Shop Junction Blog

I am a bit of a mountain bike fan. Nothing too extreme you understand but I do like to get out and about on my mountain bike into the Sussex countryside near where I live. Despite living in quite a built-up area, it’s easy to get away from it all with a few miles cycling so that you find yourself in the middle of a forest with only the sounds of the birds for company. Great!

I know most of the trail routes near here but I am always looking for new routes to explore. A new book called Cycling in Sussex: Off-Road Trails and Quiet Lanes seems to be just the book I need to find some new rides!

The book is very nicely designed and each route has a map with some excellent and easy-to-follow directions. The routes are graded from family/easy rides through to medium and hard rides and the distances for each route varies from 4 km to 28 km. There should be something for everybody whatever your cycling experience or fitness.

One other useful feature is that each route has several nearby pubs highlighted! I always find that a beer stop is an essential part of any ride….

Related: Horsham Pub Guide

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I am off on a bit of a cycling trip for a few days with a group of old-enough-to know-better mates. We are cycling the Wiltshire Cycleway which, I am told, is approximately 160 miles of country lanes between Salisbury and Malmesbury. Yikes, sounds like a long way! However, I have managed to get out on my Specialised Rockhopper MTB for a few practice rides in recent weeks so I am reasonably confident. Hopefully, it will be a successful ride and we will all get to the finishing point for a few celebratory beers on Saturday. Yay!

Ideally, a road bike would be best for this particular ride because it is mainly an on-road trip. I don’t have a road bike so my MTB will have to do. Mine is a bit like this Rockhopper from Evans Cycles. Everyone else has MTBs and/or hybrid bicycles so I should not be too far behind!

I aim to return with that tired, but not too painful, feeling that you get after a longish walk/ride/run. Wish me luck!

After the Christmas festivities, I think it’s time I got some exercise with a few long country walks! These two Karrimor walking boots are ideal for the purpose and they provide tough but comfortable protection for your feet.

Karrimor KSB 300 Leather Skye 3-Season boot

The classic Karrimor KSB 300 Leather Skye walking boot is back! Now with eVENT, a waterproof and breathable lining. This boot is a leather version of the outrageously popular and successful KSB 300 and it is ideal for walking and trekking.

A true classic, the design is comfortable and also waterproof and breathable – thanks to its eVENT lining – and also includes the excellent Vibram Bifida sole unit, which provides great traction in a wide range of conditions.

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