There is no better feeling than riding with the sun on your back while the UK is still embraced by winter.

The winter training camp is a significant milestone in the season of professional and amateur cyclists alike. It’s an opportunity to dedicate a long weekend or, ideally, a week to cycling, with the sole aim of clocking up high mileage ahead of a season of sportives and racing.

Training camps typically take place between January and May, with riders migrating south in search of warm weather, smooth roads and long climbs. If you’re preparing for an event like the Marmotte or Etape du Tour, a training camp will allow you to ride climbs of a similar length and duration, while also benefiting from valuable hours in the saddle.

Countless tour operators offer organised training camps where all you have to do is book a flight and turn up with your bike (though many destinations offer bike hire) – a well-organised training camp is as close as you’ll come to being a professional rider.

Most training camps will offer a variety of riding groups, with the distance and speed of each ride varying accordingly – but make sure you check to find a camp which works for you. Many operators also offer supported ride weeks where you’ll still log serious mileage but without the intensity of a training camp.

You can also organise a DIY training camp by rounding up a group of riding buddies, choosing a location, and booking flights and accommodation. That way you can dictate your own schedule but may miss out on the structure and local knowledge of an organised trip .

Either way, knowing you have a training camp booked will kick-start your winter training and provide an added incentive – a light at the end of the tunnel – to ensure you arrive in good shape and ready to take on the additional mileage that comes with a week in the saddle.

But where to ride? Here are seven winter training camp destinations to consider.