the best way to travel to a festival

Shambala 2011 begins for me in a way previously untested. On the Wednesday evening, I arrive at a camp site 50 to 60 miles from Shambala's mystery-shrouded Northamptonshire location (Shhhhhh). The site is beautiful and we are treated to incredible views over the edge of the Chilterns as the sun sits low in the sky. I await the arrival of a group of cyclists who have been in the saddle all day from London, following a route organised by Sustrans.

Sustrans organise rides from major cities over the UK to Shambala. They promote means of travel which are beneficial to the environment and the individual. It's a great charity and I have already tried a number of the national cycle routes supported by Sustrans.

When the rest of the cycle team pull onto site, some are thoroughly worn out, but all are still smiling and it transpires that they have had a great day. A great day which although there are only 16 riders has yielded an incredible 18 punctures!

Among the last group to arrive is Joff Summerfield. Joff is cycling the route on a Penny Farthing that he has built himself! This journey is a mere hop, skip and jump for Joff who has cycled around the globe on his incredible machine. The team’s adventures of the day really began when Joff took a tumble from his machine less than five miles into the days ride. Unfortunately, the untimely spill was whilst riding a canal tow path and it proved to be a wet one! Undeterred, Joff did the cycling thing and got straight back into the saddle.

I had worried about joining the fold a day later than the already tight-knit group but my fears are completely unfounded. I feel very welcome amongst such a great bunch of enthusiastic individuals.

There are a mixture of bikes and cycling experience and as we cycle the beautiful countryside, the off-road trails (sponsored by Sustrans) allow me to have a great chat with fellow riders while taking in some amazing views.

Cycling behind Joff will be a memory I cherish. The reactions from everyone we pass are incredible, and on the short road stretches, the look on the faces of the oncoming traffic rejuvenates weary legs. As we press on along canal tow paths and disused railway tracks, I take in parts of the country that I would never have otherwise experienced.

This really is the best way to travel to a festival. One van carrying the load of bags and tents also means that the carbon footprint of the festival is reduced as well. Something that Shambala takes very seriously.

We converge on a pub a few miles form the festival site where we meet cyclists on Sustrans rides from Sheffield, Birmingham and Bristol. The welcome is incredible, a real buzz. Together we travel the final few miles to the festival site in a huge bike convoy. We are wristbanded on arrival (an altogether seamless task), and we bunch up just inside the gates.

Once all cyclists are in we are welcomed through 'The Tunnel of Love' and supplied with sweets and drinks, we perform a lap of the site on our bikes and receive an astounding welcome. Witnessing the arrival of cyclists in previous years is the deciding factor in joining this year. It really is a privilege to be part of this and next year I vow to do the two days from London! My biggest welcome comes from my wife and two children (aged five and ten – the kids that is, my wife wouldn't appreciate me publishing her age).

Bike locked in the secure compound, and a quick shower later and I'm ready for Shambala (though not quite ready to sit down for a while). Though there is not much programmed for the Thursday evening in a musical sense, a wander is still worthwhile. One of the things I love most about Shambala is the abundance of stages and venues playing music, offering a dance space and encouraging a group of people who really don't need it to forget about what happens for the rest of the year.

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