Go West: London to the Welsh Coast – 8 Days, 2 Wheels and a Whole Lot of Hills

by Steve Silk

"A joyous rallying cry for middle-aged couch potatoes everywhere" - Mike Parker, author of All the Wide Border

"Steve's adventure reminds us all that wildness and countryside is never more than a bike ride away" - Alastair Humphreys, author of The Boy Who Biked the World

What would happen if you got on a bike in central London and didn't stop riding until you hit the Welsh coast? Steve Silk, the best-selling author of The Great North Road, provides the answer over eight days, 300 miles and rather a lot of hills

Admittedly, he doesn't take the direct route. Country lanes replace dual carriageways, castles and museums are preferred to service stations and there's even a day-long diversion down the River Wye by canoe.

But seen from the saddle, he gets a much more intimate view of historic towns and cities like Oxford, Gloucester, Monmouth and Carmarthen, as well as the spectacular scenery in between. After all, which other direction out of London can offer three areas of outstanding natural beauty and two national parks in such short order?

Join Steve as he rides solo across England before being joined by three of his cycling buddies for the tougher terrain of Wales. Enriched with legends, humour and tales of friendship, Go West is a must for anyone who has dreamt of a cycling adventure.

Genres: Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 10, 2025

Reviews

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stave Silk goes on a journey cycling from London to Fishguard, he takes a leisurely pace, which means he gets to appreciate his surroundings far more. He’s definitely a history buff and the book is littered with the history of the places along his route. For me, there was too much history, at the start it was interesting, but got a bit much for me after a while. That being said, it was interesting to discover towns, villages and places I’d never heard of before. I also have to admit the thought of doing something similar is quite appealing!

If you like cycling, Britishness and history this book is definitely for you!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Summersdale for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this cycling travelogue from London to Fishguard mixed with history and cycling

[Tim Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Two wheels makes better humans of us all" reflects Steve Silk before pedalling away from St Paul's Cathedral on his way to Wales. And he's right of course. Slow travel allows the author to absorb the gradual changes in landscape, buildings and people. We are especially rewarded when he turns off the thundering A40 to take the path, lane or trail less travelled. Blood, sweat and tears is evidently invested in the riding and - for the non-tourer like me - there's humour in the fussing over pannier bags, coffee and cake breaks, maps and apps. (Easy for the armchair reader to say that!) What I most enjoyed, though, was how much I learnt along the way - extensive research translating into colourful pen-portraits of places like the Windrush Valley, Burford, Gloucester and the Mon and Brec Canal. In summary, this is a great read about some lesser-known corners of our country passed through slowly in the saddle. Highly recommended - whether you cycle or not.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent travelogue about a bloke who rides a bike from London to west wales. There’s loads about the towns and villages on the way, their history and current state but we rarely hear from the inhabitants. It seems to set itself up as a Stuart Maconie style cycling book but for southerners. That said I enjoyed it. He has a good turn of phrase and can make the dullest things seem interesting. One excellent part was that he seemed unafraid to show his inner nerd and his friends tolerated it, even if they may not have liked it. Interesting too that when I ride my bike with friends we also go into silence on climbs. Netgalley arc.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which a cyclist takes himself and his bike from London to the Welsh coast. Which is fine, but while this felt amenable and friendly, it really did not have anything necessary about it. He declares it "my kind of holiday" – and you feel that other travel books come from more serious travel than this. He kind of follows the A40, but doesn't, he kind of rides in the tracks of an author from a hundred years ago, but certainly doesn't do that religiously – and when he picks up three drinking buddies halfway you see this for a cosy jolly. We all like them, of course, but they don't seem to make for essential reads. Strictly for two-wheel enthusiasts.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, reading it in "real time", one chapter a day to follow his full eight-day journey. This isn't a soul-searching memoir nor strictly a travelogue, but he catches the true spirit of cross-country cycling with his acute sense of curiosity, spontaneously going off the planned route into little side journeys which are rewarded with discoveries and other surprises. That same curiosity rewards the reader with the histories of sights and buildings and old Roman paths along the way. That's the beauty of long-distance cycling, which Steve Silk communicates with candor, warmth, and subtle humour. He leaves me tempted to strap a pannier on my bicycle and hit the road.