John Bickerstaff

John Bickerstaff

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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Whistlestop bike tour.
June 8, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
On reflection the amount to see, the time available and the distance either necessitated either using the u-bahn or the bike. Much as my arse needed a break - cycling was free and probably would be quicker. What also appealed was making an early(ish) start to avoid the mammoth scrums at the Brandenburg Gate. Hopefully the Berlin Wall memorial and Checkpoint Charlie could be ticked off fairly painlessly. Pleasantly the roads were quiet so despite a lack of cycle lanes all was good. Got to the park to find I was the only person looking round, a few were walking their dogs. The wall memorial combines a preserved chunk of wall in situ with a recreation of what it would have been like. There are also some memorials to those that lost their lives. The visitor centre unfortunately didn't open till 10. Onwards to the next point of interest. Checkpoint Charlie - a recreation of the border post. Bit cheesy but a nice photo of - managed to get in before the coach party - cue selfie frenzy. Potsdammer Platz is in essence a business district so lots of big skyscrapers. Also stopped in at Hansa Studios where loads of huge albums were recorded. There was a film crew outside - who might be working in there? Waited for a while but nothing happened - boredom set in quickly. Today's morbid chapter was the Holocaust Memorial. 2500 individual black concrete blocks of varying sizes. Felt a lot like a maze and buried beneath it a visitor centre again focussing on the stories. Not for the faint hearted. On the way back checked in at the Brandenburg Gate - not horrendously busy and the cathedral - not busy but horrendously expensive. If there'd been a guaranteed tower climb they would've been ok but nothing mentioned so nothing doing.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Berlin
June 7, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
I spent 2 - 3 hours at the concentration camp so had to get a bit of wriggle on to take in the other stuff. Head down to try and clock off the miles to get me to Spandau - reckoned it was 15 - 20 so a bit far for lunch especially since it pretty much was already. Tried to get to 40 before worrying about food & almost made - then McDonald's got in the way. Quick, easy and full of energy. Went down a treat. Quick mooch around around the castle. Then onto the Olympic Stadium. Not overly optimistic that it would be accessible since they would be setting up the opening ceremony for the Euros a week today. As it happened that was right - got reasonably close but a very officious guard wasn't for turning a blind eye. Some happy German cyclists got chatting & I took a photo of them and they returned the favour. They'd done about the same distance just from Southern Germany. Off to tackle the big city hecticness.
Managed to find bike lanes most of the way, which was good, the queue for check in less good. Happy to find me a secure place for my bike - no charge. Hmmmm. Couldn't resist going up to the top floor to take in the views. Think they were supposed to charge for it but no-one asked and there was no way I was going to volunteer. Great views and then onto food - both breakfast and tea. Supermarket on the face of it would be easy. Navigating in & of the shopping mall not so much - much aimless wandering but eventually escaped with food.
Tea had to be a nearby Poutine restaurant.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Utter grimness.
June 7, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Busy day - the small matter of 60 miles but needing to leave time enough to absorb the horror that is the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Also wanted to stop off at Spandau Citadel and the Olympic Stadium. A lot to cram in. Helped that the first 30 was a pretty dull affair - both weather and flat & boring. So just got my head down & got to the memorial centre just before 11. In fairness they've handled something unspeakably bad pretty well - don't charge, range of media, English translations everywhere. However it was horrendous to read about - the photos and the stories just were so hard. Glad to have done it but not something necessarily to be recommended.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Pay to park my bike!!!
June 6, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Made it to Rheinsberg for lunch as per the plan. Just had to find some food and somewhere to eat it. The second bit should be easy with the lakeside castle the main tourist draw here. Thankfully that also meant shops were rather more common than yesterday. Settled down with my picnic to watch endless people try take a picture of the castle with the lilies in foreground while dodging the endless goose crap on the lawn. Speedily scooted round the gardens on the bike then to knock off the final 15 miles except it was a bit more - arrived at the hotel and it wasn't there. Slap dash with the navigation prep. Eventually found it & decided to pass on the clothes washing fiasco - enough clean stuff to last me - can't be arsed. Decided to walk into town instead. Had a nice ice cream, took a wander along the lakeside promenade with it's bizarre sculpture. All very nice. Not hungry so opted for pastries from the nearby Aldi. Good mood dissipated on getting back. Asked where I could store my bike securely. Not a problem but it will cost you. Do you charge car drivers? No. In all the places I've stayed with a bike & not one has ever suggested charging. Not HP.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Cycle lane heaven.
