Price
£1,595.00 based on 2 people sharing a Twin/Double Room
($1,993.75 USD or $2,855.05 AUD)
£300.00 deposit
£550.00 single room supplement
Dates
3rd May to 11th May 2024
1 Male place in Twin Room
2nd May to 10th May 2025
LEJOG August 2019 was excellent, it was exceptionally well organised, friendly and a great experience. The Pedal Britain crew worked very hard to ensure everything was as good as it could be with food, accommodation, information and route.Neil Ritson
Highlights
- A truly unique Scottish cycling experience, our 7 day North Coast 500 is incredible.
- Experience the unique scenery of the west coast from rugged coastlines, white sandy beaches to dramatic mountain peaks.
- Sample amazing local produce from incredible fresh seafood, organic meats and of course haggis, with the odd wee dram.
- Our route avoids the busy A9, taking some very special remote roads through the 'flow country'
Sounds like the perfect cycling tour?
Book now!Joining the tour
Start: Inverness
Arrival day is Friday in Inverness, where we stay overnight in a centrally located Hotel before setting off from Inverness Castle on Saturday morning.
For more detailed information please click the "Itinerary" tab
Cycling level
Challenging: For cyclists with stamina and a good level of fitness - requires training. Long days with some tough ascents.
Description
A Truly Unique Scottish Cycling Experience
| Duration | 7 days cycling |
| Accommodation | 8 nights |
| Distance | 513 miles | 826km |
| Av. Daily Distance | 73 miles | 117km |
| Longest | Shortest | 92 miles | 56 miles | 148km | 90km |
| Ascent | 35,167ft | 10718m |
A journey around the 500 mile circular route which offers cyclists a spectacular array of mountain ranges, lochs, glens, castles, ruins, beaches and wildlife - not forgetting a range of memorable locations to sample some of the best of Scotland’s food and drink.
Tour Summary
We start in 'The Capital of The Highlands' Inverness and head west to the coast. A stunning but optional ascent over the famous 'Baelach na Ba' awaits with a hair-raising descent into Applecross. Whitewashed crofting houses pepper the road to Gairloch, where we may if lucky catch a glimpse of dolphins.
Following this is the awe-inspiring scenery of Glen Torridon, which is amongst the most spectacular you'll see in the UK. Heading into Wester Ross, the road hugs the coast and there are views of Skye and the Western Isles. After stocking up on supplies in the wee fishing town of Ullapool, we cycle through Lochinver with stunning views to Stac Pollaidh and Suilven, just two of many idiosyncratic peaks in the area.
The sleepy settlement of Kylesku and its iconic bridge see us heading north on a winding single-track road towards Assynt, a region that captures the stark, elemental beauty of the Highlands like nowhere else. The north coast road continues to Durness, the UK's most NW village and worthwhile detour into Smoo Cave.
The stunning North Atlantic coastline guides us to Melvich before we turn south towards one of the world's last wild places, the 'Flow Country'. An undulating, vast expanse of peat and pools provide our backdrop to Forsinard Station. A smooth single track road weaves alongside Loch Naver and past the famous Crask Inn to Lairg. Our route then heads towards the east coast for the first time and coastal town of Dornoch.
Riding back west to Bonnar Bridge we get spectacular views over Dornoch Firth to distract from climbing 'The Struie', whilst Cromarty Firth and The Black Isle provide a welcome sense of the end being in sight. Before long the cycle paths of Inverness draw us to our conclusion at the majestic Inverness Castle.
Overview of our 7 Day Itinerary
| Start | End | Distance (Miles) | |
| Arrival Day : Friday | Inverness | ||
| Day 1 | Inverness | Lochcarron | 64 |
| Day 2 | Lochcarron | Gairloch | 80 |
| Day 3 | Gairloch | Ullapool | 56 |
| Day 4 | Ullapool | Rhiconich | 75 |
| Day 5 | Rhiconich | Melvich | 67 |
| Day 6 | Melvich | Dornoch | 92 |
| Day 7 | Dornoch | Inverness | 79 |
| Departure Day: Saturday | Inverness | 513 |
Customer safety and enjoyment are always our priorities at Pedal Britain, and on this tour we have made a few adjustments to what would ordinarily be considered the traditional NC500 route that enhance both of these.
