“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
Ernest Hemingway

The novelty of living in a tent and out of a van is slowly but surely wearing thin. Just over 3 months now, and still going, I do really enjoy the totality of outdoor living, for no matter what the weather the basic shelter is erected as we watch clouds roll by, or hide from the searing heat of the sun.
But no longer is the sun an issue, for here we are in South Wales after what seems like a mad dash across Europe into the UK.
Taking a look back though on our last few days, we did find some suprisingly excellent riding in Belgium, so never let it be said that just because it is flatish there is no biking to be done. In fact, it was some of the better biking as the variety of trails was a true mix of narrow rough forest road, single track, long rooty and rocky section as well as open countryside over farm land tracks.

From the White Cliffs of Dover to the English countryside

Malmedy was our first stop, and on signing in to the campsite we picked up the map of the trails in the area. Not expecting much we headed out the following morning and were taken along some of the best trails we had ridden in weeks. The fire roads must see very little use, which is good as they are not smooth and manicured, and the forest sections veer off into rocky and rooty trails, mixed with some very nice single track. They even have a bike park just out of town with a skills area. The guys at the LBS in town were more than happy to share the local knowledge on asking and played a short movie, professionally shot of the trails being ridden. It could have been any of the best know places around the world, as they had bermed runs, boardwalks, sweet single track and of course plenty of short steep climbs all in the mix. More than enough to warrant a visit for a few days.
Moving on only a short distance the next place was St Vith. The campsite here has the bike park running alongside the grounds, and again with a skills area. The trails here need a bit of work, but none the less, it was great, as were the trails that ran further afield around the town.
For us it was a nice way to end what was an awesome and epic adventure to some to the lesser known, but better places to bike while in Europe. Forget the bike parks and get out exploring. With such a vast selection of countries to choose from, you could spend months in just one at a time and bike till you drop.
Some of the noteable, and best places were, Punta Alla & Livingio in Italy, Ischgl in Austria, Uzes in France, St Vith in Belgium, and Freudenstadt in Germany. All types of trails to suit all riders, from long epic forest rides, to twisty single track. There were many more, but these for us made the biggest impression.
Arriving in the England we headed for London, well Twickenham, to visit with Esther Uncle and Aunt. They offer a few nights there, so the chance to rest up in a comfy bed with home cooked meals was a no-brainer for us. It was a welcome break, and we even managed to stay well clear of the TV, despite the fact that they had three in the general lounging area at the rear of the house.

Rugby players at Twickenham, Welsh single track

The UK does have a feast of bike parks and outback riding on offer, but you have to chsoose and plan carefully as the weather is more fickle and sometimes finding a camsite near you chosen location can be hard. Luckly so far it has been ok. Afan forest, of Glyncoreg has a campsite to the rear of the bike shop, so pitching and riding from there was easy. It was also the first time on our trip we camped with so many other bikers, a nice commonality as we chatted on both the trails and the campsite. Having already ridden at Dartmoor, Afan, Brechfa and Nat y Arian, I have to admin, it´s good to be back on some sweet single track of the standard you´ll find here. Well kept, but still with a very natural feel. Some hard ole climbs though, but you always know the reward will be a long blast through the forest or open country on some of the best all-weather trails.
There is so uch of the UK to explore that it seems a shame to hurry on a day here, day there and not take the time to really get out and see all it´s glory.Even a few days in the Lake District is insufficient to appreciate such a vast expanse of seemingly untamed wilderness.

Seven Staines, Scotland, Kirroughtree

Bu move on we must and as Scotland is our last stop before getting the ferry back to the Emerald Isle, even now we feel some-what exhausted, despite it being warm and sunny, dry and perfect conditions to get out on the bikes.
It can wait, we can wait, for the venturing is never over, only on short pause while normality takes a turn and the bank account is topped up...







Kirroughtree in Scotland, home to some of the best of the Seven Stains biking trails. Flowing over long sweeping section of single track that at times seems to go on for ever. The sections are long with little fireroad, making this a must visit for the those that want fast enduring rides out amongst the wilderness.

Englands Lake District national park area is awesome. In many ways it is just as spectacular as the Alpine peaks in Europe in terms of scenery and breath taking views. A hikers paradise, and bikers play ground, there is more than enough to keep you wanting to plan your next trip here, even before you leave.

"The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.” 
― Bruce Lee

We are now moving west across Europe at a snails pace. Slowly creeping toward the UK and leaving the continent. It has as I said before been an epic adventure, surpassing all expectations, and forever imprinting some very memorable moments in my life. On reflection I would do it all again, taking in new unexplored areas, but keeping with the same goal, ´Enjoying life´.

