Cycling Holidays

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Get Cycling Holiday
Hartington Hall 2013

Get Cycling is an unusual social enterprise promoting cycling in all its forms. Once a year we put on an unusual kind of cycling holiday which brings together interesting people and interesting bikes for a week of cycling fun.

These Get Cycling Holidays have been taking place for twenty-one years now, and always have a unique, inclusive and supportive atmosphere. Guests from abroad are particularly welcome.

The 2013 Holiday is based at Hartington Hall in the Peak District National Park. From Monday 12th August to Sunday 18th August (6 nights).

The Tissington Trail

The Hall, built in 1611, was the house of the Lord of the Manor. Bonnie Prince Charlie also slept there.

There are great scenic rides through moderately hilly countryside, but we can also use the well surfaced network of flat cycle trails in the Peak District area. This means that we can, as usual, cater for all cycling abilities and inclinations, with a choice of rides each day Tuesday to Saturday.

As usual there will be a variety of evening entertainments for you. From the wine reception on the first day to the social on the last evening, you will experience an astonishingly different holiday amongst new friends. It’s a big enough group to ensure that people of any age can socialise with others of the same age. We’ve noticed, for example, how children have built up strong friendships over the years. Families appreciate the flexibility and support we can provide; and then there are young couples who bring or borrow tandems, and single folk enjoying the company. Parents tell us that the Get Cycling holiday shows young children that a love of cycling is not a peculiarity, and that interesting people of all ages enjoy it as an important part of their lives.

We expect there to be around 60 holidaymakers, enjoying a choice of four sociable, fully guided rides each day. The holiday includes breakfast and evening meals, and the chance to try out a wide range of cycles, from high quality road bikes to some very unconventional machines. These can be borrowed on an occasional daily basis, and we run try-out events in the evenings. There will be social activities (for adults and children): cycle skills sessions for children, cycling films, and at least one local speaker.

Hartington Hall is actually a youth hostel, but a classy one, with log fires, oak panelling and a bar serving its own brew of beer. Plus a pets area, games room and adventure playground. We have single rooms, twin rooms and even a few doubles. Most bedrooms have an en suite shower room and many have a toilet, too. There are rooms with more beds and bunks for families, but no guest needs sleep in a top bunk unless they wish to.

Hartington is a delightful olde worlde village on the River Dove, 12 miles west of Matlock, the Derbyshire county town. Chatsworth House, one of Britain’s finest stately homes is 16 miles away. For more on Hartington and the Hall visit www.hartingtonanddistrict.co.uk/hall.php

For more on the many trails visit www.hartingtonanddistrict.co.uk/cycling.php

Easy riders usually pedal around 20 miles each day, and more experienced cyclists cover fifty to sixty miles, with other rides of 25 to 40 miles. We design the rides around what you tell us in advance about your capabilities and wishes, and alter them as necessary during the holiday. If you're struggling we come and pick you up and bring you back to base. It's a holiday, not a challenge. You'll meet some great people: it's the mix of beginners and experienced cyclists, old hands and newcomers, which gives these holidays their unique, inclusive atmosphere.

We will be bringing a range of amazing bikes for you and your children to try out and have fun on during the evening try-out sessions. There will be family cycles, electric bikes, tandems, tricycles, recumbents, folders, fun bikes, etc. Plus, of course, one of our multi-seater megabikes. We also have a wide range of special needs cycles, which we can supply by prior arrangement.

If you need a high quality hire bike, which is yours for the whole holiday, we can supply a hybrid-style bike from a leading manufacturer at a low rate. Theseare suitable for road riding but are OK for the odd off-road track, with a good range of gears. We may also have some tandems, electric bikes and KMX recumbent trikes available. We bring your bike all set up, with pannier, lock and helmet. Some like to buy their bike at the end of the holiday, in which case we do not charge the hire fee.

What we expect of you

Well, we expect that you can ride a bike competently, and that any bike you bring is in good condition. We have taught adults to ride on these holidays, but this has to be by prior arrangement, since it may require extra staff resources. Children must have the skills needed to ride on the road if they are on a separate bike and must be closely supervised by a parent or carer. The normal age for a child to be aware of traffic is around 8 years old (although some well experienced cycling families are competent below that age). You can borrow or hire from us a range of cycles suitable for cycling with children. No one is obliged to cycle every day! People take 'days off' to do other things.

Getting there

We suggest you make use of www.transportdirect.info. Amongst others the Moorlands Connect bus travels to Hartington. We can fetch you and bike from Matlock station (12 miles away) by prior notice.

2013 Prices

Hire of bike for holiday

How to book

If you have questions or wish to book, just email admin@getcycling.org.uk or ring us on 01904 636812. We need your full contact details, and names and ages of your children. We will send you a more detailed questionnaire together with confirmation of your booking. We ask for a 20% deposit. Don't delay. Numbers are restricted!

Terms

Deposit of 20%. Payable on booking. Balance to be paid no later than 6 weeks before holiday (30th June 2013). You can pay by cheque, bank transfer, credit card or debit card. A charge of 1.5% is made for payments paid by credit card or Paypal. No charge for debit card payments. Please make cheques payable to Get Cycling CiC.

You can pay by cheque, bank transfer, credit card or debit card. A charge of 1.5% is made for payments paid by credit card, however there is no charge for debit card payments. Cheques to Get Cycling CiC.

Cancellation refunds

Should you, or any member of your party be forced to cancel your holiday booking you must do so in writing and this letter must be signed by the person who made the booking. Alternatively, you may advise by e-mail. A cancellation will take effect from the date that written notice is received at our office. All such cancellations will be subject to a charge of a percentage of the total holiday price, and the following scale indicates the maximum which will be charged in any circumstance. Up to 6 weeks before the holiday, the deposit can be refunded less an administration charge of £40 (per booking not per person) 42-22 days: 20% of total value (the deposit) can be charged. 21-15 days: 50% of total value. 14-8 days: 60% of total value. 7 days or less: 100%.

You can find out more about our unusual social enterprise by visiting www.getcycling.org.uk. For our new book on cycling and bike cultures visit www.cyclorama.net/bookpreview

I look forward to seeing old friends and newcomers,

Jim McGurn, Chief Executive, Get Cycling CiC

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