June 6, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
My alarm spared me the surreal experience of being woken by traditional German music being blared out over the hostel intercom. Dashed down to beat the school party rush & just managed. Small matter of getting round Muritz lake & then southwards towards Berlin. Bike lanes on busy roads, I guess for the tourist heavy area. Once that was negotiated it was largely green lanes and quiet country roads. All very pleasant, very little traffic - mostly geriatrics on e-bikes. A couple of notable points - having to pass on jumbo jars of local honey in Viperow and just beyond a memorial to a Russian pilot who died saving the population of the village he was about to crash into. Had a little double take - why would a Russian be in Germany but it was East Germany then. Further down the line was having a break in the middle of nowhere when a school party on bikes appeared - steady stream. Later on some stragglers appeared and had to ask me directions - not a good sign. Further on there was the mad (good) situation where the bike lane was a better surface than the road. Things could only get worse from here. Cue road closure. Google had suggested it might be the case but was ignored. Problem was unlike yesterday there was no reasonable way round. So wheeled the bike through the building site and then some substantial bushes. Damned if I was adding another 20+ miles. The joy of these cycle lanes was the wildlife - hares, countless colourful birds and red squirrels.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Top tips.
June 5, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Early check in ✔️ though he had to go and get his mate to help with the English. He had plenty to say - lots of tips, not that I'd have that much time. Duly reprimanded for the shortness of my stay. The stand out was the church tower in town - great views of the lake. By now the sun was out so quick shower and sort then a wander into town along the lake, ideally taking in a shop for a snack - the last 40 miles had yielded not a single food shop - loads of builders merchants. Clearly a sparsely populated area. Sorted bed and paid the balance. Much as cycling in would be quicker a break and leisurely walk suited better. Loved the loungers dotted along the shore. As for the church tower - definitely not something you'd stumble on - the access door had to be unlocked and there was no signs advertising it as a possibility. Definitely worth the princely sum of 2€ & had the place to myself. By now it seemed as easy to have an early tea rather than a snack and return later for tea. Went with hostel guy's recommendation & again top notch.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Gutter cycling
June 5, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C
Far more leisurely start to the day. Unfortunately part of the reason was the forecast which didn't inspire, though on looking out things seemed dry. That changed as departure approached. Extending the route through Rostock didn't seem too wise so took in what was on the way. Rush hour in Rostock was of the traditional type & it didn't look good. Neither did the clouds - the rain may have eased but the prospects seemed pretty bleak.
Watched a steady stream of typhoons. The aircraft - not the weather. Rostock airport, from the looks of things, was also used by the military - lots of warplanes landing. Eventually the weather took a turn for the worse and ended up sheltering under trees. Can only do that for so long. Pushed on & in the short term things did get a bit worse the forecast suggested that eventually things would pick up. The constant presence of black clouds didn't reassure. The hit & miss roads also was a headache. Cobbles all over the place, grass in the middle and forest gravel tracks - bad navigation but so much of the ride was trying to find a smooth path in the gutter. Just as the sun came out I was faced with a road closure - how dare they build railways in my way. 3 mile detour. Despite all that got into Waren at about 2.30. Would there be an early check in?Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Crossing the Baltic
June 4, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
Got back to the 'terminal' to find the numbers had swollen (ish) - there were a few more. Had to wait for the cycle access route to be unlocked. Once the ferry was on the verge of docking we were lead to the embarkation area and were given instructions in German & English. He was a very cheerful soul - joking throughout the English version. Not sure he was in the German or they didn't have a sense of humour. The great thing about cycling onto a ferry is that everyone has to wait for you. Took our time. Locked up and headed up on deck to watch the departure. Didn't hang about. Once out at see settled down for a meal and to do some blogging. No time at all (well 2 hours) we were heading up the estuary towards Rostock. See how clockwork the Germans have the disembarking. All the wagons off first, then us. Follow the cycle lane - makes sense. Downside was you ended up on the wrong side of the road. Even better it drops you off & if you weren't careful you'd end up on the motorway. Thankfully spotted and made a sharp exit. Think the couple following me did the same but they were German so they should know better. No matter only 3 miles to go to the hotel & a short ferry across the estuary. Or at least that was the theory. In practice, on arrival all looked locked up and closed. The sign on the gangway suggested the ferries probably wouldn't run on the 4th. Very helpful. Just added another 5 miles. Relieved to finally get in & a supermarket across the road meant tea and breakie were sorted. Had a short walk down to the docks to see the preserved cranes but struggled getting back - definitely on a go slow.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Sunrise over the Dansk Canyon.