With our van and faithful two wheeled steeds, we made a couple of stops in Germany before our stay here in Belgium.
With the weather less on our side than we would like, the drive was slowed somewhat by a huge thunderstorm that pelted us with massive hailstones, again. We had to pull over with all the other drivers as it was literally impossible to see more than two or three metres ahead. Crazy stuff, but still a tad exciting.

In Brilion we stayed at a relatively new campsite, with great views and access to nearby trails. It was forest trails, lacking much of the single track we now crave. Something we have gotten use to as it´s what most of Europe has to offer outside of the bike parks.

Moving on to Winterberg, the town of no-less than 28 ski lifts, we discovered a mountain bike park, as well as numerous marked XC trails, enough to keep you busy for a few days or more. 28 Ski lifts, I mean that´s in excess of what most popular ski resort have, but for some reason, they have 28. Go figure.

Despite the lack of elevation we were use to in the Alps, the trail riding still makes for hard days on the bikes, leaving the legs weary. Again there are lots of unmarked trails you can follow, or more the tire tracks left in mud being your guide. Always venture beyond the map, and your comfort zone, it pays off.

Winterberg was nice, a small town less like the tourist spots we have been to in the past. But in fairness, we have avoided most of the tourist places for that very reason.

Moving on as is the norm, we entered Belgium and the first stop was Malmedy. Discovering it has it´s own bike park we set out to find some rides. Winding down our trip before hitting trail centre central, the UK, we are just here to relax and recount the awesome places we left along the way. But much to our surprise what we discovered was some of the best variety of trails we had ridden in weeks. A mix of proper single track, smooth narrow forest tracks, rocky fire roads, and enough good climbs to warrant fresh legs and a good Belgium beer, of which there are many. Yip, it has it all, and why we hadn´t heard of it before now, I really don´t know. A well kept secret, well worth sharing. It deserves a two thumbs up, and the time to ride and discover. Dropping into the LBS, Sports & Nature, for some repair work and spares, I asked the manager about the unmarked trails, for earlier that day we seen a group of newbies out getting tuition in an area setup for such events. Speaking little or no English, he pointed me to the TV screen on the wall and changed the channel to play a movie that was made about the trails. Only a short movie it could easily have been shot in some of the more famous places for XC trails, but no, this was Belgium. Boardwalks, flowing single track, berms and rock gardens, I left the store keen as beans to get out on my newly fitted rear shock to see for myself what it was really like.

I can tell you, we were not disappointed. Moving on a little to the town of St Vith, flatten during WWII, newly rebuilt, we again found some great trails. Even here at the campsite there is a bike park, albeit a small one, but has numerous marked trails leading off in all directions, and a skills area. From the town there are some trails that lead to here, but overall distance is short, until you get further out of town. One trail takes you right to the German border, before cutting back. 

Maybe it´s just the excitement of finding what you don´t expect, or the fact that we are trying to hold on staying in Europe that little bit longer, but armed with a GPS in case you we lost, and the willingness to explore the forest and surrounding farmlands, using only the tire tracks in dry mud as your guide, there truly is heaps to keep you exploring. It´s not a mountainous place by no means, rather flat, nor will you need the latest in full suspension technology, just a well spec´d hard tail, but I can promise this, you will be leaving Belgium wondering if there is not some hidden trail you missed, or fire road you should have taken that leads to a winding flow of single track. Coffee is good to, and luckily it seems we have been treated to some unusually high temperatures, as we discovered. ´36 degrees´ the GPS read as we slogged along near the end of a 36k ride. Nice.. Oh, and don´t forget to keep an eye out along the trails for lots of wild strawberries and blueberries, lots to be had.

Next stop, Luxembourg, but not for the biking, it´s just slowing the tempo back across Europe, and giving the legs a rest before hitting the Welsh and Scottish trails, maybe a few of the good English ones as well. 

“If you go to a desert, you will hear this mysterious voice: Be wise, protect your forests!” 
― Mehmet Murat ildan

Itś now becoming increasing more difficult to recall the places we have been to and stayed at, never mind the trails or forests we have been trekking in. I guess it is the joy of being free from the routine most people, including ourselves when needed, adjust to.

