Portugal End to End

Portugal End to End Route

Arrival Day – Tuesday: Arrive Porto

We arrive to the bustling, coastal city of Porto, hub of the north and famous for it’s Port wine! After everyone has arrived we will have a group meal at a lovely restaurant about 15 minutes walk from the hotel.

Day 1 Wednesday: Near the Spanish border to Mondim de Basto (44 miles) Elevation Gain:  4650ft / 1417m

We have researched and chosen a fairly innocuous start point to begin our adventure from today for a variety of reasons, not least because it’s a great route! After smiling pics close to the Spanish border the ride soon gets really interesting through the vast, impressive, Villa Real district. We are in the true north of Portugal here with sporadic farming communities, impressive backdrops of mountain ranges, rides over large dams, deep-ridged gorges and long sweeping downhills. Although the first few days are hilly there is over 7000ft of descent on this first exhilarating day!!

Day 2 Thursday: Mondim de Basto to Quintao (56 miles) Elevation Gain:   4832ft / 1472m

Our second day in the saddle is another belter as, after we leave Mondim behind we soon hook up with the lovely “Tamega line” cycle path which utilises the old railway line used to transport goods away from this area historically known for linen production. As we wind down into distinctive Amarante don’t forget to look back over the bridge for some fantastic views before the climb out to pick up a beautiful, smooth, hill-top road which eventually climbs up out of one valley and heads into a new one to see us finally reaching the majestic Douro river, lifeblood of this region.

Day 3 Friday: Quintao to Freixinho (52 miles) Elevation Gain:   5069ft / 1545m

A short but hilly day in the saddle today sees us cycling alongside the lovely Douro again in the morning. This most tranquil of rivers is a pleasure at any time but a true delight first thing in the morning. We head away from the river to begin a large climb out of the valley at 25 miles into the route but it is generally very gradual so take your time. We finish the day off in the first of our “Pousada’s”, these lovely old convents have been converted into hotels and they make a really impressive stop-over, especially in such a timeless hamlet as Freixinho.

Day 4 Saturday: Freixinho to Belmonte (65 miles) Elevation Gain:   5460ft / 1664m

Putting some miles behind us on a more direct morning route for this longer day’s ride, we find ourselves working our way round the Parque da Serra da Estrala, shunning the mammoth climbs of the centre itself. There are two notable climbs however on this day punctuated by an 11 mile descent! Our destination for this evening is the interesting little town of Belmonte, a Jewish enclave, it is home to the last of Portugal’s “Marranos” jewish community.

Day 5 Sunday: Belmonte to Monsanto (50 miles) Elevation Gain:   5030ft / 1533m

We have a short day in the saddle today to give us time to explore the surreal and impressive boulder-strewn landscape of lovely Monsanto at the end of the day, and perhaps, if you’re feeling frisky, climb the shepherds path up to the old ruined castle. We leave Belmonte behind and head out to a fair climb up to Sorthela with amazing views to accompany our cup of morning tea! Strewn around here are the huge boulders that mark our journey today, residents build houses round them and make beautiful gardens out of them. Heading south from Penamacor Castle our approach to Monsanto is on some lovely back roads ready for the final steep, kicker up to our accommodation with far reaching views.

Day 6 Monday: Monsanto to Alcantara (39 miles) Elevation Gain:   2223ft / 677m

The purist “end to enders” may want to close one eye today as we make a foray into Spain at the back end of this day and the beginning of the next. The reasons for this are that the route is far better and it avoids the congestion and busy roads surrounding Castelo Branco, it also gives us a much more scenic and safer entrance point back into Portugal. A nice rolling short day in the saddle will allow time for a bit of rest after the hilly first few days.

Day 7 Tuesday: Alcantara to Marvao (50 miles) Elevation Gain:   4350ft / 1325m

A shorter day today starts with a morning of rolling roads, large vistas and easy navigation as we blast our way over the Spanish countryside heading for a Valencia de Alcantara lunch stop. As we approach the Portugese border again the route becomes winding and twisting with lots of interesting nooks and crannies. The scenery becomes increasingly dramatic as we enter the Parque da Serra de S.Mamede, and further into the park you will see up on the hill-top our last climb of the day, the ascent to the marvellous, magical, mesmerising, Marvao, with hopefully plenty of time to explore this enchanting, historical, hill-top village, one of the best known of Portugal’s “Marble Towns”.

