A sensational ride between the capitals of England and Scotland. One of your Ride Leaders, Steve Wesson, is a Brit who has cycled very extensively throughout the UK. He especially enjoys this route, which explores the less well-known eastern side of the country. We will spend our days on country lanes and in fields and woods that cover much of this ancient land. It’s not all rural though, as the route is designed for us to spend nights in some of Britain's great historic cities such as Cambridge, Lincoln, and York.
We will have a relaxed start to this tour with two nights in London, allowing participants to get settled in, recover from jet lag, and perhaps see something of the city. On day three we mount our steeds and leave London almost entirely on traffic free bike and canal paths. Once in the country, participants will delight in the variety and beauty of the English landscape. We’ll take advantage of dedicated cycle paths and rail trails in the cities and towns with riverside and canal paths. With modest cycling mileage on many days, we’ll have time to visit Gothic cathedrals and 11th century castles in our overnight locations.
Tour the UK - London to Edinburgh
May 12 - 30, 2023
About halfway through our tour we take a rest day in city of York for sightseeing. You’ll be able to step back into the Middle Ages by wandering through “The Shambles”, one of the UK’s most historic and picturesque locations featuring overhanging timber-framed houses and traditional shopfronts. Perhaps you’ll prefer to visit York Minster, one of the world’s most magnificent cathedrals, a masterpiece in stained glass and stone which has been at the center of Christianity in the north of England since the 7th century. If you like museums, you’ll find thirty world-class museums - from the National Railway Museum to the Jorvik Viking Centre.
Getting back on the bikes, we’ll enter the upland area containing one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the UK and one of the first areas to be granted National Park status. Then it will be on to the North Sea Cycle Route known as the 'Coast & Castles' route. As the name implies, our route hugs the ocean and passes by countless castles of all vintages. Upon leaving the coast, we’ll cross into Scotland where we’ll enjoy a delightful blend of quiet country lanes and stunning scenery. Before arriving in Edinburgh, we’ll ride along the River Tweed, one of the UK's finest salmon fishing rivers and home to the famous Tweed cloth. Our route into Scotland's capital is on a mix of cycle paths and minor roads, finally passing through Holyrood Park (Holyrood House is the seat of Scottish Government) and through the 1700 ft 'Innocent' railway tunnel to finish in the center of the city.