Category: Adventure

This summer has been pretty unusual in that I decided to take my summer holiday in the UK, well… Wales to be precise – so no planes, and no trains – instead bicycles and campervans, and numerous flotation devices from paddle boards, sea kayaks, to power boats that ruled the waves, which always means adventure in my book.

I’ve had Vinnie my VW campervan for nearly two years now. So far, we’ve shared many day trips to the beach, weekend trips to see friends further afield, week long stays in Cornwall and the Lakes, and more recently a summer holiday to Wales. With nine days of annual leave booked I wanted to head somewhere new, somewhere I’d not been before. So with new horizons in my sights, I decided to head to the mountains in Wales. You may ask, why Wales? In June 2021 I went on hols with some Bella Velo girlfriends with a company called Glaudax Cycle Tours and discovered the delights of the Elan Valley and the remoteness of the hills, which prepared me well for the Pennine Rally in July 2021. But this year I was looking for something a little more chilled. A holiday with no 6 or 7am alarm calls for 8am departures, I wanted to enjoy being in nature, ideally soaking in some rays during the day and the milky way and stars by night. And so began the tale of two halves… 

Part 1 – Inland in Cantraf and the Brecons Beacons 

The first gem was arriving at the campsite that Jasmijn had suggested – what a view! Not only was the campsite the perfect spot for a sunset, it also provided the optimal viewing spot to watch the sunrise – I never get bored of watching either. And not having a loo in Vinnie meant an early morning walk for a wee – and as every cloud has a silver lining, with every early rise I was rewarded with the sunrise. 

During my time in the Brecons I ventured on two wheels out on the Taff Trail, saw the Brecons Mountain Railway train, passed loads of lakes, breezed along canal paths, cycled through military land (with permission) and witnessed the most spectacular views. I enjoyed ice-cream, homecooked Welsh cakes, eat the best steak I’ve tasted in months, and sampled some home-cooked BBQ lamb that had been marinading in a delicious mix of herbs and spices for over 24 hours. Much of the above was thanks to the hospitality, kindness and generosity of Jasmijn for taking me out on the trails, and her husband Chris for being a master chef on the BBQ. 

If you fancy checking out my bike routes on Strava, have a look here ‘Taff Trail’ and here ‘Brecons Loop’. 

In addition to two wheels, me and Jasmijn ventured out on a walk up to the Fforest Fawr Geopark. And as tempting as it was to swim in the glacial lake at the top, it was not remotely tempting to take a dip in the river flowing down the mountain… it was freezing, properly bone chilling as soon as you put your feet in. It was interesting to do this walk and to discover some more about the heritage of the region, plus read about the legends and tales that have been captured over the years. 

Part 2 – Out by the coast and playing on the sea in Nefyn

The drive from the Brecons to Nefyn was stunning. In total the journey time was 4.5 hours. Taking in many twists and turns through narrow lanes and the stunning Snowdonia National Park, I was not short of beautiful views to keep me alert and on the ball. I also had a range of CDs (yes, CDs) to sing along to. From Andrea Botchelli to Anastasia, I had a retro kickback to tickle my tonsils. I guess that’s also another benefit of solo travelling, you don’t need to negotiate the route you’re going to take, or the music you’re going to sing along to. 

It’s true to say that some things never change – and that’s my spirit for adventure. So, I knew I was in good company with my uni friend and round the world travel buddy, Cat! We’ve shared and experienced so many incredible moments together and even though we don’t get to do so much together these days, when we do get together, we really are up for anything active and do effortlessly squeeze the most out of every day. 

From morning cycles around local hills, to afternoon swims and paddle board adventures, to sun-downer BBQs in different bays, and watching the super moon rise over the saddle of the hills in Nefyn as we kayaked by night under the stars – this experience was quite unique and magical, and I think we may have witnessed the last super moon of 2022. Following a haze of peachy light in the distance, a blazing ball of pink fiery light literally rose from nowhere. Moreover, with the super moon shining bright, the tide came right up to the seawall – this made for an interesting knee deep walk along the beach at the end of our adventurous and fun packed evening. 

At the other end of the scale, the night before we’d had our glad rags on and danced the night way at the Nefyn Sailing Club summer dinner. I’ve not danced or sang like that in a long time and it felt bloody brilliant, you can’t beat a crazy boogie to classic 80’s power ballads and 90’s super tracks.  

A life of adventure 

It’s not very often that I have some relatively unplanned and unstructured time. But what I loved most about taking this trip was my conscious decision to not plan much, other than the first two nights accommodation in Cantref in the Brecons, and that I was driving on to Nefyn on day six, then planning to drive home on day 9.  I knew I’d see Jasmijn in the Brecons and Cat and her boys in Nefyn, but the rest was open to evolution – no fixed plans, just the intention to have an adventure and to have fun. And what a raft for magic taking that approach created.

Sometimes I am refuelled by doing very little, then at other times I’m refuelled by playing and being active outside in nature. I realise that it’s a rare gift to have a staycation when the temperature stays on average 28 degrees day on day, with blue skies and blazing sunshine – and for that I’m extremely grateful and thankful.  

I hope you’ve also managed to discover and enjoy some natural gems this summer. 

All photos my own.

Train tickets purchased… rental bikes ordered and paid for… AirBnB booked… bag packed (yup, one small trolly dolly for ten days), passport in hand – and I’m ready for the off!

For one reason or another, March was a pretty weird, stressful, and unusual month (take your pick of those words, they all fit the situation). I’m not going to go into that here as it’s not the topic I want to share. What I do want to talk about is the excitement of going on a new adventure and to a new destination, to me never explored before.

