@yello.velo

dream it – plan it – ride it

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Kent with Katy (@saddletosea)…she’s cycling th

Kent with Katy (@saddletosea)…she’s cycling the coastline of Britain and I finally got to meet her!

Great to share stories and revisit one of my favourite parts of the British coastline…

It’s one of the only counties that allows you to literally hug the coast for almost all of it. Then it weirdly merges into Sussex via what could almost be likened to as a remote part of America…

Big thanks to @fortscoffee in Margate cafe for the delicious lunch 😍. Well worth a visit.

Check out @saddletosea - Katy has raised over £10k already for mental health charities after losing her dad to suicide. She is doing an incredible job by talking very opening about this to both people she knows and complete strangers.

I witnessed a lovely moment when a total stranger (Mike) heard her story and pulled out a £20 note…

I know that she’ll be inspiring people left, right and centre but also opening up very important conversations. It’s good to talk. Especially on bikes. 🚲 💛 🚲

#coastlineofbritain #margate #cyclingkent #womenonwheels #suicideawarenessprevention #cyclingbritain #komootadventure #bikepackinglife #womenonbikes #bikelife #biketouring #redhouserye #dronephotography #kentcoastline #arealphotography

🚲 Cycling the Great Ocean Road 🌊 🇦🇺

🚲 Cycling the Great Ocean Road 🌊 🇦🇺

As much as I love to cycle an entire coastline of a ‘sea locked’ country, Australia would have taken me 9 months…so I did this small sample instead - the Great Ocean Road, en route to visiting family in New Zealand.

It’s a classic that’s typically done in a car but a joy to cycle if you avoid peak times.

It reminded me of the Scottish Highlands coast road - stunning scenery, clear turquoise sea, golden sand and incredibly annoying flying insects in the form of buzzing bush flies (I definitely prefer midges)…

Highlights:

- Climbing the Round the Twist lighthouse 📺
- Sunset and sunrise over the 12 Apostles 🌅
- Seeing a snake 🐍
- The coffee and croissant culture ☕️ 🥐
- Off-the-scale friendliness that a Brit could easily confuse with flirting 😜

Thanks @lisarutland and @toby_allen_dj for having me - couldn’t have done this trip without yours as a base, and I loved staying with you. Melbourne is definitely up there with one of my favourite places.

#greatoceanroad #greatoceanroadtrip #cyclinggreatoceanroad #cyclingaventures #komootadventure #bikepackinglife #roundthetwistlighthouse #cyclingaustralia #solofemaletraveler #solocycling #biketouring #biketouringaustralia #12apostoles #twelveapostles #australia_oz #greatoceanroadaustralia #womenwhoridebikes #womenonbikes #melbourne

Singapore by Bike 🚲 🇸🇬 A last minute de

Singapore by Bike 🚲 🇸🇬

A last minute decision to pack this mule proved to be a good one! Along with a bike bag that fits into a pannier (heavily discounted from 99 bikes right now), was able to cycle to/from the airport. Covered the frame in pipe lagging and put the derailleur into a bottle and voila! Not as much of as a ball ache as I thought it would be…

Singapore is surprisingly excellent for cycling if you can handle the heat. It’s also totally acceptable to cycle on pavements. Great to experience cycling through a monsoon and intense thunder and lightning! ⚡️

#cyclinginsingapore #cyclinginsingapore🇸🇬 #komoot #komootadventure #solotravel #solowomentravel #biketouringlife #singaporephotos #singaporerooftoppool #singaporecycletrail

Another S in the W stamp in the passport! This t

Another S in the W stamp in the passport!

This time I volunteered as a SITW ambassador, helping behind the scenes as the Sisters sweated out the @eastdevontrail.

I wanted to be part of the magic, as it’s the birthplace of ‘El Twatas’, a group of legendary cycling friends I met in the class of 2022.

Some (heavily manipulated) snaps to sum up a bright and beautiful weekend…

Beautiful bendy routes (on REAL gravel) and brilli

Beautiful bendy routes (on REAL gravel) and brilliant company @sistersinthewilduk Scotland Gravel Camp to conclude my straight adventure up the spine of Britain.

