8 Day Cycling Adventure from London to Wales : Go West with Steve Silk

8 Day Cycling Adventure from London to Wales : Go West with Steve Silk

Author: Kit Parks November 6, 2025 Duration: 47:40

🎧 Go West with Steve Silk — Cycling Britain's Wild and Winding West Country

Go West with Steve Silk | Cycling Adventure Across Britain's West Country

Join Active Travel Adventures as we chat with Steve Silk about his new book Go West and his 300-mile cycling journey through Britain's backroads, coastlines, and countryside. Discover how slow travel reveals adventure and meaning on two wheels.

You'll hear fascinating stories, legends and learn some of the history along Steve's adventure and come away inspired to create your own grand adventure, whether by bike, foot or cia paddling.


🚴‍♀️ Ride Into Britain's Past — One Pedal Stroke at a Time

In this episode of Active Travel Adventures, host Kit Parks sits down with British journalist and adventurer Steve Silk, author of the captivating new book Go West: Adventure Cycling Through Britain's Past.

Steve's journey follows winding country lanes and scenic coastal climbs. Along the way, he encounters farmers, ferrymen, and fellow wanderers—each sharing stories that bring Britain's western landscapes to life.

"When you travel slowly—by bike or by foot—you see how the land shapes people, and how people shape the land." – Steve Silk

COMPLETE SHOW NOTES  See important links for planning your own adventure, photos, and more cool info about today's show.

📚 Get your copy of Go West


🗺️ What You'll Discover in This Episode

  • How Steve designed his route 

  • The most memorable stretches through Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset

  • Hidden inns, fishing ports, and countryside cafĂ©s perfect for cyclists

  • Why slow travel and self-propelled adventures deepen cultural understanding

  • Tips for planning your own multi-day cycling tour 

  • What Britain's backroads teach us about resilience, simplicity, and wonder


🌿 About the Guest — Steve Silk

Steve Silk is a British writer, journalist, and lifelong cyclist passionate about exploring the intersection of landscape and story. His best selling first book, The Great North Road, retraced Britain's most famous coaching route from London to Edinburgh.

In Go West, Steve turns toward the Atlantic, pedaling 300 miles across fields, moors, and coastline to rediscover the spirit of Britain's West Country.

COMPLETE SHOW NOTES  See important links for planning your own adventure, photos, and more cool info about today's show.

Get FREE Travel Planners, Checklists and Packing Lists for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam promise!).  Get the monthly newsletter here.

CONTACT KIT

Resources 

RECOMMENDED TOUR COMPANIES

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Train For Your Adventure  Ask Becki at Trailblazer Wellness to customize an at home, online personal training program for your upcoming adventure using whatever equipment you already have!  You'll get phone consultations, instruction videos and a plan to give you the best chance of success.  Becki offers a FREE initial phone consultation to see if you are a good fit.  AND she offers ATA listeners a 10% discount!

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📚 Resources Mentioned


đź›’ Where to Buy Go West

Get your copy today:
👉 Amazon or your local independent bookstore.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

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đź’¬ Join the Conversation

Have you ever followed a historic route on your own adventure?
Share your story in the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group or tag @ActiveTravelAdventures on Instagram!

(C) Active Travel Adventures LLC - All Rights Reserved

 


Join host Kit Parks as we explore the globe one step, pedal, and paddle stroke at a time on the Active Travel Adventures podcast. This isn't about elite endurance; it's about accessible, multi-day journeys that connect you deeply to a landscape and its culture. Each episode dives into the specifics of a single trip, whether it's a renowned long-distance trek, a scenic coastal bike tour, or a serene paddling expedition. You'll hear practical details about terrain, daily distances, and the unique cultural encounters that naturally happen when you travel this way. The focus is on adventures that are achievable for anyone who is reasonably fit and willing to prepare, proving that transformative travel doesn't require superhuman effort. Tune in for honest conversations, logistical insights, and the genuine inspiration needed to move a dream trip from your imagination to your calendar. This podcast is your guide to experiencing the world actively, at a pace that lets you truly absorb it.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Active Travel Adventures podcast I Inspiring Multi-Day Adventure Trips Around the World
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