BikeSurfBerlin logo: “Two legs good. Free wheels better.” Designed by Tim Warden. Image courtesy of BikeSurfBerlin.

Graham Pope and Andrew March wrote this guest post on BikeSurfBerlin and cycling tips in Berlin. Pope is the co-founder of BikeSurfBerlin – bikesurf.org – a project which lends out bikes for free (donations welcomed) in Berlin. March is an environmental engineer, sorts out the tricky IT stuff for the project and has biked thousands of kilometers within the Berlin city limits.

BikeSurfBerlin is our bike lending service in Berlin.

We differ from other bike lending services in that our users (aka BikeSurfers) are under no obligation to pay for riding our bikes. However, donations of bikes, bike parts and cash are welcomed to help keep the project sustainable. We utilize the same trust system as BeWelcome and Couchsurfing and this obviates the need for us to take a deposit or documentation from the BikeSurfer.

In 2012, Pau Simo and Graham Pope founded the bike lending service in Berlin to enable people to have free access to green transport in a bike-friendly city. Since its inception, over 170 BikeSurfers have used the service and the number of bikes available has increased from three to twelve.

BikeSurfBerlin (BSB) now has ten members who provide their expertise in the areas of bike mechanics, logistics, promotion, information technology and fundraising. We organize events including bike rides, puncture repair classes and BSB T-shirt making to help promote both the project and a cycling culture.

By minimizing the costs of running such a service, developing an efficient booking system and relying on the expertise of our team of volunteers, our project has been a success. We are always looking for more volunteers to help us run and expand the service.

BikeSurfBerlin Critical Mass 04/11/13 – BikeSurfBerlin team members (Fabian Barkhau, Graham Pope, Brianna Stracuzzi, Vincent Hermann and Samuel Bryson) with BikeSurfers and supporters. Photo credit: Jerry Springfield.

The process of requesting a bike from BikeSurfBerlin is:

1. Check availability of the bikes on the website
2. Fill in a BikeSurf request form
3. Receive the location, name and combination number of the bike
4. Collect the bike on appointed day
5. Bring back the bike at the end of the lending period

This non-monetary, trust-based system is viable. To further encourage the growth of a network of BikeSurf projects, we are developing www.bikesurf.org and guidelines on setting up your own BikeSurf branch can be found on our website. Other plans include establishing our project as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and finding appropriate sponsors to help financially support us.

Graham Pope and Pau Simo (July 2012) heading to Pottsdam for a weekend. Photo credit: Samuel Bryson.

5 Berlin Cycling Tips

Cycling Berlin is fantastic with many rewards, use these tips to make your ride even better:

1. Are you a vehicle or pedestrian? Bikes, like vehicles, stay in their lanes, signal to pass and turn, and wait behind lights. Pedestrians are slow and use sidewalks and crosswalks. Not only is this the safe option, but the legal one – you can get fined for sidewalk riding and running red lights.

2. Suitable locks and locations! You want to keep riding, so it’s good to invest in a lock, then attach it securely. Try a heavy chain lock or U-Lock or combination to go around your frame and wheels. Be smart, attach securely.

3. Avoid cobblestones, they are uncomfortable. Check Google maps for the “Bike” view and try to follow streets with solid green lines (bike lanes) or dotted lines (bike-friendly streets).

4. Bbbike.de – Discover this route planner for cyclists in Berlin. Make bike-friendly route calculations, this will also help you find dedicated bike paths.

5. Park love: Berlin has a great number of parks that are fun to explore by bike. Try Treptower, Hasenheide, Tempelhof, Volkspark Friedrichshain, or tackle the hill at Viktoriapark.

Read about more Green Travelers.

Cinque Terre’s Via dell’Amore. Photo credit: Amanda Ruggeri/Walks of Italy.

In this Green Traveler, Stephen Oddo writes about walking in Italy.  He is co-founder of Walks of Italy, a responsible travel company that offers walking tours, day trips and authentic experiences all across Italy. Previously, Walks of Italy has written A Florence Green Guide; A Rome Green Guide and A Venice Green Guide.

Walking has for centuries been a major method of trans-Italian transportation.

The ancient Roman troops marched to battle across their vast network of roads; pilgrimages in the Middle Ages crisscrossed borders to reach holy sites. Nowadays, it’s far less necessary to make long walking treks, but adding a bit of walking into your Italy holiday can bring you closer to the country’s hidden gems and rural hamlets.