June 4, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Whether it was a worried mind, a weak bladder or just a light morning but I was awake at stupid o'clock. Thought I'd take in sunrise over the quarry and then go back to bed for a while. Outside, though, was pretty fresh and waiting around for the sun, shivering away kind of brushed away the cobwebs. Anyway an early start wasn't the end of the world - best part of 60 miles to do before 1. Had a more leisurely breakfast than expected and still managed to get away before 6. Layered up for it was still cold with limited prospects, though it wasn't forecast to rain... yet. Nice quiet roads through lots of pretty little farming hamlets. Occasional clouds of cornflies dampened enthusiasm for the rural life. Followed the east coast down before cutting across to Vordinborg - this facing the 1 and only noteworthy climb of the day - all of 0.3 miles averaging 5%. Pure evil. Vordinborg offered the surprise of castle to explore, albeit rather quickly. The best preserved tower in Scandinavia, oddly named the Goose Tower. Things got hairy from there - headed towards the bridge off Zealand & encountered roadworks & multiple diversions. Had the route been set up before the bridge I had to get across had been closed? In actual fact it was just a new one being built and the knackered one was still available. Phew I think. Again going across more clouds of cornfly. Going through them in fields of corn is expected not 20m high on a bridge over the sea. Where had they come from? Now a 25 mile slog across Falster island but time was looking good. Short detour through Nykobing, along the coast. Kind of see what you could've won - originally planned to stay there. Lucky escape. Grim industrial mess. Made it to Gedser with 90 mins to spare. Tickets boxes off and bored so cycled to the nearby vintage rail restoration project. Passed the time and got to mess around in trains.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Entrance hunting & fossil hunting
June 3, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ 🌬 20 °C
A last minute route change was made to take in a castle with supposedly freely accessible grounds. Another bonus was the end of cycle lanes. Much as it was good having them for so long, it was a by-product of busy roads. The route to Vallø Slot was quiet & so the bike lanes stopped. Quiet works for me. What wasn't working for me was the wind - definitely a problem in a flat country. Picnic sorted, arrived at the castle & headed to the front. No sign of ticketing or an entrance. Wandered round the side and could see people walking around the grounds but the gate was locked. Decided to head back to a car park I'd passed - see if there were any clues there. There weren't but the gate was open here so went on in. There was a toilet block nearby so must be open for the public. And as for the fleet of robot lawn mowers - keep the place nice and neat looking but don't pay anyone. Great spot for lunch and a nice leg stretcher. Onwards to Faxe. Somehow the wind was a little kinder so the miles passed fairly easily. Checked in at the hostel - no dorm - no snoring. Took in the view of the deepest hole in Denmark. They claim you can't fail to find fossils in the quarry. The plan was to get some help from the nearby museum who run fossil hunting tours. It closed 5 mins before my arrival. Going solo. Followed a trail down into the quarry & there was indeed plenty of fossilised coral. Success. Back to contemplate tea. A combination of a member's kitchen & suspect reviews for the limited restaurants available meant Thai Red Curry ready meal. Nice & cheap too.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
If Carlsberg did cycle tours...
