You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Got a couple of weeks off in November and fancy getting away, either a few days in the UK or a week abroad.
If in UK I was considering a few days in the lakes, but is the weather going to be unsuitable for tackling some of the well known climbs round there. Appreciate weather is changeable, but are the likes of hardknott usually rideable first week in November? Under no illusions it will be cold! Other option is going abroad for a week on my own. Assuming the alps will be a non starter at that time of the year. Anywhere else worth considering in the mainland, or failing that is tenarife/majorca OK at that time of the year, or do I need to wait until the spring?
Here’s a dark horse suggestion: Belgium.
There are no mountains, but the Ardennes is a beautiful region, and there is a network of agricultural roads that permit only agricultural vehicles and bicycles.
You could stay in one of the lesser-known villages like Rochefort, and explore the whole while hardly encountering a car.
Some of the best beers in the world, and fantastic (if not exactly dramatic) riding.
I have a place there, so know it well. Highly recommended.
Thanks for that. I'm really looking for something with hills, as I get bored easily on the flat, especially if on my own.
Looked into majorca, but it doesn't appear that there are many options in November. Must be an unpopular time, even though the weather doesn't look that bad.
Gran Canaria. Very consistent climate, stays warm most of the year. We were out there at Christmas and it was shorts & short sleeves for riding except in the very highest parts of the island where a gilet and arm warmers were handy.
Also it's got LOTS of hills!
Two weeks? I'd be thinking along the lines of a credit card tour from St Malo to Bilbao/Santander, or fly out to Barcelona and ride back to the Channel, or something.
Yep - Gran Canaria. Superb riding with lots of great climbs/descents and breathtaking views.
I am going this Friday ...
Cycle Sierra Nevada near Malaga will probably have some availability in November. They've got hills. So many hills.
Bex +1. We have just got back from a week's credit card touring starting in Basel and finishing in Amsterdam loosely following the river rhine route. It may be too cold in November but I would definitely recommend something similar.
There's a handful of cat4 climbs and a cat3 climb all within ~7 miles of Longleat, including the estate entrance/exit. Or head ~25 miles west and tackle the Mendips cat3s, including the infamous Draycott Steep that climbs ~725 feet in ~1.25 miles; Cheddar Gorge; Eborr Gorge; Burrington Coombe; Old Bristol Rd etc.
Not keen on a cycle tour. Prefer a base in one place.
Where is good in grand canara? Hadn't considered that but may be a good option.
+1 for gran canaria. Hills make excellent training, pretty much no flat out there. Even coast road lumpy.
We base ourselves in maspalomas which isn't great if you want to do anything off the bike (think Blackpool), but we stay in a nice hotel and out on bike most of the day so don't see any of it.
Sounds like you are looking abroad but surely anywhere in the UK is *rideable* at that time of year. It's not like we get deep snows and anything more than a very light frost is pretty unlikely. Might be a touch wet and windy of course (but probably mild if so).
We live in Southern Cataluña and run a small B&B with great cycling right from the door. We do guiding and can hire a selection of road bikes if you don't want to bring your own. Early November is good weather wise, we've been enjoying mid to late 20°c in the last few weeks and it should continue. As an example, you can fly to Barcelona from Liverpool with Easyjet for just over £100 return from 4th to 12th of Nov, it's 90 mins from the airport to here and has a decent train connection. Road climbs locally are used on the Vuelta a España and Cataluña and go from sea level to 1,500m. E mail is in my profile if you want more info, we're free those dates as our last visitors leave on the 4th.
Cycling Holiday Spain (CHS) in Callosa D'Ensarria (just up the coast from Alicante and inland towards the mountains) is a fantastic place to stay if they have space. The villa has a pool, sauna, games room, tennis court, gym, projector TV, post ride massages, three home cooked meals every day.
Rides are either guided by Noz, the owner, on his bike and/or with car support for extra drink and snacks.
The routes take in some of the iconic climbs of the Vuelta like the Cumbre del Sol, the Aitana.... And regardless, the roads are quiet. Climbs up to about an hour and swooping descents down.
It's an amazing place to ride and the accommodation/off the bike service is fantastic. Don't underestimate how good it is to not have to think about anything but wheeling your bike out of the garage in the morning and go riding!
That chs option looks great but expensive.. Not sure I'm at level where I need such an intensive training camp!
Pistonbroke, interested to hear more.. Where is the bnb? Will check it out and drop you a mail.
When you factor in everything that is included it's not that expensive. I struggled to spend more than probably another 60euros for the week on the odd cafe stop and apple strudel!
And it sounds like serious training, but it's as serious or as relaxed as you want it to be.
Canary Islands.
Myself and a couple of friends are booked in for three days riding on Tenerife in early November.
Went to Gran Canaria in March with the family and will be back there at some point for a similar winter road riding trip...
Freemotion for bike rental is the default choice, if you're going for a week or less its almost certainly going to be cheaper and less faff than flying your own bike...
Gran Canaria high up on my list of places to ride, have driven some of the mountain roads and they look fantastic
If the CHS option seems to expensive just get a flight to Alicante, November is of season in the Benidorm area so loads of cheap apartments. Rent or take your own bike and head for the hills. I go over there once or twice a year there's some great riding.
We stay in Puerto Mogan. It’s to the south west, and bottom of valley leading to Tauro pass etc.
in my opinion most of the best bits to ride with the best views and climbs are easier to get to; VOTT, GC200, GC210, Tejeda ... snd descending the GC60.
the road closure on coast toad to Mogan makes doing the VOTT etc longer miles with adding Soria.
Ah didn't realise the coast road was closed, would explain why all the buses were going to Mogan via the GC-1
Lakes will be fine in November. Ideal actually as the roads will be quieter. There shouldn't be any ice which is the only thing that will really scupper road riding.
There was a massive landslide a while ago. IIRC 3 parts of the road were initially shut, but now just the one which is the worst. We still go that way otherwise VOTT is a massive day out but it is hike a bike and clambering through the barriers. Not ideal but still a great base for winter training and having done VOTT twice I don't feel the need to do it again! Went there in May on the basis that in Mallorca we usually lose at least a days riding to rain, it wasn't much hotter than in December but beautiful up in the hills with the wild flowers and warm at 2,000m at Pico. We get a week all inclusive with flights, luggage, transfers etc for £380pp in 4 star hotel.
If you find the local cafes, it is super cheap for a café stop too.
There was a massive landslide a while ago. IIRC 3 parts of the road were initially shut, but now just the one which is the worst. We still go that way otherwise VOTT is a massive day out but it is hike a bike and clambering through the barriers.
There's some serious clambering, the road is very properly closed and they're really not keen on cyclists going round the barriers either - in fact it's quite dangerous to lift the bike around it - the penalty for failure in falling off or letting go of the bike is pretty terminal!
We had to take our road shoes off to climb over the huge boulders blocking the road. Amazing road, stunning views and obviously zero traffic but yeah, exercise caution!
Girona could be a good bet. its easy to get to with its own airport, or fly into Barcelona and catch the train up. Its still very warm out there at the moment. (was in Barcelona last week).
Plenty of good riding as evidenced by the number of pro's that live there! Bike Breaks would be able to suggest routes and hire you a bike if you didn't want to take your own. Also plenty of offroad stuff if being a holiday roadie didn't grab you.
€500 fine too if your caught going that way!
all the toughest climbs and best views are to the west, so Mogan is ideal.