Multi-day Trips Away in the UK and abroad

As well as day walks, cycle rides and social events, we usually have around 10 to 20 outdoor adventure multi-day trips away each year - walking, cycling, city breaks in the UK and abroad. Multi-day trips are non-commercial, run at cost or occasionally subsidised. CLOG is a club run for and by members.

Multi-day Trips Away currently Planned for 2023/2024

Valencia Greenways and Eurovelo 8 Coastal cycle Touring Trip February 2023

Bath trip 31st March to 2nd April 

Patterdale, Lake District, 6th to 11th April 

Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland 26th to 30th May. 

Cycling the Seine June 12th to 19th

Hebden Bridge Trip June 30th to July 5th

Lake District Trip August 3rd to 8th

Sydkustleden cycle touring trip Mid August

Worcester trip 25th to 29th August

Polegate to Paris Cycling Trip September 13th to 21st

Po valley and Renaissance Cities cycle touring mid October

Okehampton Bracken Tor, Dartmoor 26th to 31st October. 

Minehead 23rd to 27th November

Kington, Herefordshire 28th December to 2nd January 2024.

Chepstow 3rd to 7th May 2024

Sheringham 5th to 10th July 2024

Ballater 21st to 28th September 2024

Other cycling trips might take plan place in 2024 that don't have dates as they are very provisional (depending on having time to research)

Turin to San Remo:  Fantastic views of the alps as we cycle to the sea and when we get there we cycle along the coast on the Riviera cycleway following the course of an old railway line.

Burgundy cycling through gorgeous wine country visiting historic Beaune, Cluny Abbey and other beautiful villages along lost railway lines and canal tow paths

Prague to Dresden:  From historic Prague to beautiful Dresden cycling through meadows and vineyards, beneath mountains and sandstone massifs

Vienna to Budapest via Bratislava:  classic ride linking three historic cities

100 Castle route in Munsterland

Innsbruck to Passau:  cycling the Inn from the Tyrolean Mountains, through Bavaria to Upper Austria 

Cycling along the Tuscan coast

Multi-day Trips Away 2022

Hathersage New Year trip

Swanage Weekend March

Exploring Durham March

Lake District  April

Northern Ireland Cycling April

IOW Slow Cycling trip 29th April to 2nd May 

Chapel le Dale trip May

Munich Trip May

Cycling the Hebridean Way June

Cycling the Devon Coast to Coast June

Fort William trip June

Wells next to the sea July

Snowdonia July

Cardiff Weekend September

Cycling SudTirol late September 

Cycling Berlin Wall late October

Cambridge Weekend October

Seaton in Devon Trip November

North Yorkshire New Year 

For our full events calendar, click  

How to book on trips? Booking instructions are in the relevant trip e-mail sent to clog members. 

Cycling trips away in 2022

Northern Ireland Cycling April

IOW Slow Cycling trip 29th April to 2nd May 

Cycling the Hebridean Way June

Cycling the Devon Coast to Coast June

Cycling SudTirol late September 

Cycling Berlin Wall late October

Cycling touring trips normally require appropriate levels of experience (minimum of several day rides with us first) and triple vaccinated against Covid - the latter is a requirement for all trips away at present.

Cycle trip March 2020 Puglia

The Puglia cycle trip has been brought forward to the second half of March. The idea is to fly to Bari (Ryanair, Easyjet and BA fly direct from London to Bari and the flights are very reasonably priced), overnight in Bari and then take the train to incredible cave city of Matera - one of the most spectacular cities in Italy and a Unesco world heritage site: just google it to see the amazing photos.

Spend 2 nights in Matera and hire bikes there and then take the train to Altamura when the cycle ride begins. We cycle from Altamura to Trani over 4 or 5 days, visiting lots of lovely old towns on the way eg Cassona del Murge, Aquaviva del fonti, Cassamassima, Adelfia, Bitetto, Terlizzi, Corato, Andria, Barletta and Trani. We finish on the coast

 We did a cycle trip to Puglia a couple of years ago - see: the photos this one is to a different part of Puglia (although we still go to Matera) but no Trulli houses or hill towns this time but it should still be very enjoyable.

The route is mainly downhill or flat on quiet roads.

Accommodation: we would book that ourselves using websites such as booking.com. Cost of bike hire (and bike collection in Trani): around 80 Euros

 This trip is for CLOG members only. To join CLOG: https://membermojo.co.uk/clog

Upcoming Trips Away

This October have two trips away:

Lake District
A trip to the most mountainous part of England with lots of walking options based in Keswick.  Keswick is a super base for walking on the Lake District fells and along the pretty valleys and is a hub for the north lakes buses, and therefore excellent base for linear walks using the bus network.  There are lots of interesting ridge and valley routes from Buttermere back to Keswick, walks along the Borrowdale valley, and around the Derwent Lake.  Blencathra(868 meters), Hellvelyn(950 meters) and Skiddaw (931 meters), some of the highest mountains in England, are easily accessible.Some of the walks can be very strenuous, but within the capability of those regularly walking 10+ miles at weekends.

