Lancashire and Cumbria Group : Our April ride has been re-arranged and is now on Sunday 25 April, starting from Kendal at 9:30am. Details will be updated on the 'What's On' pages the week before the ride. Pre-booking is essential.

Dear friends As Disabilities Liaison Officer, Mark Noble received the following request from Madleen. I know we are still in lockdown, but when things open up again, I really would love to actively participate in riding tandems in a group near me! Gravesend DA12 5D! I’m happy to get to wherever possible, but I really would like to make this work > So I am contacting you, can you help? I am a totally blind person, really eager to get out and about after all this time! working from home for a year now, has its disadvantages! :-) > I would really appreciate, if someone could contact me, my telephone number: (07795) 226569 > mailto:madleenmann@me.com > Warm regards, > madleen Mark has replied to her with regards to how the club and our section works.. But is there is anyone who would be willing to help her participate in tandem riding? If you are able to help please contact Madleen directly email and phone number below.

I have added the West Country Saturday ride to the Rides part of the site. Within this I have added a description and 4 pictures as well as adding markers along the way. What I am trying to do is grade these 1-5. The idea is to be able to find great routes without being swamped by routes which are difficult to follow/understand. As this one doesn't have a PDF routesheet, I've designated it a grade 4 as it was a lovely route (Thanks Peter and Jenny) and has nearly everything else. This is what i'll be doing in the future. https://tandem-club.org.uk/rides?cmd=view&id=310

Eight screens joined us on 14th April for a tour in India presented by John and Jane Taylor and an exploration of Brittany's Voies Vertes led by David and Alison Martin - quite a contrast!

The bookings system for the 2021 Replacement National Rally is now OPEN.  Rally webpage available under 'Events'. It runs from Sat 31st July to Sat 7th August 2021, and will be in Nottingham.  Limited electric hook-ups so book early to get one.

Sunday 18th was the first Taunton Tandem Group ride following the lifting of the latest lockdown.  We were blessed with really sunny dry weather and everyone seemed pleased to be meeting up again.  It proved quite challenging to get the first group to set off, as there was a lot of catching up to be done! There were 9 tandems and 2 solos so we set off at five minute intervals of two twos and two threes (or two sixes and two fours if you prefer!)

We started off in the North Street Car park in Wellington and headed off to Culmstock. There was an unplanned snack and chat in Hemyock, where some groups caught up with each other outside the  public toilet facilities. For the leading group of three, there was also an unplanned stop when one of the electric assist tandem’s chain, became jammed on the hill leading out of Hemyock and Clive and Emma had to withdraw from the rest of the ride. A taxi was phoned, Clive returned to Wellington to get transport and Emma stayed with the bike to await his return. Everyone else managed the steep climb out of Hemyock onto the top of the Blackdowns and enjoyed the spectacular views as we followed the ridge across the top towards Blagdon Hill.

A speedy descent was had by the courageous and there was a choice of routes back to Wellington - either via Bradford-on-Tone and Nynehead - or slightly more directly, via West Buckland (27 and 24 miles respectively). Those that had brought a packed lunch, rendezvous’d in Wellington Park for a socially distanced picnic.  A lovely way to end a great ride.  
Rob & Sally Newberry

What a great day out we’ve had today in South Cumbria. Great company and fantastic scenery. We had 7 tandems today on what was an absolutely glorious day out. Keeping 7 tandems socially distanced in 3 groups to comply with the current restrictions and not losing anyone was a challenge in itself, but we managed it  We had two new couples (new to the Lancashire and Cumbria Group) join us today plus the added bonus of meeting a long term member at our coffee stop. She had set out at the crack of dawn to meet us on her solo, on what turned out to be a 50 mile ride for her! Great to catch up with old friends. And the fun doesn’t stop there. We’ve another group ride to look forward to, in two weeks, on Sunday 9th May starting from Great Eccleston Square led by John and Anne. I’ll put out details next weekend.

