My first long-distance cycling experience riding the Royal Chilterns Way... and more

Cycling has always been something I’ve dipped in and out of, but never in a serious or long-distance way. When it was announced that Cycling UK was creating a new route, Royal Chilterns Way, I knew I wanted to be involved.

After missing my chance to ride Marcher Castles Way last year, this felt like the right opportunity to take part in the photoshoot for the route guide. I wasn’t planning to tackle the entire route, but I wanted to spend a day on the bike and experience a new type of cycling for myself.

I'm not a regular cyclist, and with a young family at home, my cycling experience is mostly limited to short trips to the shops. However, being part of a cycling charity means it's important to try different types of cycling, embrace new challenges and understand first hand what we’re encouraging more people to explore.

What unfolded across the day was far from smooth sailing, but it was an adventure filled with nerves, setbacks, scenery, crashes and, ultimately, a greater enjoyment for cycling.

The pre-ride prep

Before setting off on Royal Chilterns Way, I needed a bike that would hold up. With money tight after the arrival of my second child, I ordered a budget mountain bike from Halfords. My long-term dream is to own a Brompton for commuting and city cycling, but for now the mountain bike would be my stepping stone back into riding.

Unfortunately, the bike arrived too late to take part in the previous Marcher Castles Way shoot last year, so it stayed boxed for months before I finally assembled it. Building it was simple enough, but I couldn’t fix the brakes constantly rubbing on the front wheel.

Even with video tutorials, my mechanical skills fell short. Eventually, I turned to a local bike repair shop who very helpfully collected the bike, gave it a full service and returned it ready for action.

With the bike sorted, I did a short test ride to the local shops for essential supplies, mainly sweets to keep my energy levels up, before the big day.

The early start and train logistics

The plan was to meet my colleagues in Reading in the morning, so I needed an early start. Leaving home at 6:15am, I cycled to the train station using Cycling UK’s route planner, which kept me mostly on cycle paths and quiet lanes. With fewer cars around at that time, it was a manageable start to the day.

The first biggest worry was getting the bike on the train. I had pre-booked both a ticket and cycle reservation, but until you’re actually onboard, there’s always doubt if there will be space.

To store my bike I needed to hang it from a hook. Lifting my bike onto the hook was manageable, but I spent most of the journey watching it swing into the train wall with every movement. At times I even had to hold onto it to stop the violent swaying. Thankfully, it survived the trip intact.

The beginning of the ride

Train delays didn’t help my nerves, as I knew people were waiting for me in Reading, but eventually I arrived and joined the team. The moment we all got on our bikes filled me with confidence and excitement to finally start the adventure.

We began with photos in Christchurch Meadows, capturing shots as we crossed the bridge before moving into Forbury Gardens Park. That short section helped ease me back into the world of being a cyclist.

From there we headed out of the city on the first stretch of Royal Chilterns Way. Following the Thames, the route took us along canal paths, gravel tracks, across fields and quiet roads.

We did the ride in July and the weather added to the experience, as it was the hottest day of the year so far. While the sun made everything look incredible, it also made the effort much harder, especially when tackling steeper gradients on my heavy budget bike.

I enjoyed the constantly changing scenery as we cycled along the route. One moment we were riding past large open fields and the next we were sheltered cycling along green singletrack trails. It felt like a proper adventure and even though I was often at the back of the group, I was getting into the rhythm of my first long-distance ride.

By late morning we had reached the Loddon Brewery, but time was against us. To make sure we got all the filming done that we wanted to, we loaded into a van and drove to Nettlebed village, where we stopped at the Cheese Shed Café to grab some lunch before carrying on.

The crash

After lunch, we began riding part six of the route guide from Nettlebed back towards Reading. The section included some road cycling, but also bridleways and singletrack.

The tighter parts of the route were more of a challenge on my heavy mountain bike, which was less responsive and harder to manoeuvre than everyone else’s lighter mountain and gravel bikes .

Then came the moment I had wanted to avoid more than anything. On a downhill stretch of narrow singletrack I didn’t see a tree root sticking out of the ground. My front wheel hit it and before I knew what was happening I was flying off the bike and landing hard on my right shoulder.