Firstly, we avoid large parts of the very busy A9 which runs along the east coast section of the NC500, favouring a much safer and ultimately more scenic route further inland. Interestingly this is also a detour highly recommended by Mark Beaumont, who holds the record for this route - just the 38 hours!!
Secondly, for those of you wanting to avoid some of the climbing on this route such as 'The Baelach na Ba', but without compromising the overall experience, we have also built in some alternative route options for Day 2 and Day 4 that are equally as stunning - these are outlined in detail within the 'itinerary' tab.
Route Map
Itinerary
Arrival Day: Friday > Inverness
Our Hotel in Inverness is 10 minutes on foot from the Railway Station and around 20 minutes drive from the Airport. If you are arriving by plane please let us know your arrival time so we can arrange for transport to the Hotel.
As with all Pedal Britain tours we'll meet at our Hotel around 6.30pm for a tour briefing and then eat together in the evening at a restaurant close by.
Day 1: Inverness to Lochcarron
64 miles | 103km | 2468ft | 752m
From our start point of Inverness Castle it is an easy cruise on rolling roads out of town, providing tremendous views of the Beauly Firth. Heading North to Garve we pass Rogie Falls and its famous fish ladder, before we strike west through increasingly mountainous country. As we ascend alongside Loch Gowan we are treated to stunning views of the Ledgowan Forest. Then, riding alongside Loch Dughaill on single track, pine tree lined roads, we reach our overnight stop at Lochcarron.
Day 2: Lochcarron to Gairloch
80 miles | 129km | 7033ft | 2143m
A hearty Scottish breakfast is recommended for todays epic ride. From Tornapress the riding is incredible, with Loch Kishorn away to the left you begin to ascend Bealach na Ba, a UK Top 100 climb. Gently you'll grind your way from sea-level to 2085ft, negotiating alpine hairpin bends and seeing the spectacular view of Scottish Islands and the West Coast unfold before you. After a tricky, but amazing descent into Applecross our work isn’t quite finished, with some punchy climbing around the incredible coastal road to the charming village of Shieldaig.
For those of you not wanting to take on this climb, we have an alternative route that takes you north through equally stunningly remote countryside, rejoining the route at the coast near Shieldaig. This route is 52 miles | 84km | 3267ft | 996m which allows for a more relaxed day in the saddle.
From here our route winds its way through Glen Torridon and arguably some of the most spectacular landscape in the UK. Dramatic mountains such as Liathach and Beinn Eighe rise like ancient giants, providing an unforgettable backdrop to the riding as we reach the village of Kinlochewe.
Heading west on flatter roads we ride alongside Loch Maree which teams with wildlife, before arriving at Gairloch for a well deserved rest and reflect on one of life's great days in the saddle.
Day 3: Gairloch to Ullapool
56 miles | 90km | 4361ft | 1329m
After our big day yesterday you’ll surely be lifted by Day 3 being shorter, but one that contains further magnificent scenery.
Climbing out of the village we head towards Poolewe, from where we rejoin the coastline and cycle along Gruinard Bay. After some further climbing we are treated to incredible views of the An Teallach Hills. As we cross Fain Bridge our ride enters the wild and brooding Dundonnell Forest which culminates after a gentle descent at the Corrieshalloch Gorge. Wide, sweeping landscapes, punctuated by impressive peaks guide us into our picturesque destination for this evening, Ullapool – very much the “capital” of the NW Highlands, with a great range of restaurants and bars.
Day 4: Ullapool to Kinlochbervie
75 miles | 121km | 6928ft | 2111m
Today is another day of amazing scenery on simply brilliant roads - but with nearly 7,000ft of climbing you will earn the views.
It starts with a stunning single track road that winds its way past the beautiful Loch Lurgainn and Bad a Ghaill. Squeezing between mountains and sea, past deserted white sand beaches on the way to Lochinver. The next 22 miles almost defy description for its sheer natural beauty around every bend and may be like no road you have even ridden before.