These weekends never fail. Off to Devon this weekend to help out at the next one 🙌🏼 @eastdevontrail #eastdevontrail

Huge thanks to @charlotte_inman_ and the guides @bethanystuartbass @a_girl_outside @girl_gets_stoked who I now all consider friends! Your’re all absolute rocks. 😘

#sistersinthewild #gravelcamp #sitw #cairngormsnationalpark #cyclingcairngorms #irldating #lgbtcycling #komootadventure #cyclinginscotland #womenonbikes #bikepackinglife #gravelcycling #gravelcyclingshots #womeninthewild #womeninthewilderness #campingcairngorms #realgravel

Aberfeldy to Oldshoremore (600 to 811 miles) 🚲

Aberfeldy to Oldshoremore (600 to 811 miles) 🚲

The end of the line! 🏁

I don’t think the German tourist who walked past at this moment was expecting to find a middle-aged woman struggling to lift a mountain bike over her head…”don’t mind me, just been cycling in a straight line for the past 20 days”

Well that was a bit of fun. 20 consecutive micro-adventures half walking half cycling in a 340° direction for 811 miles.

I loved the solitude combined with the random encounters. The 9-year old who kept asking why I wasn’t married, the 90-year old who wistfully told me she’d cycled through 18 countries, Phil and Sylvia who made me dinner in their lime green camper van, Nidge who made me coffee in his van and gave me a tube of Barroca tablets, and Philippa, the cake artist who’s village had been destroyed by HS2.

As much as I love cycling with others, you can’t beat the randomness, feeling of empowerment and freedom of a solo adventure.

Thank you for giving me a reason to document this!

And, yes I know full well that I shouldn’t have taken my bike onto a sandy beach 🤣 ⚙️ 🤪

#340degreesnorth #cyclinginastraightline #komootadventure #womenempowerment #solowomen #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #bikepackingbritain #lengthofbritainchallenge #cyclinglife #britainbybike #womenonbikes #straightlinegpsroute #straightlines #cycletouring #brysonline #hikeabike #hikeabikeadventures #biketouring_community #ortliebpanniers #msrhubbahubba #womenonwheels #wildcamping #britainphotography #outdoorphotography #oldshoremorebeach #oldshoremore #highlands #scottishhighlands #nc500

Penrith to Aberfeldy (400 to 600 miles) 🚲 Cyc

Penrith to Aberfeldy (400 to 600 miles) 🚲

Cycling in a straight line has really distorted my relationship with time. I only left 2 weeks ago but it feels like months and months ago. Since I left sunset has remained at 8.40pm every evening!

One piece of ‘kit’ that I’ve appreciated the most has been the Passenger dry robe. Although it’s one of the reasons my panniers are so bulky, it’s literally been the gift that keeps on giving. During the day I’ll put it on after heavy rain (you can cycle in it), in the evening it’s my ‘leisurewear’, at night it’s my pillow (stuffed into an actual pillow case) and in the morning it’s a dressing gown. The Sherpa lining is so soft and warm, and it’s much lighter than an ‘official’ dry robe. With its retro 80s pattern, it’s also a great talking point and icebreaker at campsites. In fact, it tends to get more attention than I do. Well done @passengerclothing

The route’s been lovely. I’ve never been surrounded by so much heather! There’s been a lot of hill walking. I’m on a mission to find a plumbers merchant to get some pipe lagging to ‘encase’ the seat post. Think this could serve well as a Comfort Handle.

Next stop, The Highlands…

#340degreesnorth #cyclinginastraightline #komootadventure #womenempowerment #solowomen #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #bikepackingbritain #lengthofbritainchallenge #cyclinglife #britainbybike #womenonbikes #straightlinegpsroute #straightlines #cycletouring #brysonline #peakdistrict #scottishlowlands #hikeabike #hikeabikeadventures #biketouring_community #ortliebpanniers #msrhubbahubba #womenonwheels #wildcamping #britainphotography #outdoorphotography #passengerdryrobe

Ashby de la Zouch to Penrith (200 - 400 miles) 🚲

Feel like I’ve spent the last 4 days in an army training exercise!

Lugging Cindy over the ‘backbone of Britain’ (AKA the Pennines) was one of the hardest things I’ve done! But it’s opened my eyes to what’s possible by combining hiking and biking.

A great invention would be a ‘comfort handle’ that could be clamped to a seat post…🤔

Despite the physical challenge, it’s been brilliant and not sure I could have done it without the aid of good podcasts…thank you especially to my new found hero @mo_gawdat (highly recommend listening)

Next stop, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

#340degreesnorth #cyclinginastraightline #komootadventure #womenempowerment #solowomen #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #bikepackingbritain #lengthofbritainchallenge #cyclinglife #britainbybike #womenonbikes #straightlinegpsroute #straightlines #cycletouring #brysonline #peakdistrict #penninebridleway #yorkshiredales #hikeabike #hikeabikeadventures #biketouring_community #ortliebpanniers #msrhubbahubba #womenonwheels #wildcamping #britainphotography #outdoorphotography

Shoreham by Sea to Ashby de la Zouch (0 to 200 mil

Shoreham by Sea to Ashby de la Zouch (0 to 200 miles) 🚲

Quite a dull route so far! But loving the randomness of it, and visiting places I’ve never been before. That’s what keeps me going - a fascination of what’s around the corner. Or up the line in this case.