June 3, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Packed & ready to go post breakfast. Just the small matter of rush hour traffic but Danish style. Bikes everywhere & consistently cars giving way for bikes. Definitely a critical mass thing. On the way out of Copenhagen a couple of sights to take in - the Carlsberg brewery, not that they were doing tours that fitted in with my schedule. Been to a few brewery tours anyway - how different can it be? Then onwards to the Brondby Stadium. Seemed like the route was taking me into a posher part of town - that didn't seem right. Then out into the sticks. Eventually resigned myself to the fact that I'd missed it, though couldn't see how. Hadn't - and managed to blag my way in. Some electricians were doing some work & they didn't care if I had a little wander in. Not sure the groundsmen working on the pitch agreed. Onwards & still exclusively on bike lanes which continued for around 25 miles from the hostel. Stopped at a World War 1 fort. Not sure how Denmark figured in that - guessing Germany had designs on invading but the info was exclusively in Danish so we'll never know. There was a school trip with the kids running around playing - which didn't quite fit with the place but I can imagine it was a fun place to play in.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
Doing a 'John'
June 2, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Got back somewhat sweaty but was pleased to find a bottom bunk had become available. Decamped & spread out. Took a while to cool down. Mapped out a route to take in a few more offbeat destinations a little further out - the Christiana region was a hippy enclave but for the most part has been somewhat gentrified - we'll see. Also wanted to see Coppenhill - a incinerator that has the added feature of being an artificial ski slope. You can hike to the top and get great views of the city. Up & down a few times due to forgotten bits and pieces. A sign of things to come. Managed to take in a couple of parts of Christiana that seemed to suggest what it might have been. Some nice little tracks and waterside spots though. Off skiing - well not but the ski slope. Was half expecting them to charge to go up. Guess the thirsty captive market at the rooftop cafe paid for itself & then some. A 100m climb later, somewhat sweaty & enjoying the views - could see the bridge linking Denmark to Sweden. All very nice. The casual stroll back down became rather more urgent when I began to ponder what on earth had become of my satnav - remembered taking it off & putting it on the rack while I sorted out. Then a blank but it wasn't in my pockets. Very black feeling - putting the Danish honesty to the test so soon. Initial sightings of my bike were inconclusive - damn my shit eyes. Thankfully the Danes can be trusted - satnav sat exactly where I left it. Phew - the cycle can continue. Pushed onto the beach, along with half of Copenhagen it would seem, though no congestion carnage here, just loads of bikes. Admittedly the bike parks were very full and as for the beach - no swim just a punnet of strawberries in a shady quiet spot away from the noise.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
The cruise curse
June 2, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Some sleep was achieved despite seemingly endless party buses, police sirens and mammoth firework displays. Stoked up with distinctly Danish breakie Chia pudding with rhubarb was the second & third portion option. Pretty decent spread for a hostel. Morning walk and then an afternoon cycle loosener. Found a walking tour route in a guide book - took a photo & transferred it to a free city map. Convoluted. About half way round took a little detour to the Round Tower - a recommended viewpoint with very few steps - just a gradual slope. Opened at 10 & panicked that with being a church offshoot they might not take cards. No-one queuing so off to find a cashie. Found one but was going to charge an admin. No way - take my chances. By the time I was back the queue had formed - rats. No matter - quick moving and of course the church takes cards - any way they can get money. Great views and despite the queue not horrendously busy - extra bits & pieces on the way up thinned the crowd. Headed to the canals and Nyhavn - getting tourist central - quaint harbour with colourful fronted houses. Very busy - tour parties billowing out onto the road so cars & bikes were swerving to avoid them. Still very pretty and some superb ice cream. Final planned stop - the little mermaid. Very warm walk with no shade. A couple of nice little parks helped. What didn't help were the 2 cruise liners docked just a stone's throw from it. Absolute mayhem. It was a battle just to get a clear view of her without the hoardes trying to get selfies etc. Quick photo and a sharp exit. Very warm so thought about getting the water bus back but tickets had to be done online - couldn't figure it out along with some geriatric Italians - not aging well.Read more
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Across the Baltic to Berlin John Bickerstaff
A happy pilot
June 1, 2024 in Denmark ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
The small matter of getting to the start point - Copenhagen. Direct flights existed from Manchester but prohibitively expensive charges for bikes and Lufthansa's previously relaxed approach meant a trip via Frankfurt. 'Taxi Driver' ... Liz had an important zoom meeting so an early drop off was the option. Meant the bike was dropped off and security negotiated with surprising ease. Did an uber session of Spanish which really should've been German. Relying on CSE grade 2 from 30 years ago. Could be patchy. Dawned that with boarding passes being on my phone the battery had to be preserved - chewing up 25% on Spanish wasn't the smartest move. Not packing the right cable for the power bank even more so. Settled for some eye resting on the first leg. Frankfurt airport is massive. Must've taxied for 10 mins and then had a 20 min trek to the terminal. Chilled for a while - discovered the right cable so chilled a bit more. Sarnies and a catch up with Liz before the next leg. Not the most German approach to boarding - opened the gates before the door to the plane was ready - cue panicked boarding manager and quite a queue. On board the pilot forgot to give the English welcome - much apologising. Despite that, boarding was ahead of schedule much to the pilots pleasure. Able to redeem himself with an early departure, depending on the length of the taxiing - might taxi to Copenhagen. Then to the small matter of bike reassembly. A lot of back & forth trying to figure out where my bike would appear but thankfully it did - a couple of chunks missing from the box - concerned - what bits could have dropped out. No need to worry - all went together fairly easily & on my way by 8ish. 5 miles to the hostel - all cycle lane. Past a huge bike park at the airport and no less than 10 bike shops in that short distance. Hostel was rammed - full of school party sports teams - a couple of lads weren't too impressed with my Liverpool t-shirt claiming utd and chelski were better - not the sharpest it would seem. Quick shower & sort out. Little bit of an explore. Sat outside the fine art gallery eating snacks - as close to culture as is likely for me. Saturday night is a bit lively lots of party buses roaming the streets. Not for me...Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Craster's full.
