Mini bikepacking adventure, testing kit and an overnight hotel
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Cycling to our overnight hotel
“What do you fancy doing for your birthday?”
Mr ODG asked earlier this year. We’d already stayed in a luxurious AirBnB for his birthday, so a camping trip immediately came to mind. But the tent had been in hibernation all winter (thanks, house renovations) and I wasn’t quite ready to swap duvets for sleeping bags just yet.
Still, we’d been slowly building our bikepacking kit, one waterproof bag at a time. So, this seemed like the perfect excuse to give everything a trial run before the bigger trips we have in mind for the summer. Instead of braving chilly nights sleeping on the ground, we booked an overnight hotel, loaded up our bikes, and pedalled there.
A little adventure with a comfy bed and cosy pub - the best of both worlds!
Preparing for the trip
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you’ll know we’ve been on a few bikepacking adventures over the years. Some have been simple two-day wild camps with a bivvy bag and tarp, like my Bikepacking (mis) adventures. But we’ve also taken our fully loaded bikes on a ferry to the Outer Hebrides, cycling part of the Hebridean Way.
Until now, all our bikepacking trips have been on my trusty Orange Diva hardtail mountain bike, with cobbled together kit to make it fit the small frame. Knowing I wanted to do more - and longer - trips, I finally decided to invest in a new bike, tailored to the terrain and full of rack mounts. Just as winter (and the house renovations) set in, I took delivery of my shiny new Cotic Cascade.
Turns out it was perfect timing really. Winter may have been quiet for riding, but it gave me a chance to get it kitted out. Here’s what I have - so far:
Ortlieb Quick-Rack for the back
Ortlieb front pannier bags, used on the back for short trips (already owned)
Ortlieb Quick-Rack mudguard
Restrap fast straps (for tying things on the bike)
Dry bags of all sizes - like these from Lifeventure
All I can say is that I’m glad we had both Christmas and my birthday during that time 😂
Planning our route was easy enough. We wanted something within reach and easy cycling, but far enough to feel like an adventure. So, we decided on the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT), an old disused railway line that, as luck would have it, happened to be slightly downhill all the way to the hotel. It helped when the fading light put pressure on us! Our hotel was a Premier Inn about 20 miles away, knowing it would be bike-friendly.
Note: The Premier Inn website states that all their hotels are bike-friendly: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/why/bike-friendly.html
For the trip itself, we didn’t go ultralight, but did try to pack sensibly. Overnight clothes and toiletries, waterproofs and warm layers, bike lights, snacks, and - my luxury item - my travel pillow. It goes everywhere with me!
Pedalling to the hotel
Our bikepacking adventure happened to fall on my actual birthday. Mr ODG treated me to a slap up lunch before we loaded the bikes and headed off for our overnight stay. It was a fab idea and felt like a real treat, but did mean we set off later than planned. No worries though, we were just cruising down to the hotel on an old railway line.
Hah, famous last words!
The wind had picked up by then, serving us a biting cold headwind. We had a few hilly sections to cycle before hitting the railway line and our bikes, loaded with kit, felt heavier than usual. Oh, and remember when I mentioned that I’d not been cycling all winter? 🤔
All the excuses 👆
In reality, I found it tough, really tough for the first 10 miles.
But here’s the thing, something changes in my brain when I’m on an adventure with a fully laden bike. The discomfort kind of fades into the background as the excitement of the adventure takes over. I can push myself much harder than I ever would on a regular day ride.
Even so, by the time we hit the long stretch of old railway line, I was more than ready to cycle faster and get to the hotel. As the sun dropped below the horizon, the biting cold bit a little harder. I thought about stopping to add an extra layer, but knew we were racing against the fading light.
Finally, we arrived at the hotel. It’s in a perfect location for adventures, just a couple of minutes from the TPT itself. We checked in, grabbed a shower to warm up, then headed out to the pub for a slap up meal.
Bundled up against the cold wind
The ride back home
The next morning, we enjoyed a leisurely start courtesy of a late check-out. I curled up in bed, drinking tea, watching Saturday morning tv - a rare treat! Eventually though, it was time to load up the bikes and begin the ride back home.
The first thing I noticed was the warmth.
Mid-day sunshine felt so much better than the cold wind from the previous evening. We stopped for a cheery chat with a couple of cyclists who’d left home that morning, heading to a pub in Sheffield for lunch. They’d decided to take the train back home though to avoid wobbling 🍻
This was the life!
Things soon changed. Ten miles later, we’d climbed back into the lumpy stuff and the wind had picked up again. We stopped for lunch, hunkering down inside a cafe, and I found myself wondering whether I could somehow convince Mr ODG to leave me there with a slice of cake while he went to get the van.
“No”, I told myself. “You’re on the home straight now. Think of how good it will feel when you’re back.”
I layered up, and braved the elements.
But I’m not going to lie, the final section home nearly broke me. After almost 40 miles in my legs, I was exhausted, and the wind was relentless. I pushed up the final hill, with a little help from Mr ODG, knowing I’d broken it’s back when we reached the top.
Back home, we lit the fire and I curled up in my duvet for a snooze.
The trip had done its job. We’d tested the kit, got a better idea of what to pack where, and I was left feeling fired up for more of the same.
Packing kit list
Front bar pack:
Dry bag with essentials - money, tissues, chapstick
Snacks
Emergency medical kit
Inner tube and spare tools
Charging leads
Helmet torch
Right pannier bag:
Overnight toiletries and medical items
Warm jacket
Waterproofs
Travel pillow
PJ’s
Left pannier bag:
Clothes and shoes for the pub
You may also be interested in reading:
Bikepacking the Hebridean Way - getting started
The best bikepacking bike for small riders?
20 of the UK’s best long-distance cycling routes for bikepacking
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