat is well and truly off. How many miles per day?
ukdodger
Posts: 2992
Joined: 18 Aug 2007, 5:32pm
Location: Sunny Surrey

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by ukdodger »

horizon wrote:I did a few days in early March (Welsh borders) a couple of years ago and will be repeating it this winter. I was caught in light snow blizzards but no lying snow. I YHA'd and Travelodge'd. On my next trip I will have my snow studs on top of my panniers ready for anything (last time I found out the day before that 1.9 snow studs don't fit Sardar forks). If you regularly cycle through the winter, touring in youth hostels and B and Bs will present no problems.

But if you mean cycle camping, that's a slightly different kettle of fish. I'm making plans though ... :wink:


No, I'm too old now for camping. Small hotels and maybe unless I can avoid them a hostel (with the exception of Stirling Hostel which is almost a hotel and very pleasant).
landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by landsurfer »

The winter trip to the north of Scotland took 5 days, 1 day was lost to bad weather. We spent it in the tent. With a bottle of scotch. We had planned to visit Cape Wrath but time and the weather was against us.
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
User avatar
stephenjubb
Posts: 674
Joined: 20 Jan 2008, 12:23pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Has anyone ever toured in the winter?

Post by stephenjubb »

ukdodger wrote:It seems such a shame to mothball your bike for up to seven months. Would love to know if anyone has braved it. If so was it as bad as you thought, did you get soaked or frozen or the flue and where did you go (leaving aside destinations with summery climates)?


I toured the lake district last winter and camped. Christmas eve evening I was riding my bike over quite a high exposed hill to get back to my tent after dropping off the rented car.

For a good tour to be successful in winter some things you may need

    a tent that can stand up to the weather where ever you are going
    if it is going to be cold a tent that goes up easily and ideally with gloves on. Putting a went tent up in the cold with no gloves leaves your hand numb and immobile to the point it is very hard to put the tent up
    Possible a multi fuel stove if longer than a few days. Gas cannisters can be hard to find in winter.
    A Down Jacket if possible, it gets cold sat in a tent on a cold dark evening
    A good sleeping bag suitable for the conditions, ideally packing down small
    Good head torch for seeing in the dark
    something to read on a night if no pub
    not essential but a dynamo for lights if a lot of country riding is involved
    a foam mat to sit on, the ground gets really cold
    maybe a therma rest chair on the foam mat
    studded tyres if going to an area with frost.

All of the above can really make the difference between a miserable and an enjoyable time in winter. Note though all of the above combined with everything else the weight starts to add up.
Post Reply