Somerset Beano

Bicycle Beano cycling holidays are a fine blend of delicious vegetarian cuisine, friendly groups, and brilliant cycling on the idyllic country lanes of Wales, the Welsh Borders and the South and West of England.

Each year we run just a handful of carefully-crafted holidays. We take over a country house or a residential centre, fill it with 20-30 guests, and organise scenic day rides with a variety of shortcuts and detours to suit a wide range of cycling abilities.

For our Somerset Beano, we venture into the mists of the legendary Isle of Avalon. We take up residence near the Dorset/Somerset border, close to the ancient hill fort of Cadbury Castle where (according to local legend) King Arthur built Camelot.

This is a lovely part of the country to explore by bike, with a multitude of narrow lanes. Within reach to the north and west lie the famous town of Glastonbury with its abbey and the Somerset Levels. To the east we explore the downland of Wiltshire and the woods of the Stourhead estate. To the south we dip into the river valleys and villages of the Blackmore Vale.

Our base is a large Georgian country house surrounded by 23 acres of parkland, orchards and gardens. All the accommodation is within the house and there’s space for a small amount of camping on the lawn. As you’d expect in an old house the bedrooms vary in size and shape but all of them are lavishly decorated, with beds that can be converted between double and twin. Some are ensuite, some share bathrooms. Some of the twin rooms will be available as singles.

Unusually, this is a weekday Beano - we start on Monday evening, go for day rides on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then say our farewells after breakfast on Friday morning.