Who doesn’t enjoy a nice tour?
We are blessed with some lovely cycle lanes locally but we still can’t resist the temptation to get away on our bikes a bit further afield!
Here’s some of our plans for 2026…
Scroll down to see memories of our past escapades
Bristol & Bath, Apr 2026 - heading off to the South West for our first camping trip for 2026 we’ll be touring round this lovely area, in search of maritime industrial heritage, perhaps some Georgian architecture, maybe even some Roman history, but certainly some nice cycle lanes and picturesque pubs for refreshments.
Somerset, May 2026 - in May we thought we’d head off near to the south coast and explore Somerset. We’re planning to camp near Chard and that should put us within striking distance of cycling to Lyme Regis so some fossil hunting will no doubt be on the agenda as well as looking out for some nice venues to enjoy some locally produced cider.
Montford Bridge, Jun 2026 - the plan for this trip is to camp near Shrewsbury so we can take advantage of being close to this lovely town with its historic buildings and fine hostelries. And then do some local cycling combined with the highlight of this trip being a day’s canoeing on the River Severn.
Barmouth, Jul 2026 - for the summer we’re headed off to Wales to see the coastline and beautiful scenery around Barmouth. We’ll no doubt visit the stunning beaches and enjoy some cycling around the area, and of course drop into some local cafes and inns to sample some delicious Welsh produce.
Bourton-on-the-Water, Sep 2026 - for our final trip for 2026 we’re off to Gloucestershire to visit Bourton-on-the-Water. We’ll be camping close to the village and cycling around this lovely area to enjoy the classic stone architecture and idyllic villages that the Cotswolds is renowned for.
Scroll down to see some of the places we got to previously - some great memories were made!
Lichfield, Sep 2025 - for our final 2025 camp we decided to explore Staffordshire and stayed at Kings Orchard Campsite, near Lichfield which had a fine display of barges in their marina. We had a lovely time cycling the quiet lanes, enjoying the local hostelries and for a bit of culture we visited Lichfield Cathedral and the garden at Erasmus Darwin House close by. A very pleasant few days was had by all.
Ross-on-Wye, Jul 2025 - “It’s only 50 miles” my daughter said. “That’s along the motorway” I replied, ”the way we go it’s over 70 miles each way”. So on a somewhat chilly Sunday morning in July, fourteen Stourbug cyclists set off for The Premier Inn at Ross-on-Wye. I’m Pete, and it was a very nostalgic journey for me being where, over 50 years ago, I met my wife, we married in August 1975 and raised our two children until our move to Stourport on Severn a few years later.
Our journey to Ross-on-Wye was on a fabulous route organised by Sally and Patrick, mainly country lanes with little traffic. After two ‘bench’ stops and brunch at Wetherspoons Tewkesbury we arrived at the riverside meadows Ross. Ice creams were a welcome reward followed by a short ride to The Premier Inn where our overnight bags, transported by Graham’s wife, were waiting for our arrival. A shower and a rest before the evening meal, whilst watching ‘The Lionesses’ win the Euros, accompanied by a somewhat out of tune “It’s coming home”.
The following day after our full English (breakfast) we set off at 8.30 am, initially following the river Wye, again cycling along deserted country lanes to our lunch stop at Croome Park before arriving home tired but elated.
Slimbridge, Jul 2025 - off we went down to Gloucestershire for a weekend camp behind the Tudor Arms pub. It’s about 70 miles there so most folks put their bikes in their cars and headed off down the M5 but hats off to a couple of brave campers in the group who actually cycled there, albeit via more suitable B roads. The weather was fantastic, sunny and over 30 degrees. Our Saturday ride was thankfully nice and flat, given the heat, and Sunday’s ride took us down the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal to visit Gloucester Docks. A lovely weekend away and enjoyed by all.
New Forest, Jun 2025 - it’s always a special place to visit and this was a return visit for us to the New Forest. There’s lots to see including the free roaming donkeys, cattle and horses and if you’re lucky some deer too – not to mention lots of trees of course. We stayed at the excellent Redshoot Campsite near Linwood and had 3 days of lovely cycling together. The evenings were quite pleasant too with visits to the on-site pub and some group singing courtesy of our very own Stourbug Ukulele Ensemble who provided good sounds and rhythm. We will most certainly be back soon.
Hook Norton, May 2025 - this was a return visit to The Gate Hangs High campsite which is nicely situated behind the pub of the same name on the edge of the Cotswolds. The weather proved reliable and although there were a few hills making the routes ‘a bit lumpy’ the riding around this lovely area was enjoyed by all. There was the usual customary group meal in the pub to round off a pleasant few day’s cycling and this proved to be another successful Stourbug camping trip.
Offenham, Apr 2025 - we headed off to Worcestershire, so fairly local, to a lovely campsite behind the Fish & Anchor public house – it’s a nice site that we have used a few times and it’s called Offenham Touring Park and it’s ideally suited for the local cycling lanes. We took a gamble with the weather camping so early in the year in April but we struck lucky and the conditions were lovely. A nice evening meal at the on-site pub was enjoyed by the group and it turned out to be a great trip overall.
Lichfield, Sep 2024 - this turned out to be a lovely weekend camping at The Kings Orchard Marina, in Huddlesford, near Lichfield for a couple of nights. The cycling was good and took in local country lanes and parts of Cannock Chase. Conveniently the campsite was only a 10 minute walk from The Plough in Huddlesford where a nice meal was enjoyed by the group on the Saturday night.
Gloucester, Aug 2024 - when planning a ride to Gloucester you could be troubled by tales of errant Doctors and talk of rain showers and puddles. But all went well in August 2024 when, during fine weather, 10 members rode there. It’s 75 miles from Stourbridge and cycling burns calories hence refreshments at Weatherspoons in Evesham and lunch in Tewkesbury, then overnight at the Premier Inn. They enjoyed a visit to Gloucester Docks, and to break up the long ride home they dropped into Croome Court Park for tea and cake, and yes, no rain or puddles were encountered!
Peak District, Aug 2024 - the camp site that was chosen for this excursion is quite special, it’s a ‘quirky’ farm with a large and varied collection of curiosities. We stopped here in 2022 and were made very welcome, hence our return visit in 2024. It’s called Mount Pleasant Camping and Glamping in Stanton Dale and it’s certainly a favourite within Stourbug. The team enjoyed some great cycling along the Tissington Trail and the Manifold Way and we’re looking forward to another visit hopefully soon.
Hook Norton, Jul 2024 - camping in a nice field behind a very pleasant pub in the Cotswolds in the summer, so what’s not to like? And a very nice time was indeed had by the group who ventured here and enjoyed some lovely weather and excellent cycling terrain. And yes, good use was made of the hospitality offered by The Gate Hangs High after a thirsty day’s cycling.
Shobdon Airfield, May 2024 - this is an interesting spot with historical roots as an old British Army base, then an RAF airfield and now home to the Herefordshire Aero Club and a very pleasant campsite which is ideal for our purposes. It’s not far from Leominster so it’s set in some lovely countryside and we enjoyed rides on both days of the camp, including a tour of the local Black and White villages with a pub stop for lunch, very nice!
Aston on Clun, Apr 2024 - we braved an early visit here in April and we were really lucky with sunny weather. However, just prior to the event we’d had torrential rain and this forced a late change of campsite with the original being water logged. But all went well and we enjoyed some great cycling with a highlight being a stunning fish and chip supper at The Kangaroo Inn in Aston on Clun which is now one of our favourite destinations!