Here's the thing: I don't like ads, either, and I genuinely don't like having ads on #WillCycle. I don't want any sort of paywall, either.
In a perfect world, all of the sites content and functionality would be free and open to everyone.

I tried that for several years. It didn't work.

I tried the old "Buy me a coffee" link. Despite one route guide have had over 500 000 views, the ONLY coffee I was bought was by a friend, as a joke, after I expressed frustration.

Membership on WillCycle costs 7 pence per day, which you have to agree is phenomenal value for money. Just for not seeing ads, it's worth it, and that's before we get to the additional functionality available to members.

Of course, you don't have to become a member, but then you will see ads.

I have had 2 people this week complain about my strategy. Decent web hosting costs money. Various other things I do to create good content for the site costs money. I don't get paid from the site, as the income doesn't cover all the costs.
Instead, I subsidise the site, every month.

That's in addition to the time I put into the site. Just development time this month alone was over 80 hours of my time.

But people want all that for free. People seem to not give a damn about the cost (to others) of making such a site available.

From the #WillCycle archives: On the bright side

Lights. We all-too-often hear about drivers ranting about seeing cyclists riding at night, without lights. Ignoring for the moment that they admit they saw the cyclists, the fact is it...

https://www.willcycle.com/adventure/on-the-bright-side/

From the #WillCycle archives: #RubbishRide

I'd wager that, like pretty much all of us, you too are fed up with rubbish along your favourite cycle routes. We know that cyclists aren't usually the problem. If...

https://www.willcycle.com/adventure/rubbishride/

From the #WillCycle archives: Climbing the Colombier – Part 2

This is the 2nd part of Roy Everitt's guest posts about cycling up the Grand Colombier in France, on a laden touring bike. If you missed it, Part 1 is...

https://www.willcycle.com/adventure/climbing-the-colombier-part-2/

From the #WillCycle archives: An Older Cyclist

There's a reason why some of the rides I organise are called "Travelling Ouballie" rides. If you don't know what an "ouballie" is, or how to pronounce it, I suggest...

https://www.willcycle.com/better-world/an-older-cyclist/

From the #WillCycle archives: Up where we belong…

Hills. Love them, or loathe them, but hills undeniably make cycling more interesting. The thing that determines how you feel about hills isn't found in your muscles. Instead, it exists...

https://www.willcycle.com/adventure/up-where-we-belong/

From the #WillCycle archives: Aero Bars On A Touring Bike

Aero bars, also called tri-bars, are attached to your bike's handlebars, with the primary purpose to get your body into a far more aerodynamic position. They're mostly used by riders...

https://www.willcycle.com/cycle-touring/aero-bars-on-a-touring-bike/