Tim McKenna
@timcyclesthecoast.bsky.social
Bike touring | mental health | food | beer | rugby | Europe | bridges | the coast | architecture | Scotland | big skies | trains | mountains.
Made a friend on the train! 🐕❤️
January 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Made a friend on the train! 🐕❤️
I did a clockwise loop, starting and finishing in Tangier. This was my route 👍
December 29, 2024 at 5:42 PM
I did a clockwise loop, starting and finishing in Tangier. This was my route 👍
Reflecting on what has been a pretty crazy year. As well as the Georgia trip for work, I also was very fortunate to spend the summer cycling round Morocco. My ride started and finished in Tangier, and took in the Atlas mountains, the Sahara Desert, and the Atlantic coast amongst many other places 🇲🇦❤️
December 27, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Reflecting on what has been a pretty crazy year. As well as the Georgia trip for work, I also was very fortunate to spend the summer cycling round Morocco. My ride started and finished in Tangier, and took in the Atlas mountains, the Sahara Desert, and the Atlantic coast amongst many other places 🇲🇦❤️
Three years ago my Christmas plans fell through, so I booked a Christmas Eve train up to Pitlochry, and went cycling and camping in the Cairngorms. It was a challenging few days, with temperatures of -8°C, and that was in the daytime! I rather enjoyed myself though, in a weird, masochistic way.
December 26, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Three years ago my Christmas plans fell through, so I booked a Christmas Eve train up to Pitlochry, and went cycling and camping in the Cairngorms. It was a challenging few days, with temperatures of -8°C, and that was in the daytime! I rather enjoyed myself though, in a weird, masochistic way.
Home alone this Christmas. It's been a nice, relaxing day. A walk first thing, then a bit of telly & a read of my new book. Dinner was roasted veg & a chicken Kyiv out of the freezer. Next up, an early night!
Solidarity with those of you also flying solo. Hope you've had a good day.
Solidarity with those of you also flying solo. Hope you've had a good day.
December 25, 2024 at 7:55 PM
Home alone this Christmas. It's been a nice, relaxing day. A walk first thing, then a bit of telly & a read of my new book. Dinner was roasted veg & a chicken Kyiv out of the freezer. Next up, an early night!
Solidarity with those of you also flying solo. Hope you've had a good day.
Solidarity with those of you also flying solo. Hope you've had a good day.
Last night on the road. It's been an epic journey, but now I am quite weary. Quite looking forward to sleeping in a stationary bed!
I do love the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry though. It's been the start or finish point of many brilliant cycling adventures. Nice way to end.
I do love the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry though. It's been the start or finish point of many brilliant cycling adventures. Nice way to end.
December 18, 2024 at 8:10 PM
Last night on the road. It's been an epic journey, but now I am quite weary. Quite looking forward to sleeping in a stationary bed!
I do love the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry though. It's been the start or finish point of many brilliant cycling adventures. Nice way to end.
I do love the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry though. It's been the start or finish point of many brilliant cycling adventures. Nice way to end.
Quiz question. Am I in?
A. Rotterdam
B. Liverpool
C. Anywhere
D. Rome
A. Rotterdam
B. Liverpool
C. Anywhere
D. Rome
December 18, 2024 at 6:10 PM
Quiz question. Am I in?
A. Rotterdam
B. Liverpool
C. Anywhere
D. Rome
A. Rotterdam
B. Liverpool
C. Anywhere
D. Rome
Another seamless sleeper train journey. Incredible that I've got from Tbilisi to Berlin with everything running on time! Now waiting for my connection to Amsterdam, then the Hook of Holland ferry, and home tomorrow lunchtime. Berlin Central station is pretty impressive.
December 18, 2024 at 8:48 AM
Another seamless sleeper train journey. Incredible that I've got from Tbilisi to Berlin with everything running on time! Now waiting for my connection to Amsterdam, then the Hook of Holland ferry, and home tomorrow lunchtime. Berlin Central station is pretty impressive.
I'm in Vienna. This means nothing to me.
December 17, 2024 at 5:11 PM
I'm in Vienna. This means nothing to me.
Soup in a loaf and chicken paprikash for lunch. That's it for Hungary! Now a couple of hours on the train to Vienna, to pick up the sleeper to Berlin.
December 17, 2024 at 3:24 PM
Soup in a loaf and chicken paprikash for lunch. That's it for Hungary! Now a couple of hours on the train to Vienna, to pick up the sleeper to Berlin.
A boat trip on the Danube. A nice break from all the walking!
December 17, 2024 at 2:43 PM
A boat trip on the Danube. A nice break from all the walking!
My compartment on the 1758 sleeper train from Bucharest to Budapest. It was made up as a double, but nobody else turned up, which is always a bonus. Now about an hour from the Hungarian capital, got the day to mooch about before a 5pm connection to Vienna, to pick up the Berlin-bound sleeper.
December 17, 2024 at 7:36 AM
My compartment on the 1758 sleeper train from Bucharest to Budapest. It was made up as a double, but nobody else turned up, which is always a bonus. Now about an hour from the Hungarian capital, got the day to mooch about before a 5pm connection to Vienna, to pick up the Berlin-bound sleeper.
