Cycle touring, as defined by Lucy and myself, is the process of getting from A to B on a bike fairly slowly. Scratch that, slowly.

We use small lanes and traffic free wherever possible and take days to cover the quieter bits of the UK's countryside.

A good description of our cycling day would be:

Breakfast and break camp. Cycle. Tea break. Cycle. Lunch. Cycle. Tea break. Cycle. Stop.

One of the tea breaks normally involves cake as well.

At this pace there's plenty of time for photos and general chatting as well. We aim for somewhere between 20-30 miles a day, which is pretty low for cycle tourers but fine by us. We managed 45 miles once and were both so grumpy the next day we vowed never to do it again.

On of the main reasons for the slow pace is that the bikes are quite heavy as we be carry everything we need to camp, including a kitchen sink

If that still appeals (and hey why wouldn't it?) then I've put together some lists and things to think about that we've found useful. It's not definitive as you'll define your own style of touring but hopefully it be helpful.

What tent should I take on a cycle tour?
What clothes should I take on a cycle holiday?
What camping equipment will I need for cycletour
What bike or cycle should I use on a bike tour?