Blindly Seeking Sunshine… and Zeus…

Blindly Seeking Sunshine… and Zeus…

By Adventure Pedlars

Blindly seeking sunshine and Zeus: A tale of adventure and discovery in the land of the gods.

It’s that time of year again. Dark nights draw in. Chills seep into bones. UK wild nights out start to become more often endured than revelled in. Excuses are made. Plans go unfulfilled. But for all of us seasonal outdoor workers this marks the beginning of playtime. The busy summer becomes a memory as the adventure focus moves inwards. Now it’s our turn. So here at Adventure Pedlars, we do the only thing that makes sense. We go in search of sunshine, dusty trails and wine.

Carrying everything you need to be self-sufficient means that you can never really be lost. You are where you are and you’ll end up where you end up. Staying far from the beaten track showed us a side to the island that’s seldom glimpsed from beachside sun-loungers and despite being just a short easyjet hop away, the landscape, culture and history of the place washed over and absorbed us as much as any more far flung, exotic lands ever have. Here, submersed in the adventure, under the mystical, dripping stalactites of Dikteon Cave, we’re reminded, albeit for the umpteenth time, of the freedoms, simple joys and magic of bicycle travel. Pack up, saddle up and press esc. #goniceplacesdogoodthings #fidingfarawaynearby

Sonder Bikes

  • SALE

Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR

Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR

  • Sram Apex AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,499.00 £1,799.00 or from £26/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR

Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR

  • Sram Apex AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,449.00 £2,899.00 or from £42/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR

Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Rival AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,799.00 £2,149.00 or from £31/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR

Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Force AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,949.00 £3,499.00 or from £51/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR

Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Rival AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,699.00 £3,199.00 or from £47/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar

Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar

  • SRAM Apex 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£899.00 £1,149.00 or from £16/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al Tiagra Camino Al Tiagra

Camino Al Tiagra

  • Shimano Tiagra R4700 10-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£949.00 £1,149.00 or from £17/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic

Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic

  • Shimano Tiagra R4700 Hydraulic 10-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,149.00 £1,349.00 or from £20/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al 105 Camino Al 105

Camino Al 105

  • Shimano 105 R7120 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,299.00 £1,549.00 or from £23/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al GRX1 Camino Al GRX1

Camino Al GRX1

  • Shimano GRX 610 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,299.00 £1,549.00 or from £23/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al GRX2 Camino Al GRX2

Camino Al GRX2

  • Shimano GRX 610 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,349.00 £1,599.00 or from £24/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al 105 Di2 Camino Al 105 Di2

Camino Al 105 Di2

  • Shimano 105 R7170 Di2 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,899.00 £2,249.00 or from £33/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 12 May.

Your next reads

Cycling adventures in England

Whether you're a seasoned mountain biker, a road cycling enthusiast, a gravel grinder, a cycle tourist, or a bikepacker, there is a world of opport...
May 20, 2024
Vin Cox - Hungry Bike Ride

Vin Cox - Hungry Bike Ride

We caught up with Vin before he heads off on his new venture The Hungry Bike Ride, to find out more about it. You can always keep up to date from V...
March 07, 2012

Another Climber turned mountain biker

In March last year I went over on my ankle dropping off the top of a bouldering wall. At first I was told I had badly sprained it but I was later t...
March 25, 2015
Dawn Ride

Dawn Ride

For the past few years the Keswick Festival hasn't had the best of luck with the weather - last year the show was called off due to high winds. Our...
May 21, 2012

The Pendle 600: Sophia's Grueling Audax Adventure

This was my self-redemption arc from not getting around APN in the time limit - getting around the Pendle 600, which could be considered a more cha...
July 11, 2024

Edale - Classic 30k Loop

The new Sonder bikes have been kicking around at Alpkit HQ for a few months and I've managed a couple of sessions at Sherwood Pines and some local ...
October 05, 2015
24 Hours of Exposure 2013

24 Hours of Exposure 2013

I headed off down the course and in about 300m's, I blacked out for a second, I woke up veering sideways. I fired in a couple of caffeine gels and ...
May 21, 2013

Gearing up for the Fred Whitton sportive

With the Fred less than a week away I really need to get a road bike sorted! What is “The Fred”? The Fred Whitton challenge is a sportive, with a d...
June 06, 2024

Project Grandmas

Continuing journeys of the original Sonder Cahoot. After Tom Seipp had outgrown it and with many, many miles under its wheels, the responsibility t...
October 11, 2018
A short trip on my bike

A short trip on my bike

Not having any boxes to deal with my day was pleasingly free of commitments. As much as I enjoy snow boarding I wouldn’t do it everyday. Often it i...
December 26, 2007

Fat bikes aren't only for snow

I was first introduced to fat bikes by Shaggy who was preparing to ride the Iditarod on his Pugsley. Like most people who have never seen one of th...
September 08, 2014

Second City Divide Part 1

“Just another half hour”, I tell myself. It's pitch black, my head torch is sending a blurry white light into the driving rain and mist. It’s three...
November 28, 2019

