25 July 2018

July 2017 Flights from Dublin to Biarritz Car Hire - 90 Mins to Luz St Saveur Accommodation in Local Campsite - 3 Bedroom Mountain Lodges and ideal base for the cycling and local village. Road Biking in the Hautes Pyrenees Cycling in the Hautes Pyrenees is all about climbing and is as good as it gets anywhere in France. It really is awesome. The routes are as scenic, and the climbs are as challenging as any you’ll find in the Alps, but without the crowds or the traffic! The Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aubisque, Col du Soulor, Hautacam, Luz Ardiden, Col d'Aspin and the Col des Tentes. All these world class rides are easily accessible from Luz St. Saveur, plus many other fantastic mountain rides, such as the climbs to Pont d’Espagne or Gavarnie. Mountain Biking in the Hautes Pyrenees In and around Luz St. Saveur and Argeles-Gazost there are 73 VTT-FFC marked routes covering over 1,150km of mountain bike trails. These are cross country trails and its best to use a semi rigid XC mountain bike as there's almost always a lot of climbing! The trails are classified green, blue, red or black and vary in difficulty from flat trails running alongside the Gave de Pau to technical high mountain trails 50 km long with up to 1900m of climbing. Recreational Biking in the Hautes Pyrenees It doesn’t have to be all climbing or hair raising descents. La "Voie Verte" or Greenway that runs from Lourdes to Pierrefitte is 18km long and is a smooth, flat cycling path that runs by most of the big campsites in Argeles Gazost. It follows the route of the old railway line from Lourdes to Soulom last used in 1992 and for a lot of the way runs alongside the Gave de Pau. The route is reserved for bikes, rollers and pedestrians. In May 2010, signs in Braille were added to all the information panels, and audio terminals in three languages giving information about the forested mountains, glaciers and the peaks of the Pyrenees that border the wide U-shaped Vallee d’Argeles-Gazost.

25 July 2018

May 2018 Fergus Pollensa Park and Spa is an excellent base for touring the great routes available on your doorstep. Bikes can be taken up to your room, or there is a storage garage with cleaning facilities available just below the hotel. The Fergus offers B&B, H/B and All Inclusive, so is suitable for every budget and requirements. Bike Hire can be arranged from a local shop which is adjacent to the hotel. Early breakfast times allow you to be on the road early if you have planned a "big" day out. Routes are generally away from the main roads and it is well worthwhile to join guided rides or an organised cycling group. I do organise Spring and Autumn holidays which enable you to join a group of your standard. If you need convincing have a browse through some of the images.

22 June 2018

Probably better known as a winter ski resort, Zell am See is well worth a summer visit. A great choice of hotels are available, mainly in the 4* bracket. There are popular choices such as the Tirolerhof, and the sumptuous Grand set on the resorts stunning lake. Many of the hotels offer a "resort card" which offers free access to the Gondola, buses and the resort Lidos, all of which can save you £££'s The walking trails offer stunning views and as the main uplift is the Gondola from the resort, the walking is suitable for every level of rambler. Our hotel was the Zum Hirschen, well located for both the lake and the bus/lift system. Like many Austrian mountain hotels, the hotel included a free packed lunch and free bike hire (great for accessing the various Lidos around the lake). Other attractions on offer, if you can pull yourself away from the mountains, the glacier or the lake, include excursions to the Eagles nest (Hitler's 50th birthday gift, high in the Bavarian Alps) and of course the city that gave us Mozart and the Sound of Music - Salzburg. Access to many more Austrian mountain resorts, such as glitzy Kitzbuhel and St Johann is readily accessible from the train station in the centre of Zell am See. Would I go back? Very much so, it’s already in my "must do list".