Enjoy a ride at the UK’s best run, fun and friendly biking events in the South of the UK - expert to fun categories !! Gorricks

Come meet Skedaddle at the Gorrick / Skedaddle Spring Series and Autumn Classics 2011.

16 01 2011 - Skedaddle Spring Series 1
06 02 2011 - Skedaddle Spring Series 2
06 03 2011 - Skedaddle Spring Series 3
20 03 2011 - Skedaddle Spring Series 4
10 04 2011 - Skedaddle Spring Series 5
28 08 2011 - TORQ /  Skedaddle 12:12
16 10 2011 - Skedaddle Autumn Classic 1
13 11 2011 - Skedaddle Autumn Classic 2

Clic 24

14th - 15th May : Sign up for Clic24 2011 in its Ten Year Anniversary!! and meet us for a cuppa and a chat too. It’s an event that has already raised over £270000 for children with cancer and leukaemia endurance and aims to add a further whopping £50,000 to the total donations - so what are you waiting for?!?

24hours of Exposure

6th to 8th May : Go solo and enjoy a fanastic ride around the superb 7 stanes trails of Newcastleton - see if you can spot us!!

Border Raid - New Date!

14th May : A superb ride from Kielder over the border to Scotand and then back to Kielder for builders tea and biscuits! Organised by Skedaddle’s Andy Scott and those sterling folks who maintain and build the trails at Kielder

Northern Rock Cyclone

24th - 26th June : Meet David and the Skedaddle roadies at the Northern Rock Cyclone 2010. We’ll be at the finish too if you fancy a beer or burnt offering from the bar-b-que

Mountain Mayhem

17th to19th June : The UK’s biggest 24hr event held at Eastnor Castle. See Team Skedaddle whizz around the track and say hi when we’re not riding or asleep. 

Bearded Man

1st to 3rd July : Traverse of the beautiful Black Mountains. 140 km of the best riding the Black Mountains have to offer, split into two demanding but manageable days of riding that should make the weekend one of the most memorable of the year.

Great North Bike Ride

28th Aug : Cycle from Alnmouth to Tynemouth, raise some money for a worthwhile cause and have a chat to us over an ice cream at the finish. 

TORQ 12:12

28th Aug : Head to Minley Manor in Hampshire ( just minutes from the M3 at junction 4A) and enjoy this 8 mile circuit of heathland, beech woods, pine forest and open parkland. Plenty of trade stands, catering all weekend, hot showers, free overnight camping for those of you who want to chill out before or after the event.

Kielder 100

3rd Sept. : An epic ride of 100 miles, starting and finishing in Kielder Forest and all off road too! Claim one of the remaining places and get training or just pop along to say hello.

Read all about our Tea and Temples cycling holiday through Japan in this great travel diary.

 “I want this to be a holiday you’ll remember for the rest of your lives,” said our ex-mountain bike champion and tour leader Vince. He was handing around our little Japanese survival kits in brightly coloured drawstring bags to our group of seven cyclists who were comfortably finishing our breakfast in the delightful Three Sisters Inn Annexe in Kyoto.Tentatively we withdrew the contents and discovered an attractive pair of chopsticks in their own patterned box, a One World cycling water bottle and an ominously small and thin towel, the purpose of which became clear as our trip progressed. For the present though we packed our newly acquired chopsticks,water  bottle with our sunscreen and headed out to explore beautiful Kyoto for the next two days. As well as cultural sight seeing , this enabled us to test the comfort of our new steeds,Trek and Gary Fisher mountain bikes which Vince, originally a Goulburn lad, had efficiently adapted to suit each of us on our arrival the day before. Following our calm and competent leader who has spent almost twenty years cycling in Japan we cycled on a mixture of  footpaths,tracks and roads, taking advantage of traffic in Kyoto being limited to 30kmh. We cycled along Kyoto’s huge landmark river, through intricate streets with exquisite tiny shops to Vince’s favourite temples, including the Pure Water Temple where we strolled in awe, enjoying the magnificent structures and cool, picturesque gardens which utilise many of those intriguing Zen features of rocks, moss, water and lush plants such as azaleas and maples. We soon realised our new chopsticks were for the first of many sumptuous picnic lunches that Masa, our Japanese support driver extraordinaire, provided in marvelous locations, which only became more impressive as our trip progressed. Kyoto, a former capital of Japan for over 1000 years, has 1600 Buddhist temples, over 400 Shinto shrines and 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Venturing out at night through the colourful Gion area we enjoyed several of the many styles of Japanese cuisine, including the ‘do it yourself’ okonumiyaki, where the table is really just a big hot plate for cooking highy seasoned omelette concoctions. 

