Set on Bakewell Show Ground in the heart of the Peak District, the Eroica Britannia festival has rightly gained a reputation of being the most handsome bike show in the UK.
Britain’s “Most Handsome” Festival!
Set on Bakewell Show Ground or more recently at New Haven in the heart of the Peak District, the Eroica Britannia festival has rightly gained a reputation of being the most handsome bike show ever. The closest hostel for both venues is the Reckoning House near Monyash.
There are lots of shopping opportunities, great music and lovely food all served in the Great British Outdoors. Of course this does have it’s draw backs especially with a week of heavy rain just before the show.
But the mud didn’t dampen the fun and everyone who came to our stand at the show was in good spirits. We were giving away free copies of last years guide and selling the 2016 edition at a bargain price. Three great hostels had given us a free holidays for our prize draw and over 350 people at the show choose which holiday they would like to win and entered the prize draw. A £50 voucher for food and accommodation at the lovely Elterwater in the Lakes was won by Liz Wright. An escape to the remote beauty around Badralloch Bothy near Ullapool was won by Michele Simms. A two night stay for four people at the relaxing Ingleton Hostel in Yorkshire was won by Jenny Simms.
It looks like the queen fancies a holiday in one of our lovely hostels! The festival is all about style and retro steel racing bikes, the Heroes of classic cycling. It was great to see the stunning 1940 and 1950 costumes worn by many. Even the staff on the IHUK stand joined in the fun !
The festival is very family friendly. Our favourite activity was the skipping rope making machine. Where children could chose the colours for their skipping rope and turn the handle to make the rope themselves.
The highlight of Sunday is watching the 4500 cyclists coming back into the show ground after their day out on the hills and cycle trails of Derbyshire. Here are the serious cyclists setting off, all on pre 1980 racing cycles. Setting off slightly latter than the Lycra clad cyclists there was a wide range of fantastically attired gentle folk, many with handlebar moustaches, wearing plus fours or flowery skirts. Very Handsome.
1500 of the cyclists received free copies of the 2016 Independent Hostel Guide in their Eroica goody bags, something we plan to repeat next year but this time with a book for every entry. What a fabulous festival. See you at the 2017 Eroica Britannia.