You'll be used to the routine by now of short sharp ascents and similar descents, as we follow the coastline past tranquil and undisturbed limestone lochs. Cycling through Drumbeg and Negg the landscape is dominated by the wonderful geology of the Quinag mountain range, en-route to the iconic bridge in Kylesku which spans the Loch a Chairn Bhain.
Again we offer an alternative route to the coastal road which is 68 miles | 110km | 5577ft | 1700m. This takes you more inland after Lochinver cycling through the incredibly remote but beautiful Assynt region and rejoining the main route at Kylesku Bridge. It's just a shame you have to choose, because both routes are fantastic.
The final miles of this day take us to the delightful fishing village of Kinlochbervie our overnight stop.
Day 5: Kinlochbervie to Melvich
67 miles | 108km | 5679ft | 1730m
We start the day cycling a memorable section that covers the wild and exposed terrain towards Durness, the UK's most NW village. After leaving Durness a stop at Smoo Cave is highly recommended, as we once again hug the stunning coastline. Continuing east the views are almost tropical (albeit the temperature is not!!) with incredible white sandy beaches on this unspoilt section of rugged coast.
After following the remote Loch Eriboll the terrain remains undulating as we head across the Kyle of Tongue. Those who did LEJOG with us will be familiar with parts of this next section as we take in the stunning North Atlantic views at Bettyhill. The road has further short sharp climbs, followed by majestic sweeping descents which persist until we reach the sand dunes surrounding the amazing bay of our overnight stop in Melvich.
Day 6: Melvich to Dornoch
92 miles | 148km | 4249ft | 1295m
Today we stray from the traditional NC500 route that would ordinarily take us down the east coast. Our assessment is the very busy and fast flowing A9 is not cycling friendly. Instead we turn south onto the NCN1 where we exchange wild coastlines for a vast remote area of bog moorland known as the "Flow Country". Very few cars venture this way, which makes for cycling in splendid isolation alongside the Halladale River, famous for its salmon fishing until we reach Kinbrace.
Heading west again this final section is a Pedal Britain favourite, as we ride a smooth single track road alongside the incredible Loch Naver in the shadow of the striking Ben Klilbrek (reverse to those that have done LEJOG) towards Altnaharra.
On leaving Altnaharra we climb steadily towards the famous Crask Inn (where Douglas will happily serve you a wee nip of Whiskey if you so wish) before a glorious 14 miles of gentle downhill to Lairg known as 'The Crossroads of the North'. From here we head east to the coast, where after a very short stint on the A9 we cycle alongside Loch Fleet to Dornoch, where if lucky we might catch a glimpse of some basking seals.
Day 7: Dornoch to Inverness
79 miles | 129km | 4449ft | 1356m
The final push. After 6 days of epic riding, you've nearly completing this incredible bike tour. While today has fewer mountains there is still some climbing to be done, especially in the first half of the day.
From Dornoch we cycle back inland on relatively flat terrain towards Bonar Bridge, before tackling the long and occasionally steep 'Struie' which affords spectacular views over the Dornoch Firth, which will again be familiar to any previous LEJOG clients. A welcome descent brings the Cromarty Firth into view as we pass through Evanton and across the Cromarty bridge on the A9 for a short distance.
Then at Culbokie we turn left to the historic and quaint village of Cromarty where we spend most of our time on single track roads. We’ll continue rolling well on the flat roads alongside the Moray Firth, with the Black Isle and Inverness nearly in sight, and we’ll finish where we began, right on the esplanade of Inverness Castle.
Departure Day: Saturday > Inverness
Pedal Britain staff will need to leave early for the long journey home. However we will beforehand arrange for transport to collect groups from the Hotel and take to the airport if required.
What's included
8 Nights Bed & Breakfast Accommodation
We stay in a great mix of cyclist friendly Hotels or B&B's. Where ever it is possible we all stay together in the same accommodation as a group. No need to check in Pedal Britain team will have done that for you, just collect your key and relax. Bikes are either locked in a secure area of the hotel or in your room. Breakfasts are all included with a choice of Full or Continental available.
Fully Supported Tour
The Pedal Britain support van is never far away to provide any assistance you need, be it access to your day bag, resolve a mechanical issue, report a first aid problem or just have a morale boosting chat. Just phone the driver or tap helmet as we pass if you need anything and we'll stop for you.
