The WEIRDEST Bikepacking Trip I’ve Ever Been On!

Here at GCN we love bikepacking and a good adventure, especially Hank! So when two GCN fans got in touch asking us whether we’d be interested on going on their next cycling holiday, we HAD to say yes! With a budget of only £100 and having never met his travelling companions before, Hank had no idea where this trip would take him…

Check out the routes on Komoot:
Day 1 👉 https://gcn.eu/7QQ
Day 2 👉 https://gcn.eu/7QR

Useful Links:
Ride with us at the Global Bike Festival: gcn.eu/GBF2023
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Would you go on a budget bikepacking trip? Let us know in the comments! 👇

Watch more on GCN…
📹 Hank’s Very British Bike Ride 👉 https://gcn.eu/7Pl
📹 Watch our Editor’s Choice Playlist 👉 https://gcn.eu/editorschoice
📹 Or why not check out our Features Playlist 👉 ​​https://gcn.eu/gcnfeatures

🎵 Music – licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Academia – Heyson
Diamond in the Rough (Instrumental Version) – Zorro
EMT – Awlee
Future Is Now – FLYIN
Honey Sky (Instrumental Version) – Torii Wolf
Imprints – Dusty Decks
Jakarta – Bonsaye
Lets Give a Damn – OTE
Like the Ocean – The Big Let Down
Lost in Mind – nothanks
Lupi – Sayuri Hayashi Egnell
Nocturnal Sun – At The End Of Times, Nothing
Press Send – Erik Fernholm
Rested – Heyson
rooibos – bomull
Shadow of a Magnitude – Howard Harper-Barnes
Suntrip – Harvio
Sweet Dang Thang – Tellsonic
The Throne – Heyson
Ugly as I (Instrumental Version) – Zorro
Uncontainable – Margareta

#gcn #cycling #roadbike #CyclingAdventure #Bikepacking #Challenge #CyclingChallenge #BudgetChallenge

