Find your cycling holiday
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CycleWild, 11 Lysander Way,
Abbots Langley, Herts,
WD50TN
01923 350258
07770 647319
www.cyclewild.co.uk |
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The home of exciting cycling holidays worldwide, for all levels from the novice and leisure cyclist, to the extreme sports fanatic |
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Northern Iceland Cycling and Hiking Adventure |
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Saturday, June 25th 2011 until Sunday, July 3rd 2011 |
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Iceland
Akureyri and The North |
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6 Days |
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Moderate to Challenging  Although we shall be cycling in mountainous and remote country, the hill grades are only moderate -the cycling is more through the mountains not up and down them. The off road cycling is on wide 4WD type tracks generally with a reasonably good grade. |
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Both on an off road cycling. Off road tracks are well defined and require little technical experience. |
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Up to 50 miles cycling per day. On shorter cycling days , hiking up to 5 miles will be included. |
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up to 1500m (5000ft)each day |
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Reasonably proficient cyclists with some off road experience. You should be able to ride 30 to 35 miles on road in half a day.
Particularly suited to singles, couples and grown up families (youngest 18yrs). All ages and previously particularly popular with 50/60s. |
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Tour leader, local guide, mobile food facilities for lunches, driver, mechanic, first aid |
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Up to 10 (minimum 5) |
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YES |
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Accommodation, where possible, in good 3*/4* hotels with one mountain hostel |
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Few areas in the world offer such exhilarating natural beauty and awe-inspiring scenery as that in Northern Iceland. The diversity of the mountain landscape with its volcanoes and lava fields, vast black deserts and then just over a ridge strongly contrasting lush oases, waterfalls, massive rivers and canyons and of course hot springs and fumeroles are sights rarely encountered together anywhere else on earth. This is the stunning terrain that our week long cycling adventure will explore. In fact today, 20 million years after Iceland was formed from an eruption beneath the ocean, it is one of the most volcanically active spots on Earth.
Most striking of all is the sheer vastness of space with far reaching visibility from the crystal clear northern air and the geological diversity of the multicoloured volcanic rocks. The light is simply perfect for landscape photography.
The Cycling Adventure itself takes place over 5 days and covers all of the most fascinating features of North Iceland. The route is a mix of on and off-road cycling, and will also include short treks to amazing natural features which are otherwise inaccessible. The ride and treks may be challenging but never technically difficult with only a few steep climbs and the occasional scramble and possible walking across snow fields. Both cycling and trekking will be well within the capabilities of any reasonably fit person who has undertaken some regular cycling training in the two months preceding the ride. Previous experience of off-road cycling is unnecessary.
Note
The price (fully inclusive except for International Flights & Insurance) for this 'once in a lifetime' Cycling Adventure is £1595pp for a group of 10 in 2 4WD long wheelbased landrovers.
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4WD through Interior, some hiking to remote areas inaccessible to cycling, hot spring dipping, whale watching |
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<p><strong>Commentary on behalf of a family of 5 on the 2007 Iceland Tour </strong></p>
<p>We arrived in Iceland fully expecting to be impressed by the organisation of the CycleWild professionals, challenged by the cycling tour and awed by the beauty of the landscape. These were aspects that we had noted in choosing CycleWild’s Iceland tour, and in each case our expectations, although high, were fully met. We had, however, underestimated an aspect of the CycleWild experience that should be a focal point for anyone considering a cycling tour: the personal dedication and enthusiasm of our tour leaders, Jonathan and Paul. Truly, taking part in CycleWild’s Iceland tour is an inspiring experience. The diversity of the group is such that one meets and gets to know individuals from all walks of life who are interested in sharing the adventure. The tour leaders then add valuable local insights, thorough daily briefings and a good deal of support. The combination means that everyone taking part in a CycleWild tour receives much more than a holiday.</p>