Daily Luggage Transfer
The support vehicle moves all of your luggage between each nights accommodation. Luxury, wherever time allows we'll even put it in your room for you. Also we recommend leaving a day bag in the support van to further reduce what you need to carry on the bike.
Includes Lunch and Brew Stop Refreshments
Lunches are a mix of rolling buffets in pubs and cafes or a picnic in a very scenic spot. The famous Pedal Britain pop up café delivers welcome brew stops at strategic points along the route to keep energy levels up providing you with water, tea, coffee, fruit, biscuits, cake, flap jacks and anything else you specifically request.
Expert Cycling and Tour Guides
Pedal Britain prides itself on having staff with a 'can-do' attitude, their entire focus is on ensuring they attend to your every need, to ensure that you have the best experience possible. They have detailed knowledge of the route, are first aid qualified and decent mechanics - but most importantly they care about you. When asked 'What makes Pedal Britain better than others?' quite simply it is our amazing staff - the one thing our competition cannot copy.
Pedal Britain Tour App & Detailed Route Notes
From here you can download the relevant file format for the daily route maps - GPX, TCX etc.. These can then easily be transferred to whatever GPS unit you are using such as a Garmin or Wahoo.
Don't have a GPS unit? No problem, just download our APP and it turns your Smart Phone into a GPS unit with turn by turn route navigation. We also provide very detailed route notes which act as both information about the days cycling and back up to your electronic gadgets.
Live Tracking App
Pedal Britain Live Tracker app allows family and friends to see how well your progressing. The same tracker also helps us keep you safe and also ensure your following the route!!
Facebook Tour Groups
We will invite you to join a closed Facebook group for your specific tour. This enables you to get to know people before the holiday and provides a platform to share training experiences or any questions, concerns you may have before the tour.
Not Included
Evening Meals (although group bookings will be made at local restaurants attendance is optional, however payment isn’t!!)
Travel Insurance
Transport to and from Inverness
Easy Bike Transfer (available for a fee)
Single Room Option (limited number available for additional fee)
Entrance fees to historical or cultural sites
Cycle Hire
Travel logistics
Getting to the Start and Home from Inverness
One important factor in planning your Scottish adventure holiday with Pedal Britain is arranging transport for yourself and bike to Inverness to arrive on Friday.
Air Travel
The easiest method of travelling to and from Inverness is by air. There are an abundance of relatively cheap flights to Inverness from many airports in the UK.
You can on this tour bring bike boxes (hard case) and bike bags (soft case) - please indicate when asked if you’ll be bringing either one of these as we'll need to arrange with the Hotel for storage of these until we return.
Alternatively for an even more hassle free tour, you can use our ‘Bike Transfer Service’ click for details.
By Car
Inverness is very accessible from all directions and is well served by both major roads / Motorways. But just as an indictor with a few stops travelling this way from the South (Northants) can take 9-10 hours.
Hiring Car/Van
Best options for Inverness if you are planning to hire a car or van are: Europcar - near the train station. Enterprise or Thrifty - just to the North of the centre.
By Train
There are frequent trains from across the country to Inverness. We normally stay around 5-10 minutes from the station on foot.
NB. If you are bringing your bike on a train please make sure you also book it a space on your train as many services have restricted capacity for cycles.
Bike transfer
Getting Your Bike to Inverness and Home Again
Option 1: Customer Drop Off / Collection
FREE of Charge
If you can bring your bike to our offices in Northamptonshire then we will take your bike Free of Charge. No need to dismantle we'll take it fully assembled and safely secure it in the support vehicle for transporting to Inverness.
We can also take helmets strapped to bikes and day bags labelled with your name.
Option 2: Bike Collection or Delivery - Pedal Britain Support Van
Cost for this service is £75.00 per bike - One Way to Start or From the End
On the Tuesday and Wednesday before a tour starts based on geographical location of clients that have signed up for this service, Pedal Britain's support van will come to an address of your choosing, which could be work, home or cycle shop to collect your bike.
No need to dismantle we'll take it fully assembled and safely secure in the support vehicle for transporting to Inverness.
We can also take helmets strapped to bikes and day bags labelled with your name.