Farewelling the charming and traditional Three Sisters Inn on our third day we were soon following a winding river up and through the mountains  which surround Kyoto on paved quiet roads . Lush, green and shady the mountain forests of pine and cedar boast waterfalls and drifts of wild iris, wisteria and azaleas. Our group was already declaring Japan a cycling paradise, a feeling which only increased as we cycled through small rural villages and  mixed farms to a delightful thatched cottage in Miyama, which was our YHA home for the night. Before a calligraphy lesson and a traditional multi course dinner, Vince gently introduced us to the protocol of the Japanese bath, the onsen.  We listened intently, particularly to the use of those small thin towels. The YHA provided an easy introduction for us to learn polite bath practice in preparation for a larger and more public bath house with a glorious view across Wakata Bay when we reached the Sea of Japan at Obama  the following day. Here the traditional merged with the modern , when, after a traditional tea ceremony we meandered across to a rock concert on the beach, complete with hula girls which was launching a CD celebrating Obama for Obama.It was here that we discovered the joys of the yukata, the traditional cool, cotton kimono worn by both men and women alike to the bath house or just for a stroll along the beach. Views over Wakata from the beautiful mountain as we cycled up the next day were well worth the effort, with morning tea at the top. After a thrilling descent we enjoyed a Japanese curry al fresco at a woodcraft and gift shop. I do not know how we also managed a typical pub meal that night with a veritable feast of fried oysters, chicken, tofu and beef and an introduction to sake, which is definitely best when hot. Obviously in need of more sustenance we learnt how to make traditional dishes at a wonderful cooking school the next day, eating the products of our labour for lunch. Fortunately we rode all afternoon along the harbour’s edge and inland to the glorious Mikata Five lakes district where our bags were already waiting in the most beautiful accommodation I have ever seen, an up market yet traditional wooden ryokan. 

We relaxed luxuriously in our  segregated  hot soaking  indoors and outdoors bathing pools and discovered that here we were to wear our yukatas, always provided in our rooms, to dinner, alleviating the  need to fuss about what to wear. Yukatas come with an elegant little jacket for cooler weather or a more formal look. Dinner was a meal to remember and linger over, with the moon reflecting on the lake, individual burners to cook slices of tender beef on, sushimi, crisp tempura and numerous tiny intriguing dishes. Our group sparkled conversationally, resplendent in our yukatas and sipping sake. Mirroring the elegance and simplicity of design of traditional architecture, each bedroom with its water view, tatami mats and flower arrangement was a work of art. It was difficult to leave, but an off road experience with an extensive climb over the Mihama Mountains, rewarded by an exciting downhill, was on the agenda. This was the only day I used my camelback and I was proud of my new found mountain bike skills as I zigzagged very bumpily the 11 km down to our next beautiful picnic site.Our group was a little quieter than usual as we contemplated not only our recent hill challenges but our last day on Honshu. The next day we were to travel to Osaka by train and after several hours of sightseeing, catch the very comfortable overnight ferry to Kyushu, island of steam, mud baths and volcanoes. Beppu, in the early morning light, sprouted columns of steam all through the town, already setting the scene for a different experience in its volcanic topography. After a glorious bus ride past alpine health and recreation facilities built in the 20’s, into Aso- Kuju National Park, we began our ride from the top of My Kuju Pass, with a dramatic descent into valleys of farmland, through forest on an intricate network of paved farm roads to a charming inside/ outside onsen set beside a river.A lunch time bath seemed perfect as by now we were proficient at politely juggling those small towels for modesty, which are also used as washers while showering  before entering the soaking baths. Cycling clothes back on, we pedalled on and down into the world’s largest caldera to our destination, a small town at the foot of Mt Aso. We spent a welcome three days at Akamizu Lodge, cycling up mountains, through cedar forests, down mountain trails, picnicking beside river gorges including Kikuchi Gorge, with magnificent waterfalls and gasping at the stunning views. I believe that cycling up mountains beside an excellent raconteur renders any mountain insignificant. Our group had excellent opportunities to tell stories,discuss books,movies and our personal hopes and dreams while testing this theory. Climbing the popular Mt Aso was our hottest day (34) and also our only encounter with traffic. Fortunately the final section to the active volcano’s bubbling lake could be ridden in a gondola. Wild pink azaleas growing in the otherwise barren summit  were astonishing and a reminder of the success of plants in their natural habitat. After yet another stunning descent, naturally heated mud baths were a once in a lifetime experience. Once again we were reluctant to leave our charming and comfortable traditional hotel with its beautiful rock pool hot bath and delicious Japanese breakfasts that included croissants. We were also very attached to the Aso yukatas, definitely our most attractive, and companionably cleaning our teeth with a stunning view of mountains such as the Sleeping Buddha out the window. 