Spending most days listening to podcasts on AI through the phone speaker, getting stung by nettles and, my favourite - waking up in a random campsite to a black coffee ☕️…

I should confess that I had one night in Champneys (long story, but involves a huge discount). It was heaven but I felt totally out of place. (And the food portions were tiny 🙄).

🐈‍⬛ Cumulative cat count: 4

Next stop, the Peak District!

#340degreesnorth #cyclinginastraightline #komootadventure #womenempowerment #solowomen #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #bikepackingbritain #lengthofbritainchallenge #cyclinglife #britainbybike #womenonbikes #straightlinegpsroute #straightlines #cycletouring #cycletouringlife #womeninspirewomen #campingtrip #bikepackerscycling #cyclingchallenge #konacindercone #konacindercone2022 #legsoftheday #massivemushroomsofinstagram #massivemushrooms #kneppwildland #catsofinstagram #brysonline

“Life is not a linear path”, they say. Unless,

“Life is not a linear path”, they say. Unless, of course you’ve decided to cycle the length of Britain in a straight line.

Almost a year on from cycling the coastline of Britain, the next challenge was obvious – a vertical straight line through the centre of the country on land (and bridges) only!

I thought I’d invented this concept myself, then came across ‘The Bryson Line’, a theoretical path conjured up by Bill Bryson. It’s the longest straight line drawn with a ruler through the length of Britain without crossing saltwater - Bognor Regis to Cape Wrath.

In reality, to cycle or walk this line you’d need to catch a ferry to reach Cape Wrath.

So what’s one of the longest and straightest lines you can cycle without taking a ferry? Shoreham-by-Sea to Oldshoremore! Not only my home town as a starting point, but a ‘shore’ theme going on here…

The stats:

🚲 Cycling in a 340 degree northerly direction for 1,300km (800 miles).

👋🏼Leaving my home, Shoreham Beach this Wednesday

🏁Arriving on the beautiful Oldshoremore Beach in the Highlands at the end of August (no fixed timeline this time…)

🏕️ Travelling solo and camping each night*

🚴🏼‍♀️Riding ‘Cindy’, my Kona Cinder Cone mountain bike, fully loaded with panniers

⛰️ Mixed terrain…on and and off-road but I’m drawing the line at trespassing through private land - I’m not quite ready for that level of straightness…

Im hoping to catch up with @melf_fielding and @krishpatelt2i who I met at @theyestribe in June. They are currently cycling LEJOG for the brilliant @talestoinspire and are absolutely smashing it 👊🏼

Looking forward to rocking up at @sistersinthewilduk afterwards at the epic Scotland Gravel Camp v2 in the Cairngorms…

*probably the occasional Travelodge to get some work done 💻

@komoot route in bio.

Right, better start packing!

#340degreesnorth #shorehamtooldshoremore #straightlinetravel #straightlinetravelandtourism #womensolotravel #womenbiketouring #komootadventure #bikepackinglife #konacindercone #singleadventures #soloadventure

Cycling the Prime Meridian Line to Big Sky Hideway

Cycling the Prime Meridian Line to Big Sky Hideway, home of Yestival and @theyestribe

🇬🇧Last year I stayed at @bigskyoasis on day 70 of my cycle around the coastline of Britain.

🗣️ Founder @davecorn asked me back to do a talk at this year’s Yestival ☺️

🕰️ I cycled there with Alex and @lausome_adventures along the Greenwich Meridian Line! (or as close as we could get) 🥵

💯 I’d never been to a Yestival before but all expectations were exceeded…

🎤 A simple concept - just a group of ordinary people talking about pushing boundaries, stepping out of comfort zones and saying yes to new things

😢 Some talks brought me to tears

🤣 Others had me ‘lol-ing’

💪🏻 All were hugely inspiring

❤️ If there’s ever a reason to go to Lincolnshire, this should be it!

Huge thank you @davecorn and @emkarembo🦙 💛 …we’ll be back 🚲 🚲 🚲

#yestival2023 #bigskyhideaway #theyestribe #yesbus #theyesbus #sayyesmore #primemeridian #greenwichmeridianline #bikepacking #bestcampsites #bestcampsitesuk #komootadventure #yesstories #yes #komootcycle

Another Wild one with the Sisters! These weekends

Another Wild one with the Sisters!

