In the zone.

Just in case you are mad to ride Traws Eryri this year and haven't got yourself sorted... my friend Phil mtbwales has three spaces on a guided trip departing 19 May. It's a belter of a ride. If you want to read all about it:
theguardian.com/travel/2023/au…

Been riding these hills - Black Mountains - for over 20 years, but I never grow tired of the interplay between light and colour in the landscape, especially during the transition from season to season. Now you see it, now you don’t - Welsh magic, and the preserve of cyclists.

Tour of the Olchon Valley with a stop at Llanveynoe church, to suck up a bit of this spring fever which seems to be sweeping the nation. Chiff chaffs and curlews, lesser celandines and wood anemones in the sod banks and soft light on the hillsides. Mighty!

Cycling to the pub last night, for the first time in 2024, past sod banks dotted with primroses under a waxing moon. Critical moment in the year. Beyond words.

I did an interview with Andy Dix, founder of Twmpa Cycles in a new series called 'Meet Your Maker', for WhitneySawmill. The mill is now owned by Woodland Heritage, a wonderful charity at the heart of restoring a wood culture across the UK #madeinUKday
whitneysawmills.com/latest-news/20…

I did an interview with Andy Dix, founder of Twmpa Cycles in a new series called 'Meet Your Maker', for WhitneySawmill. The mill is now owned by Woodland Heritage, a wonderful charity at the heart of restoring a wood culture across the UK.
#madeinUKday
whitneysawmills.com/latest-news/20…

It's #WorldBookDay - principally a feast of words and ideas for school children, but more broadly it is an opportunity to celebrate the written word and everything else that goes between two covers. To that end, on this day, may I humbly offer up, for steel nerds, my own work.

Putting in some quality miles on the lanes in the Isle of Man this week, between the pillaging storms. Such a glorious place to ride a bike, even in February!

Good article by Adam Weymouth on growing bere barley in the Hebrides, on landrace populations and their value to agriculture in the convulsions of climate change, and on how lessons from the edge may be more important than we imagined.
inkcapjournal.co.uk/the-ancient-cr…

Just when you think the next sentence couldn’t possibly be more Alan Partridge, it goes there.

Give yourself 5 minutes. Enjoy.

Cracking few days riding Markus Stitz ‘s new #bikepacking route - Route YC - along the coast, over the moors and through the frosted forests of North York Moors NP with Erwin Sikkens, Charlotte Eleanor Broughton and others. Lovely folk to ride with. Weather was kind. Words in Guardian soon.

Not JPR, please no.

Health built into streets. Affordable transport for all, decarbonisation and travel independence for the next generation, all built into the every-day.
Tell me why anyone would fight against this.

In a recent poll, just 28% of people know that drivers should leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking people cycling at speeds of up to 30mph. Please leave space for cyclists. #OperationClosePass

📸: Dave Walker

A turn through the Mynydd Ddu Forest to catch the last dibs of the winter solstice, yesterday. Such a critical day in the year if you crave sunlight and wind on your face. I baked bread, lit two fires, communed with trees, and went for a ride. Begone, darkness. Gimme the light.

Excellent review of Max Leonard ‘s new book ‘A Cold Spell’ in The Times today. I’m half way through the book: it’s terrific - sharp, witty, fascinating - as you might expect if you’ve read his books. Nice work, Mr Leonard.

Favour, please… details of any amazing Welsh charities working expressly with young people (on pretty much anything… homelessness, arts, conservation…) All ideas received with gratitude.

Moroccan cycle touring tan linzzz.

Introducing the #StateOfOurTrailsReport 2023.⁠ Today we release our unique study into the state of terrestrial pollution on our trails.

Read the Report here: trashfreetrails.org/2023-state-of-…

#ProtectOurTrails