News

Here at The Carter Company, we're all about a little bit of indulgence. Most of our cycling holidays and walking tours in Britain offer a choice of 'classic quality' or 'luxury' accommodation, and we'd always recommend choosing the latter! There are some pretty special places to stay on our trips, including historical Paradores on our 'Land of the Spanish Conquistadors' cycling holiday in Spain and 5* hotels with Michelin rated restaurants like Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons on many of our Oxford bicycle vacations.

But our taste for the finer things in life extends beyond our hand-picked hotel selection. As gentle cyclists designing cycling holidays for softies (rather than the Lycra-wearing road racers), we also appreciate a good quality saddle. Craftsmanship is enjoying a moment in the spotlight again, and this means there are some wonderful choices when it comes to artisan bike saddles. We say support the movement and get yourself a luxury saddle (which you can use on one of our bike trips around the UK or in Europe!)

Here are 3 of our favourites:

1. Brooks saddles (pictured above)
   This has to the the crème de la crème of leather saddles. A real heritage brand that offers hand-crafted, beautifully designed saddles. In their own words: 'We believe, and are convinced that all riders will agree, that a comfortable saddle is one of the greatest, if not the greatest asset to real pleasure cycling'. Check out their limited edition range.

2. Spa Cycles' Aire leather saddles
   Rated highly by cycling experts, and retailing at a fraction of the price of a Brooks saddle. They are meant to be really comfortable and of course they look absolutely stunning, being very similar in design to the Brooks 'Swallow' model. A good choice if you want to try a leather saddle without having to remortgage the house on a Brooks saddle.

3. Selle Anatomica
   Made out of premium American leather, the brand behind these saddles claim they make 'the world's most comfortable leather bicycle saddles'. There's certainly a lot of thought that goes in to the design of their saddles, which have many unique characteristics, including a patented slot design in their suspended leather design which provides perineal relief (!) but also allows the leather to move under your sit bones for a more comfortable riding experience. They also inject a bit of fun into proceedings... To celebrate the 4th of July, they produced their saddles in red and white colours.

Earlier this year, a study conducted at Stanford University found that walking can boost creative thinking. A lot of people, especially those in the creative industries, writers and philosophers, have had a hunch about this for a long time, but now it's official. A person's creative output is increased by an average of 60% when taking a walk and shortly after the walk. And interestingly, this could be walking in the fresh air in the park as well as walking on a treadmill! So Nietzsche was right: you have all your best ideas when walking.

Forward-thinking tech companies have already cottoned on to the concept. Steve Jobs apparently used to conduct 'walking meetings' and at Facebook HQ, a lot of meetings are held standing up.

There's more research to be done on why this is the case. The scientists conducting the experiment have speculated that it may be because walking improves your mood, or because it helps to distract the brain from rigid thought processes and 'allow it to break through some of its own hyper-rational filters'.

In any case, it's great news in that it will hopefully inspire more people to get up out of their office chair or their sofa at home and get walking! Of course, we strongly advocate the outdoor walking type rather than the treadmill version. There's so much to see and absorb when you step out into the fresh air - whether you're in a city or the countryside. Native species of flora, local culinary specialties, historical points of interest, awe-inspiring architecture, street art, breathtaking vistas, hidden waterfall plunge pools you can swim in, art galleries, rare birds of prey... The list is endless!

So now you've another perfect excuse to book a walking holiday... Perhaps you'll come up with a creative idea that will make you your millions! Here at The Carter Company we offer ready-made UK walking tours in The Cotswolds, along The Thames, in Oxford, London and The Chilterns. We also design numerous tailor-made walking holidays, so please get in touch if you've got something specific in mind or are simply in need of some inspiration! We'd be delighted to assist.

One reason why we love to pedal (yes, we love a pun too!) self-guided cycling holidays and walking tours is because they give you the opportunity to travel at your own pace and to make your own decisions.

So if you find yourself freewheeling past a charming Austrian cafe on the shores of a beautiful lake, you can make a spontaneous decision to do an about-turn, chain up your bike and settle at a table to enjoy a freshly-brewed coffee and a slice of the finest local Apfelstrudel (a favourite of The Carter Company team).

Equally, you may be meandering along the historical Thames on one of our self-guided English walking holidays and come across a special interest museum you fancy having a nose around. This you can do, because our tours are all designed with the thoughtful, 'slow traveler' in mind, so we've built in plenty of time each day for you to enjoy the local points of interest without having to hurry along because there are so many miles to cover there isn't time to stop and soak up your surroundings, or because the rest of the group aren't interested and the coach is about to leave, which so often seems to be the case when you take a guided group tour.

