I wonder how many of us keep our very favourite places to ourselves in these days of social media?

Wapping said:
And if you move, what then?



Where do books like this fit in. Presumably written by a local?

Wapping

Thread 'The Motorcyclist's Guide to Scotland book - J.G. Fergusson'

This was recommended in another thread, is I picked one up via the Amazon.

It is pretty good, with no less than 30 recommended routes around the country, as far out as Shetland. The cover page picture shows what must be the most photographed stretch of road in the UK.

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I'm not likely to move. I'm home.

HDO: Hotel Del Oso

In reality I am a funny bugger where all of this is concerned. I am torn between the wanting to help fellow bikers to enjoy their biking, but I am also reticent of giving these places too much publicity. In the village where I was born and spend my summers one local businessman is continually placing our village on the map at every opportunity. For those of us who have deep roots there and who knew it as what my great aunt termed a "cornfield", it is becoming overrun with tourists and houses are springing up like tulips in spring. I know it's inevitable and no beauty spot is safe, but I wish the pace would slow. Gradual disclosure.

You see, the problem for me with all of this is that inevitably, when this massification happens then rules, regulations and limitations creep in; life changes for those who have to endure it, and those changes are not always for the better. We now have to pay to park at the beach! It's only €1.50, but still.... that's now, in 10 years time it will be €15!

In the 11 years that I have been riding road bikes I have never once used any route information from here or any other website. I don't need to where I am, but even when I do tick the item off my bucket list to ride up through France, see the memorials and position my bike in the UK to catch the ferry with my posse to start our annual tour, I'll be doing what I always do: put MRA in Michelin Map mode, use my instincts and see where the day takes me.
 
People do seem to have more time and money for recreational travel now. Back in the 70s and early 80s when I did lots of walking, mountain camping, climbing, kayaking, caving and other outdoors stuff the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales didn’t get much in the way of tourists. That has changed to such an extent that haven’t been to the Lake District for a good few years now as it is pretty much ruined compared to what it was. Back then it was mostly people from the surrounding towns and cities visiting for a day or so. Now the tourists are from much further afield.
The Dales is not too far behind in tourism numbers on weekends in summer. Still a nice area to visit midweek away from the summer hoards.
I do feel lucky that I and my mates were able to enjoy these places prior to the tourists finding them.
 
glenn2926 said:
People do seem to have more time and money for recreational travel now.
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there have been a few articles in the papers about boomers being more willing to spaff their offspring's inheritance on trips

www.independent.co.uk

Pensioners ‘spending their children’s inheritance to go on more holidays’

The trend, known as ski-ing – meaning ‘spending the kids’ inheritance’ – could be down to older people being fitter and wealthier than younger generations
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk

it has a name SKIing (spending kids inheritance) according to a Times articel


glenn2926 said:
Back in the 70s and early 80s when I did lots of walking, mountain camping, climbing, kayaking, caving and other outdoors stuff the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales didn’t get much in the way of tourists. That has changed to such an extent that haven’t been to the Lake District for a good few years now as it is pretty much ruined compared to what it was. Back then it was mostly people from the surrounding towns and cities visiting for a day or so. Now the tourists are from much further afield.
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I feel the same about Snowdonia. I drove through to get to Bangor University for a gig recently. Very pretty but too congested. I came home along the coast road and Wrexham at 6am.

glenn2926 said:
The Dales is not too far behind in tourism numbers on weekends in summer. Still a nice area to visit midweek away from the summer hoards.
I do feel lucky that I and my mates were able to enjoy these places prior to the tourists finding them.
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Mid Wales is going that way. I avoid certain bits on weekends and school hols.
 
When I first toured on the bike in Europe (1985) there was very limited availability of info on biking roads, and hotel and campsite information came in the form of a book that, inevitably, only included those places that paid to be subscribed. Bike magazines very occasionally did an article about a trip to Italy or France or somewhere but never really gave much helpful information. We did have a book called Motorcycling in Europe, but that had very little in the way of recommending hotels. It was useful in giving the author's opinion on various areas and a few town in each area. For the first two trips, we just winged it, finding campsites with absolutely no plan or method - just rode until we saw a sign for a campsite! It worked OK, though as 18 yr olds we were more interested in finding bars and beaches.

Moving on a few years and travelling round with my first wife (in the car) we adopted a similar approach to finding hotels. Just drove until late afternoon then kept our eyes open for a hotel. We found the fantastic Auberge de la Cascade in St-Chely-du-Tarn this way but I kept this a secret for many years as the village is such a jewel.

These days there is so much information available at the click of mouse (other selection hardware is available) that keeping a place secret - whether a hotel or a nice road - is impossible and would, in any case, be pointless. One relevant point is that you're always reliant on someone's opinion when asking for recommendations and I'd rather go with the opinion of someone on here than a review site that may be less independent. But even then, one man's amazing mountain road is anothers twisty, bumpy goat track.

It is true that we never book anywhere these days without trawling through TripAdvisor for reviews - something my wife does to keep her occupied when she's on a quiet night shift!
 
