Top campsites to visit · Cycling in Plymouth: reading answers

Woodside Park

This campsite, which opens in the summer months only, is in the middle of a country park. The site is next to a large lake and there's woodland nearby to explore. If you don't fancy sleeping in a tent, you can book a pod. These are all heated and furnished with beds. Facilities on site include hot showers and a small shop.

Treetops Farm

This campsite, which is on a working farm, is open all year. The site itself is a car-free zone and you'll need to park near the farmhouse and carry your belongings and tent to the camping area. The facilities are simple but the washrooms, which are closed daily for an hour from midday for cleaning, have free hot water for showers.

The Downs

This campsite, which is open from April to November but closed during the coldest months, is surrounded by beautiful countryside that's perfect for cycling and walking. Facilities on site include a laundry room as well as showers and a small shop. There's a pub that serves hot food each evening in the nearby village, which is only a ten-minute drive away.

Bluewater Bay

This perfectly flat grass campsite, which is open in the summer months only, is only a few minutes' walk from the beach. There's a shower room on site and also a farm shop (which is open until 8 pm), where you can buy anything you need for a BBQ. If you haven't got a tent, the site offers pre-pitched ones that can be rented by the day.

Dean Park

This large campsite, which is open all year, offers a range of facilities. As well as several shower rooms and a café serving cooked meals daily, there's an indoor pool and games room. For anyone keen on countryside walks there are miles of footpaths in the nearby national park.

Rock Harbour

This small, family-owned campsite has space for 50 tents and is only open in the summer. It's just a five-minute walk to the sea so is perfect for anyone looking for a beach holiday. There's a small shop on site and there's always someone in the campsite office from 9 am–9 pm if you need assistance or have a problem.

Cycling in the city is relatively stress free. As well as providing a growing number of cycle paths that are traffic free, local government has also added dedicated cycle lanes to many routes. A journey in the city by bike is generally quicker than the same journey by car – especially at peak times, and you can travel door to door, which saves additional time. A further benefit of cycling is that it's cheaper than running a car – even if you include the cost of an occasional taxi. It's also good for you: you'll need to cycle for a recommended minimum of twenty minutes a day if you want to improve your overall fitness.

If you've only recently decided to take up cycling, summer is a good time to start. However, the weather is rarely so bad in Plymouth that it will stop you cycling. To get started, you can hire a bike – various apps are available where you are charged by the hour. If you want to buy a bike, you should think first about the size you'll need and what you plan to use it for – commuting, shopping or recreation. When selecting your bike, it's helpful to remember that ones with lighter frames and good gears make cycling easier, but are more expensive.

Although most train companies allow bikes on their trains, there are peak-time restrictions. Therefore, if you want to take a bike on a local train at peak times, you will need one that folds up. Even outside peak times, most trains have limited space for bikes of any kind so a reservation in advance of your journey is essential.

If you plan to maintain your bike, you'll also need to buy certain equipment: a pump, a spare inner tube, and tyre levers for mending punctures. If you get a puncture, see if you can find out the cause, such as a piece of broken glass, and remove it. If you need to replace an inner tube, its size is usually shown on the tyre.