The Pre-Loved edit from Shopbop
To share your reaction on this item, open the Amazon app from the App Store or Google Play on your phone.
Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery
Amazon prime logo
$9.97
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Monday, January 27 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 2 hrs 27 mins
In Stock
$$9.97 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$9.97
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Beardless Adventurer and Her Inconvenience: A first-time cycle trip across Europe Paperback – March 24, 2017

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 660 ratings

off. Enter code INSTAPAY10 at checkout. Discount by Amazon. Terms  off. Promo code INSTAPAY10 is saved to your account. Discount by Amazon. Terms  
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$9.97","priceAmount":9.97,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"97","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"K7Xv0S5a%2B6FA3U0H3cY3XDczKktlI1CQqUBaiHmdGMqt%2BuUEzICIc70ynrp5YbXpdmnXXn94OLbsfmEu1Zkj2v7AltgAc9h%2Bj96q%2Fr7iEbBxttFIVB5BNCSKB7EFFQ3VyvvS%2FrOv4JQ4JbY4SAZv%2Fw%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“Inspiring proof that you need neither be under 25 nor even bearded to have a terrific adventure.” Alastair Humphreys, Author & Adventurer When Donna and Iain, a couple in their late forties with no previous cycling experience, decide on the spur of the moment to cycle across an entire continent, you can rightly assume things might not go according to plan. Armed with little knowledge but much determination, they attempt a self-supported cycle tour, carrying everything they need and camping along the way, normally the domain of hardy, beardy adventurers or Olympic athletes. Join The Beardless Adventurer and her inconvenience on their epic and often highly amusing trip through Europe, wondering if they will even make it through the first night or week, let alone 5,000km. Laugh and cry along with them in the both sublime and ridiculous situations in which they find themselves, mainly due to their own incompetence but also to the magnetism they seem to possess when it comes to eccentric or colourful characters. Whether you are a well-seasoned cyclist, or someone who doesn’t know your sprocket from your elbow, you’re sure to enjoy the antics of The Beardless Adventurer and her inconvenience. “Reading about The Beardless Adventurer’s incredible 5000km journey left me wanting to load up my panniers and head off to explore Europe by bike.” George Mahood, best-selling author of “Free Country” & other titles
The%20Amazon%20Book%20Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (March 24, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 250 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1520903693
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1520903699
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 0.63 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 660 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Donna Marie Ashton
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

“When the kids left home and the dog died, we felt the need to firstly push ourselves just that little bit further out of our comfort zone and also to fill a bit of a void. We would do something a bit different. So with no prior cycling experience, or an inkling of what that might actually entail, we decided, on the spur of the moment to announce to family and friends, that we would be riding from The Atlantic to The Black Sea”.

Donna’s first book is about that epic attempt at the 5,000km journey, the scrapes, dilemma’s and the laughter instigated mainly (but not exclusively) by her occasionally rather obstreperous husband and subject matter, also known as Iain. Along with the mountain of rookie mistakes that they made and the colourful characters that they met along the way.

Before writing professionally Donna dabbled in at least 20 different careers (at different levels of commitment, qualification and interest!) including Acupuncture, mentoring troubled kids, teaching, cooking for 80, phlebotomy, instructing Zumba, the obligatory café and shop work and an entrepreneur. Above anything else, she relishes in the unexpected experiences associated with new places, especially the food and the people. Her natural curiosity has instilled in her an insatiable appetite for learning and sharing and has found her studying, teaching and qualifying in subjects as diverse as Ancient Eastern Medicine, human biology, environmental science, English language, midwifery, Nordic walking and Bushcraft skills.

The catalyst of her decidedly positive life outlook was leaving a secure albeit hectic and unpredictable career in the emergency ambulance service, Donna, her husband Iain and two young children planned on a complete change, a nice, normal, quiet life in Devon. The problem was, it would appear that being normal just simply didn’t suit them. With a case of serious wanderlust combined with the knowledge and experience that life can be snuffed out at any minute, they actively decided to live life to the full, take as many opportunities for new experiences that they could find

“I can confirm, I never met anyone who was dying who expressed the desire to have spent more time at work, or wish they had accumulated more wealth, watched more TV or had less experiential memories.”

And so followed an interesting and varied life for a young family, from living in Switzerland, running an international school ski hotel, to ski medics, accidentally becoming involved in the outdoor education industry from France, to Spain, Italy and the UK.