Photos: © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/

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I’m off on another bike packing adventure with just a hundred pounds in my pocket and two strangers waiting for me in London well what could possibly go wrong oh and we’re self-filming the whole lot [Music] so I’ve arrived in London got myself a coffee because I’m absolutely dying for one and I should probably mention where I’m going and why I’m going on this bike Adventure now I’ve been wanting to bike packing Adventure on a budget for a long time now and then just by chance I got an email from Andrew saying did you send show my friend Francisco and I Avid cyclists and key followers of gcn we noted you’ve done lots of videos on low-cost ways to enjoy the sport but there hasn’t been much coverage on how you can cheaply spend a weekend away on the minimal cost this November we have booked a weekend away for 91 pounds I’m hoping to keep it below 100 pounds after food starting from London after work Friday we are taking the train and ferry to Calais staying overnight followed by a Saturday cycle to Lil by Ibraham rube returning to Calais on Sunday through the saint Omer I brought about 240 kilometers with a train fared back in time for work Monday we wondered if you’d like send a presenter to join us there’s two hotel rooms and it could be a great addition oh and so here I am going on a bike adventure with two people I’ve never met before don’t really know where I’m going and I’m kind of excited for it here he is hello this is everybody nice to meet you oh yeah good trip yes you’re not too bad it’s about 20 minutes on the bike that’s all right isn’t it yeah pretty good so I’m ready this is your setup yeah proper Footwear as you can see you know yes about to get us to Lillian back this is Francisco this is our next compatriot how are you my friend you’re welcome good to meet you man thank you yeah good thanks so you’re coming like packing with us are you excited super excited how was work yeah get a lot work done uh today not much not much and you don’t you don’t mind me having a camera in your face too okay because you’re gonna get used to over those days it feels so weird but yeah so dress for work next stopped over [Music] just arrived at some pancreas station and look at it it is stunning so this is where we’re getting the train to head to the coast so Andrew’s sorting out the tickets I’ve been giving mine destination Dover so um we’ve been here about two minutes and Andrew’s already gone um he’s currently in the queue to get a picture with the labor leader here in the UK called kirstama and um well we’re just watching from above where do you go mate so I went to go and see kyostama so he’s selling poppies so he’s got us one to give the tank got seven free tomorrow there you go we’ve got a poppy from labor leader Kia Stalin who would have thought it right we got to get a train [Music] it was really great to finally meet Andrew and Francisco Andrew was the smileiest man and most positive man I have ever met and Francisco seemed pretty nervous but I was really looking forward to getting to know these two even more [Music] so arrived in Dover [Music] so passports out the ready it’s now going through customs so we’ve got the tickets we’re now ready to board we’ve got to attach these 12 eggs and we’re good to go [Music] to say it’s super exciting you know just riding up onto a boat there’s something quite amazing about it foreign [Music] [Music] having got on the ferry we said goodbye to England and then France was awaiting our arrival [Music] yes still there [Applause] [Music] [Music] right so uh Andrew that’s what I was staying this is known as the hotel chromia close I think someone needs to work on that side right let’s find our rooms shall we apparently we’ve dreamed by packing on a budget so we’ve got one room between three River the price of this room was 30 pounds so that’s 10 miles between each of us which is about what 15 euros yeah it’s the whole thing so yeah fifty dollars 50 bucks there you have it and um yeah we’re just gonna get a good night kid I’m gonna read these guys a story right guys oh buddy our adventure starts yeah it’s time for bed sleep well the scores Steve well I’ll see you in the morning since the morning Andrew I can see pretty well pretty cozy it is pretty cozy but we aren’t doing this on a budget aren’t we Andrew so so yeah it’s not bad for about 10 pounds a night each you can’t expect much more so no exactly the only one thing we did realize is that this one’s for two people and um well we only had two towels [Music] Andrew did some shake dry which I rate but um but now we’re getting ready to go uh full cycling kit is up and ready to go and then um we’re heading about 10K away before we get coffee and Andrew doesn’t actually drink coffee so it’s not it’s not high on this priority this but for me it’s pretty high what’s going on here Andrew so it looks like uh the mud guard sheared so we’re gonna tape it up and hopefully that will keep us in one piece until we get and I feel like that that mod God’s had its day yeah so you can see I’ve done a bit of temporary repairs so this is an old plant pot and at the front you can see the other one really stitched up with a plant pot as well um but you’ve always got to ask the gardeners permission before you chop up there pack forward slash barge of the week so with the uh Premiere class Hotel behind us we are off on our travels next destination well we have to traveling the graveling is that right traveling for breakfast