Nature knows no borders as we do, for one country becomes the next so fast , even riding through the forest or mountain passes, you can easily skip across a country border.  It´s only when looking at maps the political divide becomes apparent. It´s also amazing to look at the route plotted over the weeks. It´s been a hell of trip so far.
After leaving Ischgl we went into the Zillertal region, a large open valley with hills that rise far beyond fresh cut meadows into alpine forests. More for cross country skiing and epic mountain bike events, it is a picturesque valley with lots of small sleepy villages, and basically a one way road that ends at the bottom of the mountains, unless you take a quick detour out before you reach Mayrhofen. We found a nice camp site in ´Zell am Ziller´ with free WiFi, due to technical difficulties, and spent a few days trying to explore the area on bike. But Esther's bike has had some real issues with needing the rear bearings on the swing arm checked as it is very unsteady and ghost shifting. For those who know about biking that will all have made sense, I hope. So after cutting short the only spin we did there we dropped the bike in to get repaired. Three hours later it was all sorted. But rather than stay any longer we decided to pack up and head to Rupholding, another fashionable cross country ski destination in winter and biker heaven in summer. Duathlons are very popular here, but not the type we are use to, for here it is the combination of shooting and skiing, just like a Bond movie, only with no bad guys. Driving into the town you emerge from the wooded hillside into a mini alpine village with stumpy mountains that end in sharp peaks, still covered in pine forests. We soon discovered after a couple of days on the bikes that as with most places we have been to, it´s all forest roads rather than single track, again probably why hard-tails are so popular. However, it was very scenic and despite the long hard steep climbs, the views were worth it. You can if you dare venture along the hiking trails, for hikers are spoilt with miles upon miles of single track so taking advantage only seemed like the right thing to do.  Stopping for a quick coffee and slice of apple strudel in the town before heading back to camp was just reward. The main roads are great for biking as well. Scores of road bikers always out in force, sporting the latest in either carbon or titanium technology. Brands I have rarely heard of or seen anywhere else, Simplon, Ghost, Focus, Bulls, and yet everyone is riding anything but the Treks, or Specialized so common place. Theses guys and gals have legs of steel, build on hills that cars struggle on in third or fourth gear. Even on the mountain bike tracks or routes, they seem less out of breath and more focused on a good conversation on a steep incline. No wonder so many come to these parts of Europe to train, or stretch out a season in lew of a big event.
Stick Europe in the dairy for training hills, and epic rides.

Most campsites have their regulars, leaving or returning with a caravan or camper year after year, just to relax and enjoy. Here pitched beside the golf course, the less active can watch the mountains do nothing more than slowly grow older whilst their forests are harvested and then regrown. Para-gliders and hang-gliders soar far beyond and above the peaks, circling like birds of prey, sometimes even diving before recovering and resuming a slow graceful decent. They say it is quite an experience, if you have what it takes. For me, I´m happy on two wheels and a aluminum frame. I watched the cable car come out of the forest just beyond where we camped and rise to 1600 metres onto a mountain top. From here it looks like it´s perched on the edge of a sharp ridge, teetering on the brink and with no way down but the one taken up. Again, I´m sure from there the trail back down on two wheels would be a white knuckle decent, requiring a new set of brake pads and a possible change of underwear... Maybe next time. Rupholding is called ´Little Canada´, not clearly sure why, but there could in winter be some resemblance to the greater Canada. All I do know is that as with other places we have been in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, they take pride in where they live, have respect for it and each other. The homes are pristine and beautifully decorated with flowers and murals of woodland or mountain scenes, even religious depictions. Large wooden balconies sit under low hanging roof beams, sheltered from the summer sun and winter snow. Most people can more often than not be seen hopping a bike and cycling to town. Each morning you can order and collect fresh bread rolls from the camp reception, and feel like a local. And in the evening you can sit in one of the many beer gardens and enjoy a local brew with a meal fit for a king, and always with a smile. They are humble folk with all the mod-cons, and when asked ´Do you speak English´, ´A little´ they reply, but converse more clearly and fluently that most English native speakers. Germany so far has been a wonderful place and I am really looking forward to exploring more.

Next stop from here is the Bavarain Forests, and Zweisel, nestled in the heart of the rolling hills. Again it seems to cater for lots of winter activities, as through out the forest there are signed routes for cross country ski tracks, and hiking. They trails are ab it more technical but less of a climb. Used it summer for running and such, they are providing a great change to fire roads. These forests are within the nation park and are still logged, but carefully. The logging roads are also good for riding, as long as it´s dry for they cut into the forest away from the fire roads. Only a short drive is the Czech Republic, so a day trip was in order. Bohemia is land beyond the border and it´s largely untouched thanks to the cold war and restrictions on access to this beautiful area. Only recently opened up to the West, there is much to explore, but not on this trip. For now it is only the small tourist town of Cesky Krumlov, even the name is cool.. Home to one hell of a castle, and thousand of buzzing tourists, it´s small cobbled stone streets, twist and turn over and around the main river that runs through. It´s ancient castle walls show the wear & tear, years of neglect, but still a sight to behold. Not as cheap as you would expect, but then tourism is big money. In some respects the magic of a place such as this is lost in the tourist hype, but that´s got to be expected.

 I still prefer the quiet of the forests and hill tops, but it´s still nice to visit these towns to experience some of the culture and ancient past. After all, we have a social responsibility to engage, to some small or large extent, in the cultural understanding of others. This is what unites us as people under the one sky, on our planet. Respect is formed and an understanding through engaging and learning, listening and viewing.
It´s also why travelling has become an important and invaluable experience that should be not underestimated, or passed up.