Along with penning her next book, Donna and her handy obstreperous subject matter (aka husband Iain) now have their sights set on another challenge, method and destination as yet undecided! They currently live on Dartmoor National Park in Devon, UK and run an outdoor activity centre for children.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
660 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024
    I enjoyed this adventure tale, with all the ups and downs (literally and figuratively) of the trip, the people met (kind, odd, and everything in between), the unmet expectations, and more. I felt like I was on the trip with them. Having done a few much shorter bike trips myself, I could relate to much of what they experienced. I look forward to reading about their next big adventure that was teased in this book's epilogue.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2017
    The book is entertaining, yet it is too descriptive for my taste. Dialogue would make it more reader friendly. That said, it is worth reading.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2019
    Well, this book is very well written, full of humorous commentary , I actually laughed out loud in several places in this book. The author and husband had an adventurous bike ride and they did it for Charity. Not to bike nerdy or tedious facts on the countryside. Just the right amount in fact. Good Book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2020
    Cycling liver 3,000 miles across Europe is quite an accomplishment especially for novice cyclists. The author and her husband demonstrated the willpower and drive to make the journey. This book is somewhat of a daily journal of their trip. Mrs. Ashton's words brought to life her time on the bike.

    ."Our lives had been stripped down to the real bare essentials, and as such, we had become much more affected by our surroundings than we would previously have thought possible."

    I like to highlight a blurb, a lesson I learned from the book. Life is indeed about what we encounter and how we react to the unexpected. Venturing out on 2 wheels carrying all your possessions for months on end is real, very real. It transforms the person.

    My rating reflects the fact that the author could have shared more positive experiences and interactions which she surely experienced. Read the book to get an insight into how inexperienced bicycle tourists take on a momentous challenge to fulfill a dream
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2017
    Cute, fast, fun read about the happenstance bicycle trip across Europe for a middle-aged couple. Their challenges on one trip overwhelmed my challenges on all my world adventures en total. It reminds me of how dangerous bicycle riding is on highways, but that is overtaken by the interesting and helpful people you meet along those roads. This book reminded me of the importance of being prepared for anything and everything. I found the hand-drawn maps very useful to help follow along on their journey, but kept my atlas handy for additional area information. This will make a good Christmas present for my family and friends. Sincerely, Art "Karts" Huseonica, Sun City, AZ, USA.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2017
    A fun and entertaining book, chronicling the trials and tribulations of Donna and her husband, both novice cyclists, as they undertake a cycling trip across Europe. From finding food, dealing with random and sometimes non existent cycle paths, a bike far too big for her to route finding endeavours, this is a highly amusing story, which will draw readers in and have you willing the couple on from the safety of your armchair!
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2017
    Enjoyed this diary type book. Very interesting first half, then got a bit slow. Not very exciting, but can sense the work of the ride. Found best parts were the people the two encountered. Goodness. Impressed that a married pair got along so well.

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • David Hodgkinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars A 'real' travel diary, no glossy exaggerations!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2022
    Amazon asks 'what did I use this product for?' I did use it for reading and it was perfect.
    A great read and a fun and not so fun insight into what it takes to push on with an adventure 'rain or shine' to come out enriched and undoubtedly stronger and better equipped for more reckless adventures in the future, definitely read this before, after or during a trip. Well done Donna and Iain (for being there!)
  • Cliente Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars libro di cicloturismo
    Reviewed in Italy on August 22, 2019
    ottimo libro ben scritto. simpatiche situazioni ed avventure.
  • terry
    4.0 out of 5 stars I like it and I have a beard
    Reviewed in Australia on August 24, 2021
    I am only a few chapters in, but wanted to put up a positive review of this ebook. What Its not is a travel log of a massive journey across a dessert or mountain range by experienced cycle tourers. It is a type of some significance by first-time mum and dad cyclists. The detail of setting up to leave and early parts of the adventure is very useful and a bit amusing for those, like me, who have done day or overnight touring but who are looking at adventures slightly grander.
    Although I am currently bearded, I think it's a decent read, and the price fits my budget. If you're in lockdown, beard or no beard, get on you a€£¥ and read this book.
  • Sigrid Uxa
    5.0 out of 5 stars The spirit of adventure at its best
    Reviewed in Germany on April 7, 2017
    This is the story of a great journey, told in a way that makes you feel as if sitting around a campfire, sharing travel stories among friends.
    And, in contrast to many other travelogues, there is no hint of bragging, no self-praise and no sign of exaggeration. Why would you, anyway? After 3000 miles on a bike you have plenty of anecdotes to share. An uplifting and inspiring book and recommended reading for anyone who is into biking through europe or into travelling in general.
  • Jan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Comical adventure
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2017
    Lovely easy reading, comical in parts, leading onto wondering what happens next on the next page which is why it's hard to put down, the comical illustrations are well thought out, and very cleverly used where necessary, it's a proper grown up famous five adventure, can't wait for another adventure to happen and to read about and to have a chuckle over