One of our all-time favourite things to stop and do en route on our walking holidays or bicycle vacations is wild swimming. It's something that's become increasingly popular in recent years, but this has always been an area of real expertise for the Carter family. There are more than a few individuals in the family who fancy themselves as open water swimmers and take pride in their ability to brave freezing cold fresh waters for an icy dip!

Top wild swimming spots in England

1. Rhaedr Dhu waterfall in Wales - it's quite a 'bush-wack' down to this remote and secluded little spot but once you arrive it's absolute heaven. The freshest, coldest water you could imagine and not a soul in sight. Completely wild and lush.

2. Respryn bridge in Cornwall - this is a wooded riverside walk in the National Trust estate of Lanhydrock House. It's great for a splash about as the water isn't too deep, and there's even a shingle beach at one point which you can lay your towel on and catch some rays. You can visit Respryn bridge on one of our cycling holidays in Devon and Corwnwall.

3. Clifton Hampden on the Thames - this charming bridge and pub is featured in Jerome K's "Three Men in a Boat". Sandy and shallow bays on the nearside and wild and unspoilt flower meadows lie on the farside. Truly idyllic.

4. Faerie pools, Bla Bheinn on the isle of Skye - a destination on our 'Highlands and Hebrides' cycling holiday, the isle of Skye is home to this amazing waterfall gorge and many smaller pools en route to Bla Bheinn. This is true wild swimming in an amazing location and the water is just crystal clear.

5. The Witch's Cauldron near Fort William, also on our Highlands and Hebrides cycling holiday. Very accessible as near the road, this is a series of 3 falls and 3 pools set amongst some beautiful rocks. Well worth a visit!

For more info on good wild swimming spots in the UK, check out this website we rate highly. There is also a book and even an app which lists some of the top places with detailed instructions on how to reach these hidden gems - a lot of them are pretty hard to find on your own (which is what makes them so great!)

Book a tailor-made UK cycling holiday or a ready-made walking holiday with us and you too could find yourself wild swimming in a beautiful remote lake in Wales or splashing about in the sea in Cornwall in no time.

Some of the younger members of The Carter Company team visited Berlin recently. There are many reasons why we think it's a great city (we list a few of our insider tips below), but one thing that really struck us was how bike-friendly it is. Compared to London, it feels streets ahead. Berlin isn't really a walking city, as the distances are just that bit too far, so you see a lot of locals cycling around the place. This is the case of course in London too, but unlike London, there has clearly been a concerted effort (back by significant investment) to make cyclists feel safe. The bike lanes are generous in width; cyclists have priority on roundabouts; there are traffic lights and other road markings addressed specifically to those on two wheels.

As a tourist, it's incredibly easy and convenient to find bike hire shops; they seem to be dotted throughout the entire city. As is the case with most things in Berlin, it's also extremely good value for money. We hired some really comfortable, high quality bikes for €10/day. Most places ask you to leave a deposit though, so remember to take some spare cash with you.

Once on board, it's unbelievably easy to navigate around the city. If you do like to have a map on hand though, we recommend downloading a CityMapper onto your phone whilst still at home or over WiFi so you don't get stung with data roaming charges.

The other big bonus of cycling around Berlin (or anywhere in the world for that matter) is that you are travelling slow enough to see all the detail you would if you were on foot, but you don't find yourself completely exhausted after covering a few miles. Pottering around on your bike really lets you soak up the atmosphere and feel of a place, and you can usually visit several neighbourhoods in just a short amount of time, leaving you with a colourful patchwork of memories to take away with you.

The best things to see in Berlin by bike

1. Mauerpark Really fun and vibrant park in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin. Visit on Sundays for impromptu, terrible (and hugely popular!) public karaoke performances. It really embodies the spirit of the city - laidback, all-embracing and not overly self-conscious. Buy a beer for €2, take a seat in the mini amphitheatre and get ready to clap along!

2. W Der Imbiss As vegetarians, Europe can be a tricky place. Berlin isn't as bad as Paris, but you can struggle to find good vegetarian places. However, this one is a real winner. Not only is it fantastic, fresh veggie and vegan food, it's also amazing value and serves a variety of dishes really well - so you can have a Mexican burrito or an Indian curry, and both are delicious (honest!) The meat lovers we were with gave it the thumbs up. Find it on Kastanienallee 49.

3. Clärchens Ballhaus Located on Auguststraße 24, this is a real gem. You can almost smell the history and the stories as you approach. It celebrated 100 years in 2013, and it's been a colourful hundred years at that. Recently it's changed ownership, but it continues to function as a dance and live music venue. Or you can just pop by for a drink or bite to eat - the garden is lovely on a sunny day. It's got that 'faded glory' feel to it, all crumbling but beautifully complimented by fairy lights, vintage garden furniture and a bright, kitsch interior.

