Free your bike for a healthier new you this New Year

Rather than shy away from the great outdoors during the seasonal cold snap, embracing the elements and getting active over New Year can do wonders for lifting the spirits, burning off any Christmas excess, and getting into shape ahead of the summer.

To help provide inspiration for exploring the great outdoors whilst cycling away the winter blues, Sustrans is offering cyclists a free tailored cycle route information pack for their local area.

Suitable for the solo cyclist, couples and families, the Free Your Bike pack is full of handy information including safety advice, top tips for bike maintenance, and a National Cycle Network guide tailored to specific regional areas.

The pack includes suggestions for short or long rides along the Network’s traffic-free railway paths, canal towpaths, coastline and woodland.

Sustrans is welcoming cyclists and would-be cyclists from all over the UK to discover the best places to pedal on their doorstep by requesting a Free Your Bike information pack via www.freeyourbike.org.uk.

Susie Lea, Co-ordinator of Sustrans’ Active Travel projects, said: “January can often be a bleak month following the build up of Christmas and New Year celebrations, not to mention the dreaded ‘Blue Monday’ on 25 January which is deemed to be the most depressing day of the year. By cycling and walking to keep active during the cold season, the chances of feeling down in the dumps are greatly reduced.

“Surveys show that physically active people feel happier and more satisfied with life, so for anyone feeling the post-Christmas strain and in need of an inexpensive day out, try dusting off an unused bicycle or show off a new one to enjoy a leisurely ride along the many scenic routes on the National Cycle Network.”