Option 3: Bike Collection or Delivery - Transport Partner
Cost for this service is £75.00 per bike - One Way to Start or From the End
If you happen to fall outside the geographical area being covered by the support van prior to the tour then do not despair we have an alternative solution.
On the Monday before a tour starts we'll arrange for our trusted transport partner to collect your bike from an address of your choosing, which could be work, home or cycle shop and deliver your bike to Pedal Britain.
Clients will need to securely package up their own bike in a Medium size (150 x 22 x 90 cm) cardboard bike box. A local bike shop will for free or small fee provide a suitable box and much of the packing material you will need for this. Pedal Britain will return your bike to you the same way in the week after a tour ends.
Once we arrive in Inverness on the Saturday the Pedal Britain team will help you re-assemble your bike ready for push off on Sunday.
We cannot via this service accept helmets or any day bags packed inside the boxes.
Option 4: Bike Delivery - JOG Bike Company
Cost for this service is £135.00 per bike - One Way back Home
We only use this option when the delivery address for your bike is one that does not fit geographically into any of the routes planned for the Pedal Britain support vehicles and you do not want to use Option 3. The bikes will be packed into oversized reinforced cardboard boxes for you - saddle lowered and handle bars turned - are only adjustments made.
We'll send you a link to provide information required for this service and your bike will be delivered within 7 days of the tour ending.
Bike Transfer Service: Both Ways
Total Cost is £150.00 per bike
£210.00 per bike if using JOG Bike Transfer Company.
Terms & Conditions of Bike Transfer Service
- Pedal Britain cannot be held responsible for any damage that occurs in transit - although we will obviously take great care of bikes in transit
- Where a third party is being used Pedal Britain cannot be held responsible for any damage in transit
- We recommend that you have insurance in place to cover you for any accidental damage or theft during transit
Bike hire
Pedal Britain has always strongly recommended that clients use their own cycles wherever possible for our tours, as there is no substitute for using a bike that you are familiar with and are comfortable riding.
However we fully understand that sometimes circumstances mean this is just not possible.
Need to Hire a Bike?
We do not run our own fleet of hire bikes therefore have to source them from our trusted range of suppliers. At peak times of the year stock can be limited therefore please do let us know well in advance if you intend to hire a bike.
First step is to please email us with your measurements and preferences:
- Frame size
- Shimano group set
- Disc or Caliper brakes
- Carbon or Non carbon
PLEASE NOTE: Most road bikes run 11-28 compact gearing as they are generally set up for sportive hire. However we'll do our best to find a bike that works for you.
Once you hire the bike it will be available to use from Sunday Lunch in Inverness giving us time to make any adjustments that you may want.
Road Bike Hire:
Branded High Spec Carbon Road Bike = £350-£375 each for 2 weeks. This will be a Trek Madone SLR 6 or equivalent
Non Branded UK Built Bikes = £250-£300 for 2 weeks
Hybrid Bike Hire:
Branded High Spec Carbon Hybrid Bike = £250-£300 each for 2 weeks.
Want to Bring Your Own Bike But Need Help With Logistics?
If you currently live outside UK but are unsure about bringing your own cycle, please call or e-mail for advice. We can discuss a variety of solutions that might help you to bring a bike along.
Some of the ways we can help:
- Bike Box/Bag on Van : On this tour we can accommodate bike bags / boxes as we'll be able to store at our Hotel or with our local hire partner.
- Getting Bike to the Start : Also if when you land in UK you are planning to tour first / or just want to travel without bike to the start - we can as part of our bike transfer service collect your bike from a Hotel (Tuesday/Wednesday) before the tour and take it to the start for you.
- Staying on longer in UK after tour : Don't want a bike in tow? We can also keep bike and box with us after the tour, then by using our bike transfer service we can deliver the bike to a Hotel near London/or an Airport when you are ready to head home
Just contact us on info@pedalbritain.com setting out what your plans are and we'll come up with a solution that works for you.
FAQs
For our NC500 tours you can bring along a Bike Box or Bag as we will be able to store either at our Hotel or leave with our local bike hire partner in Inverness. Please do indicate if you are going to bring a bike box so that we have an idea of numbers.
Pedal Britain tours are designed to attract people of all ages and levels of fitness.