Day 8 Wednesday: Marvao to Vila Vicosa (76 miles) Elevation Gain:   4143ft / 1262m

The longest day of the trip today at 76 miles but one of the easiest climbing wise, sees us riding through the gorgeous Parque da Serra de S.Mamede in the morning and beyond. We make a slight border crossing again into Espana and back to keep us on the best roads. Later in the day, we approach Elvas, it is too higgledy-piggledy for us to go straight through it and stay sane, so we cycle round it which luckily gives us ample opportunity to view the impressive viaducts and fortifications surrounding this small town. The fortifications are the largest group of bulwarked, dry ditched land fortifications in the world! Don’t say we don’t spoil you here at Peak Tours! We arrive after a good ride out in the saddle to one of the prettiest of Portugal’s “Marble Towns” the lovely Vila Vicosa another stately “Marble Town” which has an attractive plaza, a marble palace, castle and more importantly, great ice cream!

Day 9 Thursday: Vila Vicosa to Moura (65 miles) Elevation Gain:   3000ft / 914m

A decent 65 mile day of easy gradient through the lovely Alentejo region is on the cards today. A very pleasant morning’s ride through gently undulating countryside gives way to a short, steep climb up to dramatic marble-lined Monsaraz for a superb lunch spot with lots of lovely little tavernas. Following a lazy lunch we head across from the Evora to Beja districts crossing a few large bodies of water before heading to the well-preserved old Moorish quarter of working-class Moura.

Day 10 Friday: Moura to Mertola (66 miles) Elevation Gain:   3173ft / 697m

A really easy day elevation wise today sees us in the sticks for a large part of the morning soaking up the peace and tranquility of this beautiful area in splendid isolation. We later begin to see some signs of settlement as we skirt the edge of the Vale do Guadiana park on our way to a cracking descent into our evening’s accommodation with enough time to wander the ancient cobbled streets of medieval Mertola.

Day 11 Saturday: Mertola to Tavira (57 miles) Elevation Gain:   4560ft / 1389m

With the last few days having been more sedate, your legs should be nice and ready for the last dramatic day as we head through the low altitude Caldeirao mountain range today. We eventually pop out on the other side to a lovely descent followed by our final approach to the sea and victory at one of the Algarve’s most charming towns, Tavira. A nice route with silky smooth road surface and stunning views will see you winding down towards the sea to the finish point where your guides will be waiting to cheer you on as you complete your end to end Portugal tour. Skinny dipping and naked conga along the beach is optional…..

Day 12 Sunday: Departure Day

As we say our fond farewells and tearful promises of a re-union the following year a coach will pick everyone up and transfer everyone to the airport with hopefully wonderful memories of another Peak Tours’ adventure.

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How do I get to Porto?

You can get to Porto from all major UK airports which all have regular non-stop flights. We can pick you up at the airport when you arrive on Tuesday and transport you to your first nights’ accommodation.

What happens when I arrive?

If you would like collecting from the airport then we can meet you at any point up to around 6pm. We will then meet you and take you, your luggage and your bike to the hotel in Porto where we will spend our first night. We will have a group meal 19.30 on the Tuesday night so if you are arriving much earlier you have the time free to yourself. If you arrive after 6pm then the guides will not be able to collect you and you will need to arrange your own transport via taxi from the airport to your accommodation. Breakfast is from 7.00 the following morning and the coach will arrive at 8:15 to transport us the 2 hours or so to the start point.

What happens at the end?

On the final day we finish cycling on Saturday and spend the night at the hotel in Tavira town centre. We have a ‘final supper’ where we all get together for a last group meal. We will arrange a transfer to the airport on the final Sunday at a time that suits. You would need to arrange your own taxi if you are staying on any extra nights (this can be arranged very easily via the hotel)

What’s Included?