Two trains, no planes, and one automobile

Leaving the office in Leicester Square to get to St. Pancras International launched the start of our train journey from the UK to Spain, and before I knew it, I was with Tricia, Alison and Ruth on the Eurostar whizzing through the countryside on our way to Paris. The train is such an amazing way to travel, so much to see, people to watch, imaginary stories to make up about their lives and where they are going, to entertain us on our way. With a gin and tonic in hand, and much chatter, the time passed quickly. Before we know it we were enjoying another tipple in a bar in France!

After a welcome sleep at our hotel, we split into two; Ruth and me opting for a taxi to get across Paris, Alison and Tricia choosing to walk to the Gare du Lyon, before regrouping for breakfast and stage two of our journey from Paris to Girona. I hadn’t realised that France had implemented a ban on short haul flights, encouraging travellers out of the sky and onto the SNCF – perhaps that’s why it was full to the brim?

As I write, me and Tricia are watching the virtual realtime map as we approach the French / Spanish border. It’s not only been lovely to catch up and chat, but also brilliant to see the countryside change as we’ve gone through Nimes, Montpellier, and now the mountains are emerging on the horizon.

This trip will be different to others, as we’ve organised it ourselves – well, in reality Alison has done most of the heavy lifting, suggesting the idea of going to Girona in the first place, finding the AirBnB, and much more. So, what’s different about this trip? The first four days we’ll be having two wheeled adventures on our road bikes, followed by a further four days off road on gravel. With routes sourced through friends and fellow adventurers, we have approximately 40 to choose from. I love this kind of adventure, when there’s a bit of a plan and structure in place, but in reality, the days evolve as does the exploring of new territory.

I’ve heard that Girona has many coffee bars… and I love fresh coffee but it doesn’t seem to like me… but that’s not going to stop me sampling some deliciousness. Let’s hope the caffeine headaches don’t last for too long!

The Stats – My distance on two wheels

• 598km in total, road and gravel
• 7,750 metres climbed, road and gravel

Those numbers may not be huge but they tell a story of travel, adventure, giggles and much fun!

Favourite days in the saddle

In truth I’d say all of them, but if I had to pick two…

Road

Our ride to the coast where we saw some of the Volta a Catalunya. The scenery is just incredible, the variety endless over the rolling hills and down to the sea. Great company and chat too! Pushing our timing a little having been stopped by the rolling road closures for the race, we eventually made it back to base before sundown.

Gravel

This ride was titled ‘So much fun’. True to its name, the route was properly out in the wilds. It was like being a kid again, flying through the trees, off the beaten track, over sand, rocks, tree roots, little bumps, big downhills, a few 20% sections up to navigate, this route had it all! Me and Maria added a few extra KMs going around Banyoles lake, then caught up with Alison and Ruth for the wooded section flying up and down some paths and tracks in the trees.

I’d happily go back and do both of these rides again, and many more for that matter.

Tasty treats to fuel the fire

Hands down, the three things that pop into my head are the seafood pizza at the coast. Totally by chance we found a restaurant overlooking the sea, quite a wonderful location. And all this before we had the surprise of watching the pros in the Volta a Catalunya.

Second were the cakes at La Fabrica. Nestled in the cobbled streets of old Girona this place is utterly amazing, the cakes are out of this world, and the food is super tasty – perhaps made even more delicious after a five hour ride in the rain when you’ve skipped lunch, and need to replenish the stocks before you face-plant on the pavement. In all seriousness, I highly recommend this café, it tickles and pleasures to all the senses.

Third were the prawns me and Alison ate on our last gravel day. Me and Helen found this restaurant in the middle of nowhere the day before, I’d eaten a packet of crisps and a chocolate croissant (which was utterly divine) and drank a coke, before we raced the clock back to Girona to get Helen’s bike back to the shop for 5pm – but that’s another story of all together, skipping lunch whilst riding is not wise but does cause hilarity and much resourcefulness. Thankfully, with a minute on our side, our mission was complete and we finished with a fabulous Aperol Aperitz in the Placa de la Independencia, taking in the sunshine – happy days!

Making memories

It feels like I’ve been away from home for a long time. In fact, ten days is a long time. We’ve made the most of every minute, hunted out new adventures, taken on new challenges, and discovered new ground – whilst also learning new things about each other, be that bike skills, family history, dance moves, and a host of other quirks to entertain and keep us smiling.

Whether on road or gravel, it has been incredible to cycle through the rolling Girona hills and see the snow-capped Pyrenean mountains in the background… they are in complete contrast to the red poppies and other fauna flowers dancing in the wind and spring blossom popping out on the trees.

This week has thrown everything at us… wind, drizzle, biblical rain, and finally some very welcome sunshine!! The geography here is vast and makes me realise – again – how on top of each other we are in the UK. Of course, most capital cities like London and Paris are busy. In contrast, it’s been great to have ten days away, with the majority spent outside in nature, in fresh air, in the elements, with friends who share a love of the great outdoors making memories to treasure.

Now on our train journey home, we are rolling out of Girona on the TGV towards Perpignan… to the left I can see the snow-capped mountains of Andorra. Funny to think that whilst we’ve been cycling, only a matter of a few kilometres away people are skiing and enjoying the mountains in a completely different way. It seems they spark joy all times of the year for many people – I know they do for me.

A big THANK YOU for all the giggles you gorgeous group of gravel girls ❤️

Alison (Dexy), Ruth (Root), Claire (Lady M), Maria (Magic Doctor), Tricia (Wordle Queen), Helen (Sharpie), Karen (Kamikazi)!

Until next time…