Harwich
Great walking and cycling in the Essex/Suffolk area including the Essex Way, Dedham Vale, Constable landscapes, walks along the Stour and Orwell

If you are thinking of joining CLOG, why not come along to our pub social for Current new and prospective members on Wednesday 11th October.

Upcoming Trips

We have usually have around 20 or more outdoor adventure trips away - walking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, champing - each year, both in the UK and abroad.

CLOG trips are non-commercial and are run at cost or occasionally subsidised. This makes them incredibly cheap compared with holiday companies but you normally have to be a member to get a place on a trip.  NB Trip organisers are all (unpaid) volunteers and members of the group.

 
How to book on trips? Booking instructions are in the relevant trip e-mail sent to clog members. Non-members can apply to come on a trip by emailing the Trips Team but they would normally have to join CLOG to come on the trip.

Full details of these and other events are on our events calendar

Places available on the Llanwrtyd Wells trip, Spring bank holiday weekend, 3nights (28th to 31st May)

Due to a couple of late cancellations, a couple of places have become available on this trip.

Total cost for accommodation, breakfasts and packed lunches (3 nights): £42 plus you would need to join CLOG: £15 (annual fee) if you are not already a member.  If you join CLOG you can also book on future trips - we have around 20 weekend and longer trips away each year   - and come on unlimited numbers of our day walks and cycle rides.  For more information about CLOG see our website.

If you are interested in a place on this trip, email me and I will let you know where or not these places are still available and if they are how to book.  

Llanwrtyd Wells - Mid Wales Spring Bank Holiday weekend 

 CLOG's Spring weekend away will be over the first May Bank Holiday weekend.

We're staying at Stonecroft Lodge in Llanwrtyd Wells, mid Wales.

Stonecroft Inn :: Accomodation

Arriving Friday 28th April and departing Monday 1st May, we have 3 nights' sole use of the  hostel.

We'll be self-catering breakfasts and packed lunches as usual, and eating out at local pubs in the evenings.We are next door to the Stonecroft Inn, and this "smallest town in Britain" has a selection of pubs and shops including the Neuadd Arms Hotel with its own Heart of Wales Brewery.

There are  25 places on the trip. 

What does this area of mid Wales have to offer ?

Well you could try an eight-mile run, two lengths of a60-yard peat bog trench and a 12-mile mountain bike ride. Yes, this is the home of the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, red kites and prolific breweries, surrounded by landscapes made for walking and cycling.
Llanwrtyd Wells straddles the River Irfon, an upper tributary of the River Wye, and lies at the heart of one of the largest remaining great wilderness areas in Great Britain, gateway to the Cambrian Region and positioned slap in the centre of Wales, making it the perfect base for our weekend.

A landscape of forests, mountains and  hidden valleys with circular walks from the hostel, using the Heart of Wales line to nearby stops or cars. 
Bike hire is available locally - it's on a sustrans route and there's a wealth of mountain bike trails in the area. Also you can explore the area on horseback with short or day long treks available. If you book on the trip, let me know if you're interested in either of these options.

Transport

LLanwrtyd Wells station is just 7 mins walk from the hostel.There are two possible routes if coming by train, though there don't seem to be a great number of trains available on each route.

1) Trains from Paddington to Swansea, then changing onto the Heart of Wales Line, which runs between Swansea and Shrewsbury.

2)Trains from Euston to Crewe, then changing onto the Heart of Wales Line,  down to LLanwrtyd Wells.

Advance fares have jcome available though don't seem to be any cheaper than the current super off peak returns at £82.

There will be the usual car sharing options though lifts can't be guaranteed as it'll be dependent on any drivers who book on the trip. Once drivers have booked on the trip it’s helpful if they can then let the group know if they can offer lifts and when they might be leaving London.

Cost

The cost will be £42.00 which covers 3 nights' accommodation, bedding (but bring your own towel), self-catered breakfasts and packed lunches plus CLOG membership fee £15 if you are not already a member.

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Watch this slideshow of our trips away in the last year or so

A slideshow of photos from some of our trips away in the last year or so.

Wish you were there?  Perhaps you were?

Madeira trip February 2017

Madeira is a paradise for walkers as it enjoys a subtropical climate and is cross-crossed by a network of old paths and tracks. Walks by levadas (ancient water channels) range from relatively easy, incredibly scenic walks to more serious cliff and mountain walks. There are wooded valleys, rocky slopes, cultivated terraces, coastal cliffs, cloud forests and jagged peaks.

A month ago, we left the cold grey English winter for the warmth and colour of this subtropical island staying near Funchal at a beautiful, spacious and historic house with lovely gardens, tennis courts, BBQ and other essential mod cons.

