10 Years in the Press
As we hit 10 years of The Slow Cyclist, we find ourselves looking back over the past decade. We've been lucky enough to host a whole range of fascinating guests on our journeys, including the occasional journalist. And they never fail to write beautiful pieces that remind us exactly why we fell in love with our destinations in the first place.
Here are 10 of our favourites from the past 10 years.
The Mail on Sunday, 2016: Rwanda
Rwanda is where The Slow Cyclist was dreamed up by founder Oli Broom, so he was delighted to show journalist Will Hide why it is such a special place.
"We passed coffee plantations and lots of villages with curious locals wondering who were these sweaty, mud-spattered people."
The Idler, 2016: Transylvania
From his house in Meschendorf, Transylvania, Oli spoke to The Idler about his first year of hosting guests in the Saxon villages. Even in The Slow Cyclist's infancy, Oli so eloquently summed up what makes our journeys so special:
"In a world that is obsessed by speed, a bicycle offers a wonderful opportunity to slow down, to take time to get under the skin of a place. Those are things we all need to do every now and again."
The Telegraph, 2017: Transylvania
Will Hide joined us again in Transylvania to 'pedal sedately through pastures strewn with an amazing array of wildflowers'. He spent several days with our guide Sergiu, who has been with us from the beginning, discovering traditional villages and bucolic landscapes.
"Sergiu and I set our bikes down, breathed in the scent of wild thyme and listened for corncrakes. If life has a pause button, this small corner of eastern Europe is as good a place as any to prop your bicycle up, sit back and give it a push."
The Times, 2020: Zagori
When we first ventured into Greece, Russel Herneman joined us for a cycle through rugged Zagori. He praised our wonderful guiding team for bringing the history of the mountain villages to life, as well as taking care of the group every step of the way.
"The only thing the team won’t do for us, as we cycle our meandering odyssey across Zagori’s magnificent foggy peaks, dank forests and abandoned villages, is pedal, which is a pity, because that’s the hard bit."
House & Garden 2023: The Taurus Mountains
Tim Moore joined us in the 'dramatic landscape' of Turkey's Taurus Mountains where he discovered a land that felt 'blissfully removed from modern life'.
"At The Slow Cyclist's magical campsite just beyond Kesme, the individual bell tents - with proper beds dressed with linen, Turkish rugs, candles - are surrounded by a steepling panorama of pine-studded rock."
HTSI, 2024: The Karoo
Charlotte Sinclair cycled through 'the spreading valleys of the Klein Karoo' on one of our first South African journeys. She was enthralled by this lesser-known area's fascinating history and host of interesting characters.
"We pedal through a fine net of rain to reach the Knysna forests, where, at a tin-roofed tea house, an extravagantly bearded guide named Hardy Loubser recounts stories of yet more hard lives grafted into this wilderness, including 19th-century woodcutters who were born and died without ever leaving their arboreal residence."
The Times, 2024: Lower Silesia
James Stewart joined us for our inaugural journey through 'magical Lower Silesia' which he proposed could be Poland's 'most underrated region.'
"The scenery isn’t dramatic or shouty. It’s quiet, slyly seductive; a storybook place where minding-their-own-business hills shelter quiet villages."
The Telegraph, 2025: Abruzzo
At the start of 2025, Kiki Deere recommended Italy's wild Abruzzo region as one of her '30 greatest holidays in Italy'.
"This east-coast region is home to some of Italy’s wildest landscapes – the Gran Sasso and Majella are among the highest massifs in the country outside the Alps, with wild animals including wolves, endangered Marsican brown bears and chamois roaming the dense beech forests."
Financial Times, 2025: Armenia
Tim Moore joined us once again for our first journey through the 'remote villages and ancient monasteries' of the Armenian Highlands. He arrived with few expectations, and left captivated by the country's rich history and folklore.
"The afternoon ride takes us through ancient villages with earthen streets, laden fruit trees and front yards ablaze with roses and marigolds. It’s late September but everything is in full bloom, nourished by cloudbursts and bouts of fierce sun."
The Guardian, 2025: Bucovina
Last autumn, Damien Gabet joined us for our first ever expedition along Bucovina's stretch of the Via Transilvanica, where he explored 'mountain meadows, fairytale forests and medieval monasteries'. More challenging than our usual journeys, Damien enjoyed the thrill of mountain biking - with a little help from the electric motor.
"The Slow Cyclist team has struck a lovely balance between cardio and culture, offering a rosy glimpse of Romania’s past and present – via a muddy dive into its dreamy countryside. Over three days, I’d ridden through fairytale landscapes and eaten like a happy Saxon farmer. I’ve already vowed to return to ride more of the trail."
Find out more about how we're celebrating our 10 year anniversary here. If you've been inspired by any of the articles above, discover our destinations or enquire now.
