Cycling the Coast to Coast: a microadventure

If you’re a cycle commuter, a leisure walker or a long-distance bike tourer – join the million-plus people that love using Sustrans’ well-signed National Cycle Network every single day.

Spanning the UK, the Network’s 14,000 miles of walking and cycling routes include:

scenic traffic-free paths
quiet roads and lanes
signed on-road routes
themed long-distance routes

The Mountain Bothies Association is a charity which maintains about 100 shelters in some of the remoter parts of the UK.
With the permission and support of the owners, these shelters are unlocked and are available for anyone to use. Most of the MBA bothies are in Scotland with others in England and Wales.

The World Heritage List includes 28 properties in the United Kingdom forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.

Are you planning a microadventure? Do you need help getting an idea off the ground? Get in touch and I’mll help you if I can.

34 Comments

Tony Graham 05/03/2013 at 09:13

Love the beautiful tree and it’s composition at 2m20sec, simple, serene, elegant.
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 17:20
  
  That’s in the Robin Hood movie.
  - jason 05/03/2013 at 18:54
    
    Its sycamore pass…or sycamore something or other. I’m there on Friday when I get back from cycling to lincoln.
Dan 05/03/2013 at 09:32

Love these little videos, they’re great to wake up to :)

Keep em coming!

Thank’s for posting,
Dan.
Tom Gold 05/03/2013 at 09:40

“The power of retrospective pleasure” – Absolutely! Great post, cheers, T
Dom Jackman 05/03/2013 at 10:04

Great vid as always Al. Your videos are getting better and better!
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 17:21
  
  Thank you!
Helen 05/03/2013 at 11:36

Loving this current micro-adventure focus. Can’t wait for two weeks time when I’m off for a week of walking the Pembrokeshire coast in the name of work!
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 17:21
  
  Feel free to share the story here…
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 17:21
  
  Feel free to share the story here when you get back…
dan 05/03/2013 at 18:46

Awesome video. Great to see you back out on the bike!
Patrick 05/03/2013 at 20:03

Al, where is that photo taken at the top of the page, that is simply stunning scenery!
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 20:31
  
  Iceland
Sarah Fowler 05/03/2013 at 20:51

Great video. You inspired us to make our own video of our microadventure last weekend – a 40 mile loop walk from Rothbury with a wildcamp. Watch this space for our attempt at a microadventure video!

We tend to use the cycle routes for many of our walks as we get frustrated when trails marked on maps no longer exist or are impossible to follow! With the cycle routes you know are guaranteed a passable route and when you’re short on time that’s lovely and means you can properly enjoy the walk without having to worry about getting stuck!
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 20:52
  
  Hi Sarah,
  I look forward to seeing your video!
  Al
Alan 05/03/2013 at 21:14

Really nice video. It reminded me of when I walked the wall one cold spring, getting on for 20 years ago. May have to ride it soon.
- Alastair 05/03/2013 at 21:17
  
  The great thing about Roman walls is that they don’t change much in 20 years! (I walked it 25 years ago. Crikey!!)
Jell 06/03/2013 at 10:40

Great video as ever. You get better every time!

I like the idea of microadventures making the everyday seem wonderful when you get back, but also love and share your enthusiasm for the simple pleasures of getting away, even for a short while.

Keep it up. You are an inspiration.
Jason Bailey 06/03/2013 at 12:07

I loved the truthfulness of this article, brilliant piece of film, well done Alastair. I wrote an article called a retrospective holiday. It was an expedition to Zanskar, Northern India with Al Boardman, Elliott Forge and Jane Cooper. I vaguely remember it being tough at the time but I’d love to repeat it. Have a read and giggle: http://www.peakaspect.co.uk/gallery.html
I’m also doing John O Groates Lands End in May and can’t wait to cycle (very slowly) through the British Isles, A country that is extremely underrated.
Lydia Sugarman 09/03/2013 at 03:26

What a gift your site is! Thank you!
Pere Cahue 20/05/2013 at 14:09

I am using your photo without permission
- Alastair 20/05/2013 at 14:13
  
  Well spotted. Thank you!
John 01/07/2013 at 13:03

excellent takes me back to when I did the C2C. Great adventure!
Pete Ormrod 08/07/2013 at 10:12

Can you tell me a little bit more about the boat crossing at the end of the film? Can it be used as part of route? If so how do you go about doing so? Great blog really enjoying all of the content :o)
- Alastair 08/07/2013 at 10:17
  
  It’s not a boat crossing! It’s just an old bloke in his fishing boat! Sorry if that was not clear.
  - Alastair 08/07/2013 at 10:18
    
    ps – thank you for the ‘coffee’!
    - Pete Ormrod 08/07/2013 at 17:01
      
      I’ll have to get myself a pac-raft for some biking adventure on the water then. ‘Coffee’….. you’re very welcome. Thanks for the inspiration.
- Pete Ormrod 08/07/2013 at 16:56
  
  Haha no worries, great video nonetheless, will be doing the trip early Sept.
J 03/11/2013 at 17:36

What an inspiring site! I work for Sustrans, helping to expand / improve the National Cycle Network, but never saw myself as someone who could do a proper cycle ride (thought I wasn’t strong enough, didn’t have the stamina for hills or the bravery to ride on-road). This summer I suddenly decided to cycle the Coast to Coast route and although I was dreading it I had the most wonderful time – my mindset totally changed, and I realised how flimsy my excuses had been. I can’t wait to do another route.
John 26/11/2013 at 14:27

What was the song/artist? Al your vids have me out the door, and into the wild.
Summer Solstice Microadventure Challenge, 2014 | Alastair Humphreys 06/06/2014 at 08:30

[…] you want some exercise try this, this, this or […]
Nation 02/04/2015 at 22:20

I’ve been umming and arring about a route for the coast to coast ride I want to do this year and think Hadrian’s wall wins! I’ve never seen any of the wall or been that far north!
Victoria Price 29/04/2018 at 14:40

Hi – this has inspired me and my fiancee to do our first (official) microadventure – can you give us a hint of the name of the bothy you stayed in? We’re hoping to find it for our trip in a couple of weeks! Thanks!
- Alastair 30/04/2018 at 10:06
  
  I hope this helps… https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothies/northern-england-borders/
  Good luck!