These weekends whizz by too fast and I met so many wonderful women I wish I could have spent more time with!

Loved the mechanics school led by @vickybikes and the @adventuresynd bike clothing jumble courtesy of @lemkiss. Thank you!

And of course to @charlotte_inman_ and team for pulling off another epic SITW event.

Las Twatas reunited but missing @elenamendolara and our honorary mother @adventurequeenmother (cover photo dedicated to you both!)

#sistersinthewild #sitw #sitwsummergathering #lakedistrict #lakedistrictcycling #komoot #komootadventure #womenempowerment #womensupportingwomen #grizedaleforest #womenwhocycle #womenbikemechanics #womenledspaces #womeninspiringwomen #cyclinglife

Fort William Bothy Loop 🚲⛰️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳

Fort William Bothy Loop 🚲⛰️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🎟️ The best £27.50* ever spent on a train journey (*30 min delay resulted in 50% refund) @caledoniansleeper

🚆 Left Euston on Friday night, arrived in Fort William on Saturday morning...

💺Single reclining window seat with breathtaking morning views

❎😴 Not much sleep but entirely worth it

🚲 5 day mixed terrain cycling loop from Fort William staying in 4 different bothy's

🌳 Incredible scenery on a low budget - lochs, viaducts, forests, mountains

Great to bump in to @turnwild !

@komoot Collection coming soon...

#corryhullybothy ➡️ #resouriebothy ➡️ #leacraithnaichbothy ➡️ #durorbothy

#komootadventure #highlandadventure #highlandsadventure #highlandbothy #bothycycle #bothylife #cyclingadventures #womenonbikes #womenwhocycle #lesbianvisibilityweek #sleepertrain #caledoniansleeper #bikepacking #bikepackinglife #fortwilliam #fortwilliamcycling #mountainbothyassociation #konadewplus #konabikes #scotlandcycling #bothythreads #bikepackingonabudget #cycletouringorg #cyclephotography #highlandsphotography #bikepackingphotography

Brighton to Bristol off-road! 🚴🏼‍♀️⛺

Brighton to Bristol off-road! 🚴🏼‍♀️⛺️

A four day slog connecting two of my favourite cities! Mostly off road, I took the South Downs Way, King Alfred's Way, canal towpaths and the Bath-Bristol railway path. And put everything in one giant pannier.

Thought I was being generous giving myself four days but absolutely needed it! Headwinds, thick mud, slippery chalk and puddles that looked like canals - but this would make a perfect summer trip if it EVER stops raining.

Having said all that, I loved the adventure. There was a magical moment when a friendly cat hopped on my bike (with minimal encouragement) and I found myself literally giving her a backy down the Bath-Bristol railway path 🥰.

The route is dripping with history and has so many highlights:

Devils Dyke | QE Country Park | Buster Hill | 300ft ancient well at The Milburys pub | King Alfred Statue | Old Sarum Castle |Stonehenge | Salisbury Plain | Pulteney Bridge | Caen Hill Locks | Staple Hill Tunnel | Clifton Suspension Bridge

Campsites (open all year) were:

Manor Farm, Cocking
Stockbridge View, Stockbridge @stockbridgeviewcamping
Brades Acre, Tilshead

Bonus to have @eilidhogden join for day 2 between Petersfield and Winchester 😊

Komoot Collection coming soon!

#brightontobristol #bristoltobrighton #komootadventure #offroadbikepacking #konadewplus #southdownsway #kingalfredsway #bristolbathrailwaypath #womencyclingcommunity #womenbikepacking #bikepackinglife #cycletouring #stonehenge #oldsarum #cyclingadventures #4daycyclingtour #staplehilltunnel #cliftonsuspensionbridge #cyclingwithacat #solocyclingadventure #bri2bri #offroadbiketouring #sussexcycling #hampshirecycling #wiltshirecycling

A mixed gravel cycling event heavily represented b

A mixed gravel cycling event heavily represented by women! When does this ever happen?! This weekend! Thank you @bikepacking.buds for not only creating an epic weekend but an inclusive social movement full of inspiring, like-minded people I would never have met without this network 💪🏻 🚲

#bikepackingbuds #bikepackingbudsuk #cyclingadventures #komootadventure #bikepackinguk #bikepackinglife #bikepackingadventures #womeninspiringwomen #groupcyclingevent #newforestcycling #wildswimming #microadventure

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Date
on 20th February 202020th February 2020
Author
by Alice Baddeley
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