The tour price includes 12 nights accommodation, 12 breakfasts, 10 lunches, all snacks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, fruit, cake, jelly babies etc, full trip support including a tour leader that cycles with the group, back up van with spare parts and a few spare bikes, detailed route notes and GPS files so that you can cycle at your own pace, a Peak Tours cycle shirt, completion certificate, luggage transfer each day, transfer from Porto Airport to hotel on Tuesday & also from Tavira Hotel to Faro airport at the end of the tour on Sunday morning.

What’s Not Included?

Evening meals, 1 lunch, cycle hire (available for a fee), Garmin hire (available for a fee), insurance, flights.

Group Size

The group will be a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 25 people. We feel that this size of group works best as there will always be enough in the group for some good company but there won’t be so many people that it becomes overcrowded.

Accommodation

You have a choice sharing a double or a twin room or, if you would like your own space then you can choose the single room option or sole occupancy of a double.  All rooms are en-suite.

Route

After our arrival in Porto on Tuesday we will set off to the border (near to the Spanish border) early on Wednesday morning to get to the start point in good time.

The first 3 to 4 days are some of the hilliest of the trip as we make our way south through lovely steep sided valleys and over the large dams of the sparsely populated north heading down to the lovely region around the Douro river.

We climb out and away from the area round the Douro to an interesting geographical area typified by large boulders strewn around hillsides, hilltop enclaves of communities with ancient castles sitting atop with fantastic panoramic views.

The tour then takes on a more gentle tone as we pass through the stately Marble towns and gently undulating countryside of the Alentejo region with the occasional stunner of a hilltop castle town like Marvao and Monsaraz.

The final few days are really quite gentle riding through very pleasant countryside before a final dramatic day to the quaint, seaside town of Tavira at the end of what we hope for you, has been a fantastic trip.

Food

All of your breakfasts and most lunches (lunch not included on day 9 as it works best to spread out) are included in the price of the trip. Breakfast in Portugal is fairly simple and varies from place to place. A lot of the hotels will offer some form of alternative continental and we will endeavour to press the hotels for a little more choice for our groups for your cycling legs.  Lunches (but not drinks) will be provided each day (apart from the 1 mentioned) and will generally be at a restaurant or cafe with pasta salads, sandwiches and local fare etc, sometimes there may be a picnic lunch if we are out in the sticks .

Evening meals are not included  and can be bought at your accommodation or in nearby restaurants. We also have fruit, biscuits, nuts etc in the back up van that you are welcome to pick at throughout the day and if there are specific snacks you would like, as ever, just let us know. For eating out, although we have found a few excellent restaurants, the fare in general, especially as we are away from the coastal sections, can be less sophisticated than somewhere like France. There isn’t as much choice for restaurants and they are generally quite small, but the Pousadas and hotels we stay in are of a good standard.

Back Up

An experienced tour leader will cycle with you each day and be on hand to help with any bike problems that may occur. You will have detailed route notes and the GPX files so that you can go slower or faster than the leader if you prefer or you can cycle behind the tour leader so that you don’t have to navigate at all, although they will be at the back of the group.

A back up van will leap frog the group a number of times each day so that help is never far away. We carry a range of spare parts so that repairs can be made en-route and we will have a spare bike available in the event that your bike has a serious breakdown.

Bikes

We highly recommend that you use a bike that you are used to and feel comfortable riding. Your bike should be fully serviced and in good condition before you start, this will reduce the risk of mechanical problems and unnecessary stoppages along the way. It should be noted that if you have your bike serviced before the tour then it is a good idea to ride it a few times to allow things to ‘bed in’ before joining the tour.

Either a road bike or a touring bike is preferable. We have a range of bikes available for hire if you don’t have your own bike. We will take your bike over for you if you bring it to us before hand and we will take it back for you at the end of the tour as well. We used to provide this service for free but we now have to charge a small fee of £40 per bike to cover the post Brexit paperwork (ATA carnet) that is required. If we take your bike for you then we would also need to bring it back. We can’t take bikes one way I’m afraid. This is due to the post Brexit paperwork that needs to be completed.