grappling for breakfast I could do some breakfast [Music] Andrew I thought we’d get a breakfast what am I doing I don’t want to do my weekly shop I’m sure they’ll have questions I hope they do right so we’re going to do a French cafe [Music] cappuccinos are ready yeah so it turns out when you order a cappuccino in France you don’t get milk foam you get um whipped cream all right son are you jealous I’m a little bit jealous yeah we’re ready we’re going to Dunkirk Dunkirk Beach you ready Francisco yeah yeah I’m ready let’s go please [Music] foreign [Music] here we are in Dunkirk [Music] beautiful beach actually it’s crazy to think though the hundreds of thousands of soldiers were here back in World War II and uh we’re just doing a little bit of an explore [Applause] [Music] we’ve left Dunkirk Beach we’re all together our little pot of whales and uh now we’re headed to Warhammer now warholm’s where I’m hoping to see my great grandfather’s burial that’s where he’s uh I think he was buried [Music] [Music] Andrew’s brought me all the way to my great grandfather’s gravestone so this is Major Angus for cocktail this is his gravestone here who died in 1940 age 34 and he was one of the Cold Stream guards that were protecting the retreat so everyone at Dunkirk could evacuate they did 300 000 soldiers so here we are dropping off the poppy in remembrance of Angus [Music] crazy to think he died in 1940. and uh it just aged 34 that’s just four years older than me it’s mental foreign [Music] and now we’re going to the Belgian border so hopefully it’s all flat it’s the famous four I think it’s across you won’t find anything else that can make good times [Music] so we’re just coming up to Belgium across the border another country down here we are [Music] foreign [Applause] to Belgium [Music] right so it’s time to swap from French hat into Belgium so you definitely know that we’re tourists with a few kilometers under our belt it was time for a quick break and some lunch luckily though we found a shelter and in this case it was a bus shelter so this is something you don’t see uh every day with Gordon Ramsay but if you want to make the best cheese sandwich so we’ve got a knife no so make sure it’s what you don’t want to use the next couple of hours and then just slice it up the cheese would be nice and warmed in the bag so it should be uh where’s your debit card being though you don’t know what cash flow we thought about this where is that debit card be well there’s nothing better I’m going slacking slightly faster at that so once we’ve chopped up with the debit card I guess if I’m in for a penny I’m in for a pound yeah and Andrew’s amazing talk this is this is by a pack on a budget I can’t I can’t you know what’s the verdict [Music] dropping up let’s get one for the Francisco and I did after a lovely sandwich made up of chunks of cheese salami and a side of what cash machine residue it was time to get to our next destination Eep [Music] we’ve done about 60 miles 90k okay [Music] but not too much so we’ve made it to our next point of Interest where are we Andrew so this is the men in games it’s a memorial that’s dedicated to those that fell and miss it and they never found them from the battlefield so here in Eve Mark the major Salient in uh in the line and most soldiers pass through this Gates on the way to the front itself and there’s a famous poem isn’t there exactly so John McRae uh was a warming and he saw or witnessed the funeral of a very close friend of his uh in the Second Battle of Eve and he wrote a poem um and it’s about what went on here and I think you were going to tell us yeah and the poem goes a bit like this in Flanders feels the poppies blow between the crosses row on row that Mark our place and in the sky the Larks still bravely singing fly scarce heard amid the guns below though we are the dead short days ago we lived felt Dawn saw Sunset glow loved and were loved and now we lie in Flanders Fields take up our quarrel with the foe to you from falling hands we throw the torch be yours to hold it high if ye break Faith with us who die we shall not sleep though poppies grow in faranda’s fields [Music] after paying our respects it was time to get back on the bike well after Andrew tries to fix his plant pot botch our next destination is the tinecart cemetery now this is the largest Century for the Commonwealth forces in the world and a burial ground for those that died in the first world war there are 34 000 soldiers buried here it is incredible don’t do that it’s quite something seeing of this many gravestones [Music] lights are going on it’s dark here at time Court the sun is down and now we are off because we’ve got the longest leg of our journey still to go [Music] quick fuel up and off we go [Music] [Applause] [Music] time is 8 30. I’m looking forward to getting some grow if I’m honest it’s been a good day but it’s been a long day [Music] so you arrived at our location the Ibis Budget Hotels cheap and cheerful how much is this room this one was about 40 euros again so 30 pounds 30 pounds 40 euros I mean that is cheap right it’s about time we get in there we get a shower changed and uh then we’re gonna get some food because it’s been a long day you enjoyed it yeah it’s been great you enjoyed it yeah oh yeah so we are in our room for tonight um but it’s not going to be much of a tour so I’m gonna take a long as it Andrew no so we’ve got that much but you can tell it’s a budget room because you’ve got to make your own bed yeah this is no five star this is on a budget so here is to the first day it’s been an epic