On a spring day, you might expect Kynance Cove, one of Cornwall's iconic landmarks, to be bustling with people. But as we cycled along the bridleway, accompanied by gentle birdsong and the salty smell of the sea breeze, there wasn't a soul in sight. Just a cuckoo calling in the distance - the first one I'd heard that year.
As our bikes bounced along the rutted, grassy path, an adder slithered urgently away ahead of me. In excitement at this rare sight, I turned to call back to my sister. The sun had just broken through an eerie sea-mist and I could now see the spectacular backdrop of Kynance's Asparagus Rock towering behind her. If I hadn't been about to wobble off my bike, I would have pinched myself to check it was all real.
Moments like these, cycling through Cornwall's beautiful scenery, surrounded by wildlife yet distanced from the throng of tourism, encapsulate the West Kernow Way. This 230km route around West Cornwall is the latest adventure devised by charity Cycling UK. The largely off-road loop was launched in September 2021 as a new way to experience both Cornwall's familiar and less well-known sights on two wheels.
The trail is a cleverly linked blend of quiet country lanes, cycle paths and bridleways one minute pedalling over a grassy moor, the next tackling a rocky descent. You may spend a morning passing crumbling engine houses and tin mines and the afternoon cruising through sleepy fishing villages with hidden coves to explore.
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Guilt-Free Meat? - Should the world stop eating meat to tackle the climate crisis? Chris Baraniuk meets an experimental farmer who says we don't all have to become vegetarians
Should the world stop eating meat to tackle the climate crisis? Chris Baraniuk meets an experimental farmer who says we don't all have to become vegetarians. Livestock farming around the world is facing scrutiny because of its greenhouse gas emissions. Globally, the sector contributes somewhere between 11.1% and 19.6% of total emissions. Meat production is roughly twice as bad as the production of plant-based food, according to some analyses. And beef is the worst of all. Study after study has suggested that, in order to curtail the devastating effects of climate change, we ought to shift to a diet containing less meat - or even go vegetarian or vegan.
Discover Cider Country - Explore mellow golden countryside, pedalling between medieval villages, historic inns and fruitful orchards, on a delightful Herefordshire Cider Circuit adventure with Julie Brominicks
Explore mellow golden countryside, pedalling between medieval villages, historic inns and fruitful orchards, on a delightful Herefordshire Cider Circuit adventure with Julie Brominicks. I'm cycling Porter's Perfection, one of three cider circuits developed for Visit Herefordshire over the past few years. Each showcases a section of this bucolic county's loveliest villages, pubs, orchards and cidermakers via lanes suited to bicycles - e-bikes for hill-averse cyclists like me. The idea is to allow you to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of cider country while traversing roads never meant for modern cars. If you have dodgy knees, or are keen to indulge in the local adult apple juice as you go (remember, it's illegal to cycle while under the influence), Visit Herefordshire also promotes cider bus routes.
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