To help you assess if a ride is suitable we have added a 'Cycling Level' indicator on each tour. Obviously the more training you do beforehand it will increase the overall enjoyment of any tour as you'll be more prepared.
Pedal Britain has a range of 'Training Support Resources' including a free consultation and a blog about Training Plans within which you'll find some great tips and an easy to follow framework that can be adapted for any of our tours.
We do not issue 'standard' training plans, everyone starts at different levels of experience, fitness and available time. For those confident enough, all you do is adjust our framework to suit your own needs.
However to provide another level of support, we have created with Pedal Britain guide Grant Goodman (qualified cycling coach) also of cyclingfitness.co.uk several coaching packages from Basic to Premium. You can find links to these and all our training information here: Training Resource
At Pedal Britain we want to ensure you receive the highest level of support possible whilst you are on one of our tours.
To this end we will normally run a tour with a minimum of 10 people, but unlike other operators we limit the group size to a maximum of 18 people. We feel this ensures there is always enough people to be social, but not too many for it to feel overcrowded and your just part of a herd.
There is no one standard group every tour is unique. But generally people that undertake our tours are a fun, friendly and adventurous lot with one key similarity - they love cycling!! We have people of all ages (teens through to mid 70's) and all walks of life which makes for an interesting and diverse group of fellow participants.
Groups tend to be split 50:50 between those traveling alone or part of a group be it pairs of friends/couples/family or occasionally larger ones of 3-4. We try and limit our group size to a maximum of 18 people which we think works best, providing plenty of people to socialise with during the day and evening, but also enables people to find some quiet time too.
That is completely up to you. It is your holiday and so we encourage you to ride at your own pace. The average touring cyclist will normally travel at 10-13mph. What we find is naturally 2-3 groups form and you'll always find one that suits your pace.
Some people get concerned by always being at the back as they feel anxious about holding everyone up, believe us you are not!! However if that mentally becomes an issue then you can always set off 30 minutes ahead of the pack. But we will never ask you to pedal faster.
No one on a Pedal Britain tour gets left behind as our guides for the most part ride at the back, especially at the end of a day to provide encouragement and support.
We have a mixture, from keen club cyclist through to newcomers looking for a challenge.
Pedal Britain provides mechanical support in form of basic adjustments, or simple repairs, while your guide will also carry a reasonable tool kit to help with any minor problems on the road - the van has a more comprehensive set.
However it is essential that you are able to fix a puncture. Obviously if the guide, fellow riders or van are nearby they will assist but it maybe that the van is tied up elsewhere therefore you don’t want to be unnecessarily held up waiting.
Essential kit to carry at all times for puncture repair
It is advisable to carry on your bike at least 1 or 2 spare inner tubes, a mini pump / Co2 gas pressure pump, tyre levers and multi-tool with you each day. This essential kit can be kept either in a small rucksack that you carry or in a medium sized saddlebag.
We also ask that you take care of basic bike maintenance. Firstly having a comprehensive bike service before you arrive on the tour, then by inspecting your bike daily to ensure its in proper working order.
A work stand, track pumps, chain lubricant and cleaning materials will be available for your use on the van.
The support vehicle will carry a limited number of universal spares that are provided at cost should they be required. If your bike has any obscure or unusual parts that may not be readily available at a bike shop it is highly recommended that you bring your own set of spares with you that can be carried on the support vehicle.
We will carry a spare bike and wheel so that you can keep moving if you do have any serious bike problems.
Whilst Pedal Britain will endeavour to fix your bike issues, any major repairs will have to be co-ordinated through a local bike shop on the road, with any cost for these repairs being your responsibility.
Yes, no problem. In fact usually around 50% of a group are single travellers.
You can either pay for single supplement or we can if you are happy to share a twin room, find you a room buddy. Either way trips are very sociable and you’ll soon make some new cycling friends.
Yes we do, if you have 8 participants or more able to book at the same time then you'll be eligible for a 5% discount (up to maximum of £100 per person)
If you all live close together then we can also work out a deal for our 'Bike Transfer Service' which could save you up to 50% per person for this service.
Yes, you can join any of our tours and use that challenge as a way of raising funds for any cause of your choice.
