Keep Moving Lazy Bones

This post describes a 3-day cycle tour from Chelmsford to Clacton-on-Sea staying overnight in Colchester and Felixstowe. Just add a start date and book your hotels. Specific timings assume a Monday to Wednesday tour in 2026 so your own train times may be different. An average of 300m ascent over 61km each day means this is a relatively flat tour with options to reduce the mileage on each day by using the train. The route makes heavy use of NCN 1 and NCN 51, and if you keep moving on the last day you should have time for a dip in the sea! Start Point:  Chelmsford Station (Greater Anglia) Finish Point:  Clacton-on-Sea Station (Greater Anglia) Meetup Time:  09:15 Start Time:  09:30 Route: Chelmsford to Clacton-on-Sea   No. Days:  3 Overnight:  Individuals book their own accommodation in Colchester such as the "Colchester A12 Premier Inn" to the north of the town. The Central Premier Inn in Colchester is an option as you have better...

Ride type: Guided Rides Ride suitability: Local Rides Challenging  Ride title: Kenton to Richmond Park  Start Postcode: HA3 8AX Elevation: GPX reference: Komoot route Introduce your route: New riders are welcome. We have a policy of leaving no rider behind so if anyone is struggling we will adjust the speed and take rest stops if necessary. If you have questions or concerns speak to the Ride Leader or contact them before the ride. We ask that you read the full details of the ride including the distance and terrain to ensure the ride will be enjoyable for you. Kind of roads you'll be riding: We will use a mix of roads and cycle paths on this route with some slight inclines and short sections of main road with fast moving traffic. As we go to Richmond  from Kenton it is mostly streets. Stops on the way: This ride goes to Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park by the Peg's Pond Gate where there are toilets and does a lap of the park. What to bring: Please check your bike at ho...

This post suggests a mixed tour for cyclists and non-cyclists taking in the Claude-Monet garden at Giverny in Normandy. The garden is a short shuttle bus (the "petit train") away from the Vernon-Giverny SNCF Station which is located in the nearby town of Vernon. Remember that the Claude-Monet Garden is a popular destination so pre-planning and booking is essential.  Vernon has attractions such as the medieval Le Vieux Moulin (Old Mill), the Château de Bizy, the Musée de Vernon, and cycling or walking to Giverny along the Seine. Monday 7 September 2026 , cyclists can take the Brittany Ferries 20:15 overnight sailing from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo being conscious that there is no Tuesday sailing on this route. They then spend eight days cycling an "L" shaped route of 424km to Vernon via Chartres meaning a modest daily average of 53km; the distance does not include diversions for accommodation though it gives an option for a day off in Chartres. Going via Chartres tak...

The Isle of Wight Randonnee is a 100km circular route around the IoW with a shorter option also provided. The event is free to enter with donations suggested and a number of checkpoints which also act as start points so the 3,000 entrants can be staggered. It is not competitive and runs 9am to 6pm. In theory you could treat it as a day trip from London if you are fast enough though I have not worked out the train and ferry timings for that. The graphic below shows the extra miles getting to a start at Wooten. The organisation running the event is now the Mountbatten Isle of Wight charity and information - including registering interest - can be found at https://www.mountbatten.org.uk/randonnee2026 You can stay at the cycle-friendly Premier Inn at Newport which means a 25 minute cycle to Wootton or East Cowes for one of the starts; subject to confirmation there are 5 starting points, East Cowes, Wootton, Bembridge, Ventnor and Freshwater/Yarmouth. A PDF of the previous route...

  Ride type: Guided Ride Ride suitability: Local Rides Steady Ride title: Harrow to the Tasty Bean Start Postcode: HA1 4QW Elevation: The beginners version out-and-back: The improvers version using a busy undulating main road on the return: GPX reference: The beginners version out-and-back: Komoot route The improvers version using a busy undulating main road on the return: Komoot route   Introduce your route: New riders are especially welcome. We have a policy of leaving no rider behind so if anyone is struggling we will adjust the speed and take rest stops if necessary. If you have questions or concerns speak to the Ride Leader or contact them before the ride. We ask that you read the full details of the ride including the distance and terrain to ensure the ride will be enjoyable for you.  Kind of roads you'll be riding: We will use a mix of roads and cycle paths on this relatively flat route which does have short sections of main road with fast m...

Ride type: Guided Rides Ride suitability: Local Rides Steady Ride title: Kenton to Chipperfield Start Postcode: HA3 8AX Elevation: GPX reference: Komoot route Introduce your route: New riders are  welcome.  We have a policy of leaving no rider behind so if anyone is struggling we will adjust the speed and take rest stops if necessary. If you have questions or concerns speak to the Ride Leader or contact them before the ride. We ask that you read the full details of the ride including the distance and terrain to ensure the ride will be enjoyable for you. There are options to join the ride at Moor Park Station or finish at Watford Station. This is a fantastic route when the bluebells are out in mid to late April. Kind of roads you'll be riding: We will use a mix of roads and cycle paths on this route with plenty of hills and short sections of main road with fast moving traffic. There is one kilometre of compacted gravel on the Ebury Way. There is a steep hill coming up o...