Powered by flickr embed.

Slideshow of some of our trips away in the last year or so

Wish you were there. Or perhaps you were? Who do you recognise? 

Can you work out some the different places we've been to?






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trips away next year

2017 is going to be another bumper year for Clog trips, with over 20 planned so far. 

As usual, there is plenty of variety in our trips

• Weekends, Long Weekends, Multi-day, Week trips
• Mountains, coast, moorland and cities   
• Walking, cycling, hillwalking, sea kayaking, canoeing, champing.

About half of these are trips abroad (Italy, Portugal, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Ireland) with the rest being in the UK.

These are non-commercial and are run at cost or occasionally subsidised.  This makes them incredibly cheap compared with holiday companies, You normally have to be a member to get a place on a trip.  Trip organisers are all (unpaid) volunteers and members of the group.  

An overview of the trips coming up is given on the ForthcomingTrips page.  For those trips that have dates and details at this stage, see the webcalendar

More will appear as move forward into 2017.  

In addition to trips, we also have lots of day or evening events every week.

PS  Our virtual pop up box office for our barn dance/ceilidh is now open for tickets sales to CLOG members.  Ticket sales to non-members will commence in January so if you are not a member do watch this space!

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Walking trip to sunny Madeira: February 2017

Madeira is a paradise for walkers as it enjoys a subtropical climate and is cross-crossed by a network of old paths and tracks. Walks by levadas (ancient water channels) range from relatively easy, incredibly scenic walks to more serious cliff and mountain walks. There are wooded valleys, rocky slopes, cultivated terraces, coastal cliffs, cloud forests and jagged peaks.

We are planning to leave the cold grey English winter for the warmth and colour of this subtropical island staying near Funchal at a beautiful, spacious and historic house with lovely gardens and other essential mod cons.

Flights
Several airlines have direct flights to Funchal - for example Easyjet works out at around £130 return (plus the cost of any checked bags).

Accommodation cost:
I'm awaiting confirmation of the exact costs but it looks like it will be around £26 per person per night if you have your own room or £13 per person per night if you share a twin. (These prices may be tweaked depending on the demand for own rooms or shared rooms.)

12 places available

Transport
Hire cars and local buses

How to book

You need to be a CLOG member to come on this trip. To apply for a place fill in the online application form: https://form.jotformeu.com/62743705998370

People who can drive hire cars and/or those who enjoy cooking group meals may given priority if the trip is oversubscribed

Don't book flights until you have a confirmed place on the trip. Nothing is definite at this stage as I am waiting for the trip to fill before booking the accommodation. Applicants will be given more details before being asked to confirm they are definitely booking a place.

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Trips away in the next few months

We have about 20 trips away each year, both in the UK and abroad.  

These are non-commercial and are run at cost or occasionally subsidised.  This makes them incredibly cheap compared with holiday companies but you normally have to be a member to get a place on a trip.  NB Trip organisers are all (unpaid) volunteers and members of the group.  Full details of these are other events are on our events calendar

Champing weekend Fordwich (Kent) - walking, cycling, possibly canoeing, 1 night, September.  (What is champing?  More informationon our events calendar.)

Full, waiting list in operation

Romanian mountains trip, 7 nights, September

Full, waiting list in operation

Shropshire Hills weekend, 2 nights, October

Full, waiting list in operation

Cornwall coast, 4 nights, December/January

Bookings will open soon

Coastal Mountain Walking in Liguria, 6 nights, December/January

Full, waiting list in operation

Gulf of Poets, Liguria extension, 4 nights, January

Open for booking

For more information on these trips and also all the day walks and cycle rides and other outdoor and social events, see our events calendar.

Non members can come on up to three (non-trip) events to try out the group before joining. You can can normally just turn up on non-trip events such as day walks and cycle rides.  

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Champing in the ancient church of St Peter and Paul

Fourteen champers will soon be heading off to the ancient church of St Peter and Paul (mentioned in the Doomsday book) in private parkland on the banks of the river Tilling in Surrey. 

The church and Albury Park sits n the middle of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in some of southern England’s most spectacular and accessible countryside.

What is Champing?  

A portmanteau of camping and church.  'A unique opportunity to stay somewhere extraordinary.'

http://www.champing.co.uk/what-is-champing/

After arriving and leaving our stuff at the church, we will  do a lovely walk in the beautiful countryside, come back and get changed and head off for an evening meal at the the local pub and then an atmospheric evening and night in the church with electronic candles and atmospheric music (Gregorian Chants?).  

After breakfast we do another walk, returning at the end to collect our kit from the church then bus and train home.

Champing isn't cheap but the proceeds go the Churches Conservation Trust so we will be helping preserve and protect these special ancient buildings.

