There aren't many upsides to the coronavirus crisis, but one positive is that a lot of families have taken up cycling while other activities have been restricted.
If you're among them, and have found out recently just how much fun it is to cycling with the family, you may be wondering how to keep it up once the crisis ends.
Well, the options are almost endless. Do you fancy touring Holland’s countryside by day and sleeping on a barge by night? Maybe biking and hiking on some of Sweden’s 30,000 postcard-perfect little islands? Or even taking on a family challenge and crossing England from coast to coast?
Here's a selection of a few of our favourite cycling holidays for you to try out once the lockdown's lifted completely.
UK: Ride Coast to Coast
Only got a few days but keen to fit in an epic family adventure? Ride the breadth of Britain with your gang. Dip your back wheel in the Irish Sea, then cycle across the Lake District, Cumbria and the North Pennines on this self-guided tour perfect for fit families. Skedaddle’s route follows tracks and quiet roads for 18-41 miles a day over five days.
Price: From £655 (discounts for children), including accommodation and some meals. Not including bike hire and flights.
Greece: Go Island-Hopping
Can you imagine anything better than exploring a Greek island by bike and then jumping into the clear Ionian sea with the kids? Do it for a week on this guided cycle holiday, pedalling around 20 miles per day around Corfu, Lefkas, Cephalonia and Paxos. Each night you’ll sleep on a wooden yacht where the kids will love playing pirates.
Price: From £1,493 including accommodation and most meals. Not including bike hire and flights.
Sweden: Island Bike and Hike
Stockholm’s archipelago of an astonishing 30,000 islands makes for the perfect family cycle tour. Travel between them by bike and ferry to explore these lands of forest trails and sandy beaches. This self-guided four-day tour packs in cycles of around 20 miles as well as walking and kayaking. One for a family big on adventure but short on time.
Price: From £630 per adult and £413 per child, including accommodation, some meals and bike hire. Not including flights.
Holland and Belgium: By Bike and Barge
It doesn’t really get more Dutch than cycling along canals by day and sleeping on a barge boat by night. This eight-day, country-hopping itinerary is perfect for an adventurous family trip – start in buzzy Amsterdam, pedal to the cheese-loving city of Gouda and then pass windmills and coastline on your way to gorgeous Bruges in Belgium, sleeping on the good ship Tijdgeest each night.
Price: £960 including meals, accommodation and bike hire. Not including flights.
Ireland: Explore Connemara
Fancy a bit of posh for your next family holiday? The Carter Company specialises in relaxed, luxurious cycle tours in Britain’s beauty spots, such as this gentle, self-guided route around the part of Ireland known as the ‘Western Wonderland’. You’ll cycle around 20 miles a day on quiet roads, making this perfect for children. Accommodation includes manor houses and castles.
Price: £1,580 including accommodation, some meals and bike hire. Not including flights.
Canada: Discover Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, on Canada’s eastern coast, is a real charmer - think fishing villages, rugged coastline, great seafood and a chilled-out way of life. Explore it from the saddle on Macs Adventure’s self-guided tour, which follows a smuggler’s trail and winds along the shoreline from Peggy’s Cove lighthouse to Lunenburg, covering a kid-friendly 15-26 miles a day.
Price: From £857 per person, including accommodation, some meals and bike hire. Not including flights.
