This guidebook covers 20 mountain biking routes set throughout the length and breadth of the North Downs, from Farnham in the west to Dover in the east, as well as a route along the Downs Link, which joins the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. They range from 18.5km to 59km in length and up to 90% off road. The routes, illustrated with OS map extracts and height profiles, are graded for difficulty (blue, red and black) and are suitable for mountain bikers with at least some experience and a reasonable degree of fitness. The guide gives practical information on recommended gear, preparation and safety, as well as details of accommodation and local bike shops.

Lake District Mountain Biking - Essential Trails is the full third edition of the bestselling guide to some of the finest mountain bike riding in the UK. Featured are over 20 of the best mountain bike rides in the Lake District, between 12 and 60 kilometres in length, suitable for all levels of mountain bikers. Explore classic rides around Walna Scar, High Street and Borrowdale, and discover several lesser-known gems. Ride moorland singletrack, tackle massive climbs and rattle along some of the rockiest trails you'll ever encounter on two wheels. Enjoy lakeside cruises, picturesque valleys and 360-degree panoramas. Researched, ridden and written by local riders Richard Staton and Chris Gore, each route features clear and easy to use Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps; easy-to-follow directions; details of distance, timings and difficulty gradings; and refreshment stops and local knowledge. A Bonus Section includes information about the man-made trails at Whinlatter and Grizedale, Top Tens and a detailed Appendix. Also includes downloadable GPX files.

Second in a new series of cycle maps covering the whole country. The London and Essex map covers from Uxbridge in the west to Harwich in the east. As far north as Luton and Halstead and as far south as Canterbury and Leatherhead. The maps are all produced at a scale of 1:100 000 showing important features including the National cycle Network. Sections on road, off road and traffic free are all shown in differing colours along with their route number. Other roads and their classification are shown enabling you to link rides or explore sections and discover new routes at home or further afield. Facilities such as toilets, pubs, accommodation, bike shops, repair stations and railway stations are all shown. The mapping also has relief shading giving you a clear picture of the terrain you are likely to encounter. Scale: 100 000 (10mm = 1 Km, 16mm = 1 Mile) Folded size: 163mm x 105mm Unfolded: 650mm x 800mm Tear and water-resistant paper Double sided

This comprehensive guidebook to EuroVelo route 15 offers a detailed stage-by-stage description of the 1368km route along the Rhine, one of Europe's great rivers, passing through six countries on its way from Switzerland to the North Sea. The cycling is easy, downhill and along dedicated cycle lanes, the countries visited are very cycle-friendly and the waymarking is excellent. The whole trip can be completed in two weeks by a fit cyclist. The guide includes plenty of information to help you plan your trip, with advice on travel, accommodation and facilities. The full route is presented in 27 stages of 32-68km, with step-by-step route description, 1:100,000 mapping and notes on local points of interest. A facilities table, glossary and list of useful contacts can be found in the appendices. Starting in the Swiss Alps with high mountains, deep glacial valleys and gorges, the route soon reaches Europe's third largest lake, the Bodensee, and its greatest mainland waterfall. After Basel, the Rhine becomes a broad river, now the world's busiest river trading artery. The middle Rhine, between Bingen and Koblenz, forces its way through the narrow rocky Rhine gorge, lined by romantic castles perched above Germany's finest vineyards. Finally, the river passes through low-lying Holland, famed for its many flood dykes and windmills.

Why did Reg Harris want to become a professional road racer? Why did Britain's top time-triallist sit on a dustbin to annoy the RTTC? Why did Jacques Anquetil want to put the British '25' record on the shelf for three decades? And what stopped British cycling being as great as it could have been? How could people passionate about bike-racing, and dedicated to the sport they loved, have made sure that it never became a major sport in Britain, and that British cycling never became a force in the world? This Island Race has the answers and all the fascinating anecdotes and insights that go with them. It tells of blood on the carpet, of lifelong feuds and personal animosities, and of the fear, jealousies and suspicion that have riddled British cycling from the days of the penny-farthing. It could almost be a crime novel. But this is British cycling - seen from the inside. Les Woodland has spent a lifetime in cycling as an organiser, coach and writer - in Britain, in Flanders and now in France. That, and a passion for the history of the sport, have given him an unusual insight into the dusty corners of British and world cycling. His books have been published across the world and in numerous languages.