Sometimes we are asked "Can a Charity Sponsor my Ride by paying for the Tour?" again no problem. We just raise an invoice and send that for payment to the charity. Any other financial agreements such as on minimum fundraising targets are between you and the charity.
We can also if there is enough interest work either with a group of likeminded people wanting to raise money for a specific charity or with the charity itself to create a bespoke cycling event just for that purpose.
Lunches are generally at either just before or after the halfway point of a day in terms of milage. They consist of various combinations of soup, sandwiches, crisps/chips, savouries, coffee/tea/soft drinks and cake, served as rolling buffets or set meals hosted in either local cafes / pubs.
Occasionally, depending on the weather, Pedal Britain's pop up cafe will provide a substantial picnic buffet lunch in a suitably scenic location en-route. Don’t worry if your cycling slowly we always make sure there is enough food for everyone at picnics and never leave until everyone is fed and watered.
Whilst evening meals are not included in the cost of the holiday, Pedal Britain will make reservations between 7.30-8.00pm most days for a group evening meal, so you don’t have to worry.
Also to make life even easier for you we'll sometimes take pre-orders for the evenings food in advance. We find this just helps speed things up at service to maximise your recovery time.
We tend to eat at the accommodation we are staying in that evening although we do occasionally use other local options. These meals provide a great opportunity for socialising together and swapping tales of the days events, further developing the group bonds.
However attendance is purely optional. If you prefer to eat earlier, or alone or wanted to find somewhere else, your Tour Guide can provide alternatives its no problem at all it is your decision.
On longer tours where we are staying in major towns/cities we also have several what we call 'free evenings' where we do not book anything for the group - which allows you to explore local options with smaller groups of new your new cycling buddies.
With all evening meals individuals are responsible for settling their own food and drink bills once finished.
We take great pride in the level of support we give to riders on our cycling tours and is a key part of the 'The Pedal Britain Difference'.
That is why we are 5* rated on Trustpilot with many of the reviews specifically mentioning the excellent back up support we provide. You can read extracts of these on our Pedal Britain Testimonials page.
All our trips are led by at least one or two experienced leaders from the UK – one driving the support vehicle and the other cycling with the group, usually at the rear to ensure that no one gets left behind. They carry a first aid kit and a tool kit, so that if you or your bike breaks down they will if possible be there to help.
The Pedal Britain support vehicle doesn't follow the group very closely. It's main function is to once/twice a day provide the our famous 'Brew Stops', carry luggage between accommodation or if you have a problem you can jump onboard. You will also have access to the van at our lunch stop.
Also be comforted in the knowledge that the team at Pedal Britain HQ are also with you as an invisible hand, making sure everything is running smoothly.
We want your holiday to be as hassle free as possible. So for you comfort we transfer your luggage each day to the next accommodation.
All we ask is that on setting out each morning you leave your fully labeled luggage and day bags in the reception or at the rear of the support van. Don't worry we'll provide you with labels.
To remain social it’s advisable that on our longer tours you wash your kit out regularly - that includes shorts - a key factor in preventing sore bottoms!!
What most people do is take with them several days worth of cycling kit to rotate through and a small bottle of liquid clothes detergent. Then as part of their daily routine use facilities in the room to wash and dry kit as many have heated towel rails.
If not fully dry the next day roll kit up tightly into a towel or hang up in back of the support van to ensure you have clean kit ready for following day.
Some accommodations do offer limited laundry services (usually just drying kit) either for a small fee or usually free, ready for collection the following morning. Your tour guide will let you know which places on your tour provide this.
Alternatively if time prevails you can use local launderettes to wash and dry clothes - your tour guide will help locate these for you.
Once you're signed up Pedal Britain will send you a detailed ‘Kit List’ of what you should bring along, however do feel free to contact us if you would like a copy sending to you or have any specific questions .
Pedal Britain has public liability insurance cover for all of our tours.
However we strongly recommend you take out adequate insurance to cover yourself against personal accident, loss of belongings and cancellation cover.
Yellow Jersey Insurance are one company that other clients have used previously. Worth checking first what might be covered under various other policies you may have such as household and travel insurance, then plug any gaps with a specific policy.