Author: Zapfly

Day 6: Ewyas Harold to Middleton

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 85
Terrain: Hills – Sustained high climbing

Today was a hard, hard day in the saddle.  We cycled for 13 hours over some of the toughest terrain of the trip and ended up pulling in to the camp ground after dark.  That was not great as the campsite was on a major road and the traffic was unrelenting.

After a sterling breakfast and a generous contribution to the cycling fund by Mark, we started the log slog.  The countryside was undulating to varying degrees of punishment.  We had our first encounter of inclement weather, with a sudden downpour in mid hill climb.  Although we sported out waterproof jackets, the temperature was sufficiently warm as to make us all rather clammy within moments of donning our Gortex.

The landscape was very similar to Devon with perhaps more sheep.  We travelled via Hereford, a rather non-descript town, then northwards to Ludlow, Craven Arms and Church Stretton.  We side stepped Shrewbery and headed over to Oswestry, turning north east to Middleton, where we camped.

13 hours cycling is tough and the setting sun was stressful as none of us had decent lights as we had not intended to cycle in the evenings.  We also got lost which cost us precious time and added another 8 miles to our ride.  However, over coming the challenge was really rewarding.  None of us were up for more than eating, washing and then sleep.  Although we were quite jubilant, none of us had enough energy to share our enthusiasm.

I will remember the day in particular as it was out longest day in the saddle for the whole trip.  Although 85 miles might not seem that far to some, you have to remember that we were on heavy bikes, with large loads, cycling through very hilly terrain.  Add to that the fact that both Mary and I were suffering from knee injuries and were knocking back pain killers periodically; I was really chuffed with the day’s achievements.

Day 5: Yatton to Ewyas Harold

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 72
Terrain: Hills – challenging with some really tough moments

After the pleasure and comfort afforded us by Andrew, we headed off, through the increasingly complex urban streets and cul-de-sacs of Yatton on a glorious sunny morn.  Although we got underway in the rush hour, we soon left the slow moving traffic behind by taking smaller, less obvious routes.

Within half an hour, we crossed the M5 and then headed up towards Avonmouth, via Clevedon and Portishead.  Much of the route was along intense A roads but fortunately the West Country drivers were courteous enough to pass us at a sensible distance.

Avonmouth is an absolute hole of a place where we unfortunately were stuck for an hour or so as the signs were nonsensical.  After talking to a teacher manning the gates of a local school, we found our way onto the cycle path and over to Seven Beach, where we jumped onto the Severn Bridge and crossed our first border.

Wales much not surprisingly much the same as England, save for the broken glass on the cycle track.  We headed towards Chepstow for lunch and found a small grassy knoll.

After filling our bellies up, we took the A466 on one of the best rides of the trip, through the Welsh valleys up to Monmouth.  The mountainous landscape covered in green trees was much like Scandinavia.  We all pelted around the roads at great speed, enjoying the relatively traffic-free roads.

After getting lost in Monmouth, we escaped, taking another very pleasant road, the B4347, north west towards Pontrilas.  We were all pretty knackered as the terrain was very hilly.  All of us were on heavy steal bikes, weighed down by our luggage.  Although we had anticipated that the toughest parts were in Devon and Cornwall, Wales offered equally challenging roads.

We passed through Ewyas Harold ending up in Abbey Dore.  Unfortunately, due to a completely random choir singing contest, we were unable to find anywhere to stay.  We were lucky enough to befriend a local publican who called a few B&Bs in the area, and ended up finding us a lovely room back in Ewyas Harold.

We were greeted by the landlord, Mark, who turned out to be a lovely guy.  He and his daughter invited us in with a very cheery demeanour and cooked us a sumptuous meal, much needed after the long day’s ride.

Day 4: Sanford Peverall to Yatton

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 62
Terrain: Hills – very challenging

We got back onto the canal in the morning to ride northwards. Unfortunately, the pathway was not asphalt and with our steel bikes loaded down with all our gear, we soon had enough of bumping over the uneven ground.

