Great to meet Rony Robinson @Rony37 to talk about my new book, “Bells and Bikes” on the Radio Sheffield morning show on 7 December 2015.

You can catch the interview on iPlayer until 7 January 2016.

Click here to listen. My interview is 10 minutes long, from 01:35:22 to 01:45:15. The warm up act is a chart topping hit by Wet Wet Wet, then we get into the real action with anecdotes of Le Tour de France, church bells, Woolly Bikes and even some live handbells on air from my bag.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p038d5s1#play

There’ll also be a clip out soon on the Radio Sheffield website where I talk about Ecclesall Church Handbells, to seek a mix and match to get a proper octave going. We filmed that shortly after the interview with Rony.

My book is now available on Amazon (search Bells and Bikes by Rod Ismay) and also at the following  outlets – Russell’s Cycle Shed (Sheffield Railway Station Cycle Hub), Bradfield Post Office, Cycle Penistone and West Tanfield Post Office. Discussions under way with more outlets around the county.

Here’s what happens when you receive a copy of “Bells and Bikes” through your letterbox. This could be you! Order online at

https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/categories/cycling/bells-and-bikes.html

This one arrived with the postman as we were visiting. Priceless moments 🙂

The ideal Christmas present! Check out the fantastic cover and synopsis at

https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/categories/cycling/bells-and-bikes.html

More information at

https://bellsandbikes.com/book/

Fourteen months after the Tour raced out of Yorkshire and back into France, there is no shortage of Tour legacies across the county. There’s ever more cyclists out there, hopefully a few more bellringers and loads of bunting and yellow bikes.

Here is a selection of photos I took last weekend on my way back from Barnsley to Sheffield via the Cote d’Oughtibridge and Worrall.

Now just wait for my book. You’ll love the photos in there!

Ripe blackberries grow through yellow bike above Grenoside.

A tough climb, packed with fans last July.

Bunting makes a shopfront

#Drink

Wherever I go, Le Tour goes

Bike wheel sculpture in Worrall

This way to the Cote d’Oughtibridge

Whitchurch Canonicorum is a beautiful old church down steep lanes just inland from Charmouth in Dorset. It has a really friendly band of local ringers and is supplemented by The Five Bells pub up the road and eight* bells up the tower. (Eight for ringing in the recently renovated frame and one for chiming in the old frame). Having rung at nearby Chideock a few times and been kindly invited to pop over, it seemed a great place for a bit of bells and bikes cross country cycling action!

Here, we see the route from Chideock to Whitchurch Canonicorum, via Butt Lane which in turn means via a corn field.

The Five Bells serves a goodly pint of Palmers, the Bridport brewery just a few miles away.

Bellringing practice night is Tuesday 8pm. Recommended.

A great set of bells. A beautiful church. A wonderful friendly welcoming band. And a good pint.

That’s what I call a bike ride 😉

Yorkshire church bells dominated the airwaves a year ago. You can still listen to some of it on iPlayer.

Sunday 6 July 2014. York Minster bells rang a quarter peal as the Tour de France peloton rode past. The Minster bells also featured on BBC Radio 4  Bells on Sunday that weekend.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b048j433

Chapel Allerton bells featured on Bells on Sunday the weekend before, 29 June. They were also filmed by ITV Calendar for inclusion in bellringing on the big screen at Leeds FD Arena in front of 10,000 fans and the world media in the 2014 Tour de France Opening Ceremony. They also rang on race day, Saturday 5 July as the riders processed from Leeds city centre to the formal start and Royal send off at Harewood House.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047w8jz

Meanwhile, Otley church bells featured on BBC Songs of Praise Tour de France edition on Sunday 29 June.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p021rbk5

Have a listen. In fact why not have a go at bellringing. Wherever you live, you know where we are. It’s that great big tower over there…

Join us today (Sunday 14 June 2015) as bikes across Sheffield join Cycle to Church Sunday in support of @SheffChildrens Hospital. 1030am Ecclesall @shftelegraph http://t.co/xZsp1DcaOy

The final countdown is on to our Cycle to Church Sunday, in support of the Sheffield Childrens Hospital.

Join us, with your bike, at 10.30am All Saints Ecclesall. Sunday 14 June 2015.

http://m.thestar.co.uk/news/tour-de-ecclesall-returns-to-sheffield-church-this-weekend-1-7299095

On 14 June, All Saints Ecclesall invites everyone and their bike to join us for the return of our hugely successful Cycle to Church Sunday.

Last year, we linked up with Marie Curie Cancer Care, the charity partner of Le Tour de France Grand Depart in Yorkshire. 209 people came along on bikes and we raised over £1,100 for Marie Curie.

This year we are supporting The Sheffield Children’s Hospital, the charity partner of Le Tour de Yorkshire 2015.

Please do come along. Please arrive by 10.30am and wear your very brightest Yorkshire cycling kit.

Here’s our story in The Sheffield Telegraph in 2014…

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/a-wheely-large-flock-at-church-cycle-event-1-6668583

Here’s how we looked! Join us and get in the frame for 2015. Supporting The Children’s Hospital on the way!