August 8, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌬 15 °C
The plan was to spend the day taking in some of Northumberland's highlights and then head off late afternoon. Started by heading up to Bamburgh, the most northerly point and then work our way down and at the same time make our way closer to home. Didn't quite work out like that. Made it to Bamburgh, as planned though the car parking should've raised alarm bells. The main car park being full was put down to the bizarre decision made to devote half of it to camper vans. No worries - managed to find a verge within walking distance. Compared fish & chips prices on the way down and it would seem £14 is the going rate. Lots of other quirky shops - the one that caught attention was the butcher, baker & sausage roll maker - an eclectic shop window of pasties, pies, cakes married with a whole counter of meat products. Very random. Wandered down to the beach and braved a paddle - this is the North Sea that was expected - icy cold. Pondered having a look round the castle but a combination of entrance fee and imminent lunch dissuaded. Didn't want to be a captive audience and hungry. Decided to push on to Craster for some crab sarnies but just in case picked up some cake and pasties. On getting back to the car, inspected it as there was a dodgy noise when coming into Bamburgh. Front tyres looked a bit soft so headed to Craster, hoping to find a petrol station. There was one in Seahouses along with an infinite number of chippies. The air pump was out of order. Have to wait till Alnwick. While Bamburgh was busy, that was put down to a combination of beach and castle. Surely Craster wouldn't be as bad. We'd never really experienced busy Northumberland. Got to the Quarry car park to discover queuing cars - not having this. Headed back to Alnwick for air and made a sharp exit.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Book Nirvana.
August 7, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
A reasonable weather forecast - there's a first. Couldn't stomach shelling out for breakie but wasn't sure what cafe facilities were at the local supermarket. Google suggested there was a cafe - turns out it was a coffee machine. Picked up some bits & pieces and back to the room. The day was all about Alnwick - primarily visiting Barter Books, a mammoth second hand book shop. Book Nirvana for Liz, not so much for me. For a good chunk of time the wife went missing - couldn't find her anywhere. Unsurprisingly book purchases were made. Had a little explore of the town - lots of estate agents and quite a few gilet wearing toffs. Ended up down by the river - peace and quiet. Nice views of the castle though a bright red new build didn't help. Google suggested that a riverside walk would come out at a bridge further down and lead to Alnwick Gardens and food options. To trust Google or not. We did and took a while to see the bridge but it was there as was a rain shower. Unfortunately a large chunk of all the tourists in the area had the same idea - mostly heading for the goblin themed play area. Cafe had measley options left - basically cheese and ham toasty. Decided to head back to the book store cafe but both of those had half hour + waits. Ended up back at Sainsbury's and a cheese & ham sarnie. Afternoon break and since the sun was out we went to the local beach at Alnmouth. Pretty little village and a vast expanse of sand. Walk along the beach and a paddle in the North Sea - not as fearsomely cold as expected. Managed to dodge the grim looking clouds.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Bonus material.