4. Neues Museum If you only visit one museum in Berlin, we recommend this one. The building itself is a museum, let alone all the incredible Egyptian and other ancient treasures it houses in its permanent collections. The British architect David Chipperfield won a competition to restore the building after it was damaged severely during World War II, and work began in 2003. After painstaking and careful work, it reopened in 2009. The result is breathtaking - the scars of war have been carefully preserved (you can still see bullet marks on some of the facade and interior walls) - but it has been seamlessly updated at the same time. Hard to put in into words really - just go and see it! Find it on Museum Island, Bodestraße.

Biking vacations in Europe

Why not combine a visit to Germany with a cycling tour in another European country? We recommend a bike holiday in Spain if you're heading to Europe in autumn. It's cooler than in peak summer months and would offer a lovely antidote to a few days in a bustling city like Berlin.

Picture the scene...

After months of planning and suspended excitement, you're finally about to set off on your British biking vacation with The Carter Company (who else?). Having arrived at your hotel the previous night and enjoyed a delicious night's sleep, day one of your cycling tour looms large. You head down to the hotel breakfast and treat yourself to a filling and nutritious plate of food to fuel you up for the day. Once you've had your fill, the question then pops up: "What are we going to do for lunch?" Many of our customers like to stop off en route for elevenses and then a hearty lunch in a pub or other local establishment. We recommend this option of course - it's a great way to sample the produce and cuisine typical of your destination, meet some of the regulars and generally stop for a moment and absorb the atmosphere of the area. However, there are some instances in which...
- there are no places to stop and eat en route (particularly on some of our more remote tours like the Highlands and Hebrides guided cycling holiday)
- the scenery is just so breathtaking, that you prefer the idea of sitting outside and enjoying a picnic with nature as your companion

If this is the case, we've got you covered. All bikes on Carter Company cycling holidays come with panniers, so there's plenty of space to pack a picnic. The only dilemma that remains then, is what to put in it. Below, we share our tips on our favourite things to pack in our panniers for a scrumptious picnic.

1. PIMM'S
   No holiday in the UK, whether it's a cycling tour or not, would be complete without Pimm's. You don't get much more English than this. Head to Wimbledon during the Championships and every other person you see is sipping on a cool glass of fruity Pimm's. It's pretty much a part of English summer tradition. And even if the sun isn't out, things suddenly might look a bit better after a glass or two of Pimm's (NB. we do not advocate more than two glasses if you're planning on continuing your bike ride and following your route directions correctly!) Luckily your bike takes the weight of the panniers, so unlike a picnic in a backpack, you don't need to worry about a bottle of Pimm's and good quality lemonade being too heavy to carry.

2. SCOTCH EGGS
   The key with scotch eggs, another very British foodstuff, is to try and get your hands on fresh ones. If you're cycling past a farm shop or staying in a town overnight where there's a farmer's market, you might be in luck. If not, you have to settle for the shop-bought packaged variety, which aren't really the same thing, but better than nothing. We like the fresh ones because they're made that morning, and the yoke should still be runny, which takes them to a whole new level, trust us! You can also get some wonderfully creative varieties if you buy them fresh, like lentil, mushroom and tarragon, instead of the standard pork layer.

3. CUCUMBER SANDWICHES
   Supposedly invented by Lord Sandwich, the 'sarnie' as it's affectionately known by us Brits, is a real culinary institution. Last year, 1.69 BILLION were bought 'on the go' in the UK. And we're not talking about the baguette here. No, this is one area where we trump the French. Only 10% of our sandwiches sold are baguettes. We like a good pair of granary bread slices stuffed full with fillings and condiments. And nothing is more British than a cucumber sandwich. Keep them simple with good quality unsalted butter, sea salt, white pepper and organic cucumbers. This is what the recommend over at The Guardian, and we think they've hit the nail on the head.

4. STRAWBERRIES
   Firstly, try and buy your strawberries If you can, throw in a couple of fresh mint leaves and sprinkle a little icing sugar over your strawberries before setting off. By lunchtime, they will have marinated nicely in a sweet minty sauce which will be absolutely irresistible. There's no better way to finish off a picnic than with some fresh fruit. You'll be raring to get back on your bike and pedal through the gorgeous British countryside after this, rain or shine.

If all this talk of food is making you hungry, may we suggest taking your pannier packed full of goodies on our Kent cycling holiday for foodies, the ultimate dream trip for all the gluttons out there ;)