This year York Cycling Tours (YCT) will celebrate 10 years of being in business. During that 10 years they’ve had 20 Bikes, and shown 5,000 customers from over 60 countries around our city. Cecil Pugh of YCT tells us how that past ten years have gone.

The brainchild of Andy Collings, the company was formally established in August 2014, when I finally agreed with Andy to give it a go. Since then, despite the setback of a pandemic and Andy leaving to live on the South Coast of England, the business has taken over 5,000 customers from over 60 different countries across the world, around the city by bike. And what an absolute joy it has been!

It is very easy to become very negative about the lack of progress being made to improve cycling infrastructure in York (and there is no denying that it should be so much better), but our experience has shown that cycling in York has been such a positive experience for each and every one of our customers. They absolutely love it!

I have cycled around this beautiful city with clients from eight years old to eighty. I include rugby players from New Zealand who performed the “Haka” before setting off. Members of a Norwegian choir who sang to passers-by at every stop along the way. Members of an Indian choir who performed under the shelter of Skeldergate Bridge during a torrential rain shower. Students from Belgium, pensioners from the Philippines, ladies from Iceland, gentlemen from Germany, husbands from Hawaii and wives from Washington USA. Wonderful human beings from right across the globe, all united in the simple pleasure of riding a bike!

Our cycle tour of York encompasses all the historic and beautiful sights accessible by bike that you would expect to see and our customers do love them all. However, it is quite clear from the feedback we have received and the very look of enjoyment on people’s faces, where their favourite section of the tour is. This is the section where we cycle from Skeldergate Bridge, alongside the river to Rowntree’s Park, over Millennium Bridge and back in to the city along New Walk via Blue Bridge. 

And who can blame them? Traffic free freedom to enjoy the incredibly beautiful tree lined cycle along Terry Avenue. The beauty of Rowntree’s Park throughout the year (unless it is underwater of course). Chatting to the volunteers who do such great work to maintain the park’s flower beds. To talk about York’s chocolate history and perhaps even the chance to sample a segment of Terry’s chocolate orange. Then up and over Millennium Bridge and on to New Walk and York’s iconic Blue Bridge. All the time, people from all walks of life, ages and abilities, cycling together chatting and exchanging stories along the way. It really is such a remarkably simple pleasure and I am fortunate to be able to witness this on a daily basis.

Many of our customers throughout the years had not ridden a bike for some time, or given up all together, but felt inspired to get back on a bike after taking a cycle tour. This is something that we are particular proud of!

I guess the challenge for us all now is to try to ensure that more and more people are able to experience the simple pleasure of cycling and ensuring that they are able to do so safely in York. As members of York Cycle Campaign we can only try our very best to make that happen.

All photos courtesy of York Cycling Tours