Cycle Holidays
There can be few better ways to explore a country than from the saddle, so why not consider a cycle trip for your next holiday? Take your own bike and map out your own journey and it will be economical too, just the thing in these credit crunching times. Want something a little more organised? Here are some trips available from top cycling holiday companies.
Headwater
Great if you want to ride at your own pace but without the hassle of carrying your own luggage or working out your own route. Bikes and maps are provided and your bags will be moved from hotel to hotel en route. The support crew, available 24/7, will even pick up your wine purchases made along the way. How cushy is that?! All routes are graded so you can opt for a leisurely ride or a more energetic excursion. Choose from Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Gozo, Italy, Portugal, Spain or Switzerland.
Explore
From the quiet back roads of Burgundy to the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Explore offers a broad range of group cycling holidays to suit all tastes and abilities. Leaders or guides cycle with the group, so there's no danger of getting lost, and luggage is transferred from point to point. On the more strenuous rides, a support vehicle follows the group so you can get a lift if the going gets too tough. On easy rides, you can go with a group or cycle independently with the help of the route notes provided.
Cycling for Softies
As the name suggests, these are cycling holidays, but not as we know them. Ideal for those who want to combine an active holiday with a touch of pampering, Cycling for Softies will put you up in French chateaux and make dinner reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants. Covering 12 regions of France, the company offers bespoke itineraries for individuals, couples, families or groups. Tours are self-guided, following a plotted route, with the comfort of a hotel and restaurant reservation at the end of each day.
Exodus
Whether you want a gentle road trip in the Loire or a mountain bike expedition across the north face of Everest, Exodus will have a ride to suit your ambitions. With 39 rides to choose from, you can opt for an 8-day trip or a major expedition lasting more than 3 weeks. All rides are graded and the most challenging are guided with support vehicles for back up. Many European rides, even some of the toughest ones, are self-guided though luggage is transferred between hotels which are pre-booked. Some meals are also included.
Skedaddle
Offering both guided and self-guided tours, this company offers an enormous breadth of trips. Its Classic Road Holidays cover everything from short weekends in the UK to The Great Ocean Road in Australia, or they'll take you mountain biking anywhere from Derbyshire to Costa Rica, or on a more leisurely tour through the jungles of Borneo or the countryside of Japan. Accommodation, meals (including lunches) and equipment are included on guided trips, which use support vehicles except where road access is restricted.
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