Cycle Touring & Bikepacking Festival 2026 (virtual event)
16 – 18 October 2026
The 2026 Virtual Festival programme is below.
Once again everything is free at the virtual festival. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to participation and just want to do something to make life a bit more interesting for everyone.
We ask for donations from those who are able to give something, to help cover our overheads. The suggested donation per household is £5 for a talk or £20 for a number of talks or the whole event. The festival is non-profit and organised by volunteers. Our annual overheads are just under £1,000. We know from past events that around one third of people who attend one or more talks will donate.
SAVE THE DATE: The next in-person festival will be held at John Ruskin School in Coniston, Cumbria from 30 April – 3 May 2027. Sign up to our newsletter to hear about those plans when they are available.
| Date & Time BST) | Talk – click title for more details and to book | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct 19:00 – 20:00 | Denmark, a Cyclist’s Paradise! Quiet cycling, campsites, nature and Vikings | Jon Houseago |
| Fri 16 Oct 21:00 – 22:00 | Ride for Tim McKenna LEJOG – friends undertake a journey reflecting on Tim’s life and legacy | Anna Hughes |
| Sat 17 Oct 11:00 – 12:00 | The Royal Chilterns Way Cycling UK’s off-road journey blending scenic trails, history and local gems | Ross Adams |
| Sat 17 Oct 15:00 – 16:00 | Dad and the Dempster A father-daughter journey through time and up to the Arctic Circle | Tara Weir & Brad Weir |
| Sat 17 Oct 17:00 – 18:00 | Travelling by Bike The different styles and rhythms of bike travel | Emma Karslake |
| Sat 17 Oct 19:00 – 20:00 | Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads A David Bowie Cycling Odyssey | James Briggs |
| Sat 17 Oct 21:00 – 22:00 | Open Mike – your turn to take the spotlight | Festival participants |
| Sun 18 Oct 13:00 – 14:00 | Cycling Around the World Father and son setting records | George Kohler |
| Sun 18 Oct 15:00 – 16:00 | Go Your Own Way Make it your adventure | Hannah Collingridge |
| Sun 18 Oct 17:00 – 18:00 | Scotland: the Best Place in the World to Ride a Road Bike; the Hardest to Write a Book | Dave Barter |
| Sun 18 Oct 19:00 – 20:00 | *NEW* The Yin and Yang of riding in Taiwan A journey along coasts, through gorges, over mountains and into the world of Taoism | Marcus Mumford |
| Sun 18 Oct 21:00 – 22:00 | Czechia Europe’s Most Underrated Touring Destination? | Rob Ainsley |
You can catch up on talks you missed from this and previous virtual festivals on our YouTube channel. See the FAQ for more details.