Free to explore my hilly corner of the countryside, I found hidden paths to sacred springs, prehistoric monoliths, empty swimming holes …
When I moved from London to a hilly area of rural France in 2017, I brought my bike with me. A faithful secondhand racer, it had served me well over the years to commute from south to central London. On day two in France, I took it out on the road and was completely exhausted by the time I got to the next village, 2km and four big hills away. I put the bike in the shed and forgot about it.
But I didn’t forget about cycling. With its empty roads and miles of meandering logging paths through ancient woodland, the area around my home is perfect for the adventurous cyclist. If only I could overcome the exhaustion problem. I needed to extend the range I could cycle safely, while still getting a respectable amount of exercise.
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