Walk all over Italy in 81 seconds: Take Walks – All Over Italy. Video courtesy of Walks of Italy.

The popularity of Cinque Terre and its association with great walks such as the Via dell’Amore certainly makes it noteworthy. These quaint fishing villages enveloped by steep vineyard-covered cliffs boast breathtaking views and tourist-friendly locals. However, following the tragic flooding in October 2011 there are still frequent closures to many of their walking paths. Additionally, mass tourism to the area soared over the last 10 years, often turning the secluded, rugged feel to the paths into a crowded march of map-wielding tourists.

When traveling in the busier months, there are alternative hiking paths that boast equal beauty and, in my opinion, an even more authentic “off-the-beaten path” feel. One such path is the Sentiero degli Dei or Path of the Gods, high in the hills overlooking the Amalfi Coast.

People frequently confuse the Amalfi Coast’s location with its popular tourist lodging town Sorrento. In fact, Sorrento is found on the Sorrento Peninsula, whereas the Amalfi Coast forms part of the Gulf of Salerno. One of the best known towns on the Amalfi Coast is Positano, and it’s from here the ancient Sentiero degli Dei departs. It offers a similar experience to the Cinque Terre, and perhaps a little more: spectacular views across vineyards, vestiges of ancient ruins, and of course the sea as you’re drawn skyward from the coast. The path concludes at Agerola — an 8 km path with a 600-meter ascent in all — and takes about 5-7 hours depending on your pace. It is not for the faint of heart as much of it is uphill along steep cliffs with sheer drops, so if you suffer from vertigo, this walk is not for you. You can also take the walk in reverse and do most of your walking downhill.

The Sentiero degli Dei is not the only trail in the region. A bit of research into walking trails of the Gulf of Salerno yields many more options of differing lengths and difficulty levels. As for lodging in the area, there are a few agriturisimi — Italian farmhouses known for their hospitality, authentic feel, and amazing cuisine cooked up from ingredients grown right on the farm. And since you’re already in an area with so much to see, you can take walks of the more famous sights like ancient Pompeii, or along the crater of Mt. Vesuvius — both services offered by my company Walks of Italy. One thing is certain: adding walks in your Italy travels will only serve to enrich your experience!

Scenes from Sark: (TOP) Cyclists in Sark Vineyards; (MIDDLE) Beauregard view to Little Sark and (BOTTOM) La Coupee sunlit. Photo credits: Chris George & Sark Estate Management.

Hendrik Lessing wrote this guest post about Sark Island Hotels, a collection of four classic hotels on the island of Sark, Channel Islands. He has introduced over 80 eco initiatives at Sark Island Hotels.

On the car-free island of Sark, some 600 residents live surrounded by natural beauty, beautiful coastlines and crystal clear night skies.

Imagine a world without cars, where the only ways to get around are by horse and carriage, bicycle or a good old stretch of the legs.

Imagine a place so peaceful and quiet that you really could hear a pin drop; a place located in the middle of the English Channel, surrounded by beautiful, clear turquoise waters. Now wake up and find yourself there, in Sark – Britain’s hidden gem.

The Isle of Sark, located 19 miles off France’s west coast, one-and-a-half miles by three miles in size, feels like a place that time has forgotten. Little wonder that people visiting this island for the first time feel as though they’ve stepped back half a century, but with a few modern comforts thrown into the mix.

Wine expert Oz Clark on his first tasting of Sark wine. Photo credit: Sark Island Hotels.

Retaining Sark’s outward charms, Sark Island Hotels offers visitors to Sark luxury accommodation, superior service and high quality local cuisine.

Minimal environmental impact is the underlying theme supporting Sark Island Hotels’ ethos of sustainability that runs through every aspect of the Company and its operations. There is much that goes on behind-the-scenes at Sark Island Hotels in order to keep this unspoilt idyll the way it is including:

• Recycling and up-cycling of waste streams into reusable products;
• Energy and water efficiency;
• Sourcing locally and
• Community engagement.

A walk around the estate will open your eyes to projects that you would never have expected on such a tiny island. Vineyards, beehives, orchards, market gardens, wind-rows of compost, cardboard briquettes and biodiesel production to name a few.

Sark Island Hotels

St Peter Port

Guernsey, Channel Islands

Website: www.sarkislandhotels.com