The Hereford Beano

We return to Bicycle Beano’s old home territory – some of the very first Beanos took place in this area – but at a new venue for us, on the edge of the historic cathedral city of Hereford.

Our circular day rides take us past orchards and farms, hills and forests, ancient common land and prehistoric standing stones. We venture west into wild Welsh border country, following the Golden Valley through remote villages in the shadow of the Black Mountains and passing ruined border castles and medieval churches. To the south we dip into the gentler countryside of the Wye Valley National Landscape. For our lunch and coffee stops we stop at local pubs and cafes.

The Beano starts on Thursday evening and finishes after breakfast on Monday morning, giving us three full days of cycling with no time pressures. Rides are mostly on country lanes with some sections of well-surfaced cyclepaths, plus the occasional optional offroad diversion for those who want it.

Some sections are easy-going, but there will be a few challenging hills in each ride.

As always on a Bicycle Beano, the rides are designed to give a number of options for distance, with suggested detours and short cuts to suit a range of abilities.

The main route each day is 30-40 miles (50-65 km) with optional detours and short cuts so you can choose to ride up to 60 miles (100km) or less than 30 miles. Ride at your own pace. Some hills. Mainly on quiet country lanes with some cyclepaths and one or two optional easy offroad detours.