All our guidebooks feature 1000 kms or more (over 600 miles) of interconnected routes and consist of 164 pages (except for our Devon Coast to Coast guide, as this route is much shorter). All books come in a handy format which fits in a standard front bag on your bicycle’s handlebars. This format originates from Dutch-style long-distance cycle guidebooks, which have been in print for decades and continue to do so (dimensions: 12 x 22.5 cm, wiro bound along the long top edge).
All books have clearly defined route sections, which can be cycled in its own right regardless of its interconnected nature. Every individual section starts with an overview of the characteristics of the route section. The overview also shows all railway stations on the way, so you can plan where to hop off and on trains. Elevation charts give you a good idea about climbs to conquer and descents to enjoy (not available in our Netherlands book, given its overall flat terrain). Local visitor information, combined with attractive pictures, make for lots of reading enjoyment prior to travel and provide details in focus for once your on your way.
Every route section also shows how much distance you’ll cycle traffic-free and how much distance you’ll cycle on very quiet roads. It is also shown you how much distance you actually have to deal with some motorised traffic flow and for how long you’ll be on a main road ( if any). This hardly happens, but if it does we have ensured there is an adjacent footpath available to walk the particular stretch in safety.
Regarding our routes in England, we truly have gone to a lot of trouble to provide you with the best cycling routes available. Besides using very quiet roads (generally 60%) and totally traffic free routes (generally 35%), the routes avoids rough surfaces as much as possible, but some gravel paths are always included. Regarding The Netherlands, you’ll naturally mostly cycle on cycle paths (generally about 70%) and on traffic-calmed roads only, always on very smooth surfaces!
Another important feature of the guidebook are full directions for the whole route. This is done in “telegram” style, with many symbols and abbreviations, making also an easy read also for those for whom English is not their first language. All way points of the directions are also marked on the maps, which are provided at multiple scales, suitable for rural and urban areas. The directions also show at a glance how far it is to the next village, town or rural pub/café. Last but not least, the guidebooks feature facility listings with relevant hotels, guesthouses, youth hostels, campsites and bike repair shops, all with full contact details.
Also, in all our books, you’ll find a code to obtain accompanying GPS-tracks of the main route in the book. These tracks are provided in GPX-exchange format and can be used on most Outdoors navigation apps and devices. These tracks are included in the retail price of the book, just as postage. Are you ready for our #realjourneys?