<p>Donald Ainscow and family.<br />CycleWild Iceland Tour — July 2007. <br /><strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Reflections of The 2007 Iceland Adventure Ride</strong> <br /></p>
<p>All I could hear was the noise of my own panting and the squawk of the purple sandpipers, annoyed because our tiny group was cycling close to the buttercup-rich verge where they had their early summer nests, as I reached the top of yet another ‘undulating’ hill. There was a warm breeze in my face as I set off gleefully at speed for the downward spree. This was the first day of cycling in Northern Iceland, a holiday my friend had booked through HPB, one which I had thought him crazy to have considered, but now we were out on the open road I saw what had attracted him. Over the next few days my breath was snatched from me over and over again, sometimes from an Arctic wind whipping it out of my mouth as we sailed down horrendously steep inclines surrounded by cliffs or volcanoes, other times as we ratcheted up the other side of those hills in the lowest of gears, but mostly by the stunningly spectacular vistas unfolding before us. After emerging from the three kilometre tunnel under the Ólafsfjardarmúli Mountain on the coast road the sight that greeted us was so achingly beautiful that it will stay with me for ever. The Fjord before us was starkly blue, with moss coloured mountains on the other side topped with icing sugared coatings of snow. The term “it took my breath away” must have been coined by the first outsider to visit Iceland. The views, the silence of the empty roads, the warmth of our welcome at each evening’s lodgings made the sore bits worth it.<br />We had mustered at Keflavik Airport just outside Reykjavik on a Saturday morning in late June, ten of us, to meet up with our CycleWild organisers, Jonathan and Paul. That day we headed inland to the remote Interior, making friends with our fellow adventurers on the way, on the long dusty ride on the rough dirt roads in two LandRovers and one trailer for bikes and luggage. Night never comes to Iceland in the summer months so all concept of time is immediately dispelled. That first day went on and on as we went sight-seeing; waterfalls and lakes, geysers and the ash desert with flat top table mountains that makes up the vast and usually closed off Interior. We slept in a mountain cabin in the Kerlingafjall mountains, and next day for the first time saw the geothermal activity of this massive outdoor geography lesson when we observed the scalding hot water spitting out of the ground and the red Rhyolite hills reminding me of Arizona’s hues or the Dakota badlands.</p>
<p>Once up North and the towns began to smell of fish. In fact this country is a fishy delight, pan fried salmon for dinner, pickled herring for breakfast, gravilax for lunch! There are other alternatives of course, like smoked lamb more reminiscent of ham, freshly baked breads, local creamy yoghurt - think the best of Danish cuisine, and add lots of fresh clean air and yes, expensive beer and wine, and ignore the horror stories of slatur (blood pudding like haggis) and putrid shark steak.</p>
<p>Then onto the bikes to tackle the coast road, through the serene Stíflan valley, via sleepy little Ólafsfjördur (where a local hotelier assured us he could roast us some puffins much to the horror of our accompanying twitcher!), and at last some well earned relief out of the saddle in a local swimming pool next to the hotel in Dalvik. We all liked sitting in hot-tubs, its something that one earns the right to do on such a trip. We experienced all sorts; chatting communally in an quaint home-made thermal pool in the mountains, or a few days later the stylish and new facility at the Myvatn Nature Baths which gives Spa a whole new meaning. A vast cool-blue coloured lake of bath-hot water, sandy bottom, and soothingly delicious relaxation.</p>
<p>The weather was ‘assorted’, but we were rewarded with having endured the difficult times with a magnificent last couple of days in which to see the placid and bird-watching paradise around Lake Myvatn and the surrounding volcanic activity. Suitable for most ages (eight out of the twelve of our group were over fifty) this was an action packed week, full of adventurous activities (highlight being to go whale-watching from Husavik in Skjálfandi Bay and seeing humpback and blue whales), and truly wonderful scenery.</p>
<p>CycleWild lives up to their name in this stunning country.</p>
<p>K Kinney <br />July 2007<br /></p> |
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£1595
Includes: Good quality mountain bike
Accommodation where possible in good 3*/4* hotels with one mountain hostel
All meals and snacks including picnic lunches
Internal flights if required
Transfers by road
Maps and route notes
Fully escorted with
Excludes: International Flights to/from Reykjavik or Akureyri, internal flight Akureyri to Reykjavik, personal insurance, personal incidentals inc drinks. |
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The price of £1595 is fully inclusive except for international flight and personal insurance. Accoomodation assumes twin room sharing. there is an option for single room use for a supplement (to be calculated).
A deposit of £300 is required to regist |
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28th February 2010 |
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