Ryan

Hello. I am Ryan and along with my wife Beth and our two children Matilda and Barney, we love all things cycling and exploring. We spend our weekends exploring fun places to cycle and discover and wanted to help other people do the same too. There's no better way to travel than via bike and it's an amazing activity for the whole family to enjoy.

Free Public Play Areas Within the Wakefield District

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Pontefract Park Review

As a Wakefield-based family, we love to explore the free public play areas within the district. The recurring theme with all the recommended parks is that they are completely free of charge and are open to all of the public.

We have chosen a breadth of options located within a 10-mile radius of the city centre so they appeal to all families within the district.

These spaces are managed by the local council and community organisations, ensuring accessibility for residents and visitors. Below is a detailed table of the identified play areas, their pros, cons, and overall ratings, reflecting their suitability for family outings. These ratings are based on our own experience. All free play areas are an asset to the community however some are better updated than others which is reflected in the reviews.

We have also included detailed information on each park as well as links to our reviews of specific parks. This is more extensive with photography from our own visit to the park. Even though we live here there are still parks we are yet to visit so stick with us!

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When Should a Child Learn to Ride a Bike?

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What Age Should You Learn to ride a bike

Learning to ride a bike is a milestone in a child’s life, not just for the physical benefits but also for the confidence and independence it fosters. The question of when a child should learn to ride a bike really should be as EARLY as possible. Of course, we are biased here at Family Cycling 🙂

Our daughter was 4 years old when she was comfortable pedalling, and our son is of a similar age and can cycle, too (although he needs a little more persuasion).

But the question of when is the best age for a child to begin cycling, and how to support them through the process, is one that many parents face.

While the age range can vary depending on the child, evidence suggests that starting early can be immensely beneficial.

In this article, we explore the optimal ages, key stages, and the importance of early cycling, with insights from the UK and other successful countries, including the Netherlands and the Nordic region.

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Case Study: Walking & Cycling to Secondary School – Can we get to 60%?

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Walking Cycling Secondary School

As part of our case study into walking and cycling, we wanted to look at the impact of getting more secondary school students to walk or cycle to school.

The numbers are currently ‘ok’ but should be better. At secondary school age, the freedom and autonomy of cycling/walking to school should be something that is embraced. But what impact could it have on emissions, air quality and the level of cars on the road? Not only that but can it have a positive impact on the mental and physical health of our teenagers?

The scenario-based case study below looks at an 18% rise in students embracing active travel across England to get to and from school.

The elephant in the room when it comes to cars is that we have too many people driving. We haven’t the space or infrastructure to accommodate the level of journeys via car and as such congestion will get worse before getting better.

Let’s dive into the numbers, shall we?

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Case Study: The Impact of Switching to Cycling for Short Family Journeys

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Second Hand Bike

I’ve always been a fan of case studies. They are an excellent way for someone to visualise a situation and are incredibly relatable.

We’ve banged the drum about the importance of cycling to school for the children and parents alike. The data shows it benefits your kids hugely and I have two examples of my own children who couldn’t visualise any other way to get to school, whether via bike or on foot. Once the habits are ingrained they are difficult to break. 

But what about specific numbers and outcomes, and how can we make YOU want to do the same? Introducing our case study series. These will document real-life & fictional families and the benefits of switching your lifestyle to one which is more active. These will look at the financial, social and health benefits of doing so. Not only that but the time angle where if you provide your kids with the tools for independence early, it’s something which will benefit you as adults too in the long run!

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New Financed Car vs a Second-hand car – Why you should switch? (and cycle too!)

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New Financed Car vs a Second-hand car

As you may or may not have worked out I’m not a huge fan of car finance deals and PCPS’s. They trap many people into incredibly expensive finance deals and burden them with huge monthly payments. They are inflexible and unnecessary. Most of the recent tech with cars is tech for the sake of it! I’d much prefer to have the money in my pocket to shape my life in different ways.

In the years of low interest rates, you could argue that having a brand-new car with a monthly payment was worth it. I think those days are gone now. Your typical car finance is nearly 6.9% and many families face the burden of hefty car finance payments, often exceeding £400 per month. With rising living costs and the growing cost of living crisis, more people are questioning whether a new, financed car is truly worth the expense. I would recommend all families question the popular narrative and look at the difference it could make to their lives if they opt out of this.

Families can enjoy significant financial, health, and social benefits by opting for a reliable second-hand vehicle and incorporating cycling into daily routines.

Let’s explore this transformational shift in depth and provide several scenarios to help you make what I believe is a life-changing decision for your health and your wealth. 