Sheffielder Tony Hewson is a former champion racing cyclist who won the 1955 Tour of Britain and went on to represent his country in the Warsaw - Berlin - Prague and the Tour de France. His first book, "In Pursuit of Stardom", was a widely acclaimed memoir of the 1950s telling how he and his companions faced handicap and privation in their struggle to earn a living a-wheel on the European continent. "A Cyclist's Worst Nightmare" covers a similar time-scope, though as a collection of individual but interrelated stories it employs a variety of different literary genres - autobiography, biography, discourse and fiction. Whilst each piece can be enjoyed in its own right, the work as a whole casts light on an era of UK cycling history in the aftermath of World War II that until now has been somewhat neglected and forgotten. Some events, for example the tumultuous birth and demise of the rebel British League of Racing Cyclists that split the sport and framed its future, have ramifications to this day. From foul-mouthed Jean Robic ('I haven't enough enemies!') to aggressive Korean war-veteran Reg ('Heroes we were - fat thanks we get.') via bullied national service 'nutter' Michael ('a queer boy wi' them fancy togs n' that weird show-off bike'), the mood is one of a shared sense of grievance from real and imagined characters who see themselves as put-upons in search of recognition. The theme of the social outsider will ring bells with any reader who has ever been a committed cyclist in the British Isles, and will also be of interest to many who have not.

All across America, people are discovering the pleasures and benfits of mountain biking. Now, in this lively, practical guide, an acclaimed mountain biking authority shows you how to get the most from you fat-tire machine. Read this book and learn: Eight keys to choosing a mountain bike that fits your frame What to look for in clothing, shoes, helmets, gloves the secrets to pedeling, shifting and riding the flats Uphills 12 Things you should know before attempting any downhills Dealing with terrain changes

Yorkshire Dales Mountain Biking features 26 rides between 10 and 43 kilometres in length in one of the UK's most MTB-friendly national parks. The routes make the most of the Dales' superb network of stone-based trails, rideable in all seasons. Classic loops take in the best of Swaledale, a tour of Ingleborough, big days around Whernside and Pen-y-ghent, quintessential Dales scenery near Malham and Kilnsey, and moorland riding above Pateley Bridge. A Bonus Section includes information about the Howgills, the easy-going Swale Trail and the Pennine Bridleway, as well as the riding at Gisburn Forest and Stainburn which lies just outside the national park. There are also top tens and a detailed appendix. Written by Dales local and experienced author Nick Cotton, each ride is described with easy-to-follow directions and is plotted on clear and easy-to-use Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 mapping. Also included with each ride are details of distance, timings and difficulty gradings, plus refreshment stops and local knowledge.

Around Glasgow is one of 20 titles in the new Philip's Cycle Tours series. The series is directly derived from the highly successful Ordnance Survey Cycle Tours series, but has been updated and improved, with a new focus on the needs of cyclists and the cycling market in the 21st century.Each book in the series contains 20 routes, both on-road and off-road, taking you along low-traffic or traffic free roads, tracks and paths. The route takes you through some of the most beautiful countryside and prettiest villages in Britain, and past some of the finest and most interesting houses, churches, castles, gardens and monuments in the land.Around Glasgow takes cyclists through the great natural beauty of the western half of southern Scotland around Glasgow, with rides in the area from the Trossachs to the north to Stranraer in the south. The region provides fantastic hill riding, together with the pleasures of river, lochs, forest and coastline.A unique feature of Philip's Cycle Tours is the superb Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 mapping showing the routes of the rides. This mapping not only gives the detail and clarity you need to follow the route with ease and safety, but allows you to plan short-cuts and detours, to look out for new places of interest, and to become truly involved in the lansdcape you are cycling through. The mapping now shows National Cycle Network routes and National Long-Distance Footpaths.Clear directions are given alongside the mapping, and cross-profile diagrams make planning the pacing of each ride an easy task, even for the beginner. Extra information includes an introduction to the area of the route, nearest railway stations, places of interest with descriptions, guides to refreshment stops, and clear indications of distance, grade and terrain.The books are beautifully and practically designed, with colour photographs throughout the ultra-clear layout.Main map scale: 1:50,000

This spiral-bound guide describes 20 wonderful bike rides in the countryside to the north and west of London. The area offers some excellent and varied cycling: from the challenges of the steep wooded escarpment of the Chilterns in the west to the gentle gradients on networks of quiet lanes in Hertfordshire and north Essex. The book contains 15 road rides (24-35 miles long) and five offroad rides on bridleways and byways (15-21 miles long). All of the rides are highlighted on Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 mapping, seen as the gold standard of mapping for cyclists. Junction-by-junction route instructions guide you from village to village through the region's beautiful rolling countryside. Each ride contains details of distance, grade of difficulty and refreshments along the way (with phone numbers of pubs and cafes so that you can check on opening hours). A height profile gives you warning of any hills to expect and schematic maps show how the ride can either be shortened or linked to adjacent rides for a longer day out. The Chilterns rise to over 800ft (245mts) at several points along the escarpment as it runs northeast from the River Thames at Goring towards Dunstable and Luton. Three of the five offroad rides use the fine stone-based tracks that weave their way through the area's famous beech woodlands which often form a great green tree cathedral overhead. Three of the road rides also explore the Chiltern woodlands, one from Princes Risborough and two around Tring. East of the Chilterns the rides make use of the network of quiet lanes that criss-cross this gently rolling, predominantly arable landscape. Small villages of thatched and half-timbered houses seem to vie with each other for the splendour of their village signs, often intricately carved and painted. The easiest ride in the book follows the Lee Navigation south from Hertford to Limehouse Basin in London: the towpath is one of the best in the whole country.

