Weiwei and his Forever Bicycles in Toronto

Hot foot it or hot pedal it down to Nathan Phillips Square in central Toronto to see the latest creation from the renowned Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei.  Using 3,000 bikes - actually Yongjiu bikes, (Yongjiu roughly translates as forever- hence the installation's name), Weiwei's labyrinth installation is 100 ft long and 30 ft wide. It more or less fills the outdoor space of the square. Visit before October 27.  Who knows what happens to the bikes after that - one assumes they at least, will go on forever.

What makes the quintessential English summer?

Yes, it's been a while since we last put fingers to keyboard and added a blog.  This is because come May,  things start getting a little crazy around here.  2013 has been our best year yet and despite the fact that we are well in to the summer, there are still a few last minute bookers who have hung on, in the hope of good weather and are now being rewarded for their patience.  Sudden bursts of sunshine are definitely part of the quintessential English summer but what else is at the heart of this much longed-for time of year?

1. The promise of a holiday, whether it be at home or abroad.  Apart from the occasional rainshower, our best weather occurs now but yet most chose to travel abroad.  Have we got it all backwards?
2.  Getting out your summer clothes that have been sitting in the wardrobe waiting for their brief appearances. Short sleeves and summer dresses reveal limbs that haven't seen the light of day for 9 months.
3. Eating alfresco.  Just the hint of a warm weekend and we hot foot it to the shops to stock up on BBQ goodies, garden furniture and the now compulsory chiminea or fire pit.
4. Spontaneous get-togethers.  No need to squeeze everyone into your house or a cramped pub when there is the garden to take advantage of.  It's like suddenly having a new room in the house.
5. Summer events. Literary and music festivals, regattas and of course, Wimbledon. Nothing encapsulates the English summer better than the Wimbledon fortnight.  The hopes for good weather, the expectations placed on young shoulders, strawberries and cream and 2 weeks spent watching television as the sun streams through the window!

You haven't left it too late.  Make the most of the summer and book a cycling holiday today.

All England's 17 World Heritage Sites

Prompted by a recent article on the most expensive luxury travel holiday ever - a 2 year tour of all Unesco's 962 World Heritage Sites costing a cool $1.5 million, we decided to tot up the sites in England you can visit on our tours and the associated luxury holiday price tag.

Currently. by bike or on foot we take you to 9 of the sites - 
The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Maritime Greenwich, The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Canterbury Cathedral, Stonehenge and Avebury, Bath, Blenheim Palace and  the Jurassic Coast of Dorset.


Adding visits to the 8 others - Durham cathedral, Fountains Abbey, Hadrian's Wall, Derwent Valley Mills, Saltaire, Ironbridge, the Cornwall and Devon mining landscape and Liverpool would take 19 days in all. With a  price tag of just less than £3,500 with our hand picked luxury hotels and our very special tailor made service, this all feels like a wonderful and incredible luxury holiday - and is, dare we say it, a bargain!. It's unique too - we only offer one of these holidays per year.   Book it ! 
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At Last - an Invisible Inflatable Cycle Helmet

Brilliant!
2 industrial designers from Sweden have finally come up wtih a sensible solution to the cycle helmet problem. Many of us don't wear a helmet as it doesnt do much for the cycling experience. Their design is a bit like the air bag in cars - it inflates on the way to impact. Read all about it on their website. They don't have an outlet in the UK yet but you can buy it online or view it at the Spin London Urban Cycle Show in May.

4 Heated Outdoor Pools for Cool Spring Days

Lehon swimming pool France

There's nothing better than finding an nice outdoor pool on a cycle ride or walk. Even better if its heated and its one of those cool spring days or even a cold winter day.

So here's our list of 4 wonderful heated pools, all open throughout the winter and all on biking or walking  tours we offer year round. 3 are in Britain and one in France.

• .Hampton Pool close to Hampton Court Palace and on the perimeter of Bushy Park. Accessed from any of our Lower Thames cycling and walking tours
• Chesham Moor in the Chiltern Hills. On our Chiltern Challenge Tour
• Bath Spa Thermae  The original and only natural spring in Britain first discovered in 863 BC. Heated by high temperature rocks 2km below the earth's surface, the waters rise through a city centre spring which until recently ran very wastefully into the River Avon. Since 2006 you can swim at roof top level in the waters which are 33C. On any of our tours going to Bath
• Lehon Pool, France. Minutes fromDinan this charming village and its pool are adjacent to the Rance river. On our Emerald Coast Tour

Where in the World?

It was only last week and it was sunny and warm as we explored routes for a another new tour.. Seems like a dream as its barely above freezing here this week.

Off Season - Ups and Downs

The good

And the not so good

Off