Unsurprisingly, when planning and leading our Guided Bike Tours on Anglesey, your safety is paramount!
That’s why we took the decision to cancel tomorrow’s planned guided bike tour to Ynys Cwyfan, Church in the Sea, and refund our customers.
We hate to disappoint our customers, but our aim is to offer safe and pleasant guided tours which will encourage people’s love of cycling! The decision was taken as there are strong wind of over 20 mph forecast, with gusts approaching 40 mph!
Anglesey windmills
In fact, wind is the main safety reason for cancelling our tours. Strong headwinds can make riding hard work, but more worrying are strong gusts from the side, especially as they blow through gaps in hedges. These can cause a cyclist to lose their balance.
Having said that, as we cycle on very quiet roads, there’s very little chance of being blown into traffic, as a cyclist might on busier roads.
So far this season, this is the second date we have had to cancel due to high winds. With its position on the fringe of the Irish or Celtic Sea, Anglesey can be windy, even inland- just think about the location of all those old windmills and new windfarms!
How big are the rain drops?
We will still offer our tours in light rain, as in our experience, with the right clothing, this needn’t detract from enjoying a cycle, and the rain can often blow over on the breeze. (See What to wear here…)
Cycling in heavy rain would not be safe, and so we would cancel if heavy and continuous rain was forecast, or move a start time if dodging showers looked possible.
The main factors for cancellation on our part are heavy rain and high wind. Our cancelling a tour would make you eligible for a refund.
Assessing risks
Alll our routes are pre-cycled and risk-assessed in advance of your tour. We brief our riders when we set out about any potential hazards or considerations. We also brief you about safe riding position and etiquette when riding in a group.
You’re not expected to retain all the route details – we highlight and remind riders as we approach any areas that may require particular care. These are generally rural lanes, so risks are usually poor road surfaces or pot-holes.
Our riders are also encouraged to be aware of and responsible for their own an other cyclists’ safety, and this can include pointing out pot-holes and other hazards to each other as we ride along.
Most of our routes are along small back lanes. Even though there are low traffic levels, where we see occasional cars and the post van, we still advise our riders to ride on the left-hand side of the road, in the correct position to meet on-coming vehicles, and to keep eyes and ears open for any other road users.
Take a look at our Guided Bike Tours now!
Being in the right position, near a verge, and being aware of any approaching traffic, is our best defence in the case of a speeding car or delivery driver.
This is a risk which is difficult to quantify, though on the whole, we experience very low levels of traffic on most of our tour routes. (I’m sure I’d be correct in reflecting that many find the low levels of traffic on Anglesey’s rural lanes quite surprising. Visitors frequently comment that they would never experience such quiet roads in their home areas! )
You may be worried about committing to booking a tour when the weather may turn out not to be suitable.
Be assured, we have your safety and enjoyment as our primary concern, and if we feel your safety would be compromised, then we will cancel the tour and refund you.
See what our reviewers have to say about feeling safe with us here.