Originally published in 1994, this fully revised and updated North York Moors guide book contains 22 classic mountain bike routes in the National Park. From the coastal trails around Robin Hood's Bay to Dalby Forest and the open moorland of Guisborough, the guide introduces a huge variety of wilderness trails. Clear hand-drawn maps; precise, easily-followed directions; inspiring and informative photography make the North York Moors guide a perfect companion, whether planning your ride at home or following routes out on the trail.

This guidebook describes 21 mountain biking routes in central and southern Scotland. It includes the 7stanes trail centre in Dumfries and Galloway, as well as cross-country routes in the Campsie Fells, Pentland Hills and Lammermuirs, the Galloway Forest, Tweed Valley, Cheviots and Lowther Hills. The routes range from 17 to 66km and are graded from moderate to very hard. Taking between 2 and 7 hours to complete, they are intended for reasonably fit mountain bikers with at least some experience. Detailed route descriptions are accompanied by 1:50,000 OS mapping, and the selected routes set out from various points across the area, including Greenock, Glentrool, Peebles and Milngavie, with good access from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The guidebook also gives an overview of what the region's MTB trail centres have to offer, including the famous 7stanes trail centre, along with advice on equipment, maintenance and safety. Southern and Central Scotland is renowned for its superlative MTB trail centres, but the region's rolling hill country is also traversed by an extensive network of tracks, paths, forest roads and other trails providing endless possibilities for 'free range' mountain biking.

The Tour de France began as a newspaper publicity stunt designed to do down a rival sports paper: a circumnavigation of the whole country in six colossal stages would make it the longest, hardest, most heroic cycle-race possible, and thereby seize the public's imagination. The organisers of that first Tour in 1903 could scarcely have foreseen just how fervently the race would grip the nation, still less that they were establishing what was to become the world's greatest - and certainly, toughest - annual sporting event. Every July since 1903, interrupted only by world wars, the finest cyclists have assembled to ride the 2,500 miles of La Grande Boucle. Simply to complete a Tour de France is the ambition of every professional cyclist - and to wear the legendary yellow jersey, if only for a day, is a special honour. Golden Stages, first published in 2003 to celebrate the centenary of the Tour, is now republished, with eight additional chapters, to coincide with the 100th Tour. Each writer has selected and told the story of a particular Stage to examine what it is that makes the Tour such a majestic and moving event, beginning with the first stage of the first Tour in 1903, and ending with that stage in 2012 when Bradley Wiggins effectively secured the first overall win by a British rider. Their accounts show how much has changed in the 100 years - the bicycles, the roads, tactics and organisation. But they also show what has not changed - the extravagant scale of the race, the mystique of the maillot jaune, and the courage of all who compete. Those things have remained the same, and they are vividly portrayed here. This second edition does not ignore the dark period the Tour has gone through in the years since 2003; these are addressed in the new Introduction.

Orkney is Scotland's best-kept secret: a supreme outdoor destination that is more accessible than you expect, by ferry or plane. It offers world-class prehistory, approachable wildlife and welcoming Orcadian hospitality. This pilgrimage walk celebrates Orkney's patron saint, Magnus, some 900 years after his martyrdom. The 60-mile St Magnus Way has it all: manageable daily distances, stunning coastal vistas, unique wildlife, tidal islands, historic interest and great variety of terrain. It starts from the site of Magnus' martyrdom on Egilsay and culminates at his cathedral in Orkney's capital Kirkwall. For cyclists, the 67-mile (108 km) St Magnus Cycleway visits the same places as the Way. However it runs almost wholly on tarmac and is readily split into two circuits of 27 and 40 miles respectively (44 km and 64 km respectively). This essential trail guide contains all you need to plan your visit on foot or bike: Foreword by Magnus Linklater biography of St Magnus and his cathedral planning info for travel by car, ferry and plane richly illustrated sections on history, geology and wildlife visit info for museums, distilleries and the World Heritage Site concise step-by-step directions 14 pages with route mapping at 1:30,000 in full colour, with 101 photos.

