Bourton-on-the-Water, Sep 2026 - for our final trip for 2026 we headed off down to Gloucestershire to visit Bourton-on-the-Water. We stayed close to the village at Field Barn Park which turned out to be a lovely campsite and a big shout out to the wardens there who made us feel very welcome.

We enjoyed some great cycling around the area and managed to visit some really pretty Cotswold villages including Upper & Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, and Bibury. Our usual group meal was provided by the good people running The Old Manse Hotel in the picturesque village of Bourton-on-the-Water and very nice it was too. We were again very lucky with the weather and we’d certainly like to repeat this trip again soon.

Barmouth, Jul 2026 - for this trip we decided to head across the border into Wales to see the coastline and beautiful scenery around Barmouth. What a scorcher! Cycling and camping are usually outdoor pursuits so we are always hoping for good weather but we hadn’t envisaged temperatures to be as hot as they were; well into the “30s” with hardly any cloud. We had some lovely cycle trips using the Mawddach Trail to get us around and even enjoyed a paddle in a mountain lake to cool off our cycling feet after a challenging climb out of Dolgellau. After the cycling was done for the day a few of the more intrepid members of our camping group decided to test the sea conditions and reported back that they’d had a lovely swim in unusually warm seas. We even managed to squeeze in a hike up to the summit of Cadair Idris; we’d planned well and took plenty of drinking water which was certainly needed. Overall a lovely trip and one which we hope to repeat.

Montford Bridge, Jun 2026 - What a lovely trip this turned out to be! We camped near to Shrewsbury so we could take advantage of being close to this lovely town with its historic buildings and fine hostelries. We had luck on our side with some decent weather so we were able to enjoy some very pleasant local cycling around Shropshire. Our camping trips are getting a bit more adventurous of late, so as well as the good fun on two wheels we combined this trip with a day out on the River Severn in a group of canoes. We had a good meander along the river; enjoyed a nice packed lunch and only occasionally collided with the riverbank due to slight navigation issues. The good news was that all participants survived the experience intact (and mostly dry) so no doubt this trip will repeat in the future.

Somerset, May 2026 - in May we headed off to be near the south coast and explore Somerset. We camped close to Chard which enabled us to have a pleasant cycle ride down to visit the seaside town of Lyme Regis. No fossils were found but we had a good time anyway, and although the terrain was a bit undulating we still enjoyed the challenge. We even managed to squeeze in a group game of skittles at a very friendly local social club who made us all feel welcome.

Bristol & Bath, Apr 2026 - our first camping trip for 2026 took us off to the South West for a tour around this lovely area. We went in search of maritime industrial heritage and Roman history and we found it all. There was a nice mix of cycling, with some urban routes when we visited the City of Bristol, but also quieter lanes. The highlight was a ride out to Bath to admire the majestic Georgian architecture and overall a good trip to kick-off the year.

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.