The first Pedal Portugal guidebook should be available this autumn – a print and ebook version of the Alentejo Circuit.
The whole project is a bit of an experiment as I have no idea what kind of a market exists for guidebooks to cycling in Portugal. On the other hand, I’m having enormous fun writing them!
My original idea was to put the whole of the Pedal Portugal site into book format, built around the touring routes. On the website, you’ve already got free access to Google Maps showing all the routes – and that won’t change. My idea with the books is to give much more detailed directions, distances for individual sections, advice on alternative options and side trips, descriptions of a few interesting places/sights along the way, and ideas for where to stay.
Having started work, though, I had a bit of a change in plan. Rather than try to do the whole thing in one go, I’m going to do short guides for the main routes as individual publications (possibly including some of the day rides), and then do a volume that combines them all.
The Alentejo Circuit – which has easily been the most-looked at route on this site – will be the first guide. I’ve got a good 80% of it done now and hopefully will have it available in print and Kindle format by next month (October at the latest). After that I’ll probably look at either the Sea to Salamanca route or maybe a couple of the shorter ones.
If you’re interested in knowing when any of the guides are available then please add your details to the form below*. Feel free to add any comments in the box – whether it’s ideas for what needs to be in the guides or which one you think I should do next. I’m happy to adjust my publication schedule to fit demand! (If anyone is interested in being a ‘test rider’ for any of the routes and wants an advance copy of a draft version then let me know about that too.)
*I promise I’ll only use your details to let you know about publication dates for the guides. They will NOT be passed on to any third parties.
I’m heading back to Portugal next month. Four weeks of touring around the north with our tandem, exploring new routes. It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it and I promise to return with more routes and rides to add to the site.
The central square in Monsaraz
Pedal Portugal 