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Where am I going in 2024?


Armenia; The Highlands and Culture

8th June to 21st June 2024
 
Ancient Armenia. Mountains, fabulous scenery, traditional villages, Christian churches and monasteries. Armenia has it all, topped off with great food and a super interesting culture.  We will be touring the Armenian Highlands in the lovely, wooded mountains and valleys around Lake Sevan, stopping in guest houses and hotels, eating local food and imbibing the ancient Christian Armenian culture. Included are two days of hiking in the mountains, climbing to 2400m. Numbers of days cycling; 9. Numbers of days hiking; 2. Average riding distance; 55kms. Average ascent; 550m.


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The Italian Riviera
28th September to 12th October 2024
We ride on the quiet roads through the stunning mountains of the Italian Riviera in the Italian region of Liguria. The tour runs the entire length of the region from La Spezia to Ventimiglia, dropping to the coast twice to spend rest days at the seaside. The tour is fully supported, half board and stays mainly at 3* hotels. No of cycling days; 10. Average daily distance; 65kms. Average ascent; 1500m.

My experience and style

What to expect

Who am I?

I am an experienced tour leader / manager, having led tours in Europe and further afield. I have personally toured in almost every European country and several further afield.  

I am an experienced cyclist and leader, leader tutor, instructor and British Cycling level 2 coach. I speak Italian fluently having lived there for 5 years, and have a working knowledge of French and Spanish.


My tour leading style

I like exploring new areas. I love cycling up hills and seeing the views from the top. Then whoopee down the other side.  I lead very informally, allowing the groups to form and ride at their own pace. I prefer being at the back but will often ride to the front and then chat to people in the middle.

 

My rides are down as quiet roads as possible, if we have to ride a gravel track to avoid traffic then we will. I tend to lead rides at harder grades, so expect longer climbs on my tours. I am exploring even longer tours too, higher passes and more adventurous areas.

 

Tours will be a mix of supported and self-supported, largely moving on tours though. I am exploring the adventure biking concept now, gravel tracks and more remote areas.

 

Accommodation chosen is the best possible mix of economy and comfort. I aim to use 3 star where possible, but in the more remote areas sometimes we have to use what is available. I look for individual places where the food is great.

The roads I take

I often choose less well-known areas and routes that are not well pedalled. But they will be equally pretty.

 

Italy can be a busy country and tours need to be designed carefully to miss the worst of the traffic and to find the roads less travelled. My routes sometimes use cycle paths and routes that are not tarmacked if that helps reduce traffic levels. I'm happy to  go into towns; after all, many Italian towns are stunning and well worth visiting. In areas that are pretty we aim to get into the town earlier to find time to visit sites. My route notes always highlight areas that are worth visiting. However, sometimes, especially in the mountains, there will be only one road available and we will have to use that. Also, I find that drivers are generally kind if you are off the main through routes. Italians tend to like cyclists and sometimes hoot their support.

 

On my other tours, we use the quietest routes around and look for areas that are less touristy.

The places we stay

I deliberately look for interesting hotels. Hotels that are owned by families and not corporations. (That is not always possible).

 

I like a minimum of comfort, three star as a rule, sometimes though, we may have to use smaller hotels in the less touristy areas.

 

In some of the more remote areas, I have been able to find interesting buildings as hotels.

 

Food is an important part of visiting Italy, I will endeavour to find hotels that provide excellent food. Be prepared to eat well on tour with me.

Where do I go?

Italy is my main area of expertise as I understand the culture. I have already led a variety of tours in Italy and are planning a number more. I am keen to set up a number of tours in Italy, Dolomites, Alps, and lakes, and looking forward to designing an End to End.

Adventure cycling and gravel biking is the new exciting area of holidays.

 

 Georgia is a new cycling mecca. High mountains, hidden villages, ancient Christian churches and unspoilt countryside. Roads and gravel tracks and mountain biking tracks abound.

Where have I travelled before ?

I have led tours in various countries, but mainly Italy. I know the country really well, having lived there for 5 years.  

In partnership with Chris Juden I have led two tours in Sicily. We have a third tour in the north of the island in the planning stage. 

The first tour covered the west of the island, visiting ancient Greek sites and the mountainous heart.

The second tour, we covered the east of the island, ascending Mount Etna. I have also assisted Chris in Tuscany.

I have led a tour through the wild hinterland of Sardinia, areas that are rarely visited by tourists. 

My favorite area of Italy, the Dolomites. 

I ran a mountain bike tour in Tuscany, following single track routes though the Apennines and visiting Florence and a tour in the Veneto area, Venice, Vicenza, Ravenna and other beautiful towns in the north east. 

 I run regular fixed centre tours in Riccione, the east of Italy, mainly to participate in the most popular Sportive in Italy, the Nove Colli but also to ride the wonderful Apennine roads in the area.

I ran a tour in Ethiopia, I have good contacts there and have visited the country several times. This tour visited little travelled routes including Harar a medieval walled town and spent a night under the stars on a mountain top. I am looking at running a tour there in the future, following the ancient drover’s road from Addis Ababa to Lalibela. My agent is currently researching logistics.
In partnership with David Goodworth I have led a tour in the Atlas Mountains Morocco. We are researching new high Atlas routes in the area too.


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Sicily
Two tours in Sicily, led in partnership with fellow Bikexplore leader Chris Juden. We are looking to design one more, covering the wilder areas of the north 
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Sardinia

 

Sardinia is a wild and undiscovered island. It can be tricky to get to though. But as long as you stay away from the Emerald Coast you will hardly find other tourists. There is so much to see and cycle through.


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Dolomites

 

What can I say, in my view they are the most beautiful mountains in Europe. Stunning views of the pinkish limestone, long climbs and descents and great mountain food.


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Ethiopia

 

Ethiopia is a wonderful ancient and Christian culture. It has never (really) been settled and ruined by European colonisation.


Gregs contact details

gregorywoodford@gmail.com
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