Coming Soon – Wild Spirit

From the author of Desert Snow comes another brilliantly written, page-turning adventure, told with characteristic honesty, modesty and wit.

Join Helen as she returns to Africa to explore more of the continent, this time by motorcycle.

From Cape Town to the Mediterranean coast, she reveals the captivating allure of Africa’s wildernesses and wildlife, but will her partner feel the same ardent affection?

Helen’s undaunted courage and calm demeanour in the face of adversity belie the battle waging within as she questions whether her fierce independence and craving for solitude and freedom can be constrained by the bounds of her love for him.

Will Helen’s spirit remain untamed like the Africa she so loves?

A memoir and must-read for anyone interested in Africa travel or motorcycle adventures.

Listen to book reading (extract from Chapter 5) with accompanying photographs

Desert Snow

Desert Snow is the story of one girl, one bike and 1,000 beers in Africa. 

By daring to follow a dream and not letting fear prevail, Helen cycled across the Sahara, Sahel and tropics of West Africa, paddled down the Niger River in a pirogue, hitch-hiked to Timbuktu and spent three months traversing the Congo, which she thought she may never leave… 

A lot can change in 2 years, cycling 25,000km from England to Cape Town. So can nothing. Helen takes you with her on the journey through every high and low of her memories and misadventures. She describes a continent brimming with diversity that is both a world away from what she knows and yet not so different at all.

A Siberian Winter’s Tale

A Journey of Discovery driven by the Call of the Wild.

In the depth of winter, Helen Lloyd spent three months cycling solo across one of the most remote, coldest inhabited regions of the planet – Siberia.

In temperatures down to -50°C, she battled against the cold, overcoming her fear of wolves and falling through the ice of a frozen lake. Alone in a hibernating land with little to stimulate the senses, the biggest challenges were with her mind as she struggled with the solitude.

With flashes of humour and riveting, graphic descriptions that will have you living each moment with her, Helen Lloyd describes the fear, uncertainty and joy of riding through a frozen, icy world. 

Yet, A Siberian Winter’s Tale is a touching story full of warm-hearted moments that are gifted to Helen by strangers along the Road of Bones.

Iceland Serow Saga

– A compelling tale of heart-stopping adventure and immersion in nature –

Searching for solitude in the wilderness, Helen Lloyd went to Iceland via the Faroe Islands for the summer of 2018. She found freedom and adventure riding her old Yamaha Serow motorbike, tackling the rough trails and deep river crossings for which Iceland is renowned.

The Land of Ice and Fire is more than crevasse-ridden glaciers and lava-spewing volcanoes. Despite killer sheep, cold winds and driving rain, Iceland’s steaming hot pools, strong coffee and generous people melt snow and warm hearts.

With illuminating descriptions, Helen Lloyd weaves the history and traditions of the country and the colourful characters from the sagas into her own riveting story, which she tells with typical humour and humility.

A must-read for anyone interested in Iceland or motorcycle travel

‘A lovely description of Iceland and the joys and perils of lone biking.’ – Ted Simon

‘Absolutely fascinating.’ – Sam Manicom