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Best Places to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike in West Yorkshire

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Walton Colliery Nature Park

Teaching your child to ride a bike is one of the most rewarding experiences you can share as a parent. It’s a rite of passage that builds confidence, encourages physical activity, and opens the door to a lifetime of adventures.

We taught our daughter in lockdown 2020. She had just turned 4 and we were able to take advantage of the quiet streets and car parks to teach her with ease. It’s a little more challenging in normal times.

With pavement parked cars, busy streets and traffic it’s a real challenge to give your child the wings of cycling unaided to set them free.

Finding the right place to start can make all the difference and since we have started to teach Barney we’ve realised these things need to be carefully thought through!

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best spots in West Yorkshire to help your child take those first wobbly pedals free from traffic and the pressures of other road users. We’ve tested many local spots to find the best places for beginners and the list we have below are just some of our favourites. You’ll understand the types of places we are looking at and maybe be able to find similar ones closer to your home. Most of these are within a 20-minute radius of our home and are regular, familiar places to get started.

The key? Flat, even paths and plenty of space to practice. Here are our top recommendations, along with tips to make it into an entire day of fun versus a grind for you and your child.

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Spurn National Nature Reserve Review for Families

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Spurn National Nature Reserve

One of our hobbies as parents is to find all the awesome things to do within a radius of our home. We live in West Yorkshire which is geographically strong. It’s landlocked but is in the middle of the country meaning you can get places quite easily.

A place which has piqued my interest which we’ve never quite been able to get to is Spurn Point in East Yorkshire. It takes approximately 2 hours from home, which is too far for a day trip. Fortunately, over the Christmas school break, we stayed close to Beverley for a few nights and knew we had to take the trip to Spurn National Nature Reserve.

It’s one of those places when you look on a map you feel you have to go. It jets out from the East Coast and is a small slither of land. It’s quite a wonder, to be honest!

Spurn Point offers an unforgettable mix of natural beauty, history, and hands-on exploration that captivates children and adults alike. Here’s our full review based on our visit over the Christmas school holidays.

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Scout Dike Reservoir Review For Families

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Scout Dike Reservoir

One thing we love about the school holidays is the new places we can visit. Whether that’s a significant car journey away or something a little closer to home; there are always new places to experience.

Over the Christmas school holidays, we visited Scout Dike Reservoir, a fantastic spot for introducing young children to the great outdoors. On the day of our visit, the wind levels were INSANE. Given its location in Penistone, it’s a considerable height above sea level so we certainly felt the wind!

Despite the blustery weather, it turned into a memorable trip that both our children, Matilda and Barney, enjoyed. Here’s a breakdown of our experience and everything you need to know before planning your visit.

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Cycling the Trans Pennine Trail: Denby Dale to Skelmanthorpe Route Review

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Denby Dale to Skelmanthorpe Route Review

As a Wakefield-based user of the Trans Pennine Trail, we wanted to explore some areas outside our home patch. We’ve always liked Denby Dale and Skelmanthorpe. They feel like a throwback to the traditional past of the area. Imagine my delight when analysing the local Trans Pennine Trail routes and I noticed that there’s a connection between Denby Dale and Skelmanthorpe and it’s largely all off-road.

This small section of the Trans Pennine Trail connects the two villages nicely and we couldn’t wait to try it out. We used the car for this one to transport our bikes to the area as we were short of time and we are firmly in the ‘leisure cyclist’ camp.

Starting at Gilthwaites Lane in Denby Dale (Next to Denby Dale Primary School), the route follows a trail winding through a serene mix of open fields and woodland before arriving in Skelmanthorpe. The mast at Emley Moor is always in your eyesight on this trip and although short it’s a nice simple route.

While only a short stretch, this portion of the trail provides a valuable link for locals, offering a practical walking route, enjoyable leisure rides and a way for students of Shelley College to walk independently and safely to school. 

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Knaresborough Leisure and Wellbeing Hub Play Area Review

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Knaresborough Leisure & Well Being Hub

We’ve visited Knaresborough a lot over the last couple of years and we’ve eagerly watched the development of the new leisure centre. Upon a previous visit on the way home, we noticed the leisure centre had indeed opened and included a play area for the kids. We knew we had to check this out!

We recently visited during the Christmas school holidays and discovered a fantastic play area that our children, Matilda (8) and Barney (4), absolutely loved.

The great thing about the play area is its proximity to the centre of Knaresborough. We’ve gone into a little more detail for you below but it’s worth a visit!

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