At first, I was worried that I’d broken something. My left arm hurt the most, which was confusing, and for a few seconds I thought my shoulder was done. Once I calmed down and checked myself over, I realised nothing was broken.

I had a couple of cuts and indent marks on my right wrist, a deep puncture wound on my left thumb that probably would have needed stitches if it was any bigger, and a collection of scrapes that come with any fall.

My colleagues were brilliant. They pulled out a first aid kit, cleaned up my thumb, gave me a plaster and reminded me that “everyone falls off eventually”. Their support kept me going, even though my confidence had been knocked.

With my thumb still bleeding, I carried on, taking in views of open fields with Reading visible in the distance. Slowly, I settled back into the ride and was able to enjoy it again.

Cutting the ride short

Because I had a specific train home, I had to leave the group early and cycled alone to Goring & Streatley Station to get a quick train back to Reading. After covering about 30km with the group, I thought the hardest part of the day was done.

Instead, I arrived at the station to find all trains to Reading cancelled, and discovered that my original train home from Reading had also been cancelled. Suddenly, I had no option but to continue riding solo towards Reading.

The solo Thames ride

Before setting off again, I stopped at a shop to grab more water and snacks. With Komoot as my guide, I mapped a route that looked manageable for someone who had only just done their first proper ride.

Looking back at the route now, I realise I had joined another part of Royal Chilterns Way and part of King Alfred’s Way. The trail followed the Thames on off-road singletrack, it  was peaceful and scenic but also very isolating.

While riding alone I thought about Cycling UK’s ‘My ride. Our right’ campaign. Even as a man, it felt daunting being by myself in such a remote location. I could only imagine how much more alarming it might be for a woman riding alone.

My progress was slow, but I stayed focused on reaching Reading. I had given up on the idea of catching any specific train because delays and cancellations were stacking up. My new goal was to simply get there in one piece.

At one point, the trail led me to a steep drop followed by an even steeper climb. After the crash earlier, I decided it was safer to walk down and back up rather than risk another fall while on my own.

The isolation, the quiet of the Thames Path and the uncertainty of when I would finally get to Reading made this part of the journey both the hardest and the most memorable.

The final stretch and the flat

At Whitchurch-on-Thames I left the Royal Chilterns Way/King Alfred’s Way route. Afraid of getting lost, I stuck with the route Komoot gave me, crossing the small toll bridge and staying on the Thames Path. By now I was exhausted and got the first cramp of the day in my right leg which forced me to stop and stretch.

The ride continued through fields and bridleways, past locks on the Thames and beautiful scenery. For a while it was peaceful and enjoyable, but then it was time to re-join the roads into Reading. I was very thankful for cycle paths and lanes, which gave me space from traffic.

After cycling another 15km and with about 3km to go until I reached the station, disaster struck. I was on a cycle path when my front tyre went completely flat to the point where the innertube had come out and wrapped itself around the forks of the bike.

There was no way to carry or push the bike further. After such a long day, sitting on a grass verge in an industrial estate trying to work out a plan felt like the final straw.

I called one of my colleagues from the group for advice, and despite me leaving early to get to Reading station, she had just arrived there. I’ll always be grateful that she not only came to collect me in her car and drive me to the station, but also took my bike home to store it, sparing me the hassle of hauling it through the station.

The long journey home

Finally back at Reading station, I boarded a delayed train only to find the air conditioning broken, so it was more of a sauna than a train carriage. After leaving home at 6am, I arrived back at 11.10pm, hot, bruised, tired, a bike lighter but proud of what I’d achieved.

Looking back, nothing went as planned. I crashed, I rode solo when I wasn’t supposed to, I battled cramps, my trains were cancelled and I finished with a flat tyre. Yet it was still an adventure. I discovered the beauty of long-distance cycling, shared great moments with colleagues and pushed myself further than I thought I could.

My advice to anyone considering having a go at long-distance off-road cycling is to go with someone who has experience. It’s a real comfort knowing that the people around you can help in difficult moments. But also, don’t be afraid to simply give it a go.

Despite everything, I would happily do it again, but I would hope for so much more luck throughout the day. This adventure has only deepened my love for cycling, and my desire to own my own Brompton is stronger than ever.