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Here at The Carter Company, we're not about lycra-clad, high-speed road cycling. Whilst we do offer some more challenging trips, we specialise in creating itineraries that let you amble along at your own pace. We believe in slow travel, giving you the time to immerse yourself in your surroundings, to stop and admire the view and to follow your nose off from the beaten track (experience has shown us that 'creative' detours always lead to some interesting discoveries!)

Our time-generous trips offer a major advantage for those of you who are interested in the local wildlife of the area you are cycling or walking in. Below are some of our recommendations for places to visit if you enjoy a spot of birding...

1. First up, Braunton Burrows near Barnstaple, which you can explore on Devon Coast to Coast and Whistle-Stop Devon. In addition to some incredibly abundant flora - including sea stock, sand toadflax, bee orchid and water germander (which is only found on one other site in the UK) - Braunton is also home to an amazing array of fauna, including 33 species of butterfly, hedgehogs and of course rabbits. In the spring and summer you can see good numbers of migrants such as chiffchaff, willow warbler and common and lesser whitethroat. The highlight during May is to listen for the call of the cuckoo - sadly a declining species in the UK but just a few still visit the Burrows. Meadow pipits, skylarks and stonechats can be found where the vegetation is low. And the rabbits tend to attract some bigger birds of prey - watch out for kestrels and buzzards hovering overhead.

2. In Dorset, Studland Heath Nature Reserve on our Dorset Tours and the RSPB's Arne Bay are worth a visit. At the former, you can expect to find purple sandpipers, Dartford warblers, nightjars, and hobbys. At Arne, star species include the avocet, little egret and stonechat. If you're lucky in Autumn you might catch a glimpse of an Osprey or Marsh Harrier.

3. Finally, The Chilterns (where our small HQ office is located) is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Perhaps its most famous avian resident (and a personal favourite of the team here) is the red kite, a beautifully majestic bird of prey which was extremely rare until it was re-introduced to the Chilterns in the early 1990s. There are now over 300 pairs. Buzzards have increased across the area in recent years and are often seen flying with red kites - surprisingly they seem to tolerate each other! Blackcaps, great spotted and green woodpeckers, tawny owls are frequently found in the Chiltern woodlands. Apart from birds, other interesting wildlife finds here are the rare stag beetle and many badger sets. Check out our Whistle-Stop Chiltern tour if you've only got a couple of days, or our Grand Tour for the ultimate tour of quintessential England by bike, which takes in sections of The Chilterns.

The good news is, panniers come included on all our bikes, so there's plenty of space to pack the binoculars. Happy Birding!

Here at The Carter Company we love a good cup of properly brewed leaf tea and a slice of cake. Earl Grey and Keemun are regular favourites in the office (excellent complements for a Battenberg or Lemon Drizzle), but we've also been branching out to more unusual blends recently... Artichoke or Roasted Rice Green Tea anyone? Naturally if we can combine tea with a cycling or walking trip we are mighty happy!

Having spent hours on our bikes figuring out route directions and scouting the best itineraries for our trips in each area, we have built up quite a bit of knowledge and gathered lots of tips from locals on the best places to go. Of course this has resulted in some 'research trips' to a fair number of establishments. Which was very arduous for us (hoho).

So without further ado, the following are The Carter Company's top tips for a cup of tea (and luckily you can visit them all on our cycling and walking holidays):

• Dorchester Abbey Tea Room - A stunning setting and delicious home-made cakes make this a personal favourite of Wendy's (founder and director of The Carter Company). Plus all the profits go to charity. Our Thames Source to Sea ride winds right past this one, as do most of our Thames biking and walking trips

• Rumsey's Chocolaterie in Wendover - Luckily this one is on our not-so-gentle Chiltern Challenge, so you can burn off the irresistible hand-made chocolates you will no doubt struggle to resist following a visit to this local favourite! The place has a quintessentially English charm to it, and the staff are really friendly. Plus, the glass wall that separates the cafe from the kitchen means you can watch the magic happen and see first-hand the care and attention to detail the chefs put into making each and every chocolate. Rumsey's also run courses and workshops for those wanting to have a go themselves. See their website for more details

• Langass Lodge on the Isle of North Uist - Set on the edge of Loch Eport and overlooking Ben Eaval, you can't get many landscapes more breathtaking than this. But more importantly, the tea at this family-run establishment is one we highly recommend. Take our Highlands and Hebrides guided cycling tour for a chance to visit

Why do people choose to book their pedal bike tours and walking holidays with The Carter Company?

Here's a taster of the feedback our customers have sent through to us:

"This is our second holiday with you within 12 months. We really enjoyed exploring a beautiful part of the country. We loved staying at The Bell in Hampton Poyle and at The Kingham Plough. Bledington Farm, which we discovered en route, is our future dream home!! The trip was well organised with great back up. See you next year!!" - Julie & Martin, who took our Really Rather Special Bespoke Luxury Cotswold Tour

"This was a birthday gift from my wife and it exceeded my expectations! I loved walking through famers' fields (which you are not allowed to do in the States), the villages in the countryside, the various stages of The Thames river and the fact that you made it hassle-free for us. Our bags were always waiting for us on arrival at our hotels. We feel we are leaving with a true appreciation of the various slices of UK life!" - Mr Foley and his wife Karen, who took the walking tour Thames Path from source to Henley

"We all thoroughly enjoyed our weekend of cycling. Undoubtedly the best way of seeing the beautiful Cotswolds! And we will definitely be recommending you to our friends" - The Davies, who took our biking tour Whistle-Stop Cotswolds

Our 'Really Rather Special Tour' is our most luxury gentle cycling holiday in The Cotswolds and shows off what we do best here at The Carter Company. After many many years of crafting cycling and walking trips in The Cotswolds, we have drawn on our collective knowledge and combined all the most interesting and picturesque routes in the Cotswolds with what we think are the best hotels in the area to create this unique tour. The itinerary and distances can be tailored to suit you, and if you like to have a knowledgeable local guide to lead you, we will be delighted to provide one. It's the perfect way to enjoy the magic of The Cotswolds.

Le Manoir Oxford, Buckland Manor Buckland, Lords of The Manor Upper Slaughter, Barnsley House Bibury and Whatley Manor Malmesbury are just some of the stunning hotels the tour takes in. Also included is a visit to Blenheim Palace and its beautiful grounds, and a guided cycle tour of Oxford.

Click here for more details and to see more images of the holiday

It's that time of year when a little pick-me-up hits the sweet spot. Here are 4 special cities we have got to know with our cycling holidays and a hotel in each we love that offers a bit of luxury and an opportunity to indulge yourself.

Amsterdam A cyclist's paradise of a city. Just 15 minutes from the Rikjsmuseum and with bikes available for hire, try the boutique Dylan Hotel and its Michelin starred Vinkeles restaurant.

Florence Enjoy incredible art in the city, and at the end of the day, unwind from the hustle and bustle in the breathtaking countryside by staying at Il Salviatino - a 15 minute drive into the hills. Enjoy truffle hunting or just a gentle stroll through their 12 acres of Tuscan parkland and gardens.

Madrid Lots of reasons to visit but maybe yours would be to take in The Royal Opera House. From your balcony at Casa de Madrid hear the impresarios warming up.

Paris Fun and romance coupled with utter pleasure staying at Hotel Le Bristol. Enjoy its roof top pool and two Michelin starred restaurants.