Love to Ride in Shetland with Winter Wheelers

Shetland’s open spaces, well-maintained roads and spectacular landscapes make the islands an excellent place to enjoy cycling – all year round.

Cyclists in the islands are being encouraged to get out and get pedalling as part of the Winter Wheelers campaign organised by global biking organisation Love to Ride.

It runs from 1^st to 25^th December and is all about embracing the colder weather, getting wrapped up and enjoying the exhilarating experience of cycling. And getting out and about while the days are shorter is a fantastic way to keep your spirits up and boost your energy levels.

Shona Park is Love to Ride’s community engagement manager in Shetland. She said: “There are many benefits to getting on your bike – it’s fun, good for physical and mental health, and has a minimum impact on the environment. And in Shetland, you get to enjoy amazing scenery while breathing in the fresh air.

“It does get windy and wet, but there are many crisp calm winter days too, when it’s ideal to get wrapped up and get outside. There’s nothing more exhilarating than a winter bike ride and the benefits make it worth the effort.”

Winter Wheelers is an annual event now in its eighth year, and Love to Ride is determined to demonstrate that riding in winter doesn’t need to give you cold feet!

And with 1,000 miles of road to explore, smooth roads, and low volumes of traffic Shetland is an excellent place to enjoy the experience. You can also hire bikes and e-bikes or take advantage of the network of leisure centres and use an exercise bike to get the physical benefits, without the chilly air or invigorating breeze!

To encourage more people back onto their bikes, the Shetland campaign has teamed up with the community-run Speldiburn Café in Bressay, the island just across the water from Lerwick.

All Love to Ride participants will get a £2 voucher to spend in the café. What’s more there are excellent cycling opportunities in the isle, offering fantastic views over Lerwick Harbour and out to the North Sea.

Shona said Winter Wheelers is an all-inclusive challenge that welcomes both seasoned riders and those who haven't been on a bike in years (or ever). Riders will gain access to quick courses and a wealth of tips and informative articles to help boost their biking confidence.

All participants will receive personalised emails to help them overcome their specific barriers and to guide them toward riding in a winter wonderland. If you don’t have a bike or struggle to get outside you can take part on an indoor bike either at home or in one of Shetland’s excellent leisure centres.

• Register for free at www.lovetoride.net/shetland
• Log your bike rides before midnight to enter the daily prize draws
• Invite others to take part for more chances to win

Inspired to get out and about in Shetland? Discover more wonderful winter activities.