August 6, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Quick Canadian breakie before dashing down the hill to catch a bonus 2nd dose of Championship cycling. The hotel was a couple of miles away from the Men's road race route so it would've been rude not to. Sussed a spec that may have been where the peleton could slow down a bit. As for where to park - that was another question. As it happened it was fairly quiet - just a few bike geeks so parked up easily and ambled down. On arrival there were a few more curious locals. Took our places and waited - endless police bikes wandered past taking their healthy overtime. Watched the role out in Edinburgh on the phone and kept up with the race until they hit the bridge. In no time the cavalcade was upon us. Thinking a roundabout would slow them - pah. Blink & you'd miss them though Pog was spotted. Stopped off at North Queensferry to get some nice views of the bridges. Nice peaceful place despite having 2 motorways and a mainline rail route above. Lots of history plaques to read up on the place - interesting. Back to the car and headed for Leith - a coastal / port district of Edinburgh. Possible walk or tram into town to head up Arthur's Seat. Parked up at the Ocean Gateway, final mooring of Britannia. Thoughts of having a little look at it were obstructed at every angle. Window views were occupied by restaurants. The second floor was entirely occupied by the Britannia experience priced at £20 - we've paid for it once, shouldn't have to pay again. Tried to go round the side of the building and barriered off both sides. Had to get a view through a fence & saw a warning sign claiming that this was against the law. Hmmm. Wandered into Leith for some lunch rather than Edinburgh cheaper & easier to push on to Alnwick. Lots of little left field shops and cafes. Also some very dodgy looking tower blocks. Even had a bit of sunshine on Leith in the words of the classics - well the Proclaimers. Alnwick was a little closer by virtue of this stop off - 90 mins, a spectacular coastal route and a sunny afternoon. All good. Understated England border sign was almost missed and Berwick was bypassed. Hotel on the outskirts and apologies for not having any kitchen staff. Short walk to a local pub in the sunshine worked better than a Premier Inn pizza - no apologies needed.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
God it's busy.
August 5, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
A challenging arrival meant a laid back plan for the day. Two key things on the agenda - take a trip to Edinburgh and take a nostalgia trip spiritually back to Canada in the form of breakfast at Tim Horton's - doughnut emporium extraordinaire. We liked them & they've branched out to the UK, including Dunfermline. And the breakfast was every bit as good (tasty) and bad (unhealthy) as remembered. Quick sort & off to Edinburgh. Rather than drive the Park & ride was close at hand and meant not getting caught in the traffic. Originally thought it'd save on tolls across the Forth Bridge but there haven't been tolls in the last 10 years. Finger on the pulse. Still it seemed like a good idea. Parked up, got tickets & headed to bay 3. First bus in was full standing room only. Not keen for a 40 min trip. Bus driver said there'd be another in a couple of minutes. There was - full - completely as was the next & the next. Not impressed. The queue was growing as was the level of chunnering. After 30 mins of full buses we finally got a break - just happened to be a bit of crocked bus - crawled up the hills. Still got a good view of the 3 bridges and made it into Edinburgh while the heavens opened. Pondered moves in the bus depot. Opted for the Scottish Museum along with what seemed like half of the population. Some interesting bits & pieces, very impressive space and some great views from the roof. Tried to take in the Royal Mile but a combination of performers, tourists & Saturday shoppers made it unbearable. Adjourned to Princes Gardens - much better. Decided to try Arthur's Seat tomorrow - too risky today - the rain had largely been avoided. Not sure that would stick. Equally with the festival just starting the level of busy wasn't going to diminish any time soon, so a little more wandering and then back to the bus to plan how to catch the road race tomorrow.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
#The power of bike.
August 4, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Opted for a Morrison's breakie rather than the over-priced hotel one and it sufficed. Onwards to the complex travel arrangements. Since there was no parking available at the velodrome it was a case of city centre or chance your arm that there'd be something nearby. Memories of the area around Celtic Park, for that was where the venue was, were not good. Wasteland would be a good take. City centre parking it was. Apparently a Low Emission Zone had just taken effect. Add to that, that there were numerous road closures for the road cycling and it could be fun. Thankfully, Google did it's job, for once and we were treated at the car park with a massive mural of The Big Yin. Wandered up to the fan zone & realised why the roads were closed as the road cyclists zipped around the city centre loop training for the road race on Sunday. Spent some time trying to spot Wout & Pog. No joy and there were definitely some that weren't competing - definite excess baggage. The fan zone itself was a mix of corporate sponsors, dodgy Scottish pie stalls, and Gaelic (not garlic) music. Got to see Mathieu Van De Pole's cycling shoes - does it get any better than that? Had some lunch - opted against the deep fried mars bar - went for some pretty decent fast food Chinese. Had a wander along the Clyde, again spotting various competitors cycling back to their hotels. Back to the car to sort out & then hopped a train out to velodrome. Stressing about being late - a 5 min train journey & ridiculously early. Had a little wander around Celtic Park and returned to find a massive queue. Gates opened at 4.30 & things moved pretty quickly. Had to tip away all the water in our bottles & were assured there were plenty of options inside for refilling. Unsurprisingly there were not. Eventually filled up and settled down in our specs, right on the finish line in the back straight. Very happy. Not so keen on the heat - apparently somewhere between 28° & 30° The queues for food & drink didn't persuade so just enjoyed the cycling. And there was plenty to enjoy. Particularly liked the pursuits & the tandem racing was epic. The speed they went at was impressive as was the rumbling sound when the peleton flashed by. There were a number of British winners. The final sprint team race of the night, though was super close and exciting - the Dutch team pulling it out of the bag in what must have been the last 100 metres. Great fun. Escaped via the fire exit and an easy train back to the city. Getting to the hotel, not so easy. In my wisdom, Google is set up to avoid toll roads. The easy route to the hotel is over the Forth Road Bridge - a toll road. Ended up on a convoluted route of obscure Scottish motorways to the free Kincardine Bridge.Read more
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World Cycle Champs Trip John Bickerstaff
Berry nice.
