Our Story
Just before the COVID lockdown in March 2020, we purchased a couple of Brompton bikes so that we could do a little travelling to places by car and train and cycling when we got there. The lockdown, however, meant that we couldn’t drive and had to cycle locally which forced us to explore the Vale from our base in Barry. We were surprised at what we found, lovely off the beaten track places we never knew existed on our very doorstep which we thought we’d share with you on this site.
If COVID has brought any positive changes, one seems to be that more people have turned to cycling and that has to be a good thing for health and for the planet. The Vale already has a decent cycle infrastructure and the more people use it the more the council will be encouraged to invest in expanding it.
Lastly, you’ll probably notice that most of these routes aren’t particularly demanding. As a couple of unsporty 50-somethings, we are not really interested in anything overly taxing and so most of the routes are pretty doable and family friendly from just a couple of miles up to a maximum of around 30. The routes can obviously be shortened if you hop on a train for part of the journey and we sometimes like to do this to reach the further extremities of the Vale, or we may ride one way and take a train to return.
We have illustrated key points in the routes with photos and links to give people an idea of what they can find in the Vale, it’s a surprising interesting place.
You’ll also find blogs about some trips we’ve taken further afield and some stuff specifically about Brompton bikes.
Happy pedalling!
Jon & Laura
Just a few highlights
