cycling adventure In The North Pennines

The Mighty Pennines

For walkers and cyclists, heading to the North of England could make for the perfect adventure. The North Pennines can be the greatest escape for anyone looking to remove themselves from city life and focus on their own wellbeing. The Pennines gained the title Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1988 as it is one of the greatest landscapes in the UK, so if you haven’t been already – you’re really missing out.

But what makes the ‘mighty Pennines’ worth visiting?

Depending on what you plan to do there, whether you’re a hiker or a cyclist, there will never be a dull moment. With the stunning views that this heritage site provides, you will constantly be pushing yourself to find the most magnificent spot – although this could prove to be difficult as the entire area is breath-taking.

This place can be challenging at times, but that seems to be the core reason as to why people keep returning regularly to head out and achieve more of their goals. The North Pennines has heather moors, peatlands, dales, meadows, upland rivers and woodland areas, meaning you have plenty to explore when you get there.

With the help of Leisure Lakes Bikes, we’re going to plan your entire itinerary. So, grab your cube mountain bikes and hiking boots and make your way to this stunning part of the country to create everlasting memories…

Where to start?

One of the better cycle routes in the North Pennines is the Wear & Rockhope Valleys, as it has a bit of everything. From the Burnhope Reservoir to Lintzgarth Arch, the beautiful scenes will encourage you to keep pedalling and complete this trail.

You should begin at the Durham Dales Centre in Stanhope, so if you’re staying for the night you might want to book a hotel close by where you can relax after that long ride. The Durham Dales Centre is home to a gift shop, craft shop and tea room, giving you the opportunity to have a warm drink before you set off on your journey.

Beginning your journey

Once you’ve got your bike ready and you’re all prepared to leave, exit the Durham Dales Centre and follow the A689 towards Stanhope Town Hall – don’t be tempted to stop at the Stanhope Fish and Chips shop, you need to stay focused.

Continue to follow this road and you will eventually come to a bridge that you need to cross. Proceed in the direction you’re currently going in, before taking your third right and following the road upwards. You will pass Greenfoot Hotel and Greenhead Farm before eventually reaching Rockhope. If you need to have a break in Rockhope, The Rockhope Inn would be the ideal place to stop. It has outdoor seating so you can grab a drink and freshen yourself up.

Once you’ve passed Saint John’s Church, continue forward where you will then reach the town centre. Here, take your second left, following the main road channelling the Rockhope Burn river where you will come to Allenheads. Once you’ve reached Allenheads, a stopping off point would be the Allenheads Inn as it a popular destination for cyclists and hikers alike.

Once you come into Allenheads, take a right and stay on the B6295 road and you will be in Cowshill. In Cowshill, the only place you will be able to stop at will be the Cowshill Hotel. Fortunately, they are more than welcoming to cyclists who are stopping by for a well-deserved break. After this visit, follow the road downwards where you will come to the A689 road — remain on this road and continue to Ireshopeburn.

Then you will cycle past St John’s Chapel and Daddry Shield — make sure to stay on Pleasant Road and not divert onto any other route. This area is full of different cafes and pubs, including Chatterbox Café, The Golden Lion and The Blue Bell Inn. You will then reach Brotherlee, where you need to remain on the road that you’re currently on and eventually you will pass Horsley Hall – a country hotel. Continue following this road and you will reach a bridge crossing the River Wear. Take the right onto the B6278 here and you will be back in Stanhope!

To complete your journey, take a right and head back towards the Durham Dales Centre and relax!

How long will it take?

The entire distance to complete this route is 24.36 miles. If you’re completing this at a speed of 10mph, you should complete this in 2 hours, 26 minutes. For those who are a bit quicker, at 13mph you will reach the finish line in 1 hour, 52 minutes.

At 19mph though, you will complete this course in 1 hour and 16 minutes. If you’re going 22mph, however, you will complete this cycle route in just 1 hour and 6 minutes.

Any challenges?