Please note that Peak Tours will not be held responsible for any damage cause in the transportation of the bikes, problems are very rare indeed and we have a very safe, tried and tested system. Any bikes with DI gears need to bring their chargers with them for the trip and riders also need to be aware that it may be necessary to remove the saddle and in some cases with DI gears, unplug the cable (although we try to avoid this). We also remove the front wheel of most bikes being transported and place them in wheel bags, if anyone has a wheel that requires a specific tool you would need to provide that too please.

The roads in Portugal are generally of a good quality with the occasional rougher section on some of the narrower back roads, more notably the “C” roads, although these are some of the most pretty. One other quirk about towns and villages in Portugal is that almost every town centre still have cobbles so there are many short sections in town centres that have unavoidable cobbles. Hard wearing 25mm tyres and up are fine and a road bike or hybrid are both suitable for this trip. At the end of your trip we can arrange for your bike to be sent to your address (UK only – contact the office for a price) if you don’t want the hassle of transporting it yourself.

Fitness

This tour is suitable for someone with a good level of fitness and who wants a challenge. If you do plenty of training beforehand you should have no problem completing the ride. We will have a training day in the Peak District available if you would like to join the group before the main event.

It must be stressed that a good amount of training before the ride will make your tour much more enjoyable and ensure that you finish your ride. We are always happy to advise you about training plans in preparation for the ride.

Clothing & Equipment

Clothing for all weathers is recommended so waterproofs are essential, the north of Portugal is colder than the south and in the mountains you should be prepared with layers. A full recommended kit list is provided & we are always happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Insurance

It is compulsory that you take out adequate insurance to cover against personal accident, loss of belongings and cancellation cover. This should cover you in the event that you have to cancel the tour anytime after the final payment has been made as we may be unable to fill your place. If you don’t already have a policy in place then you can try Yellow Jersey who specialise in providing insurance for cyclists. You can see further details here: Yellow Jersey

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Support

Usually each tour has 3 guides*:
– One guide drives a van that provides refreshments during the day. We call this van the ‘brew van’. Generally we have a mid morning stop, a lunch stop and an afternoon brew stop. The brew van provides hot drinks such as tea and coffee, water and a range of snacks such as fruit, dried fruit, biscuits, local specialities etc.
– One guide drives the ‘luggage van’ – transporting your luggage from hotel to hotel, as well as setting up your lunches on picnic days. We aim to put your bags in your rooms for you each day although this isn’t always possible.
– One guide cycles at the back of the group. You are provided with detailed route notes and gpx files so that you can navigate yourself. It is important that you cycle at your own pace – we don’t cycle as one big group. There could be an hour or two between the front and the back rider. Our cycling guide will always stay at the back of the group.
– Mechanical support: We carry a range of spare parts so that repairs can be made en-route and we will have some spare bikes available in the event that your bike has a serious breakdown. If we can’t fix your bike then we will try to get it to the nearest bike shop for repair.
– Each guide will be contactable by phone during the day so if you have any issues you can get straight in touch with them.

*For smaller groups you might only have one guide that cycles with the group and one back up driver or two back up drivers without a guide cycling at the back of the group. For groups of 10 or less just one tour leader will provide back-up for you.

FAQ: Does the support vehicle follow the group?
No, the back up van doesn’t drive behind the group at all times but the van shouldn’t be too far away if you require assistance. On most tours we have two back up vans. The brew van stays out with the group throughout the day, stopping for a morning refreshment stop, lunch and on most days an afternoon refreshment stop as well. Usually the luggage van will go on ahead to ensure that your luggage is ready for you when you arrive at your accommodation.

