Since the pandemic, I've done lots of things for the first time - filled my garden with colour after planting entirely from seed, made bread rolls from scratch (seeing the dough rise was quite an event) and properly explored my home town.

I also did a few things I hadn't done in some time, the most notable, getting on a bike. And I forgot just how much I loved it.

As this was during the first lockdown, it meant the roads were largely empty, helping me build my confidence and I looked for any excuse to pop somewhere on two wheels.

This simple mode of transport instantly made lockdown feel less 'locked'.

And I clearly wasn't the only one. Everywhere you went, people were out on bikes.

Getting hold of a bike was proving tricky, with many outlets selling out, as more and more people were looking to invest in a means of freedom during a time when every second of it felt like a premium.

All this makes this year's World Bicycle Day seem all the more poignant.

The event was started by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to celebrate "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transport".

It's an activity that all ages can enjoy, and with the UK having made great leaps forward in cycle routes and paths, it's one an entire family can take part in together.

A city break to Copenhagen, in Denmark, a few years ago really proved it can be done successfully on a grand scale, and with the right infrastructure in place, people will definitely use it.

Rush hour was a wonderful display of bikes of all shapes and sizes - there were small children being towed to school in trailers, baskets on the front of bikes full of shopping and even laptops.

And getting parked is no more complicated than if your bike fits, it's parked.

Wrexham-based charity Pedal Power, which offers bikes for all people, of all abilities, know very well the benefits of the bike.

Peter Kennedy, cycling officer at Pedal Power, said: “Here at Pedal Power we love the freedom being able to ride a bicycle gives individuals.

"We are proud to be able to offer this to all abilities with a range of specially adapted bikes in a traffic free tranquil environment."

If you've caught the bicycle bug, you're in luck, as we live in one the most beautiful places in the country, and there are plenty of great local routes to check out.

Fancy exploring your area by bicycle? Check out www.bikemap.net for a range of routes to suit all levels, from short test routes to something more challenging.

For more details local to you, visit Flintshire County Council or Wrexham County Borough Council websites.