Rain greeted us for the first time as we prepared to make an energising descent from a volcano summit to an exquisite little town, Sensui, near the largest single span pedestrian bridge in Japan. After a rainy night and a twenty four course traditional dinner at our minshuku, we walked across the bridge which loomed impressively out of a dense mist much to Vince’s disappointment. The gorges, waterfalls and forests far below were just visible peeking through patches of swirling fog. We cycled on to our final destination, Yufuin, a charming little town surrounded by mountains and which offered shopping opportunities for us as well as for the many Japanese tourists who visit Kyushu to walk to a series of shrines as a pilgrimage, carrying decorative staffs. We shared a karaoke experience in a tiny bar and discovered that not everybody who cycles can sing. Our last cycling day was through a  myriad of tiny paved roads, through villages, farmland and forest with a glorious picnic spot beside a lake, a site for summer camping. We arrived back at Beppu, tired but elated having completed for some of us, the most challenging but beautiful rides of our lives. Our group unanimously agreed that Vince and Masa deserve accolades for the extraordinary planning and research which underpin the success of their tour. Each day in this wonderfully exotic location provided variety and excitement and heaps of surprises and delights. As one of our group said, “Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better it does.” We were sad to farewell each other after dinner back in Kyoto and sad to leave those excellent bikes without which I, at least , would not have reached the summit of those mountains. We were also already missing lovely Masa who had become a dear friend. Our small thin towels now serve as guest hand towels but evoke memories of a camaraderie in the bath house sadly not known in Western culture while our chopsticks have pride of place in the kitchen. Yes Vince, you certainly gave us all a holiday to remember for the rest of our lives. 

Carol Kelly   

If you are one of those people who last climbed on a bike when you were 10, you do not know what you’ve been missing. No, seriously. Even the most hardened getting-drunk-in-the-sun package holidaymaker (er, us) cannot fail to be won over by the freedom of pedalling along quiet country lanes.Especially on a more grown-up level if you’ve got post-festive flab to shift and the thought of the gym fills you with horror. And cycling is now seriously cool with celebrities like Kelly Brook, Elle Macpherson and David Walliams hopping on their bikes. It’s also a beautifully cheap holiday that can be enjoyed at home or anywhere in the world. But it does help if the somewhere in the world is flat-ish.