August 3, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
The world cycling championships on the doorstep - had to be done didn't it? Glasgow, however, isn't quite as close as first seems. Stopped at Tebay services & couldn't resist punnets of locally sourced berries. Sat out in the sunshine eating them & our sarnies from home. The rest of the journey seemed to drag but at least the motorways were quiet. Checked in at the pub but the room was in a separate building. Curious. Settled in and then headed to the coast for a walk - sunny afternoon and could be the best of the weather while away so strike while the iron's hot. Headed to Ardrossan's South Beach & some free parking. Nice walk along the beach & prom along with all of a handful of other people. A little quieter than Cornwall. Watched the ferry to Arran arriving and enjoyed the talking wall - various people's impressions of the beach and the area immortalised on plaques in the sea wall. The temperature of the sea was a common theme.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Inside knowledge.
August 1, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Kind of hoped that everything that could have gone wrong did yesterday. Trip cancelled, bike struggling & bike shops not able to help. The big concern was a taxi turning up and taking one look at the bike bag and scarpering. In fairness the hotel had been made aware & had repeatedly maintained that all was well. Until the bike was at Budapest airport, then all was not well and as a consequence sleep eluded me. Went for a final stroll along the Danube and things seemed quiet enough. Had a little check on Google to see the expected travel time and it said 30 mins of traffic jams. Now obviously Google hasn't covered itself in glory this trip but concern set in, despite giving a ridiculously early arrival time. Decided to decamp to the reception so when the taxi got in it was a quick turnaround. In fairness he was 20 mins early and he had an estate car - back seats down and we were away. Very chatty - interested in what I had done, very keen to talk about Liverpool's new Hungarian signing - level headed and brought up the right way. All sounds good but in a country that votes for a right wing egotistical nut job I'll take it with a little pinch of salt. Still it was interesting to hear his take & we got to the airport in the 40 he said rather than the 90 Google said. Quick rearrangement of luggage as the carry on could be checked in for free - so lighten the bike bag - just in case. Told to leave it by a door & someone would take care of it. Sounded a bit dubious but what choice was there. Settled down to wait for the almost inevitable delay - 30 mins late but that only eats into the 3 hour layover in Frankfurt and emergency exit seats on both flights so things are ok. Oh and in the space 40 minutes we've flown the route that was cycled in 8 days.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Chimney cakes.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Got back to discover the Sunset stand up boarding tour along the Danube I'd booked had been cancelled. They claimed due to the weather - the sunny forecast suggested otherwise. Decided to go to the local thermal baths - something that Budapest is famous for. Little bit of a walk but it might de-stress. Very slick operation though the rules took a bit of following. Had to get a swimming hat, had to shower before & after, had to have some slippers. Think the last one got lost in translation - flip flops or sandals. Anyway, it's probably one if the most ornate places I've swam in. The main pools were cool but the thermal pools were nice & toasty - could've easily dozed off. Chopped and changed between pools. Nice to finally get a swim in this holiday. Eventually succumbed to reality & headed out. Across the river was the famous market hall. Had a little wander & couldn't resist trying the chimney cake - kind of like a coiled doughnut but less greasy. Very nice. Then back to pack...Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Creaking bike.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
The original plan had been to visit Momento Park - a collection of Soviet relics - on the way in from Tatabanya but the copious rainfall had put paid to that. However the suspect noises being produced by my poor battered bike had steadily got worse over the day & it seemed prudent to see how it coped with the distance needed to get to the airport. Cut to the chase - it wasn't happy - the rear bearings sounded bad after just a couple of miles. Thinking to be done. Got to the park to find it opened at 10. Half an hour of thinking time. Found a well reviewed bike mechanic on the route back. Pop in & see what they say. The park eventually opened & they were definitely going for the Soviet memorabilia. Interesting take on displaying rather than destroying. Particularly liked the Trabbie - they must've been grim though. Apparently you had to put a deposit down of half the cost and you'd wait between 8 - 10 years for delivery. Made out of cotton waste and resin - the world's first recycled vehicle (ish) Back to base via the bike shop and the first slot available was 20th August - not much use. He was very apologetic. More thinking to do and a bit of chatting with the old man. Opted for a taxi to the airport.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Marriage photo mayhem.