Hills can be a test for some cyclists and depending on the weather conditions, these can become even more challenging. Fortunately, we’ve listed these in advance so that you know what you’re in for:

• The Brandon Walls and Hill Top has a height of 1570ft and will take 2 miles to complete.
• Rookhope Head has a height of 1745ft and will only take 0.75 miles.
• Burtree Fell has a height of 1836ft and will take up 1.8 miles of your journey.

Source:

http://www.explorenorthpennines.org.uk/

http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=42072

http://www.northpennines.org.uk/

Next cycling holiday New Dehli

Today I want to talk about a trip I am planning and take you through how I plan a trip. My destination of choice is India. I have always been mesmerized by India. It has an enchanting allure. India has been on my travel bucket list since I was young. I find India fascinating everything from the culture and history of India to the food and people. It is so endearing.

You all know I love History and I am excited to learn more about India. This trip will be my husband and me. I love all things culture and he loves cycling. So I am hoping to combine the two at some point. We have decided on our first trip to India that we will head to New Dehli.

First I need to lock down the flights. As you know I am in Scotland. The flight will be Glasgow to London Heathrow then on to New Dehli. This will be about 12 hours. I actually thought it would be longer. Yes this is going to be an expensive trip I will need to save hard for this travel. I always have a travel budget set aside for big adventure. 

Next up, I need to make an online hotel booking in New Dehli. Thank goodness for the internet. How did we book hotels before the internet? I am using Cleartrip to find the best deal. I have the hotels down to a top two. One being Welcomhotel Dwarka and the other being The Lalit New Delhi. Both have modern spacious rooms with all the amenities you could want and more.  There really are so many choices on Cleartrip.

So our flights and hotel are sorted. Now its time to make a list of what we really want to do whilst we are in New Delhi. Yes, I want to immerse myself in the culture, the markets, the rickshaws the people but also You know I need to see as much of the history as I possibly can. I will, of course, need a couple of rest day If at all possible. To chill out and relax at the hotel spa. Especially as I have quite a long list of things I want to see and do on our trip.

Image from Pixabay

Of course, first up is no shock the Taj Mahal. I have dreamed of visiting here since I was young. I remember seeing photos of Diana princess of wales standing so elegantly outside this gorgeous building and It was hard to imagine something so beautiful could be built so long ago.

Image from Pixabay

The Red Fort. I can not wait to go here. This is was the home to Mughal dynasty for over 200 years. It is an architectural masterpiece. It also has an onsite museum. Which you know I will love as I love to learn a new fact or two about history. 

Humayun's Tomb. This is another building from the Mughal dynasty. I have heard it is one of the most beautiful tombs in the world. I won't go too far into the history of everything as this is another post on its own.

I would love to book a trip to see the tigers in the wild. This is something I will really need to look into further. This would be a big dream come true. But since this will be our first trip to India. I don't want to spend a lot of time travelling. Maybe we will have to come back to do a specific safari type tour. 

I will also be booking one of the many cycle tours. I think this will be a fun and unique way to see the sights of New Dehli. I know my husband will love this. 

This is my initial trip planning. I still have a long way to go. Have you been to India? What do you recommend to do and see? What cannot be missed? Now that our online hotel booking and flights are sorted. Its time to get even more excited to discover this wonderful country for ourselves. 

van conversion - making a high bed for underneath bike storage

Today let talk about my non-negotiable about the van conversion. I wanted a high bed for bikes to be stored under it with a good quality mattress. 

I am not a good sleeper and before we even ventured on this endeavour. My husband had to agree that the bed would be super comfortable and easy for me to get in to. MMM well, one is right. 

First things first the mattress. The very essence of the bed. I know that a lot of people scrimp on the mattress and use foam but that is just not how I roll. 

We choose memory foam 6000 reflex support orthopaedic medium tension mattress From happybeds.co.uk This is double and was only £114.00

This is anti-allergy and anti dustmite. I have asthma so this is a must for a mattress for me. We choose memory foam as it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. which is perfect for van conversion. It has a zip off cover which is also ideal for a van conversion as you want to be able to wash it. 