If you’re one of those people who last climbed on a bike when you were 10, you don’t know what you’ve been missing. No, seriously. Even the most hardened getting-drunk-in-the-sun package holidaymaker (er, us) cannot fail to be won over by the freedom of pedalling along quiet country lanes.Especially on a more grown-up level if you’ve got post-festive flab to shift and the thought of the gym fills you with horror. And cycling is now seriously cool with celebrities like Kelly Brook, Elle Macpherson and David Walliams hopping on their bikes. It’s also a beautifully cheap holiday that can be enjoyed at home or anywhere in the world. But it does help if the somewhere in the world is flat-ish.While Lycra-clad nuts on pricey bikes go for the land speed record cycling up an Alp or two, for most of us a gentle pedal between pubs is more appealing – with the bonus that the booze doesn’t count when you’re in the saddle all day.So operating on the principles that we wanted flat ground, good food, good drinking and lovely scenery, we decided to take our first . And as we didn’t fancy lumping our bags around, we plumped for a company that offered to transfer your main luggage between hotels while you got on your bike every day with nothing weightier than a water bottle and a map.Saddle Skedaddle is a small firm based in Newcastle run by an ord­inary group of blokes who all love cycling. We figured they were a good bet for nervous novices like us. The company offers either self-guided or escorted tours in the UK, Europe and far-flung places like Cuba and Chile.We chose to go it alone on our week-long trip, although if you want to make lasting mates the group trips sound a very good bet. Skedaddle supply hire bikes, helmets and locks in your country of choice as well as detailed and easy-to-understand route maps. You can choose easy trips (fantastic if you’ve got kids) where you cycle between 15 and 25 miles a day on level ground, through gentle (up to 40 miles a day with a few cheeky hills) to masochist (70 miles and mountains).Naturally, we chose easy and set off on a high-speed catamaran Condor ferry from Poole in Dorset to the beautiful port of St Malo on the north coast of Brittany. The crossing takes around five hours and you can take your own bikes free. Skedaddle works closely with cycling tour specialists in your destination country and we were welcomed by the lovely Valerie when we arrived. All the maps, local information and 24-hour help numbers were waiting for us in our spotless hotel room.We were both a bit nervous on our first day of cycling - foreign country, unfamiliar terrain and wine hangovers - but once we were out of the busy suburbs of St. Malo we knew we were in for a treat.  We soon found ourselves on a blissfully empty country road near the banks of the Rance River. There were days when we cycled for five hours and saw only two or three cars. Skedaddle had picked the route with such expertise that every day was a peaceful pleasure with French cows and soaring eagles watching your progress.The French appreciate cycling and cyclists too, which means even wobbly beginners are treated with respect and a cheerful “bonjour” by the few drivers you do see. Before we knew it our first day was over and we were on the quaint cobbled streets of Dinan. We’d never heard of it either but the town is absolutely beautiful, all crooked half-timbered homes and fairytale French spires.Our bags were ready and waiting for us in that night’s hotel, set in the centre of the ancient town. And there is nothing more satisfying than sinking that first 1664 beer after a day in the fresh air on a bike. Sheer bliss.The days are organised so you’ve got lots of time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and to go sightseeing en route to your next destination. We stopped so many times to photograph amazing French chat­eaux and huge skies over sweeping landscapes that we were out of the saddle more than in it. Our second stop was Combourg where our hotel was in the grounds of Cinderella’s castle. Well, that’s what it looked like. And the food in the Hotel du Lac was superb even by French standards. Once again our luggage arrived before us and the bikes were sec­urely looked after in the hotel’s garage. By day three we were so relaxed we were chatting about cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats when we got back home - cycling is incredibly addictive when it’s made this easy.The real highlight of our five days on bikes, though, was pedalling towards the magnificent Mont St Michel, a walled medieval town and abbey set on a rocky island off the coast. It’s one of Brittany’s most visited locations but few people have the pleasure, as we did, of pedalling along a deserted river path and watching one of the most spectacular sites in France emerge through the early morning mist. It was so incredibly beautiful. From there it was on to the pretty resort of Cancale (famous for its oysters) and back to St Malo for our last night of celebration.There aren’t many holidays where you feel so relaxed, satisfied and just plain happy at the end of it., here we come! runs from Saturday to Saturday from April through to October.It costs £615 per person including seven nights’ bed and breakfast in two and three-star hotels. Minimum of two people. Bike hire costs an additional £90 per person. The services of Skedaddle’s in country French cycling specialist are available 24/7 and if you get too tired they’ll even pick you up and transport you and your bike to the next stop. Main luggage is transferred by secure taxi service every day for you.For 2011 they also have a as well as lots of other and .The firm offers cycling holidays all year round from the iconic British cycle journeys to and in the British winter.See or call 0191 265 1110. Or if you’re in Newcastle pop in and have a cuppa with Paul and Andrew.Saddle Skedaddle can help to organise flights and ferry crossings but it’s easy to do it yourself. We travelled with Condor Ferries fast crossing from Poole to St Malo. The crossing takes about five hours and bikes are carried free. Our return trip cost us £100 each. See www.condorferries.co.uk or call 0120 220 7216.

We had such a great time with the folks from Evans Cycles during the photo shoot for their Spring Ride It! Magazine that we decide to offer one lucky person a £500 voucher to spend on one of our holidays. Click Here to enter the competition
 
To check out some behind the scenes on the photo shoot Click Here

To learn all about our guide Dan, who was involved in the photo shoot and organises and guides most of our Spanish Skedaddles - Click Here

For the Evans Spring Ride It! Magazine - Click Here

Here’s hoping you win and to seeing you soon!!

Terms and conditions:
Only one entry person
Prize has no cash alternative and cannot be traded/substituted
Prize has been provided by Saddle Skedaddle ltd and can only be used toward a Saddle Skedaddle cycling holiday
No entries will be accepted by Evans Cycles staff and its suppliers
Competition closes on 30/4/2011 and the winner will be notified soon after
By entering this competition you agree to be contacted by Evans Cycles

This superb desert biking adventure focuses on the deep south of Morocco, a land of big skies and stark mountain ranges where mud-brick kasbahs appear to rise up out of the desert, sitting in tranquil palm oases and framed by dramatic backdrops of snowcapped mountains. We ride along Morocco’s dirt roads, taking us from Marrakech to the Tichka Pass, the highest in the High Atlas, and then southward, descending along the Draa Valley to the fringes of the Sahara Desert.