July 31, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Agonised, the previous night, over when to go up to the Fisherman's Bastion. When would the sun be in the best place, when would it be quietest, when would the queues for the funicular be the most humane. Didn't really decide but did read that before 9 they didn't charge & really early it can be quite quiet - like sunrise early - big ask but I was awake at 5. Free & quiet were big selling points. Could be up and back in time for breakie. The decision was made. In addition it was pleasantly cool. Lots of steps up though but the views were stunning, that's if you could get to them through the raft of wedding photos going on. Couldn't quite get my head round it. Was it before the wedding - if so I presume they don't subscribe to the unlucky seeing the bride thing. If they do then it must be after & by that token at 6 it is well after. Anyway probably photo bombed a few. The top levels were free at this time but on going up an irate restauranteur gave 10 tonnes - gave a little back but neither really understood. Moved onto the other top tier where he couldn't see. Again had to put up with Oriental photo perfection but at least there was only 1 couple rather than multiple. Back down for breakie.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Dry at last.
July 30, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Took quite a bit of cleaning - particularly the legs. Clearly not the cleanest of roads. Fair bit of chilling while eating lunch then boredom took hold. The weather had cleared - it was dry so out & about. Simple walk along the Danube to admire the Parliament building that was modelled on the UK version. Figured I'd go down to the crooked bridge then come back. Unfortunately it ballooned somewhat - the bridge back - the chain bridge was closed to pedestrians so it became a bit longer and the sun was out so also a bit hotter. Good to get a handle on the distances and where things are. Saw the memorial to those killed by the Nazis in the war. Apparently they were lined up on the bank, told to take their shoes off and shot. Quite a striking monument. Got back and needed some cooling off time then back out for tea. Thai - had to be. On the way back took in sunset on the Liberty Bridge.Read more
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Imperial Capitals Bike Ride John Bickerstaff
Some you win, some you lose.
July 30, 2023 in Hungary ⋅ 🌧 21 °C
Relatively lazy start to the day. Breakie was at 8 and the cycle could be anywhere from 36 - 55 miles depending on the weather and the forecasts were not promising. Checked out & almost got away without paying. She came dashing out after me. Not that it was that pricey. It was at that point the rain came. Sheltered for a while but at some point it was a grin and bear it situation because there was no imminent prospect of better. A matter minutes and I was soaked. A matter of a couple of miles and a pot hole and the first puncture of the trip. Some vague shelter under a tree and some road side bike servicing I claimed to enjoy - pah! Was a swift replacement inner tube job except when back on the road there was a regular thud. Checked that no spokes had gone - the wheel was still true(ish) - think the pothole buckled the other way and it was both annoying and concerning. Nothing to be done though, other than worry. Pushed onto to the solitary stop - the Pancho Arena - one of the most unique football stadiums in the world, built for a 3rd tier (at best) team. It just happens to be the president's home town - I'm saying nothing more... A bit further than expected but in a village a stadium kind of stands out. Followed signs for home and away fans & no-one was at the gate so just sailed through. Started the usual circumnavigation of the stadium and as luck would have it, there was a gate open. Parked up and had a little explore. A lady went through at the same time & said nothing. A couple of other people were around and equally ignored me. Carried on to the front, quite unique. Took in the statue of Puskas and the private parking spot of the president right by the VIP entrance. Carried on round to where I was planning to come in and was roundly shooed out and away as was a Swiss guy I got chatting to. The guard wasn't for tourists taking photos. Told him there wasn't a guard at the other entrance & wished him luck. Clearly luck evens out, not that the rain stopped, nor the thumping from the wheel. Ah well. Classic rolling terrain and rain - all felt very British and mad drivers getting way too close. On the last climb into Budapest, some old guy greeted me at the summit with a round of applause. Wouldn't get that in the UK. Downhill to the hotel and dryness.Read more
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