Why Cycle?
In 1949, 34% of miles travelled using a mechanical mode were by
bicycle. Today that figure is down to just 1% to 2%. Yet most of us
own bikes - there are an estimated 27 million across the UK - we
just don't use them.
A staggering 70 per cent of all car trips are less than five
miles; the ideal distance for a quick spin on the bike. Perhaps we
could hope to match the example of some towns in Holland and
Denmark, where nearly half of all journeys are made by bicycle.
If you haven't ridden a bike for many years, don't worry. It is,
after all, the proverbial skill you never lose. Practice riding
somewhere quiet such as a park or empty car park until you've got
rid of any wobbles (literal or metaphorical).
Health Benefits to Get on your Bike:
- It is affordable, fun and environmentally-friendly
- Car drivers suffer 25% more pollution than cyclists and
pedestrians
- People who cycle regularly have the same fitness levels as
non-cyclists 10 years younger
- Cycling just four miles a day for five days a week reduces your
chance of getting heart disease by 50% (British Heart
Foundation)
- It can also help fight diabetes, some cancers, strokes, obesity
and respiratory disease. It lowers blood pressure and reduces the
resting heart rate
- Cycling gives you strong, flexible, gorgeous legs – from the
glutes right the way down the calves
- Cycling can be as strenuous or gentle as you want it – it can
push the fittest sports person to the limit or provide a low-impact
activity for people returning to exercise
- Exercise – especially outdoors – boosts your immune system
- Starting the day with a ride to school or work makes you more
alert, confident, able to deal with stress and make decisions
- Getting children onto bicycles is the best way of combating
rising obesity in the young, according to medical experts
- Nearly 75% of journeys we make are under five miles – and 13%
of car journeys are under 1000 metres in length
- Cycling allows you to see more of the world - parking a bike is
so much easier than parking a car you can stop pretty much
whenever, wherever you want
Five ways to have fun on a bike:
1. Freewheeling downhill
(not caring who hears you cry wheeeeee all the way down)
2. Getting down and dirty as
you tackle bumps, berms, inclines and declines on a mountain
bike
3. Pottering down country
lanes, peering over hedges and stopping for afternoon tea
4. Riding further -or faster
- than you ever thought you could, for charity or just to
prove you can
5. Doing anything but going
in a straight line as you hone your hops, master the half-pipe and
perfect your spins
Bath & North East Somerset has a wealth of fantastic cycling
routes for the intrepid cyclist! The newest is Collier’s Way,
which links the Dundas Canal in Monkton Combe, near Bath to Frome,
following the route of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway
Line.
Collier’s Way
Collier’s Way part of the National Cycle Network and is being
led by Bath & North East Somerset Council, in partnership with
Sustrans, Somerset County Council and Mendip District
Council. The project is being funded by the 3 Councils, the
South West of England Regional Development Agency, the Countryside
Agency and the New Opportunities Fund.
Some sections of the route are yet to be completed however the
Collier’s Way is great for walkers and cyclists alike, with most of
the route being accessible for wheelchair users.
For more information log on to the Sustrans Web Site:
www.sustrans.org.uk
Bristol & Bath Railway Path
To the west of the City of Bath is the now well established
Bristol & Bath Railway Path from Newbridge through the villages
of Saltford, Bitton and Warmley taking you all the way into the
centre of Bristol.
So whether you are walking or cycling this fairly level pathway
is great for all the family to enjoy, with several points of
interest and refreshment stops along the way.
Maps are available from Tourist Information Centres or by
calling Bath & North East Somerset Council on 01225 394041.
SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR …
GET ON YOUR BIKE AND ENJOY THE DELIGHTS OF BATH & NORTH
EAST SOMERSET