Yup but a bit far along the route for our trip plan. Going for the one in Millau that you posted on my Picos thread. The chateau in Creissels. Also looks good.

Sharing the good places here only goes to further people’s experience. I have no issue sharing and recommending.

One of my favourite places is the Relais de la Voie Sacree about 25 km south of Verdun.
Lovely place. Good restaurant and great value for money. Very peaceful and quiet but I was talking to the lady who owns it with her husband 3 weeks ago and they have put it up for sale. Apparently it’s not doing so well due to lack of clients. Sad really and I really hope they keep it going but if not that’s another little gem that might well disappear …. Or maybe under new ownership get a lease of new life
 
Having lived in a lovely rural are of Lincs. in the UK, which was ruined through the covid bollocks, in that it became a magnet for the grockles who left their litter and dog shit everywhere....I would never tell of anything good where I live now.

Social media is the work of the devil.

I live in paradise, if anyone compromises that, I am too old, too grumpy and too invested to move anywhere else, so there will be a shoot to kill policy, I have land, lakes and pigs.
 
If you want to see what overtourism does, just go to somewhere like Cadiz, Sevilla, Venice, and watch when the cruise ships arrive.

I went to Rome last autumn, I just could not believe the change since I last went, about 20 years back. Pay for everything, queue for everything.

Tourists! Bah!
 
There are some roads here in southern spain like that. Fantastic roads. Get used for alot of bike launches. Can see the same points on alot of videos over various years of launches. Locals go there at weekends etc. There are some IG guys who make good money waiting on the hillside and take photos of bikes.

Its been ruined in the summer months. Not so much due to the tourists. But the lack of respect and riding they bring. You have to have common sense. Dont annoy the locals. Keep speeds down in villages etc. These guys come over. Crossing solid white lines. Left handers with wheels on the line and whole body into oncoming traffic. Revving engines in the villages etc. Its a shame. Alot of the guys are decent. But I've seen it myself. A groups of German plated adventure bikes. All in one huge group of 15-20 bikes. A nice winding up hill and I pulled out to pass and they just straight lines the twisties, not a mirror check, oblivious to anything else. And nearly put me into the armco. Same guys. Buzzing locals by the old slow vans. Just poor riding. Disrespectful. But full of entitlement.

Its that which spoils things. The attitude here is very open. Compared to how it could be. But guys come and spoil it for others.
 
Whilst unsafe / antisocial riding / bad behaviour is a different (though not entirely unrelated) topic, it does help to explain why councils and local communities are campaigning to have some stretches of road closed to some vehicles between specific times and / or dates.
 
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Wapping said:
Whilst unsafe / antisocial riding / bad behaviour is a different (though not entirely unrelated) topic, it does help to explain why councils and local communities are campaigning to have some stretches of road closed to some vehicles between specific times and / or dates.
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Already have over here. Holland does have some great biking roads especially along the rivers and canals but local councils have closed many to bikes. Ignore them if you wish and if stopped or photographed by locals they will fine you big time
 
I like to keep it stealthy if I can. Modern bikes are effin' noisy on idle (and that's before the proud owner blows a grand on an Akrapovic), you can really hear them as they leave a hotel. My old 11 is barely audible and that's the way I like it. You don't get chased by dogs so much either.
 
Spartan said:
There are some roads here in southern spain like that. Fantastic roads. Get used for alot of bike launches. Can see the same points on alot of videos over various years of launches. Locals go there at weekends etc. There are some IG guys who make good money waiting on the hillside and take photos of bikes.

Its been ruined in the summer months. Not so much due to the tourists. But the lack of respect and riding they bring. You have to have common sense. Dont annoy the locals. Keep speeds down in villages etc. These guys come over. Crossing solid white lines. Left handers with wheels on the line and whole body into oncoming traffic. Revving engines in the villages etc. Its a shame. Alot of the guys are decent. But I've seen it myself. A groups of German plated adventure bikes. All in one huge group of 15-20 bikes. A nice winding up hill and I pulled out to pass and they just straight lines the twisties, not a mirror check, oblivious to anything else. And nearly put me into the armco. Same guys. Buzzing locals by the old slow vans. Just poor riding. Disrespectful. But full of entitlement.

Its that which spoils things. The attitude here is very open. Compared to how it could be. But guys come and spoil it for others.
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To be fair, that sort of activity can be seen from home-grown idiots, if anything, more.

Possibly more than the quality of the roads, or at least on par with, I put a high value on solitude on the road. Be that as a group, or solo. Thankfully that is still very achievable in Spain, especially midweek. The thing I like about Spain is that it's still very rural outside of the main towns and cities without being extreme like in the big continents. There are areas, places, towns and villages that will never be tourist traps but that have a certain "charm" of their own; one-horse towns that look deserted as you chug by; Molina De Aragon isn't a one-horse town, but it's too remote to be much of a tourist attraction. The first thing you see from miles away as you approach is the Moorish castle which looms protectively over the town. There are many like it dotted all over Spain. There are many little gems.
 
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