Cycle Britain Reviews 25

I am a 75 year old English man living in Belize for the past 47 years. I had this strong desire to see more of my homeland and felt that a cycling experience might be the best way to do this. So I got in touch with Alan Little of Cycle Britain to discuss this further as I had concerns about my ability to complete such a trip. After an honest and very open conversation he gave me the encouragement I needed assuring me that should there be any occasion where I felt I was unable to continue a day ride or needed a break, there was always the back up van I could ride in.

Well all I can say is that I had the experience of a life time and cannot be more satisfied with those 23 days on the road. The trip was wonderfully varied and we spent much of the journey on backroads, single track trails, canal pathways and it was very obvious that a lot of effort had been put into showcasing the most rural parts of the country. There were a few interesting moments when we found ourselves in terrain that we were not expecting but that for me was a plus and added a bit of excitement. The accommodations were well selected and very comfortable, a nice variety of both modern and older hotels all providing excellent breakfasts providing fuel for the days adventures.

We had two David’s running the back up vans on different sections of the trip. They would take care of all the storing of the bikes, the loading and off loading of the bags as well as providing pack lunches and finding rendezvous points during the day. I have to make particular note of the extra assistance afforded me with my luggage as well as the use of a mobile fridge to keep my insulin in, all of which I am extremely grateful.

This trip has been one of the most memorable of a lifetime and I cannot thank Alan, uncle David and other David enough for keeping it all together. Since I run a similar business in hospitality myself, I am under no illusions as to what it takes to make an expedition like this run smoothly. Thank you so much.

Mick Fleming

Just back from a really enjoyable 8 day trip, doing the first part of the LEJOG through Devon & Cornwall and finishing in Herford.
Good service from enquiring through to booking.
Loved the trip & Alan guided us with great aplomb from morning through until evening. The hotels/B&B's were well thought out & the distances very doable & the mid morning coffee stops were a great motivator! Each day had its share of slight adventure which made it all the more enjoyable & Alan was flexible and above all, very safe.
All in all a very memorable holiday and we look forward to another trip with Alan.

What a treat it was to be able to join in the start of the Lejog 2023 tour lead by Alan Little.They were 4 magical days which I wish I could have extended but was unable to, due to personal constraints. (However I know Alan would have made this possible should I have wished it.)
From the start everything was taken care of - the hire of my Cube Katmandhu bike supplied by Cycle Britain, the accommodation, the coffee shop stops for essential refuelling by cakes, the lunch breaks just when needed and the evening meal venue suggestions at the end of the day. All I had to do was follow Alan's lead and soak up the glorious weather, embrace the stunning countryside, enjoy the company of my siblings and fellow cyclists in the group and relax with a sense of achievement at the end of the day.
It was a wonderful revelation to me that, with the right e-bike, 57+ miles a day on Cornish/Devon hills was easily manageable ( admittedly with generous use of turbo!) and has shown that new adventures are there to be had, even at 72! The fact that my brother went the full distance at 75 is testament to that. Thank you Alan and Cycle Britain for making this particular adventure possible and I look forward to the next one.

It felt like a very tailored tour, led by Alan, who runs Cycle Britain, with a mix of e-bikes and regular bikes. We quickly learnt the etiquette of riding as a group and looking out for each other. I'd never done anything like this before and wished I'd had the time to go all the way to John O'Groats (I went as far as Hereford)! I'd recommend this to anyone who's thinking about it. I was on an e-bike and it felt comfortably within my limits (I'm a 68 year old), even though I was only using the motor intermittently (on the steep uphills!). A bonus for me was that the first week was riding with my three siblings. Only my brother, Mick, went all the way, while I followed progress enviously on the WhatsApp group!

We had a great day with Alan learning basic bike maintenance skills and how to get the best from our e-bikes.