Liguria walking adventure over New Year

We are off to warmer climes again, this time to the Italian Riviera which has a mild climate where you can go walking all year round.

NB Don't book flights unless we confirm you have a place.

Portofino Natural Park
We will be walking in and around the Portofino Natural Park (a nature reserve since 1935) crisscrossed by ancient mule trails, with coastal mountains which plunge down to the sea, a thousand year old monastery in a secluded bay with no roads and a massive 13th century Torre Doria that towers above the bay.

Coastal walks in the 'Little Cinque Terre' (Levanto to Moneglia)
NB We won't be visiting the main Cinque Terre on this trip as that is a tourist hotspot and should only be visited completely out of season. Instead we will be walking in the 'Little Cinque Terre', a largely unspoilt mountain landscape with lovely old villages and beautiful coastal mountain trails without the crowds of the five villages further south.

La Spezia Bay - the Gulf of Poets
In the 19th and early 20th century, writers and poets such a Byron, Shelley, Keats and Lawrence fled the cold dark winters of northern Europe for this wide bay between two promontories. Since then, La Spezia town has become the second largest town in Liguria and is busy and bustling with a large naval base, but the two green promontories on either side have kept their Mediterranean charm with old towns and villages and lovely coastal walks.

Details;
Flights: Easyjet to Pisa. It is also possible to fly to Genoa depending on dates.

Where we are staying
We have booked a plush villa with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms with private garden and all mod cons in Santa Margherita which is walking distance from the Portofino National Park.

During this part of the trip we will walking in the Portofino Park and the 'Little Cinque Terre' (not the main Cinque Terre as that will be too crowded at this time).

Assuming everyone shares a twin, this part works out at just over 30 Euros per person per night for 6 nights from 29th December to 4th January.

The Gulf of Poets part will be an optional extension to the trip and we will be staying in reasonably priced hotels in Sarzana (fortresses and churches), which works out around £25 to £30 per night if you share a room (more if you have a single)

The Gulf of Poets extension is 4 days (from 4th January to 8th January). It may be possible to come just for the extension.

At present the flights are reasonably cheap - we paid just over £80 return (included a shared checked bag).

Transport
Buses and trains. Cars are not very useful in this area.

Rainy weather/rest day options
Genoa, La Spezia, Sarzana or Pisa.

Maximum number of places for the main part of the trip is 10. Numbers might be more flexible for the extension.

Mountain walking in the Carpathians this September

We are off to the southern Carpathians in Romania this September. 

Spectacular mountain walking, exploring Transylvanian castles plus some time to explore Bucharest. Only a couple of places left on this trip....

For full details of our forthcoming trips away see our events calendar.  

We have around four to eight outdoor and social events every week and around twenty trips away every year.  As a not for profit (all volunteer) club, our events are either free or run at cost or occasionally subsidised.  For more information see About us.   

Considering joining us?   You can come on up to three events to try us out first.  However, in order to get a place on one you our trips, you normally have to be a member.  

Feel free to browse the rest of our website or take a look at photos from recent events

Back from this months cycling and hillwalking trips

Fifteen of us have just got from Germany after a cycling adventure around Lake Constance. 

We pedalled our way through Germany, Austria and Switzerland, via towns, woods, islands and the long shoreline of the Lake.

Most of the time we managed to avoid the rain and still visited some amazing places, as well as seeing a number of Zeppelins above the lake (as well as those in the Friedrichshafen Zeppelin Museum).

Those of us who were more interested in hillwalking than cycling touring, headed off to the Lake District.  The hillwalkers stayed inThrelkeld at the foot of Blencathra - also also close to Skiddaw and Sharp Edge (one of the ridges of Blencathra).

For full details of our forthcoming trips away see our events calendar.  

We have around four to eight outdoor and social events every week and around twenty trips away every year.  As a not for profit (all volunteer) club, our events are either free or run at cost or occasionally subsidised.  For more information see About us.   

Considering joining us?   You can come on up to three events to try us out first.  However, in order to get a place on one you our trips, you normally have to be a member.  

Feel free to browse the rest of our website or take a look at photos from recent events

Trips away planned for 2016

We are always off somewhere!

Our frequent active trips away in the UK and abroad are all organised by and for members, and are run at cost.  Here is what is currently planned for this year.

Volcano Island trip, walks and sightseeing January

Cabo de Gata, walking and mountain biking, February

Cornwall Coast Easter walking trip, March

Howgill Fells, Easter walking trip, March

Narrowboating, Peak District, April

Forest of Dean and Wye Valley walking trip, May

Copenhagen, May

Lake District, walking trip June

Cycling round Lake Constance June

Sea kayaking, cycling and walking weekend, Chichester, July

Dorset Coast walking and other activities July

Champing weekend, Surrey, August

Edale walking weekend, August

Shropshire walking weekend, October

Landsend trip, December