Construction stopped when Communism collapsed in 1989, with the building 70% completed. There was talk of tearing it down, but the building was eventually finished. It has 1,100 rooms and 2,800 chandeliers, and at just over 4m tonnes, is the world's heaviest building.
December 16, 2024 at 5:17 PM
Construction stopped when Communism collapsed in 1989, with the building 70% completed. There was talk of tearing it down, but the building was eventually finished. It has 1,100 rooms and 2,800 chandeliers, and at just over 4m tonnes, is the world's heaviest building.
The Presidential Palace in Bucharest. The scale of the place is staggering. Construction started under the Ceaușescu regime in 1983. 20,000 workers and 700 architects and engineers laboured round the clock at a cost of $2bn. Meanwhile the Romanian people were starving.
December 16, 2024 at 5:17 PM
The Presidential Palace in Bucharest. The scale of the place is staggering. Construction started under the Ceaușescu regime in 1983. 20,000 workers and 700 architects and engineers laboured round the clock at a cost of $2bn. Meanwhile the Romanian people were starving.
Cărturești Carusel in Bucharest. I've got serious bookshop envy!
December 16, 2024 at 12:11 PM
Cărturești Carusel in Bucharest. I've got serious bookshop envy!
I couldn't make Sofia to Bucharest work on the train, so had to get an overnight bus. No bother, except I barely slept, so I'm tired today. Also, unlike the train which arrives at a civilised time, the bus spits you out into the city at 5.30am when it's -3°C and everywhere is shut!
December 16, 2024 at 11:47 AM
I couldn't make Sofia to Bucharest work on the train, so had to get an overnight bus. No bother, except I barely slept, so I'm tired today. Also, unlike the train which arrives at a civilised time, the bus spits you out into the city at 5.30am when it's -3°C and everywhere is shut!
Despite the weather, I rather enjoyed my wander round Sofia. It sure does have some handsome buildings, plus the centre is quite compact- handy for an old man with dodgy knees!
December 15, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Despite the weather, I rather enjoyed my wander round Sofia. It sure does have some handsome buildings, plus the centre is quite compact- handy for an old man with dodgy knees!
Aside from border control shenanigans at 2am & 3am, the Istanbul to Sofia sleeper was most enjoyable. I paid to share a double, but the train was quiet, so had the compartment to myself. Not bad for €41. Back in Europe for two hours now, have to say I'm not keen on the weather!
December 15, 2024 at 11:24 AM
Aside from border control shenanigans at 2am & 3am, the Istanbul to Sofia sleeper was most enjoyable. I paid to share a double, but the train was quiet, so had the compartment to myself. Not bad for €41. Back in Europe for two hours now, have to say I'm not keen on the weather!
Afternoon boat trip on the Bosphorus. Great fun if you're keen on architecture or just a bit nosey! 🇹🇷👍
December 14, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Afternoon boat trip on the Bosphorus. Great fun if you're keen on architecture or just a bit nosey! 🇹🇷👍
Lovely few hours mooching about in Istanbul. The cake is San Sebastian burnt cheesecake, by the way! Nobody seems quite sure how it ended up here. As if it wasn't calorific enough, the Turks like to pour chocolate all over it. I sometimes forget I'm not riding a bike this time!
December 14, 2024 at 5:40 PM
Lovely few hours mooching about in Istanbul. The cake is San Sebastian burnt cheesecake, by the way! Nobody seems quite sure how it ended up here. As if it wasn't calorific enough, the Turks like to pour chocolate all over it. I sometimes forget I'm not riding a bike this time!
Evening stroll to work some of that dinner off! For anyone that knows Istanbul, I'm staying in central Fatih, near Aksaray metro station. These particular streets are new to me. I rather like them.
December 13, 2024 at 7:50 PM
Evening stroll to work some of that dinner off! For anyone that knows Istanbul, I'm staying in central Fatih, near Aksaray metro station. These particular streets are new to me. I rather like them.
Gone full Turkish in Istanbul! 🇹🇷👌
December 13, 2024 at 6:14 PM
Gone full Turkish in Istanbul! 🇹🇷👌
Dogu Express, part three. As the day gave way to darkness, I folded down my bed and opened a bottle of wine. My compartment companions were an amiable Finn and a stoic Turk. We chatted, I read my book, then nodded off to the rhythmic clickety-clack clickety-clack clickety-clack.
December 13, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Dogu Express, part three. As the day gave way to darkness, I folded down my bed and opened a bottle of wine. My compartment companions were an amiable Finn and a stoic Turk. We chatted, I read my book, then nodded off to the rhythmic clickety-clack clickety-clack clickety-clack.
Dogu Express, part two. Wintry conditions persisted in the morning. The train stopped at Erzurum for 15 minutes, so we got to stretch our legs- and have a snowball fight! After lunch the sun came out, and it was just spectacular.
December 13, 2024 at 7:59 AM
Dogu Express, part two. Wintry conditions persisted in the morning. The train stopped at Erzurum for 15 minutes, so we got to stretch our legs- and have a snowball fight! After lunch the sun came out, and it was just spectacular.