Did you know that Birmingham International Airport is only around an hour away by train? Not only that but modern and quick security screening means that you might not need to arrive quite as early as the major London airports.
Having recently started a new job requiring occasional travel I now choose BHX as my preffered option for every trip. With flights at convenient times and great connection options it makes for a relaxing journey. What's even better is that some of the direct destinations have great cycling holiday options too, like the Netherlands, Denmark and Spain.
My latest trip to Copenhagen is a great example of this. SAS airlines operate a regular direct flight departing Birmingham at 7:15pm. As I live in North Bicester, this meant I could leave home around 4:10pm, riding across the new Banbury Road juction and onwards to Bicester North in about 10 minutes.
From here, I locked my bike up to the rack and hopped on the 4:27pm train one stop to Banbury. There's no need to change platform as the Machester Picadilly train will arrive around 15 minutes later taking you directly to Birmingham International station. The whole journey up to this point is just over an hour, leaving me over an hour to pass through security and take the short walk to the gate.
Birmingham airport has recently deployed brand new screening machines that mean there's no need to remove any items from your bag, so it's super fast. In the three trips I've taken in the last 12 months, it's not taken more than 5 minutes to get from the shuttle train to the departures lounge. There's also a fast track option on the website for a small fee, although my experience so far has been that it would not be worth it.
The aircraft that takes you to Copehagen is smaller than the jets generally found at larger airports, with a 2-2 seat configuration. This means that not only is boarding fast and fairly relaxed, but you also won't get stuck in the dreaded middle seat.
Copenhagen itself is an absolutely fantastic destination, a true testament to the benefits that everyone can enjoy when cycling is treated as a primary mode of transport rather than a hobby. I had a couple of hour before my first meeting, so I hopped on one of the simple town bikes provided by my hotel and tried out the Harbour Circle route (see here: Visit Copenhagen). This 13km signposted route took me from my hotel in Sydhavnen, through both natural and city landscapes, and back again.
What struck me was the sheer diversity of cyclists using these paths. There were a huge number of cargo bikes packed with kids being ferried to school, but also all types of people on town bikes just getting from A to B. No one was rushing and there was no animosity between cyclists and motorists, the road user hierarchy is well ingrained here.
The ride left me feeling fresh and ready for the day of meetings ahead. I can't wait to return for a more leisurely trip and explore the wider area by bike.
If you're planning a trip away but don't want the stress of driving and parking at the airport, I'd highly recommend giving this a go!
Have you been on a cycle holiday recently? We'd love to feature your experiences on our website. Email us at info@bicesterbug.org