Regular double bed

 OH MY GOODNESS this mattress is the nicest I have ever slept on. My husband is never one to really notice matresses he is blessed with being able to sleep anywhere but he said this is the comfiest thing he has ever slept on. It really is divine and The service from Happybed.co.uk was super fast and even delivers to the highlands! 

The bed is made of wood supported frame and plywood top. all done with screws and joins. 

this was super easy to pop together and install. we had to do the measurement right to make sure all our bikes fit under.  from mountain bikes to downhill bikes. 

Also, there needs to be enough headroom so that sitting up on the bed was easy and didn't feel coffin-like. 

 Luckily the bed fitted in across the van as if it didn't we would have lost loads of space the benefit of a Fiat Decato over any other vans. 

I will explain this little addition in another post in detail but this is our bike storage solution. 
the bed is a bit too high for me to get up to,  I had to buy one of those little kid steps so I can reach the bed. 

Van conversion attaching floor and seating bench

As you read on the last post the insulation is in and now we just placed the old plywood. which came with the backdown and screwed it in place. 

At this stage, we had already gone through the pros and cons of different heaters and selected this propex HS2000. If you want a pro and cons post let me know. 

With this, we knew we need a chest in the van for storage of the heater, battery and gas bottle. The height of the bench was determined by the size of gas bottle we wanted to store. 

 Before my husband put the plywood back on he installed the electrics. I am not going to pretend I know how he did this all I know is this took a lot of fiddling with wires and feeding cables through hosepipe. Again if you would like a post on how he did this I can do one for you all? Just let me know in the comments. 

 You might notice we carpeted behind the chest. There will be a full post on how we did the carpeting but i just wanted to point this out.

 The propex HS200 comes with a really straightforward dial for heating the van. I really like that you can also blow cold air into the van in the summer. Will be great for keeping our dogs cool on hot days. 

the electrics for the van which had to be housed in the chest. 

The chest was created out of tongue and groove wooden flooring. 

This was all wood glued together and designed by my husband. This was also gifted to us by a family friend. At this point, I want to mention the reason we didn't use this as flooring in our van. the Flooring is really good quality wood thus meaning it is really heavy. It just would have made the van too heavy with this thought out. 

The chest had to have two cut out for the fans for the heater and most importantly the USB. The power through the van is 12v. this need to be bored in mind when buying items and for charging phones etc. 

charger and battery gage. 

We actually made this with the hinges on the inside. opening backwards but after testing this just didn't work as the top is super heavy and hard to open. We had to go back and replace these

Added a cheap Ikea sun lounger top as the seat and the bench is complete. 

Don't forget to check back in for the next update. 

van conversion -what flooring for muddy bikers

So you may not know this but my husband and I have a side project at the moment. We will be documenting it as it progresses but I wanted to tell you about this week's struggles. 

Flooring. As It's driving me up the wall. 

We bought a Fiat Ducato van to convert into a motorhome. To make life easier to travel with our bikes and our dogs. After what felt like months of searching we found a van. This started the never-ending search for van components and content. 

My job this week is flooring. OH, MY goodness who knew flooring would have me spending hours on the internet. Trying to find out what you can and can't put in a van convert. from carpet to wood flooring, what is right for the van.

I felt like Goldie locks as I sat with charts and diagrams. Finding out that click wooden flooring is too heavy and decals are not good enough. Have you ever thought about the weight or depth of flooring before? No me either and contrary to believe, I have bought flooring before. when it's for your house you don't really think about the millimetres, do you. There are so many types of wooden flooring. 

What do I need
I need the flooring to make the van not only waterproof but also look good. It must cover the entire back of the van. Be easy to fit and not look like an old kitchen floor. It has to be easy to clean with dogs and mucky bikers inside. It must be not too thick and not too thin. The floor is insulted but this will also add some warmth.  You must remember you need every extra millimetre of height as this is your living room. 

I looked at carpet tiles but they seemed really difficult to find and they can be hard to cut to shape. plus once water gets into them, I worry about them not drying out completely and then there is the possibility of them smelling or going mouldy. So that's a no to any kind of carpet than for the floor. 