Human Powered Adventures

To hear Jenny Graham and Lee Craigie talk about their adventures is to know the joy of spending time outside. In this webinar, Al Humphreys talks t...
November 30, 2020

Riding the Broken Road

Rain had stopped play so I suddenly had nothing to do. All of a sudden I had to entertain myself, it was a desperate situation. Fortunately natural...
August 23, 2015

Biking in the Blood

Big thanks to Jennifer for sending this across, you put a smile on everyone's face with your family's cycling adventures! "Dear Alpkit, I am just ...
November 16, 2017

Riding the Lakes

The Lake District covers 885 square miles of north west England. High craggy mountains,rolling lush valleys and sparkling lakes, it’s a magnet for ...
February 21, 2018

A New Years Eve night out

Looking for something a bit more interesting to do this year, Alpkit customer Sean Belson managed to pursuade partner Jane to go on a bivvy microad...
January 22, 2015

Lake District Misadventure

We've been biking for a while. Trail centres, well marked routes and all the normal tourist paths. Two of us cycle commute every day via bridleways...
August 20, 2014

Jennride Winter Edition 2024

The Jennride is a self-supported one-hundred-mile bike packing offroad route in and around the Lake District usually in summer, this is the first w...
May 16, 2024

A Bushcraft Ride

“People who don’t have a young person with a disability find it hard to understandwhat an outing like this can mean to a child like Ben. It’s the b...
April 20, 2018

Valley of the Cold

The other night, sheltering from a blizzard in Reykjavik’s youth hostel, I ran into the only other cyclist I’ve met on this trip – a cheerful Bahra...
March 14, 2014

Cycling the Pennine Bridleway End to End

Staying local has literally captivated me for so long that the thought of riding off into the sunset has felt like a naughty pleasure. In particula...
July 22, 2021
The long and rocky road to the Lakeland 100… Part 2

The long and rocky road to the Lakeland 100… Part 2

Tracey, a supermotivated running friend of mine sent me a Facebook link to the Lakeland 100. It is a 105 mile round of the Lake District, with...
July 28, 2011
Polaris Mountain Bike Event

Polaris Mountain Bike Event

Yet again it was time for Polaris, my careful training schedule had been slightly interrupted by the Outdoors Show the week before. ok not that muc...
May 10, 2006

Whiteout

Summer’s at its height, and until a thunderstorm cooled the air a couple of hours ago, I’d been sitting sweatily at my desk for what felt like days...
August 06, 2014

Wheelwright Coast to Coast

This is a Daring Deed from one of our customers, Graham. He took on the esoteric Wheelwright Coast to Coast from the 17th to the 23rd of June 2022....
July 28, 2022

An Easter bikepacking journey on the Yorkshire Coast Route

Imagine your own Easter bikepacking journey on Yorkshire's Cinder Track from Scarborough to Whitby. Explore coastal paths, enjoy scenic descents, a...
April 30, 2024

Ride Across Britain

As my eyes struggled to focus on the road in the dark, driving rain and bright head lights, I remember thinking to myself that I was grateful to be...
September 28, 2017

Cycling for the less able-bodied

We can’t quite put our fingers on what it is about cycling that’s so exhilarating, but little compares to that tremendous feeling of pedal powered ...
October 11, 2019

All Weather, All Roads

One of our Sonder bike mechanics, Jack, went on a 4-day adventure ride recently. Here's his story. Getting the bike off the train at Sheffield, I ...
May 17, 2022

Tandem Trailquest

No one should need to look for a reason to get out on a bike at the weekend, but when the working week is long and the Sunday mornings are dark a l...
December 12, 2016

Cycling Around the World From a Hebden Bridge Garage

"Sorry, I’m a bit short on time as I’m prepping for another World in a Day ride of 240 miles," begins Steve's email. "Well, actually, I’m doing two...
May 14, 2020

The Second City Divide

It was riding the Torino Nice Rally in 2017 that planted the seed for devising a UK equivalent. A long distance, country to country, city to city t...
July 07, 2021

South Lakes 100

On Saturday 14th May almost 100 riders gathered in Staveley for the start of 100 miles of South lakes riding. The event was conceived by Richard Mu...
May 18, 2016

Two pals chasing the sun

A bit over three years ago, when I had just arrived in the UK, I met my friend Ben. We are both into cycling and even though cyclists rarely use bi...
July 09, 2024

Lap of England

Thanks to Dan, Gerry and Richard for contacting us to share their 1500km cyclingadventure around England. Day 1 - London to Trowbridge On the sout...
February 19, 2019

In The Frame

As you may well already know, Alpkit are proudly supporting In The Frame, a film project by Dom Bush and featuring the journey of Joe Beaumont. We ...
September 02, 2013

Join us at Glorious Gravel Events

This year we're partnering with Glorious Gravel. They put on 35 of the best gravel routes on the planet. We can't wait to get involved. Better yet,...
February 08, 2023

The Loopy Loop

I am just back after completing my link up of the 3 Peak District Killers: Lord of the Loops, Bleaklow Loop and Killer Loop to give a 230km ride wi...
April 20, 2014
The long and rocky road to the Lakeland 100… Part 1

