Mountain Bike Camp
Be safe on mountain bike breaks
Mountain biking is hugely popular in the UK and most kids have or will have a mountain bike at some point in their childhood. UK cycling as a whole is thriving after the Olympic velodrome success in last year’s games, and the UK has several riders each year doing well in the Tour de France.
Taking this enthusiasm and planning a holiday around it is a natural progression, and mountain biking is becoming to summer what skiing is to the winter. It is a sport that can be taken up by pretty much anyone, and unlike skiing all you need to know is how to ride a bike. Every country is going to have some good mountain biking terrain.
For the dedicated enthusiast, or those who simply prefer to follow a sense of adventure, planning a mountain bike holiday from the bottom up can be a great experience. Numerous sources of information and advice will help construct a holiday that suits you down to the ground. Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and other travel books are always good, given that they have info on biking but also all the other aspects such as accommodation and travel routes.
Mountain biking magazines regularly run features on certain areas that can be really useful. But perhaps the easiest way is to choose a resort that is known for good quality mountain biking, book flights and accommodation, and get the local knowledge of where is best to ride when you get there.
Of course, as with all travel, but especially with adventurous holidays, good travel insurance is necessary. Mountain biking can be a sport where accidents happen pretty frequently and as a result some sides of the activity will not be covered by your typical holiday insurance policy, especially sub-divisions such as downhill racing or cross-country in rough terrain.
The problem is the danger inherent in the more challenging aspects of the sport. Injuries are common because of the high speeds and hard terrain, as is damage to expensive equipment such as bikes and clothing. There is also a risk on the roads, as bikers can cause traffic accidents if they are not careful and there are issues of personal liability in this area.
Fortunately the vast majority of insurers will have a policy to suit mountain biking, perhaps advertised as an adventurous sports package. They might cost more but paying a high premium sure beats paying the hospital bills for a broken leg when you take a fall off a high saddle. There are other aspects as well, such as early flights home and alternative accommodation.
Closer to home, there are several popular long-distance routes in the UK, such as the coast-to-coast route in Northern England that starts on the West coast in Cumbria and takes in such wonderful areas as the Lake District, on the way to the East coast. The ride can be done in three or four days, staying in hotels along the way or even camping.
About the Author
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Core Mountain Bike Camps Whistler 2009