Alan and his team at Cycle Britain were incredibly helpful. My wife and I had planned a self-supported trip covering a section of the LEJOG route. We wanted to hire e-bikes as the cycling covered several days, involved quite a few hills whilst carrying heavy panniers! The Cube bikes Alan provided were in great condition and the large batteries lasted all day (over 6 hours of cycling). All the extras (puncture repair kit, tools, locks, electric pump, lights etc.) were provided, together with videos of how the bikes worked, and the drop off and pick-up were sorted easily in advance. Alan responded quickly to any queries and everything was in place so that we had a really great trip. Many thanks Alan and also to Paul who very kindly delivered and collected the bikes. Cameron

The cycle across the hebrides was challenging, beautiful, and worth it!
The excursion was funny, informative, wholesome, and worth it.
All made possible through Alex and Alan's comoradary, planning, and ease of just getting on with things. I have no doubt Alan and Alex would accommodate anyone and have no problems making it suit anyones needs or wants. Including the local baroness!

For anybody who might be thinking about cycling the Hebridean Way,stop thinking about it and book it ASAP with Cycle Britain. It is without doubt a once in a lifetime experience and worth taking the time to complete,but do it with a small group and share the whole experience. We did the 'official' route and much more, visiting some of the beautiful beaches, island historical sites and the architecture and Alan and Alex supported us the whole way. Whilst being a 'lone entrant' I was made to feel very welcome in what became a very tight knit group of capable riders. Whilst there were clearly stronger riders, Alan and Alex ensured everybody worked to their strengths and gave the opportunity for the faster riders to use their speed where possible but also ensured we cycled together as a close peleton for much of the ride.
Great ride, great accomodation, absolutely excellent food at every location.
Many thanks to my co-riders who made the trip so enjoyable and especially to Alan and Alex who put their heart and sole into our thorough enjoyment.

I signed up for the Hebridean Way after spotting an advert for Cycle Britain, and having a chat with the owner, Alan. He’s a knowledgeable cyclist, and has clearly thought of all the details to make journeys such as this truly the stuff memories are made of.

All the logistics of an end-to-end ride were taken care of with minimal fuss, great attention to detail and in a way that allowed us all to sample the Hebrides fully. As well as the cycling and support, the trip offered great (and unique) accommodation ( a mix of B&Bs, high end hotels and upmarket camping pods); bookings at fantastic restaurants (including the famous Cafe Kismul and the Harris Hotel); Alex’s amazing home cooked seafood; and a wildlife spotting trip.

Cycling the length of the archipelago provides a great way to experience the unique landscape and culture of the Hebrides. For a reasonably fit cyclist, the mileage and terrain are very manageable (75 miles on a long day; some grippy climbs) - Cycle Britain also offer eBike options.

Would I recommend the Hebridean Way? Absolutely.
Would I recommend Cycle Britain? Most definitely!

The Hebridean Way trip was an amazing experience - great riding, great food, nice accommodation and an excellent support team who had extensive knowledge on the local areas and history all made the trip enjoyable and memorable.

Many, many thanks for a special week cycling The Hebridean Way in The Western Isles, plus more bonus rides with the @Cycle Britain team. Alan and Alex make for a great team fixing logistics but making sure that cycling is in focus, whilst also ensuring that the sights are seen, local culture is enjoyed, with still time over for some top R&R. We had the opportunity to stay in various types of accommodation all with their own charm.
I learnt a lot and have new memories to cherish. Very, very well done @CycleBritain, BR, Graeme from Gothenburg.

As the stoker of the tandem on our 5 day cycle ride I would definitely recommend this company. We were transported from Cheshire to the start of the ride and supported by the van throughout (lunch, snacks, tool kit, shelter from the wind when necessary). Our friendly fellow cycling companions added to the enjoyment of the trip, and one tremendous addition was the company of Alex during the rides, whose amiable and engaging company as well as his knowledge of the history, wildlife and local characters saved me from having to read the guide book! It was incredibly windy, in our favour for most of the time, but one particular 10 miles stretch head on into the wind with nearly 60 mile gusts will stay with me as quite a hard slog. But at least it kept the midges away. However, as someone who was not very cycling-fit before we went I surprised myself by completing it all (including the last day which was 75 miles) without having to resort to hitching a ride with Alan in the van. Or perhaps it just because my pilot had superpowered legs after just having completed LEJOG...