We crossed under the M5 and over towards Glastonbury. From our uncomfortable lunch spot on the recently harvested hillside, we could see the tower in Glastonbury and the looming Mendips in the distance.

We stopped for some sugary energy just shy of an enormous hill, which turned out to be a good thing as the ride up was intense. It took well over 30 minutes of hard climbing to get over the hill. On the other side, we managed to get lost, always a pain when you are tired.

Mary had called ahead and organised for us to stay with Andrew, a family friend based in Yatton. Andrew was a true gent and looked after us well. I am pretty sure we stank when we rolled up as he mentioned that we should launder our cycle gear almost instantly.

This has to be one of the biggest hassles about cycling and camping. Although we wanted to wild camp, you really need a shower at the end of the day, especially if the weather is as warm as it was. You also have to wash your clothes to avoid crutch rot. So, the luxury of being able to both wash and dry our clothes was a real bonus. Otherwise, we were constantly cycling with all our wet clothes tied to the bike bags, looking like a mobile Chinese laundry.

Day 3: Launceston to Sanford Peverall

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 59
Terrain: Hills – some tough hills

We were waylaid in the morning in the local cycle shop as the guys bought some gloves to help with the handlebar sores. The ride out of Launceston was a long, continual climb that certainly had us all in a sweat.

From here we passed into Devon and Dartmoor. Although we got slightly lost and ended up on an A road for a while, the day was most pleasant, albeit fairly hard cycling. The hills of Dartmoor were something I had worried about prior to the trip. As it turned out, they were indeed formidable but the views were stunning.

Lunch was in Crediton, after the most severe hill. I think we were all knackered. From here, we took the main road north towards Tiverton. Unfortunately, this is a road of virtually continuous climbing. When we made it to the crest of the hill, Pete and I cracked our bikes into top gear and cycled like made buggers. I managed to hit 37mph and Pete almost made 40mph.

From there on in to Tiverton, we all lost our mojo a little. After finding some supplies for the evening, we were directed along the Great Western Canal. This had been specifically updated to allow cyclists and pedestrians along it. It was stunning, with the setting sun to our left and the canal to our immediate right.

At the end of the track, some 8 miles from Tiverton, was Sanford Peverall camping ground, an extremely pleasant campsite, certainly better than the dodgy room in Launceston.

Day 2: Perran Porth to Launceston

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 57
Terrain: Hills – challenging

Another fantastic day of sunshine for us, which considering the crappy weather we had had the previous week, was a blessing. We made our way from Perran Porth, up and out of the coastal town and along the north coastline.

We stopped for lunch at Padstow, a really pretty seaside port, festooned with about a zillion holidaying tourists. We were warned in the fish and chip shop where we purchased our food to watch out for the seagulls, which tended to dive bomb people’s lunches, aiming to grab some tasty swag. As it turned out, this was handy advice as we saw other folk being hassled by the crafty birds.

After lunch, we wheeled our bikes down to the beach, via a series of step stairs. Unfortunately, this reset Mary’s bike computer to zero and did some damage to Pete’s as well. From the beach, we waiting patiently in line for the ferry to collect us and take us to the other side of the channel, to a small enclave called Rock.

The ride from the coast to Bodmin Moor was unremarkable. However, Bodmin Moor itself was incredible; definitely one of the highlights of the trip. There, we started a long decline that saw us almost all the way to the outskirts of Launceston. We bumped into a local cyclist who kindly escorted us to the town centre and helped us find digs for the night.

Launceston itself is not so bad but the hostel we stayed in was pretty rough, especially after the two lovely campsites we had stayed at the previous nights. That said, we had an enormous supper and the guys began their campaign to try and get me drunk each night.