FAQ: Can I get in the van if I am tired and unable to complete the day’s riding?
Ideally you would complete each day’s ride however you can get in the van as a last resort if you are unable to complete that day’s ride. We ask that riders who sign up for the tour are able to complete each day of riding, and don’t see the vans as a ‘strategy’ for completing the tour – e.g. if you are considering signing up for the tour and riding half of each day, and then getting in the van, then perhaps the tour is not quite for you yet, but once you’re confident that you can complete each day on your bike we will gladly welcome you.

If you have a contagious illness and can’t ride on any particular day then getting in the van isn’t an option as the chances of passing the illness to the guide driving the van is high. This has happened on many occasions in the past and then the guide has passed the condition to others in the group. It is for this reason that we don’t allow anyone with a contagious condition to ride in the van with the guide. If this happens then we will help arrange alternative transport to the next stop.

FAQ: Can my non cycling friend/partner book onto the tour and ride in the van each day?
No. We may need the space in the van to pick up riders who have had an accident or need mechanical assistance so we need to keep the space in the van free for emergencies.

FAQ: What are the groups like?
Obviously each group is different but generally they are a fun, friendly, helpful and adventurous bunch. There will be people of all ages and from all walks of life. We tend to get quite a few older riders although there will always be a few younger riders as well. The average age for our riders is people in their 50’s and 60’s. We think that a group of 20-25 is ideal as there will be plenty of people with similar interests and character without being such a big group that it becomes too much. Generally the group will be split 50/50 between people travelling alone and people that travel as a pair such as two sisters, two friends, two partners etc. There will be plenty of people to socialise with throughout the day and in the evening.

ACCOMMODATION

B&B OPTION & DOUBLE OR TWIN/TRIPLE
If you choose the B&B only option you will stay in a mixture of B&B’s, guesthouses and hotels. If you are travelling with a friend then you will be roomed together in a twin or if you’re with your partner then you will be in a double room (or a twin if you prefer). If you are travelling alone then you will be roomed with another member of the group in a twin or triple room (same sex). The actual stopovers may change from the advertised accommodation providers, if this happens then an equivalent standard of accommodation will be used nearby. The majority of the rooms you stay in will be en-suite however you may stay in a couple of rooms that are not en-suite, although this is rare for the double/twin room option.

SINGLE ROOM OPTION
If you choose the single room option, you will have your own room for the duration of the holiday. This will be in either a single room or single occupancy of a double room. Usually rooms are en-suite however there maybe the occasional room that is not en-suite.

SOLE USE OF A DOUBLE ROOM OPTION
If you choose this option, you will have a guaranteed double room to yourself throughout the tour. You will always have an en-suite each night of your holiday. Occasionally you may have a twin room to yourself if a double room isn’t available but again, this is rare.

YHA (YOUTH HOSTEL) OPTION
This option is only available for the 14 Day LEJOG tour. If you choose the YHA option you will stay in a mixture of hostels, hotels & B&B’s staying in dormitory rooms, single rooms, twin rooms & triples.

FAQ: What happens if I’ve booked a twin room option but decide that I want a single during the tour?
We will try to find another room for you each night however any additional room costs would need to be paid for by you. It may be that some accommodation providers don’t have any extra rooms available, in which case you would need to stay in a twin room.

FAQ: What can I expect the quality of my accommodation to be like?
Most of our accommodations are either 3 or 4 star which we have hand picked because of their location, high quality facilities and great service standards. You will experience a variety of accommodations throughout the regions you’re passing through each one being different to the next. Where possible we try to steer away from large corporate hotels and lean towards local family run businesses to provide a more authentic experience. Occasionally, in rural areas, the infrastructure isn’t as developed as in other areas so there isn’t an abundance of accommodations that are able to host a large group of cyclists with bicycles. On these rare occasions the group has to be split between two neighbouring villages.

FOOD

All of your breakfasts and lunches, unless otherwise specified in specific tour information, are included in the price of the trip. Lunch will be provided each day in a café or restaurant or picnic lunches provided by the guides. Evening meals can be bought at your accommodation or in a nearby restaurant. We also have tea, coffee, fruit, biscuits, cake, nuts etc in the back up van that you are welcome to fill your pockets with at the morning and afternoon ‘brew stops’. We don’t provide gels or powders – only real food.