Greetings, since I got a tandem last year, a few friends have contacted me and asked if they can come out with me . Restrictions pending I have had a couple of local Vets near to me come and have a go on the tandem. It is not ideal as it was bought for me and my wife who is 4 feet 11. however the 2 that have tried it where more than happy and have asked me to try and get a group or club together. With all that In Mind I am looking to start up a tandem cycling group or club for blind, partial sighted and people with balance issues. I have my bike but I require at least 2 or 3 more bikes to get the group going and change the life for the better for these people who have shown an interest. Any veterans who are interested in joining me on my quest are more than welcome to join, please do send me a message. I am a member of the Tandem club. And I am also the regional Officer in the Humberside region for the Tandem club. Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated. Especially on getting a cub up and running, donations, bicycles, kit and a secure place to run the club from. Maybe Phoenix House catterick. My short term goal is to get the club up and running. With regular rides. Also to attend Tandem club rallies. Medium term goal is to do a few regular tours in the UK and may be just over the water in the Netherlands . Long term goal, to do longer tours, may be The north Sea coastal route, Nordd Kapp to Gibraltar, Or may be go the whole way down to Capetown. But the main point of the club is to get people out and enjoying the benefits of cycling. Anyone who would like to try a tandem ride please do get in touch and I will try and put you in contact with a local pilot who will help. Many thanks Pete

We had another superb club ride on the Fylde and into the Forest of Bowland over Harris End led by Anne and John on Sunday. 8 tandems, 3 members on solos, and all socially distanced in groups. The weather was kind too! So good to get back out cycling as a group. We've all missed the monthly club rides. Next month's ride starts in Kirkby Lonsdale on Sunday 13th June.

Luke Grenfell is cycling a tandem from Bristol to Beijing. See    https://www.facebook.com/Bristol2B/videos/1106085083233530/

Despite the weather forecast being less than favourable seven tandems and three solo bikes met at Tiverton Canal Basin for a 25-mile ride. 
We set off in three groups, two starting off down the canal and our group following the disused railway line forming part of NCN 3. All went well until about 6 miles in when Bill’s chain got jammed, after quite a while, and with considerable help from Rachel, our newly appointed technical adviser, they managed to free the chain and carry on for another couple of miles until the same thing happened again. Time to call in the cavalry, our daughter, Zoe, who lives just a few miles away picked Bill and his bike up and took him back to the start. 
We continued on to Bridwell Park for a very welcome hot pasty, cake and coffee. Bill soon joined us and so we said goodbye to Bill and Katherine. We carried on with Nick and Rachel and decided, as the weather was so poor and we were now very late, to cut the ride slightly short and so we had a very pleasant ride back along the canal bank to Tiverton. One advantage of the horrendous weather was the usually very busy canal bank was deserted, that is apart from a couple of runners and the ducks, there was lots of ducks! – every cloud as they say.
The rest of the group had a relatively un-eventful ride, just enduring potholes, puddles and persistent rain. They decided to miss out on the coffee stop and get back asap.
Despite the weather I think everyone had a good ride and were glad they made the effort and came out for the ride; I suspect not many of us would have gone out in those conditions if left to our own devices. 
Thanks to everyone for making the effort to come along, it was so nice to see everyone again after such a long time.
Andy and Anita Petherick

Only 2 weeks to go until our next LA Group ride on Sunday 13th June 2021 starting from Kirkby Lonsdale and cycling into Barbondale and Dentdale. Keep an eye on the 'What's On' pages for further details.

Just saying "hello" 👋 as just joined the tandem club following buying my first 'tri-tandem'.

hey that's great... I hope to be riding with you soon... I am just awaiting for my wife legs..

I need to commit booking numbers and arrange payment to the campsite for the Replacement National Rally on Tuesday 1st June.  Therefore, if you are thinking of attending, please create a booking by the end of Monday 31st May to guarantee a place.

I need to commit booking numbers and arrange payment to the campsite for the Replacement National Rally on Tuesday 1st June.  Therefore, if you are thinking of attending, please create a booking by the end of Monday 31st May to guarantee a place.

I need to commit booking numbers and arrange payment to the campsite for the Replacement National Rally on Tuesday 1st June.  Therefore, if you are thinking of attending, please create a booking by the end of Monday 31st May to guarantee a place.

Lancashire and Cumbria Group June Tandem ride - Barbondale, Dentdale and the Lune Valley

Our inaugural Nottinghamshire regional club ride took place last Sunday. A great 40m route in the most perfect weather