Why are van converts so difficult to the floor. I have decided that it will have to be good quality flooring That will last the test of time and give us the waterproofing we need and the style, we want.  This will be our home away from home and I am not sacrificing style and quality. 
they will be easy to fit and easy to cleans. This ticks all my boxes. 

Now I have the biggest choice of what pattern do I want. I looked at loads and I have decided on a light ash wood effect. This giving a more rustic look. I initially wanted a dark floor but my husband pointed out two reasons this wouldn't work. One being our lovely white-haired dalmatian and two dark colours can make small spaces seem enclosed. Our kitchen unit is an oak colour so this should match quite well. I will pop photos in when we have completed the job. 

Van conversion the Why and What

 


My husband and I have been thinking about this for a while and we have decided to bite the bullet and finally agreed to buy a van to convert to a campervan. 

I have friends who bought a van conversion through Gumtree but this was in Australia.  This meaning they could travel throughout Australia without paying a fortune for accommodation. They did this on a cheap budget with the view to either sell on the van or scrap, it when they when finished travelling. This is what inspired us to do this ourselves. I thought I would discuss the process we have gone through so far with you all.

Why do we want a van conversion?
Well, as you know we have two beautiful dogs and a passion for mountain biking. We love to travel and take the pups with us. It is not always the easiest as a lot of hotels don't accept dogs. Mountain biking is awesome but it can be super cold and wet and come back to a freezing car to change clothes and get warm is not the best. Plus I worry about the dogs getting too cold or hot in the car. Our dog Millie has mild hip dysplasia so she can't bike with us. It would be nice for her to have somewhere to chill when we are biking. So we started to discuss getting a van. We did look at motorhomes but these are super expensive for something reliable and would fit our needs.


What do you need in the van?
We had to go through all the pros and cons of getting a van to convert ourselves. What does the van definitely need to have to make it doable? 

1. First a bed. We need somewhere to sleep for us and the dogs Enough room for a big dog bed. 
2. Bike storage for up to four bikes. 
3. Biking kit storage. 
4. A good heater.  I hate being cold. 
5. Somewhere to cook 
6. a small sink.
7. we need a seat. 
8. table to eat at. 

When we worked out the minimum things we would need. It became apparent we needed a big van. I did not want a toilet or shower in the van. I can think of nothing worse than this in the small space of a van. Just the basics for a few night away or going to a campsite. 

What size of van?
Well taking in to account the above we needed a big van. goodbye, small van easy to park vans and hello long wheelbase. We had a look at ford transits. We were pretty certain this is what we wanted until we looked at them and yes they can be big but they just were not big enough. We looked at a lot of these and none of them fitted our requirements. We decided on a Fiat Ducato. This has a long wheelbase and it taller than the ford transit and a bit longer. 

What we wanted in the van.
The van had to be at least registered in 2010 and less than 100,000 miles on the clock. Be clean inside and out. This was really important as I have asthma and there are some things you can not clean out of a van. We wanted a full year's MOT and good tyres. Preferably no advisories on the MOT and complete service history. I know we are not asking much, are we?

Where to find a van.
The journey to find a van is a long process. I had visions of us turning up at a garage and boom we have a new van. Nope, this is not the case. 

We both spent hours on Gumtree, AutoTrader and local van sale facebook groups. Hoping to grab a bargain. We even went to a British car auction. But no luck there either. 

This was a long process made harder by the fact that there appeared to only be six Fiat Ducato vans in our price range in the country. We travelled 535.6 miles one day to look at a van, that we were told was in amazing condition. We got there after a marathon drive to find a van which looked like a cement bags had been tipped over the inside and have no wing mirrors as well as a lot of cosmetic damage. The photos we were sent was of a van they had previously sold. Yes, my husband had asked about the condition and was told how excellent it was. At this point, I lost faith in humanity and by the humanity I mean van sales centres in Reading.

 we go on the search we go and finally, we find our van. If you haven't used gumtree before where have you been? living under a rock? Ok, I Joke. it's an awesome sight. It reminds me of ads you used to get in the newspaper but are now all online. it's super easy to navigate and there are loads of bargains.
It makes looking for a van super easy. Gumtree is not just for Vans but everything you can imagine. We even sold our old furniture through gumtree when we moved house. So drumroll Please

We bought a 2012 Fiat Decato with 70,000 miles on it. it is super clean and is an ex Joiners van. The gentleman who sold it to us said he kept it super clean as he gets a £500 bonus from the company he works for, for doing so.  

