Cycle Touring Festival 2024
Friday 3 May – Sunday 5 May 2024
John Ruskin School, Coniston
This year’s Cycle Touring Festival is an in-person event, at John Ruskin School in Coniston, Cumbria.
Tickets need to be bought in advance. No tickets will be available on the door. Please note that tickets are non-refundable.
Tickets
- Weekend tickets: £100. Includes 2 nights of camping, dinner on Saturday night, self service tea/coffee throughout the weekend and entry to all talks/events/squash.
- Saturday day ticket: £50. Includes entry to all talks/events on Saturday including the evening, dinner on Saturday night and self service tea/coffee/squash.
- Sunday day ticket: £35. Includes entry to all talks/events on Sunday and self service tea/coffee/squash.
- Sunday family ticket: £20. Includes entry to family session on Sunday (1pm – 4pm) and self service tea/coffee/squash (read more about the family session here).
Weekend programme
It may change a bit, but the draft timetable for the weekend is now live.
Saturday
| Time | Main hall | Classroom |
| 9am | Welcome & festival opening | – |
| 10am | Building bicycles to last, building bicycles sustainably Richard Scrase | Exploring Cuba and a south to north tour of Mexico Pauline & Hugh Symonds |
| 11am | Cycling Every OS Map in Numerical Order Mark Wedgwood | – |
| 12pm | Cycling sustainably Libby Bowles | Short trips ideas generator |
| 1pm | LUNCH | LUNCH |
| 2pm | Touring with a hammock : A trip through Northern Europe Catherine Cannon | Cycling the ViaRhôna (film & discussion) Andrew Sykes |
| 3pm | Sri Lanka,North to South and places in between Neil Wheadon | FILMS |
| 4pm | Touring a Poetry Show by Bike from Bristol to Berwick-upon-Tweed Caroline Burrows | FILMS |
| 5pm | Touring bike catwalk | – |
| 6pm | DINNER – food by Joeys, tarp pitching, music by Rain of Animals | – |
| 7pm | DINNER | – |
| 8pm | TheBigRecord:UK – Capturing the sound of the UK on two wheels Paul Cheese | – |
| 9pm | Open mic | – |
Sunday
| Time | Main hall | Classroom |
| 9am | Yoga for cyclists Lou Curry Bike bodge jobs on the road (dining hall) Ghyllside Cycles | Cycling north along the Finnish-Russian Border Julie Coldwell |
| 10am | The coast is my compass Martyn Howe | Bikerafting show and tell Marcus & Kirsty |
| 11am | Biodiversity Life Cycle Kate Rawles | Making your own gear Tarps, tops and even bikes |
| 12pm | LUNCH | LUNCH |
| 1pm | Myanmar: a tandem ride through the land of the Golden Pagoda Marcus & Kirsty | Family cycling (see here) |
| 2pm | 1970s touring… in 2024 Rob Ainsley | Family cycling (see here) |
| 3pm | Taking Thunderbolts to the Sea Henry Barrkman | Family cycling (see here) |
| 4pm | Festival close | – |
Plus all sorts of other stuff…
- Cycle touring films
- Wheelbuilding (email sales@ghyllside.co.uk if you’re interested in this one!)
- Bike-powered smoothies
- Tent & stove display
- Family cycle touring – a dedicated session just for families! Read more about this here.
Key information
- Location: John Ruskin School, Coniston (details here)
- Campers will have access to a toilet block and portaloos. There are basic (communal, gender-segregated) showers only.
- Self-contained camper vans and motorhomes are welcome. Please park on the hard standing area. NB no electric hook-ups are available.
- Weekend ticket holders: Arrive on Friday night; leave Sunday afternoon. No camping available on Sunday night, but there are plenty of other local options. Weekend timings will be confirmed to all ticket holders, but you won’t be able to access the site until 5pm on Friday at the very earliest, because the venue is a working school.
- Breakfasts and lunches are not included but there are plenty of options in Coniston if you need anything.
- Tea and coffee will be provided throughout the event, on a self-serve basis – just bring your own mug.
- The bar will be open from 6pm – 11pm on Friday and Saturday evening.
- Travel: please consider travelling to the event by public transport and/or by bike. Take a train to Kendal or Windermere, then cycle or catch the bus to Coniston. If public transport/cycling isn’t possible, there is parking available on-site.
- You don’t need to buy a ticket for anyone aged 17 or under, but they must be accompanied by an adult. Let us know they’re coming by adding a note to your order.
- Please note that no refunds are available on tickets.
The event is being run at cost. Ticket prices cover our overheads (camping and catering costs, venue hire, speaker travel costs, insurance and a small margin for error).