Slow Cycling in The Cotswolds
As Slow Cyclists, we are fortunate to traverse through beautiful landscapes and immerse ourselves in local culture, architecture and food. Our journeys take us to the Saxon villages of Transylvania, the nature reserve at Faia Brava in Portugal, and the volcanic hills of Rwanda. But in mid-May, blessed with an early British summer, we took a group of Slow Cyclists on a journey closer to home.
For some, this was their first taste of slow cycling; for others, a chance to reacquaint themselves with electric bicycles and the welcome comfort they bring to a day in the saddle. Electric bicycles are used across all of our destinations and they take the strain out of the ride, allowing us to fully appreciate the places, architecture, and nature we encounter along the way.
As a relative newcomer to slow cycling, but with a background in guided mountain bike rides I was pleased to have Oli's support in planning a route that emphasised the journey over the destination. And I was instantly converted. The focus shifted from the thrill of the trail to the joy of the areas we would we pass through, placing greater importance on what we could see and experience, over what lay beneath our wheels.
Our meeting point was Coln St Aldwyns, and as coffee and pastries were finished, the conversation was flowing, from a group of 12 slow cyclists eager to see what the day would bring. As one of our guests put it:
"There is always something interesting on a day with The Slow Cyclist."
They weren't wrong. Our journey criss crossed the river Coln through stunning countryside, and 11th-century villages like Coln Rogers, known as a 'Thankful Village' because it is one of just 52 where all of the soldiers returned from WWI.
It is also home to one of five Saxon churches in the Cotswolds, an apt find and a nod to the Saxon villages of Romania that are so loved by our guests.
From the pretty villages of Winson and Ablington, we headed north through purple fields of flax to find our lunch spot; a beautiful private dining space at Kilkenny Barn, and a welcome relief from the midday sun.
With appetites sated and water bottles refilled, the afternoon cycle moved at a quicker (read "less slow") pace as we navigated empty country lanes and farm tracks before winding our way through the meandering valley of the Hatherop Estate.
Gifted by Ernest Cook to the educational trust established in his name, the estate is part of a plan to nurture a lifelong journey of learning, appreciation and respect for the countryside through outdoor learning.
Appreciation of the countryside had been impossible to ignore throughout our day and as we rolled down an old Roman road to our finish point there was a sense of rejoining civilisation after a day in the quiet wilderness of the Cotswolds.
If you'd be interested in joining us for a future slow cycle in the UK, contact us to express your interest.