I'd like to introduce you to the Duke. 

I will be updating you all as We go along with the Duke's progress. So don't forget to check back for more posts and lots of tips and trick to help you convert your own van. 

Meet Duke our new van conversion for bikes and dogs

I'd like to introduce you to our fiat Decato.

It took months to find the perfect van. We wanted something big. We looked at lots of ford transit but the just didn't seem big enough for our needs. There is two of us and two dogs to fit in the van with mountain bikes so it had to have plenty of room. one of our main reason for getting the van is to travel more with our dogs. 

I thought it would be fun to take you all along on the conversion of Duke into our new home on wheels. Here is what it looked like when we bought it. 

 We think it was a joiners van.

As you can see there is a lot of work to do to make this a van conversion. My husband is doing the work with my assistance but this is his baby so to speak.

First things first rip everything out.

We stripped everything right back to the metal and cleaned it out. We were very lucky the van was kept in good condition.

Next up lining the van with insulation. This was made harder with the lack of Celotex insulation boards. My husband did loads of research into what insulation would be the best for us. I have asthma and this was the best option for us.

 The celotex had to be cut to size for the wall panel these where then sparey guled into place.

next, a frame had to be built for the floor to hold the Celotex in place and make the floor level. 

This was then left to dry. This in all, cost about £8 for the wood to build the frame and the glue was a bit more expensive at £5 per can and we used about 12 for the whole van. The Celotex was in 25cm and 50cm sheets they measure 2.4m x 1.2meters. This came in at £200 approx.

Stay tuned for the progress post.

Fitness on holiday? What do you really need?

When travelling, many people look for hotels that offer something more, including top of the line fitness features. What's important to you when you travel?

No matter where you are travelling to from Hull in the UK to Huston in the USA your fitness requirements are always the same.  What do you look for when selecting hotels? If you've already picked the destination and are scanning the various amenities and features of each of the accommodations in the area, do you think about your fitness needs? For some people, the thought of going on a trip means forgetting all about their workouts and routines. For others, it's a habit. It might be a must for your health or you may love the way your body feels after a solid workout. For those who think it matters, there are some key features to look for in a hotel before you book your stay.

The Fitness Room
One of the most common features to look for in these hotels is a gym. You need to think about what you need? Do you normally do a 10k on a treadmill followed by free weights? You need to check your hotel or complex has these items. I would check to see if they have a running circuit. Some hotel has mapped out running or cycling routes. 

The Spa
You are on holiday and this is the time to get a bit of TLC especially if like me you work out hard. A good massage can do wonders for your body. If there a jacuzzi and a steam room on offer if so great these can help the muscles relax.  

The Onsite Options
What about trying something new like a game of tennis? Or a round of golf? Is there an opposite pool or even better beach with options to scuba dive or snorkel? 

There is no excuse to let your fitness take a back seat when you are travelling. Unless of course, this is what you want to do. But if not do your research. 

looking for a more travel-based blogger go check out my friend Rebecca she will have you covered on all on the best places to travel too and when to go. 

Thinking about going camping for the first time.

Camping becomes more popular with each passing year. Camping is not just pitching a tent and roughing it out for the week. There are many advantages to camping, getting back to nature, enjoying time away from the phone signal. Maybe taking a bike or going on a hike to a new area. It's an adventure. 

pixabay.com

We live such a fast-paced and online lifestyle. Camping is the perfect alternative to our modern-day would. It is great to get the kids out and about and teach them how to camp and enjoy nature. It is so easy to forget the little pleasures in life. Like waking up to a mountain range as the sun rises or walking up to the sound of the waves hitting the beach. It's all about getting back time for yourself and finding the joy in the outside again. So why not start this as your new hobby. 

