From desolate sunrises on the North York Moors to wild flower-strewn vignettes taken in the rural suburbs of York, the following photo journal is a time capsule of one bikepacker’s excursions in pursuit of total seclusion.
01 October, 2020
If you'd asked me for some meditations on life 12 months ago, I'd probably have replied by saying something about living with intention and seeking out adventure. Though the past year has provided its fair share of obstacles, strapping my core camping essentials to my trusty bicycle rig and pumping my pedals out into the dreamy nothingness of Yorkshire's moors has kept me sane. Living through a pandemic has been an adventure in itself - and I'm not alone in thinking that way.
So-called "doorstep adventures" have become a phenomenon, and the massive uptake in cycling is testament to this. No doubt many people rekindled relationships with old bikes for the fitness benefits - with gyms and local clubhouses around the country shuttered - but cycling provides so much more than that, namely the discovery of natural beauty within a local radius. Through bikepacking my way around Yorkshire, I've discovered new routes and places I'd never have stumbled upon otherwise - spots that I now seek out for moments of tranquility amid the ongoing chaos.
From desolate sunrises on the North York Moors to wild flower-strewn vignettes taken in the rural suburbs of York, the following photo journal is a capsule of the time I spent cycling in pursuit of total seclusion. En route, I realised that adventure needn't mean flinging yourself to the top of some far-flung mountain peak; it can also simply mean approaching something from a different perspective.
