Who actually uses a guide book…?

[voodoo_simon]

I did question my life choices at one stage of the ride but that was soon over

I love that road, it's worth the uphill slog section isn't it!

I thought that road looked worse than it was. Stunning though! Was questioning my life choices later on in the ride between Lake Vyrnwy and the Bwlch Y Groes, hit 18% and that’s when I wished I was sitting in a pub with a beer watching the football…

Didn’t Ian do an Everest ride on the Bwlch Y Groes? If so, fair play because even the last 500m of that climb is bruta l

[Bearbonesnorm]

Didn’t Ian do an Everest ride on the Bwlch Y Groes?

He did.

[jameso]

Ouch.. The idea of descending at the end of each climb would help a little, it's an exhilarating road going down.

[RIP]

It's called "English Country Lanes" and written by Gareth Lovett-Jones..........

I got this tip a couple of years ago when I got a copy of Lost Lanes North, and managed to get a copy then. Really great book, you'll enjoy it Reg!

Thanks! It's finally made it to the top of the pile and I'm a few pages in.

You were right of course, I'm definitely getting into it. The punctuation, grammar and sentence structure are, shall we say, somewhat idiosyncratic and at times quite jarring, so I didn't find it easy to read; but yer man's heart is in the right place.

"... it is never good to know a lot at first.... positively harmful to follow the detailed directions of another individual or, worse, committee.... [a guide book] eliminates randomness, and in doing so makes impossible both the sense of intimate knowledge of a landscape and the high philosophic state which can be experienced at times... by just pootling around on a bicycle..... route guides subtly smother inspiration".

Uncompromising stuff!

Have you got a copy nestling in your library Stu?

[Alpinum]

Just went in the shed. Found a bag/box that needed lots of stuff throwing out (without the wife seeing as it's all 'stuff to treasure'). Obviously chucked most of the stuff out and hid it under the oizza box in the revycle bin.

Glorious Shaf. Recycle bin = treasure box

Topic:
I've got more guide books than a regular (no travel focus) book shop.

Most are climbing, many hiking and rivers, seakayking, then a few biking.
I too grab them regularly for inspiration, less to strictly follow a certain route.