FAQ: What if I have any dietary requirements such as being Vegetarian or Vegan, Gluten or Dairy Free?
Usually on each tour we have people with specific dietary requirements, and we are able to accommodate these without a problem. Sometimes in the more rural areas our tours visit there may not necessarily be as wide a variety of food (e.g. for Vegans in France or Portugal) but we always inform each café or restaurant well in advance.

FAQ: WHAT HAPPENS IN THE EVENINGS?
Once you have arrived at your accommodation you should have chance for some time to relax, have a shower etc before the evening meal. We will often arrange somewhere to eat for the evening meal so that we can all get together and you won’t be left alone if you would like to eat with others. We don’t arrange a group meal every night to allow for flexibility and exploration but there will always be somewhere at your hotel or close to your accommodation for you to have an evening meal.

Other Costs
We often get asked about estimations for spending money for your evening meals over the length of the tour to help people budget. This is sort of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, as some will eat and drink much more than others, but as a rough guide we would recommend budgeting around £30 / €35.00 per day per person for a 2-3 course evening meal plus a drink and, knowing yourself what you are likely to eat and drink, you can adapt that accordingly.

BIKES

UK TOURS:
You can transport your bike in the following ways:
– bringing your own – most people using this option will take a train or have a friend or relative drive them to wherever the tour starts. For some tours we may be able to offer some en-route collections before the tour. This will usually be at a motorway service station along the route between our HQ in Glossop, Derbyshire and the start point of the tour.
– those arriving into the UK from overseas with their own bike generally tend to transport their bike in a bike bag / box. We have a limited number of spaces in the vans to store such bike boxes / bags during the tour so please contact us if you are thinking of bringing your own bike.

EUROPEAN TOURS:
You can transport your bike in the following ways:
– bringing your own – most people using this option will take a train or plane, with their bike in a bike box or bag. We have a limited number of spaces in the vans to store such bike boxes / bags during the tour so please contact us if you are thinking of bringing your own bike.
– we can transport your bike for you, for a £60 charge. You can either get your bikes to us in Glossop in the Peak District, or you can meet our guides at a convenient location (usually a motorway services) for them while they are en route to catch the ferry.

It should be noted that bikes travel with us at your own risk. It is very difficult for us to provide insurance for your bike during transit, so you need to insure your bike in the unlikely event that your bike is lost or stolen or damaged.

Please note – Generally this isn’t necessary, but for some of the larger bike frames we may need to lower/remove your seat posts in order to pack all the bikes into the vans. We take great care packing the bikes and we will mark seat posts with tape to ensure seat heights can be restored. We are aware that some of you will have Di2 battery systems in the seat posts. We can disconnect these carefully and reconnect them when we unpack the vans.

Please ensure that your bike is fully serviced and in good working order before the start of the trip. It is advisable to have your bike service a few weeks before the start of the tour. This will allow time to ‘bed in’ before you start your ride.

Alternatively you can hire a bike from us, please see our website for more information.

FAQ: Can I use an electric bike on your tours?
E-bikes are welcome on all of our tours, please let us know if you are intending to ride an e-bike, and whether it has to be charged in-situ, or if the battery is detachable, so that we plan accordingly.

FAQ: Where will my bike be stored overnight?
Our accommodations are sourced specifically based on the requirements of our tour and groups, part of these requirements is ensuring there is suitable secure storage storage for your bicycle throughout your stay. Most accommodations we use haven’t been designed to host a group of 25 cyclists in mind so the bike storage solution we arrange can differ from place to place. Usually there will be a room/garage/shed where the bikes can be stored securely and out of the elements. When travelling through rural areas, we use local B&Bs which are unlikely to have the ideal large indoor storage facilities we’d like. In such circumstances bicycles are stored outside under a tarpaulin secured with a cable lock(s) around the back of your accommodations or behind locked gates. If you’re considering booking a tour that travels through rural areas and wish to discuss this in more detail, please speak to one of our team members. Occasionally we keep bikes stored in our back up vans.

