EBike Tour 3
This electric bike holiday allows you to experience some of the diverse landscape of England's National Forest and includes something for everyone. Lovers of beer will enjoy the opportunity to visit Burton on Trent's National Brewery Centre, as well as several microbreweries, which are keeping the Midlands brewing tradition alive.Railway heritage is evident during much of this route. You will cycle past the Swannington Incline, part of one of England's first railways and designed by the great railway engineer Robert Stephenson, the inventor of the Rocket. The delightful Shackerstone Steam Railway, which runs alongside the Ashby Canal is a lovely stop-off point to enjoy a coffee on the station platform or take a ride along the restored line. At the National Trust property Calke Abbey, you will cycle along the old lime kiln railway and other sections of the tour use dismantled railways. The landscape changes quickly, from the glorious rolling landscape of National Trust run Calke Abbey, through transformed mining and industrial areas, into flat countryside, crisscrossed by the Ashby Canal and populated by unspoilt villages. Please note, whilst most of this cycling tour uses quiet lanes and tracks, some busy traffic is unavoidable in Burton on Trent centre. If you would like to miss the Brewery Centre, then please let us know and we will offer an alternative route.
NIGHTS
2
AV. DAILY MILEAGE
20 - 30
AVAILABILITY
Start any day, all year
PRICE
From £425 per person
Price includes
Electric bike hire, accommodation on a b&b basis, luggage transfer each day, car parking, detailed self-guide route to follow at your own pace, helmets. We're on hand to offer local support when required
Price excludes
Travel to your holiday starting point. Entry to attractions. Single supplement. Dinners. Extra nights. Travel insurance
ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS
A beer lovers delight, with visits to the National Brewery Museum and several micropubs. Explore the rail heritage of the area, including a working steam railway.
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Your e-bike holiday starts in Repton, the historic capital of Mercia and home to the famous Repton School. Take a wander around the village and visit the Anglo Saxon crypt, one of England's most precious survivals of Anglo Saxon architecture.You will stay at the local microbrewery, where you will find a wide selection of beers and wines, as well as excellent food.Today we will meet you with your bikes and provide you with a briefing for your cycling route and answer any questions. We can also recommend suitable routes, should you fancy a practice ride this evening.
DAY 2: Today you will cycle the short distance into Burton on Trent, the home of brewing and the National Brewery Centre. The museum celebrates the history of brewing in Burton on Trent and includes a guided explanation of the brewing process. The museum also includes a large collection of steam engines and vintage vehicles, which were key to the development of the brewing industry. The tour ends with a visit to the William Worthington microbrewery and the chance to sample some of the beers. Take it easy though, as you still have a few miles to cycle. From Burton, your route takes you through the centre of the National Forest, using quiet lanes and off road tracks. Where there were once mines, the landscape has been transformed into tranquil forest and tracks, which are a pleasure to cycle along. Recommended stop-offs include Sharpe's Pottery Museum, which tells the history of the once flourishing local pottery industry and Moira Furnace which historians believe is one of the most important blast furnaces still in existence throughout Europe. In the afternoon you will arrive at the steam railway centre at Shackerstone. Watch the action, whilst you enjoy a well-earned cup of tea in the station platform tea shop. You could even time your journey to coincide with a trip on a train to your overnight stop at Market Bosworth. Market Bosworth is a lovely unspoilt market town and very popular with cyclists. Here you will find a number of pubs and restaurants to choose from. There is a also an extremely good cycling clothing shop in the centre of Market Bosworth, which is well worth a visit.
DAY 3: If your visit coincides with the last Sunday of the month, then we recommend an early visit to the popular Market Bosworth farmers' market, where you can pick up fresh local produce for a picnic. Enjoy the countryside as you cycle through the peaceful local lanes. History lovers will enjoy a short detour to the refurbished 1620s House and Garden at Donington le Heath. The manor house was built in the 13th century and then modernised in 1618. Visitors can see how people lived in Elizabethan and early Jacobean times, as well as enjoy the 17th century style gardens and maze. Stop at the Swannington Incline, where interpretation panels explain the history. The Incline was designed by Robert Stephenson, one of the the greatest railway engineers. It was part of one of the earliest railways in England and was built to help get coal from the mines to the flourishing industrial factories. Your holiday allows you plenty of time to enjoy a visit to Calke Abbey, described by the National Trust as the un-stately home! This Grade 1 listed country house was the home to the Harpur family for nearly 300 years. During this time the family hoarded many of their possessions and the house slipped into decline. Today the National Trust displays the house in the state it was handed to them, meaning that every corner is packed with interesting things to see. Keen gardeners will love the gardens at Calke, which have been lovingly restored to their former glory. The courtyard cafe is a popular stop-off for cyclists and walkers and is a real sun-trap. From here it's a short journey back to your start point in Repton. If time allows, you might like a short detour to sample the beer at the John Thompson microbrewery, one of only 8 pubs to feature as a main entry in all 32 annual editions of The Good Pub Guide, before completing your cycling holiday, back at your start point.
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