You can make camping a second home if the budget allows for it or a budget trip the world is your oyster.  

There are many advantages to camping, You have the freedom to choose what type of trip you would like to do. From heading to the hill for solitude to heading to a campsite which has lots of facilities from biking trails nearby to outdoor swimming pools. You really can find a campsite for you. 

campsites vary in price from the basic tent pitches to ones that have restaurants and spas. The good thing about camping is once you get to your destination, the cost is no more than being at home. Other than the cost of the campsite, there are no other costs. unless you want to indulge at a bit. The choice is up to you. Camping can open up the world to you. Especially if you are on a budget. 

You can cook at your campsite on an outdoor camping stove as you do at home, if not cheaper. Activites at all campgrounds are virtually free. As a new camper you will have to invest some money to buy some camping gear. Depending on the type of camping you are interested in, depends on the amount you will invest. 

The basic items for any camper include;
tents,
sleeping bags,
outdoor camping stove, 
camping chairs,
lanterns.
Pillow, 
roll mats, 
water containers, 
cutlery, 
plates,
mug, 
kettle. 

Be sure to buy quality camping gear, as this will provide many years of reliable service. this is not a place to scrimp and save.  The startup cost for camping could start around two hundred pounds and go upwards. A good quality tent is essential. 

On the other hand, if you want a home away from home, the price to start up can be beyond most people’s dreams. In fact, it could be like buying a small home, which is exactly what you will be doing. 
No matter which way you decide to camp, it is a terrific activity that the entire family can be a part of.

I hope this has helped you on your camping journey. No matter where you end up taking a moment to enjoy it, 

Taking your dog on a flight?

Luckily for us dog owners, these animals travel by air better than cats. If the dog is accustomed to car travel, then air travel shouldn't be a problem at all. Use the following dog air travel tips for safe and pleasant aeroplane travel with your best furry friend. Lets face it we want our trail dogs to come with us on big adventures. So here is what you need to do. 

Certify Your Dogs Health before Air Travel

Not only is dog air travel better for your dog if the dog is healthy, but it's actually the law. The law requires that a dog has been certified within 10 days of the trip to be healthy, vaccinated, and free from contagious diseases. This is a very important for any pet travel, large or small.

Avoid Excessive Temperatures

Ensure the safety of your dog during air travel by never flying with your dog while temperatures are too hot. Many airliners put "heat embargos" and/or even "cold embargos" on dog air travel during the summer and winter months respectively. This means that the airliners prohibit dog air travel during these times. This shouldn't be seen as a problem, because the airlines do it to prevent disease or death, and guarantee a safe flight for your dog.

Overseas Dog Air Travel May Involve Quarantine

For international dog air travel, keep in mind that some isolated countries, such as New Zealand, quarantine animals arriving by air. Before traveling and booking reservations, familiarize yourself with the laws, requirements, and procedures of your particular destination. Unless your flight is non-stop, remember that you may have to deal with regulations in multiple places. If this is going to cause your pup too much stress live them at home. It will be better for both of you in the long run. 

Don't sedate Your Dog During Air Travel

Although sedation may seem like a good idea during air travel, it isn't. Sedatives are the leading cause of death or sickness of dogs during air travel. A dog can't receive immediate or professional medical care during air travel, so unnecessary medications do more harm than good. In fact, many airliners reject sedated pets as a safety precaution.

Obedience During Dog Air Travel

Training your dog before airline travel is the best way to ensure a good flight. Unfortunately, even short air travel means hours of separation between owners and their dogs (except for service dogs). Your medium to large size dog will be confined to a shipping crate for the entire flight. Again if this is going to cause your dog any stress do not do it. 

You can help relinquish the strain and discomfort on your dog by preparing him for dog air travel beforehand. Do this by getting your dog used to being inside a travel crate for extended periods of time. Also, make sure your dog works well with strangers, namely in busy, frantic, or uncomfortable environments. This will do wonders for traveling with your large furry companion.

Hope this has helped you.