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

A full kit list, including clothing and equipment (personal spares and repairs) can be downloaded here for our 10 – 14 day tours or here for our 7-9 day tours or here for our tours that are less than 7 days.

Helmets are a requirement on all of our tours.

LUGGAGE

The ideal size for luggage is 70 x 50 x 30 cm and a weight of 10 to 15kg (or less). You will also be able to have a smaller ‘day bag’ which you can access during the day.

Where possible, your luggage will be put into your room at the end of each day, but please note that if your luggage exceeds the 15kg limit then this may not be possible.

FAQ: Are there any places to wash clothes during the tours?
This varies from tour to tour, but there will be a note made in your route notes. Often the towns you will stay in will have a local launderette, or sometimes there are self-service washing machines at fuel stations or in supermarket car parks (this tends to be more common on our European tours.) Most people will tend to wash their own clothes during the tour using some travel wash gel or soap in their hotel bathroom – this can be done quite effectively meaning no need for a launderette.

FITNESS

Each of our tours has a grade. Our grading system is explained here

We offer two different training weekend options, which can be found here. If you are booked on to one of our longer tours then you may wish to do one of our shorter tours first, to get a feel for how things work. You can see details of our shorter tours here.

In addition to this we send out a training plan for each tour once you have booked on.

FAQ: What if I am very slow during each day?
We ask that each rider completes each day of riding by 18:30, to allow you to have enough time to rest, socialise and eat before heading to bed. This helps you to get maximum enjoyment out of the tour, rather than each evening becoming a rush! Whilst on tour, if you are coming in late then we will try to accommodate this by perhaps setting you off early. As per the booking conditions, if you finish your day’s cycling beyond this time period, it shall be at the tour leader’s absolute discretion as to whether you are at a sufficient level of fitness to continue with your chosen holiday.

MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE

We don’t expect you to be an expert bike mechanic but there are a few simple skills that will be a great benefit to you. It is essential that you know how to fix a puncture. It is quite likely that at some point you will have a puncture or two so it is essential that you carry a puncture repair kit and a spare tube or two with you. It is also helpful if you know how to change your brake pads and adjust your brakes and gears, however this isn’t essential. Our guides will help you with any repairs and adjustments en-route.

FAQ: What if I can’t change a puncture?
We recommend that you practise this before coming on tour. There are a number of Youtube videos out there to help, and your local bike shop will be able to offer advice and show you in person. If you arrive at the tour and you still don’t know how to change a puncture, then our guides will show you at the beginning of the tour. Changing a puncture is a quick job: it should take at most 10 minutes, even if the tyres are tricky to get on and off. If you have to wait for one of our guides to assist you, then it is likely that you may be waiting longer than 10 minutes depending on where they are, so it makes sense for you to master this skill so you can get back on the road sooner rather than later.

NAVIGATION

We provide detailed route notes and also GPX files for all tours. If you would like to hire a Garmin Device from us, with all of the routes loaded, then we have them available for hire. These can be booked through the Tour Extras section of our website, or by getting in touch with the office.

FAQ: What if my own navigation device fails on tour?
We have a number of spare Garmins which we carry, with all of the routes loaded on. In the interests of fairness to other customers who have hired a Garmin, if you have to use one of ours then we would ask you to pay the same fee that they have paid (or contribute towards some costs depending on how many days you have had to use it for).

GROUP SIZE

Our tours operate with group sizes of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 25 people. We don’t cycle as a large group, smaller groups naturally form along the way. We feel that this size of group works best as there will always be enough in the group for some good company but there won’t be so many people that it becomes overcrowded.

FAQ: What is the usual age and make up of your groups?

Typically most people are aged around 45 and above, and generally on each tour there is a split of around 40% women and 60% men. That does vary from tour to tour however, and we have had riders from ages 15 to 87!

FAQ: Can I come with my child who is under 18?
Yes, however you will be responsible for your child’s safety throughout the tour. Our guides do look after all of our riders but they will not act in loco parentis.

