Bike Walk (a proposal)

In common with many people I do my best thinking when out walking or cycling. Of course, what you end up thinking about isn't necessarily what you might have intended and is often inspired by the places you find yourself.

Anyone who's read more than a few of my blog posts will know that I write a lot about everyday physical activity, it's importance in public health and the psycho, social and political barriers that stop it rising up the political agenda, and, while there's an increasing number of people setting their own fitness goals, joining boot camps and posting their achievements on Facebook, the real challenge is getting the habitually sedentary to take the first step.

There's no doubting that the bicycle is one of the world's greatest inventions. It's the most efficient means of land transportation that has ever been devised and is better than any animal that has ever evolved. Those of us who ride a lot, though nowhere near as much as some, even enjoy riding up hills and will deliberately seek them out. Part of this is the personal pleasure of the challenge, the rhythms of legs, breathing and heart rate, the flush of endorphins and the sheer satisfaction of achievement, but part is also the changing views as you climb and the revealed vista when you go over the top. It's about having a direct personal relationship with the landscape.

But if you're not particularly fit (yet), the hills are a barrier and not a source of pleasure. We might advise you to get in a low gear and then go steadily at a pace you can maintain, but this isn't much help if the gears on your bike just don't quite go low enough. When that happens the only choice is to get off and walk and in some cycling circles this is seen as a defeat.

Yesterday's ride took me out of Scarborough and up Harwood Dale. The roads are hilly but quiet, with good lines of sight and some delightful views. 

Looking up Harwood Dale

Just before taking this picture a thought bubbled to the surface. Why not organise some Bike Walks? You could either think of this as a ride where it's OK to get off the bike and walk, or a walk where you sometimes get on the bike and ride. 

In this case, the two end points could be the Yew Tree Cafe in Scalby and the Grainary about 6 miles away up Harwood Dale. Participants could either bring their bikes by car up to Scalby or, if coming from central Scarborough, simply up the Cinder Track and turn left along Station Road. 

As well as being able to enjoy the scenery and the company, they'd get well needed exercise and the chance to learn a bit of road-craft on the bike. What goes up must come down, so the only requirement is brakes that work.