Day 1: Lands End to Perran Porth

| Zapfly

Total mileage: 53
Terrain: Hills – very challenging

The first day of the cycle ride was quite challenging. We bought breakfast from the natty van with fresh produce pulled into the campsite. After gorging sufficiently, it was time for us to head down to Lands End for the obligatory photos and signing of the register. Alas, we had to wait until10am for the people who own the sign post to turn up, after which, our register signing mojo had been duly sapped as we were keen to get on our way.

The day was glorious and the sunshine ferocious. By the time we made it to St Ives for lunch, it was in the late twenties. As we were in Cornwall, it made sense for us to try the local delicacies of the region, namely a pasty. Fan-bloody-tastic!

Back on the road and we all plugged into our iPods to bliss out on some fine tunes. The landscape became ever more challenging as the north Cornish coastline undulated, dropped down dramatically to greet the sea, then rising sharply towards the heavens thereafter.

Mary had been concerned that Pete and I would zoom off, so she became the official pace setter for the journey, as well as the map reader. This turned out to be one of our finer decisions as both Pete and i are rubbish at orienteering.

Arriving in Devon

| Zapfly

Saturday, 26th July

Finally, we are off. I boarded the train from Paddington to Penzance. Two stations down the line, Pete and Mary joined the train in Taunton. I was still worried that my bike was far too heavy yet equally concerned that I did not have all the kit I needed with me. However, once we got off the train at Penzance, the warm afternoon sun and calm roads soothed my worries.

We ended up cycling about 12 miles to the camp site, where we were greeted by perhaps the most hospitable campsite owners in the UK. They cracked open a few beers and chatted away to us for a while. The setting was serene and incredibly quiet, which was great as we needed to get some sleep.

Prior to sleep, we headed out to get some grub. However, Lands End ain’t London and nothing was open, so we ended up having to carve slithers off from the picnic table and garnish them with some woodlice. Nice.

Only a few hours now…

| Zapfly

So, the night before the big adventure starts and I have to admit I have a sizeable dosage of the jitters. Not for any bad reason I just always get them before I embark on some new adventure. As far as endurance events go, this will be longer than any mountaineering or trekking campaign I have undertaken thus far.

The bags are all packed and even though I have ditched a load of stuff, I am not convinced that I am as lightweight as I should be. That said, carrying a few extra kilos might mean better preparation for any extreme moment we might encounter.

It would be great if anyone who reading these blog entries leaves a comment or two along the way as otherwise one feels disconnected to the rest of the world.

Anyway, off to sleep now, perchance to dream even (of cycling no doubt).

One day to go

| Zapfly

I would have to admit at this point in time, I am a little nervous – nervous in a good way but nervous nonetheless.

Tomorrow is the day I leave for Lands End. Pete and Mary are due to catch the ferry over from Guernsey this afternoon. For them, the reality and enormity of this adventure is even more immediate.

Strangely enough, the most poignant thing I am concerned with is not fitness or the route but weight. I have packed my bags and they were heavy. So, I ditched a load of stuff, repacked and guess what, they are still heavy! One of the most common things I have read from other cyclist’s blogs and books is that they wish they had taken less stuff. However, we are likely to see all types of weather along the way and the last thing you want to be is cold, wet or uncomfortable.

Having to wash kit pretty much every day to keep the latent weight down reminded me of my time in South America, whilst on an Operation Raleigh expedition. Though the day was far less complicated in terms of activities vying for one’s attention, it was the necessities that were first and foremost: Collecting wood, building a fire, cooking, sleeping and chores. Long evenings were spent entrenched about the campfire, regaling the collective with stories and jokes. Mercifully, there were no ‘Kum Ba Yah’ moments.

We hope to maintain this blog on a regular basis, provided Orange can get their act together and deliver my new mobile phone to me today. It has been fantastic not having a phone for a month but I think the poor bugger who was passed on my old mobile number will probably be thankful if I manage to get reconnected so people stop pestering him.

Stay in touch and keep reading!