SAFETY

Emergencies
112 is the emergency number for Europe. The number 112 can be dialled to reach emergency services – medical, fire and police – from anywhere in Europe. This Pan-European emergency number 112 can be called from any telephone (landline, pay phone or mobile cellular phone). Calls are free and you can ask for an English-speaking operator.

GHIC – European Health Insurance Card
This card entitles you to greatly reduced or free state medical services throughout Europe, including Switzerland. We recommend you send off for one of these before the trip and carry it with you. It’s important to bear in mind that these cards are not a substitute for travel insurance and adequate travel insurance is compulsory for this tour. This link will give you all the information you need about the EHIC – Apply for a GHIC Card.

Tick-borne encephalitis
In general, no special immunisations or medications are necessary for travel to Europe but it may be worth immunising yourself against ticks as, in many countries, in wooded areas and rough pasture with long grass, ticks can be found. The risk is very low but it is possible to contract Lyme disease, tularaemia, tick-borne encephalitis and rickettsia diseases from these little critters in the warmer months.
If you find a tick attached to skin, promptly remove it. Grasp the tick using fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure, do not twist or jerk the tick. After removing it, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands. If you begin to experience a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your health care provider.

Cycling Tips for mainland Europe
We’ll start with the obvious one, cycling on the right-hand side of the road. You will be surprised at how many times you are cycling along thinking “somethings not quite right here” only to find a Renault heading in your general direction!

It takes time to break the lifelong habit of cycling on the left-hand side and it would be worthwhile keeping this ever present in your minds for at least the first few days.

Instinctively, at junctions and roundabouts, we Brits look for cars coming from the right. This habit must also be broken and great care taken at junctions and roundabouts to look for the cars coming from your left and giving way to the left at roundabouts.

Another tricky manoeuvre that is counter intuitive to the British brain is turning left. This is perhaps the most confusing as we are so used to simply turning left.

To turn left we must cycle past the first half of the junction and turn left into the second half while at the same time taking great care for oncoming traffic (there is usually a blue arrow sign to remind you).

By law, you need to have a bell on your bike in France, you can find small ones that don’t take up too much space.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend that you take out adequate insurance for your tour which, as an absolute minimum, should cover accident & medical expenses if you are travelling within the UK or outside of the UK for our European tours, cover for your bike and belongings and cancellation cover in the event that you have to cancel your tour for unforeseen circumstances.

You should be aware that if you have an accident or fall ill while on the tour you will lose the money paid for the trip. A travel insurance policy would allow you to reclaim most of the money as well as providing insurance in case you lose your bags or if your bike is stolen, broken etc.

Your policy should also cover cancellation costs if you cancel the tour within 8 weeks of departure. If this happens we will try to fill your space and return your funds to you but if we are unable to fill your place you will lose the funds paid for the tour.

We’ve partnered with Yellow Jersey and agreed a 10% discount off their travel insurance products, both available on a short term or annual basis for all our clients. Once you have booked onto your tour with us, you will receive a discount code. We would recommend that you also take a look at what other products are available.

FAQ: What if I don’t have insurance for my tour?
Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

For information on our Booking Conditions, please see here.

FAQ: What do I do if I lose my passport?
1. Go to the police and get an incident report: You need to do this because The British Embassy (or Embassy of the country your passport is from) will not issue you with a new/replacement travel document without a police report and your travel insurance policy will not reimburse you for costs incurred without a police report.
2. Go to the nearest British Embassy: Once you have filed a police report, head to the nearest British embassy to get the necessary paper work. This includes an LS01 form, which cancels your current passport and prevents crooks from using it for identity theft.
3. Emergency Travel Documents: In the event of an emergency (like your flight home leaving that afternoon), travel documents can be issued for those who need to fly home immediately. For an emergency passport to be issued, you will still need some form of identification and a police report – for security reasons. This is not a replacement passport though – it will only be valid for your flight home.
4. Check your travel insurance as some insurance providers cover situations like this so it is worth ringing them up to find out.

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Click here to read a blog from Rob who completed his ride in May 2023 – Rob’s Blog

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