A completely memorable trip – thank you Alan and Alex

Enjoyable tour on a unique chain of Islands. It was quite an adventure led by Alan and Alex. Alex was especially knowledgeable about Island life and its history. Alan came into his own and showed great resourcefulness when the ferry to Harris was cancelled on the morning of departure and the support vehicle was unable to make the crossing. A RIB boat ferried foot passengers and bikes across, Alan drove many miles and used alternative crossings to meet us the following day. The RIB boat was an experience in itself. Alan and Alex looked after us well and the support van was never far away if any of us had needed it.

Great tour. Suberb organization and support from Alan and Alex. Nothing was too much trouble leaving us nothing to worry about except cycling. If not sure this is for you i'd go - trip of a life time Mark

Great fun. A proper adventure it had bit of everything thanks to excellent support & cycle group. Highlight was the fantastic scallops cooked on the barbecue by Alex. I recommend cycling this route and you'll enjoy it more if you use Cycle Britain to make all the arrangements

I am a New Zealand based born and bred Kiwi. After meeting up during 2021 with a bunch of my Kiwi cycling friends – decided that we wanted to combine a long-awaited vacation to the UK with our main passion – cycling. Some of us have London based daughters who had recently ridden the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats tour and had shown us some of views of the picturesque landscape along the LEJOG route and we decided we had to do the ride for ourselves albeit with a 30 year age difference !!
We initially made contact with a number of UK cycle tour operators, first via their websites and then via phone calls to discuss options etc. We were most impressed with Cycle Britain’s all-encompassing package and their owner’s (Alan Little) professional attitude of “leave to us and we’ll make it happen for you”. After a few phone cons and a ZOOM mtg with our entire group and Alan’s team, it was an easy decision to go with Cycle Britain.
After accommodating all of our whims and requirements we are now booked with Cycle Britain to do LEJOG in 2022 and we can’t wait. Alan and his team have really gone the extra mile to plan every aspect of this tour with us. Nothing seems to be too much trouble – hotels, places of interest – even down to the best places to eat. It’s quite a challenge trying to appease a large group of people from across the other side of the world for a 23 day cycle tour. This will be our sixth group ride in the Northern hemisphere (others were motorcycles) and having an experienced company on the ground locally has made the planning of this trip a breeze. Alan is a qualified Cycle Britain tour leader and also an Army Captain (Reserves) with the Royal Logistics Core – so organisation is something that is second nature. We have every confidence that the tour will be delivered without any problems on their new fleet of e-bikes.

Based on our experience to date, we would definitely recommend Cycle Britain and we look forward to leaving another review once we’ve completed this iconic trip of a lifetime, later this year.
Hugh – New Zealand. +6421426476

A brilliant few days of cycling made all the better by great hosts and fellow cyclists. Alan and Alex were very accommodating and always keen to make our experience as enjoyable as possible. From technical bike support and sandwich rolls and haribo at lunch, to appropriate history lessons taught by Alan at several stops along the way. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to have an enjoyable experience with great people and great cycling !

Very special and enjoyable cycling experience, wonderful way to see and understand the land, wildlife and culture, using excellent guided routes and immaculate planning with bookings of ferries and hotels in a very remote area. The comfort of having first-rate support, regular stops, snacks, picnics and a grill on the wild beach around a fire - all so memorable.

Alan was careful to find out our (clients) expectations and work to those - as it happened , we had similar views , which worked well , we got on well. He was flexible with plans and worked hard to network locally - we talked to an environment officer who had been involved in the idea of the Hebridean Way at the start , saw a plane landing on the beach on Barra, and also a boat trip where we saw sea eagles. Alex was Mr Fix-it - he drove well , made lunch , made sure the bikes were safely secured ,cooked an excellent bbq on the beach (scallops with black pudding and bacon were excellent) and took some great photos of the 2 golden eagles we saw. Scenery was stunning though often viewed through low cloud or drizzle. The team organised an excellent following wind & sunshine on the last day! Hotels were variable , the best was the Harris hotel in Tarbert. Organization to drive us from near Knutsford up to Oban and back to there from Ullapool was a big help.

It was a truly phenomenal experience being escorted from the morecambe bay to the seaside resort of Bridlington riding my bicycle through some of the most breathtaking views that this country has to offer,safe in the knowledge that our tour guides,”Cycle Britain” had left nothing to chance so as to make sure that our travelling experience was no less than 100% a holiday that I’ll never forget!