The long and rocky road to the Lakeland 100… Part 1

You will rarely hear a runner say that they are in tiptop form, or running really well, especially on the start line of a race. (That is until the ...
July 28, 2011

Liam's Dirty One-Thirty

The Dirty Reiver 200 (200 km) and the Dirty One Thirty (130 km) is a long distance off road cycle challenge held in Kielder Forest Northumberland, ...
April 25, 2018

An adventure in kindness

With thanks to Adam for an up lifting tale of the true value of human kindness. The trip was a solo journey from Lyon, cycling 2500 km along the Me...
February 09, 2019

Riding the South Downs Way

The South Down’s Way is a 100 mile trail that runs from Winchester to Eastbourne along the South Downs National Park. I actually attempted the Sout...
July 20, 2018

From the Peak District to Norfolk for a Bivvy on the Beach

If you’re into the mystical world of Audax, your perception of distance is somewhat skewed. So riding 300km to see your friend seems perfectly norm...
June 15, 2021

Adapted Bikes for Disabilities

For 15 years, Rossendale Rays Swimming Club have offered swimming sessions for those with special needs, as well as their friends, families and car...
December 11, 2018

In The Frame Trip Report

As many of you will know we returned from our expedition just over a week ago and have now had some much needed rest and recovery time. I hope you ...
October 02, 2013
The Isle of Man End 2 End Challenge 2008

The Isle of Man End 2 End Challenge 2008

For the last six months I have been riding to work (nearly) every day as training for the End 2 End. I’d like to think that it was my dedication at...
October 01, 2008
Lord of the Loops Midnight Madness

Lord of the Loops Midnight Madness

The Dark Peak MTB guide had been on my shelf since last years Big Shakeout and now with the long evenings and a full moon it felt like the perfect ...
June 21, 2011

Blindly Seeking Sunshine… and Zeus…

It’s that time of year again. Dark nights draw in. Chills seep into bones. UK wild nights out start to become more often endured than revelled in. ...
December 15, 2017

Reccying The Dales Divide

Following an email from Chris the creator of the Dales Divide inviting me to join the grand depart on the 19th April I had to decline due to riding...
May 10, 2019

Handcycle Britain Interview

After Mel's recent world record braking Handcycle Britain ride she came to visit Alpkit HQ. We made ourselves comfy in coffee corner to hearall abo...
August 21, 2019

Father and Son ride

My Son Tom and I are pretty lucky to have spent a lot of time over the last few years having some great adventures together. We usually travel by b...
June 14, 2018

Lakeland Joy Riding

A stimulating, engaging environment and one promoting inclusion is vital in leading to a fulfilled life, particularly older adults and those living...
August 20, 2020

The Peakland Ramble

What a crazy year! With most of the events cancelled that were in the calendar for 2020 due to COVID19 things had changed so much.. After a few mo...
September 29, 2020

Maintaining Trails with Ride Sheffield

Eleven years since it was conceived by Henry Norman, Ride Sheffield has achieved some notable successes. Building and maintaining trails at Lady Ca...
May 06, 2021

Why I love my Colibri - by Grace Lambert-Smith

I’ve been riding my Colibri for almost a year now and the novelty still hasn’t worn off. I skip into the garage and find her leaning on her other b...
September 30, 2020

Bikepacking England. An interview with author Emma Kingston

What you are about to read is an exclusive interview with author Emma Kingston, on the launch of her new book "Bikepacking England" which can be pu...
May 24, 2021

Pushing limits, past lessons learnt and your mindset! The Yorkshire 3 Peaks

I am sat at home seriously craving some adventure and the challenge of pushing my limits both mentally and physically, I want to experience some fo...
February 08, 2022

Downs link ride

Last October our Sonder rider Scott Swalling headed off for 180Kms+ loop of the Northdowns Way (NDW), King Alfreds Way (KAW), Southdowns Way (SDW) ...
December 02, 2020

Steve and his Fat Bike take on Battle on the Beach 2022

With my heart jumping out of my chest, all around me are people in the same state of shock. As we tussle for the wheel in front to get out of the w...
April 12, 2022

A Bikepacking Overnighter

This is a Daring Deed from one of our Sonder team, Jack, from his bikepacking trip a few weeks back. The morning started hot and sunny in the court...
August 10, 2022

Vera Ngosi's South Downs Way Adventure

In my books, there’s no better way to spend a sunny bank holiday weekend than bikepacking a well-curated gravel route with a group of friends, and ...
May 19, 2022

The Glorious Gravel X Peaks

For 2023 Sonder and Alpkit have partnered with Glorious Gravel to bring you some of the best gravel rides in the country. Plus, try out a Sonder Ca...
April 13, 2023

Return to Dirty Reiver 2022

Oh, Dirty Reiver. It was a pleasure to be back. Last weekend, we headed to the middle of nowhere (otherwise known as Kielder Forest) to see all you...
April 28, 2022

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published

=