day I mean it’s massively enjoyed both of your company I think we’ve made a good team right cheers cheers to that so the time is eight o’clock we stayed in the hotel behind us and we slept pretty well good dinner out in the middle of Leo now we’re heading to Ru Bay 100K to go before we make it to Calais so we’ve got a bit of a Race Against Time so we’ve got to make the ferry back home ready for work on Monday anyway we’ve got to get rid of along we’re an hour late because we slept in and now we’re heading to Ruby which I’ve never been before so pretty excited to get to that fellow Joe oh no I knew I’d forget something [Music] it’s in the morning we’re just leaving Andrew went to grab my phone which is ideal and now the guys are running light because we’re coming come back to Leo we just wanted to see the Ruby velodrome so let’s get on the bike so let’s get going let’s go [Music] is there anything more French than a tree land Avenue nothing I think [Music] so guys do you want to race I think it’s time before we get kicked out we should um well see who is the fastest I’m fully weighted up so you guys have got Head Start we’re shooting fastest that’s right we’re ready to race moving on ready Francisco ready right three two four [Music] with a photo finish to confirm the winner and a very questionable lunge from Andrew are fun on the track was over and it was time to get serious and get back on our bikes a quick update we’re leaving Andrew’s doing a pirouettes we’re leaving the Ibis for the second time we’ve been through Bay we loved it I mean it was genuinely a bit of a bucket list thing to do is to go and ride on a Pirate Bay velodrome and now the Raiders decided to come down but we are headed to a little cafe India for a bit of pudding to kind of fuel us for the next I reckon we’re gonna do like 30 40 games so we’re gonna fuel up and get into that rain and we’re gonna enjoy it all right good to go seeing as we’re on a budget where you couldn’t really afford a coffee in a posh place so uh I got us breakfast but muffins selling 12 euros fresh from France good to use Renee McMuffin this is The Not So Glamorous side wet it’s windy it’s pretty gross [Music] how you doing Francisco yeah that’s bad proper Adventure now yeah buddy you’re so King man yeah yeah I think I am but yeah pretty good silly Andrew mate you’re so cute you are absolutely soaking buddy dredge through oh my God and Andrew is just grabbing a snack what on Earth you’re eating there all blocking units everywhere oh my God Andrew [Music] with the rain coming down and the temperature plummeting we tried to keep the pace up so that we could keep nice and warm but it was fair to say Andrew I think was starting to feel the cold [Music] the last 40K is being pretty tough it’s uh I think I bonked at some point got a bit tired but uh nothing a Big Mac can’t fix so now we’re heading down the port but we’re doing it the scenic route so we’re going along the canal of the Calais Canal um just for a bit of scenery because you know why not Andrew yeah it’s been in a Motorway uh yeah [Music] oh my gosh it’s so wet [Music] I don’t know if you can see this but it’s absolutely pooing it down yeah it really is what do you think so why are we why have we gotten wrong so you know when you took the rides and went all the way along here yeah because we’re getting back the access to the ferry for bikes is that way wow [Music] [Applause] we made it what a journey it’s been adventurous because I’ve enjoyed it it’s been interesting never thought I’d go bike packing with people I’ve never met before but I haven’t left [Music] our adventure has returned back in Calais with a few soggy passports and three very wet and cold Riders we arrived here having just met with one thing in common we loved riding bikes we now return having made great memories and cemented a good friendship guys our journey is complete we’ve arrived back in Calais we are all in one piece we’re not too cold we haven’t got hypothermia and we survived Andrew’s adventure and behind us like today in front of us Dover and also in front of us Monday morning and back to work have you got any last words about the trip well it’s been an amazing trip I’m glad that the girls came and joined us yeah so it’s yeah it’s been amazing we’ve had a tough day today but it’s been great to be cycling together and to make it Kelly safe Andrew but I think the key takeaway for me is to show that anyone can do it and we’ve done it on a budget so so how much did it cost us to get from London to Lille and back so I think it’s about 90 pounds in the end so it was 20 pounds of Trades down to and from October then we had 20 pounds each way on the ferry 30 pounds um in total for each Hotel so divide that by three ways that’s henna each yeah and all it’s left to do is buy some food and you’ll see us have all sorts I think yeah and we really didn’t spend a huge amount of money there it was about 30 pounds each for food or about maybe about 50 Quid so in total we’ve spent 140 pounds so uh 160 Euros for this entire trip which we’ve done a weekend and we still haven’t missed any works there you have it if we can do it you can do it let us know in the comment section below if you enjoyed this video don’t forget to give this video a big thumbs up if you enjoyed it fantastic thank you but Andrew Cisco for taking me on this epic journey I just absolutely loved it and I can’t wait to tell man on side Connor Dan and all the friends to uh to come along with these guys on their next trips anyway we’ll see in the next video take it easy the golf sells bye