Travel
On a bicycle made for two...
As your thoughts turn to holidays perhaps it’s time to try
something different. Take a break on your bike. It’s good for the
environment and your health and, as Tony Burton writes, it can be an adventure
too.
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Worried
about your carbon footprint? Still unsure of your holiday plans this year?
Fretting about airport parking? Check-in queues? Being packed like sardines
in a Boeing spewing tons of carbon and untold pollutants into our atmosphere?
And locking up your dog in kennels for two weeks?
If so there may be a better way to find relaxation and restore equilibrium
of mind and soul.
For Tony and Linda Burton of Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich it’s “daisy
touring” - a name they invented to describe their favourite kind of
two-wheeled tandem holiday.
Tony explained, “ The advantage is that even if one person is fitter
than the other, you both arrive at your destination at the same time.”
“And where better to go but the beautiful Suffolk and Norfolk countryside?
You’re not destroying the planet and the natives speak the same language
(nearly!)”.
Apparently daisy touring not only has a connection to the song Daisy Daisy
but also describes their holiday activities.
Tandem Tips |
| 1 Try before you buy. Most cycle hire outlets
include a tandem in their stock. Make sure they set the saddle height
up for you both before you set off.
2 If you don’t start off right, you’ll wobble
into a big heap beside the road. The person at the front
should stand astride the bike and hold it upright whilst the second
person climbs onto the rear and places their feet on both pedals.
The captain then sets off, balancing as they would on a solo bicycle.
3 Not many cycle shops specialise in tandems. If
you want to buy look on www.tandem-club.org.uk. Expect to pay around
£1,000 for a reasonable quality new tandem.
4 The sore behind! A Norfolk company has produced
a revolutionary saddle that has made a phenomenal difference to the
distances it is possible to cycle. Look at www.comfortsaddle.com.
It’s a bit expensive but really works. No more numb bum syndrome.
5 Plan the route with Ordnance Survey maps to avoid
the major roads. |
“When you stay in one place for a week and go out in a series of
circular tours the resulting route drawn onto a map looks like a daisy,”
says Tony.
Last summer the couple set off in the fortnight when much of Britain was
drenched with rain and flood water.
The tandem was loaded with luggage in a trailer and their intrepid Jack
Russell securely strapped in a box on the rear carrier.
“Our first day was spent in glorious sunshine along country lanes
avoiding heavy traffic. Suffolk looked beautiful with some of the fields
a riot of red poppies. Going downhill you can reach a breathtaking 30 mph
but most of the time the pace was slow enough to spot woodpeckers and robins
and a barn owl flapping slowly across a field.”
Their destination was a cottage in Southwold but as they arrived too early
to pick up the key they went straight to the beach.
“It was one of the sunniest days of the summer, children were making
sandcastles and there were lots of people cooling off in the sea. The pier
looked superb. Who needs the Med when England can be so good?” says
Tony.
He said that most days they started early, walking the dog across the common
to the river, past the fishing huts and the lifeboat station to the beach
then along the shore back into town. Here they could call in at any of the
shops to buy breakfast and provisions for the day.
“We did as much walking as cycling. A memorable day was cycling
over the River Blythe to Walberswick and locking up the bike by the path
to the Walberswick Nature Reserve.
“The reserve stretches right across the Westwood Marshes to Dunwich.
At first sight all that could be seen were reeds and rushes. But by the
end of the day we recorded a barn owl, a marsh harrier, herons and egrets,
stonefly, chiffchaff. Reed buntings, cormorant, shelduck and oyster catchers.
The list in the diary for the day went on and on with butterflies, moths
and wild flowers. Our special treat before walking back was lunch at Bridge
Nurseries on the edge of Dunwich. There are so many things to enjoy in Southwold.
The view from the top of the lighthouse is fantastic and well worth all
those steps to the top.
Another memorable day was spent cycling to the remains of the village of
Covehithe and then walking along the shore. The cliffs are receding so fast
here, leaving salt encrusted tree stumps still standing below the shoreline.
The cliff face is peppered with sand martin nests and the birds make a spectacular
sight skimming across the shore. There is also a wildlife hide open to the
public on the edge of Covehithe Broad.
Another excursion took them south with some good off road sections; a bridleway
from Walberswick, past Westwood Lodge and through Newdelight Covert.
A second off road track was picked up above Westleton and on to Eastbridge.
This is a favourite spot for deer watching. The final off-road stretch was
a bridleway behind Sizewell Hall across more heathland to Thorpeness.
“And as if we hadn’t had enough exercise we went for a row
on Thorpeness Mere. We went on to Aldeburgh so after cycling all the way
back to base it was time to try out the fish and chip shop near the cottage
rather than start to cook another meal on the cottage Aga.”
Health and fitness
Good health and fitness are the keys to being able to enjoy your retirement
and cycling is the perfect way to achieve these aims and enjoy the great
outdoors at the same time.
Also living in East Anglia is perfect because there aren’t too many
hills to tackle, there are plenty of idyllic country lanes to explore and
if you don’t much like traffic there are opportunities to get off
road - particularly in North Norfolk.
What you need to know
No special equipment is necessary - apart from a bicycle and a helmet is
strongly recommended. Don’t run before you can walk - if you are not
fit use your bike for short distances like popping down to the shops to
begin with and then gradually make your rides longer.
8 reasons to get on your bike
1 Heart health. Cycling is an effective and enjoyable form
of aerobic exercise which can reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood
pressure, obesity and some form of diabetes.
2 Happiness. If you are depressed, stressed or even just
feeling out of sorts moderate exercise like cycling can help to lift the
black clouds.
3 Weight control. If you are seeking to lose weight a 30
minute bike ride five times a week could burn off around 5kg of fat a year.
4 Strength training. Cycling requires strength, co-ordination
and balance and if carried out regularly could help prevent osteoporosis
and reduce injuries from falls.
5 Fitness facts. A Department of Transport study showed
that even a small amount of cycling can lead to significant fitness gains.
The study showed that people who start cycling move from the third of the
population that are least fit to the fittest half in just a few months.
6 Going places. Most cyclists use their bike to get from
A to B and can cover distances of four to six miles in half an hour - faster
than cars in many towns and cities.
7 You’re never too old. People of any age and most
fitness levels can cycle slowly and gently. However it’s essential
if you have not exercised for many years or have a health condition that
you consult your doctor before undertaking a fitness programme.
8 Save Money. The added benefit is that you can also use
your bike to save money on fuel and car parking.
NORFOLK
For cycle routes, maps and hire companies, see www.visitnorfolk.co.uk,
www.broads-authority.gov.uk
or www.cyclenorfolk.co.uk.
To download a cycling leaflet call 01263 516038 or visit www.north-norfolk.gov.uk
SUFFOLK
www.suffolk.gov.uk
offers a special leaflet Get Cycling in Suffolk with all the information
you need about bikes, safety and cycle hire. Call 0870 228485 for the Suffolk
Coastal Cycle Route guide (£3.50). Call 01473 264263 for the Painters
Trail cycle route through the Dedham Vale (£3.50).
Off road routes:
Bure Valley Railway – the only traffic-free cycleway
beside a narrow gauge railway in the UK
Peddars Way – 46 miles off road cycling from Knettishall
Heath in Suffolk to Hunstanton
Marriots Way – 26 miles between Aylsham and Reepham
Thetford Forest – specialist off road trails for
novices and expert mountain bikers alike.