Queens of Pain tells the remarkable and largely unknown tale of women's cycle racing from the 1890's to the early 1990's. From the fin-de-siecle velodromes of North America to the glamour and chaos of the first women's Tour de France, Queens of Pain offers a sweeping panorama of female racing history. Told through the lives of the great champions, its heroines include stuntwomen and speed skaters, young mothers and teenage tearaways, shop assistants and coal-delivery girls. When prejudice and officialdom denied them one stage they found another: from six-day track racing to epic place to place records, from 12-hour time trials to unofficial road races. The greatly expanded women's racing scene of today is the direct legacy of these pioneering riders whose stories form an unbroken thread since the invention of the bicycle.

1001 Cycling Tips by Hannah Reynolds is a light-hearted and informative guide to all kinds of cycling. This is no standard instruction manual - it is much more useful than that. This is a huge collection of small tips to make a real difference to your cycling, whether you're into road cycling, mountain biking, have an ebike, gravel bike or commute to work on your bike - this book will take you through everything you need to know. The vast range of topics covered includes everything from choosing your bike, the essential kit and clothing you'll need and navigation to fitness, nutrition, bike maintenance at home and on the road, and travelling with your bike. Hannah's no-nonsense advice and vast knowledge base will ensure that you have the right tools to enjoy your cycling and achieve your goals, whether you want to race, climb huge mountains or enjoy days out on two wheels with the family.

'A thoughtful exploration of humanity ... Fabes is great company and makes riding bicycles seem like the best way to see and understand the world' - Guardian They say that being a good doctor boils down to just four things: Shut up, listen, know something, care. The same could be said for life on the road, too. When Stephen Fabes left his job as a junior doctor and set out to cycle around the world, frontline medicine quickly faded from his mind. Of more pressing concern were the daily challenges of life as an unfit rider on an overloaded bike, helplessly in thrall to pastries. But leaving medicine behind is not as easy as it seems. As he roves continents, he finds people whose health has suffered through exile, stigma or circumstance, and others, whose lives have been saved through kindness and community. After encountering a frozen body of a monk in the Himalayas, he is drawn ever more to healthcare at the margins of the world, to crumbling sanitoriums and refugee camps, to city dumps and war-torn hospital wards. And as he learns the value of listening to lives - not just solving diagnostic puzzles - Stephen challenges us to see care for the sick as a duty born of our humanity, and our compassion.

The 1061km Loire Cycle Route starts at the source of the River Loire in the Massif Central mountains of central France and finishes at the Atlantic opposite St Nazaire. It descends past extinct volcanoes, crater lakes and deep gorges before joining EuroVelo route 6, followed by the fully waymarked Loire a Velo, France's most popular cycle trail. Following the river downstream in 26 stages, the route is generally downhill or level, often on dedicated traffic-free cycle tracks. Packed with a wealth of useful information - from practical planning advice to fascinating insights about the river and its surroundings - the guidebook features detailed route descriptions and informative mapping. Details of facilities and places to stay, and a French glossary, are also included. The route goes through the heart of France as the Loire becomes the royal river, bounded by extravagant chateaux, fields of Charolais cattle and vineyards. It passes through historic cities like Orleans and Tours, continuing past Angers and France's fourth largest city Nantes to finish on the Atlantic coast.

Bike With Your Dog tells dog lovers how to safely bike with their dogs and have fun at the same time. For many high-energy dogs, a walk on the leash is simply not enough. Dogs love to run and biking enables them to get the exercise they need. This handy guide shows you how to spend high quality time with your dog, get exercise, and enjoy the outdoors - all at the same time.

"I was on a lonely stretch of road. There were no lights other than the moon and stars, and I had not encountered any traffic in at least 10 minutes. Far ahead of me a figure stepped out of the brush and stood on the shoulder of the road. The figure was still far out of my headlight range, but was visible as a stunning and marvelous silhouette in the bright moonlight."

For more than twenty-five years, FalconGuide has set the standard for outdoor recreation guidebooks. Written by top outdoors experts and enthusiasts, each guide invites you to experience the endless adventure and rugged beauty of the great outdoors.
Road Biking Colorado's Front Range features thirty-two carefully designed rides between Colorado Springs and Fort Collins - from the cities to the foothills and everywhere in between. Let local cyclist Robert Hurst show you how to get the most out of riding along the Front Range, including rides in the Left Hand Canyon, along the Peak-to-Peak Highway, and to Estes Park.
Look inside to find:
" Rides for every fitness level and ability, from an easy 5-mile ramble to a challenging 75-mile classic
" Detailed information about each ride, including directions, length, terrain, traffic conditions, and road hazards
" Vivid descriptions of points of interest
" 3-D, shaded relief maps