There seems to be something of a pattern developing that the mornings are generally a good run and the afternoon are a bit of a challenge. Today was no exception.
The bonus for this afternoon was meeting Julia and Gordon who cycled with me for a short while and have me directions to Dunsop Bridge which is the geographical centre of the UK. BT put a phone box right on the spot!
Whilst cycling for the last two days I realised how lucky I am to have been able to undertake this trip. Having passed so many areas over the last couple of days where the people are living hand to mouth and only just getting by it feels very self indulgent to be spending as much money as I have done. The value of my bike alone would keep a family going for a good few weeks.
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Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Day 14 - Chester to Wigan
Whilst the CTC routes are picturesque and take in all the best sights, they can be a real pain to navigate so I swapped the CTC route through the Delamete Forest for the A56 which pretty much goes all the way. Today was going to be the first of a two day slog through the industrial heartland of the North West and the day lived up to it pretty well.
The route was easy to follow and the traffic was ok. Quite a lot was on segregate cycle routes! Yippee! The head wind Warrington and Wigan was shocking. Really hope it dies down for tomorrow.
Anyway. Not much to say about today other than hard work. Route is as follows:
A56 to Hoole
Helsby
Frodsham
Sutton Weaver
Preston Brook
Warrington
Winwick
Right along A573
Goldborne
Abram
Wigan
What I would say about today is how friendly everyone is. You simply can't cycle or walk along the road without someone saying hello. It's great. I've had to explain the End to End about 6 times today. Good stuff!
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The route was easy to follow and the traffic was ok. Quite a lot was on segregate cycle routes! Yippee! The head wind Warrington and Wigan was shocking. Really hope it dies down for tomorrow.
Anyway. Not much to say about today other than hard work. Route is as follows:
A56 to Hoole
Helsby
Frodsham
Sutton Weaver
Preston Brook
Warrington
Winwick
Right along A573
Goldborne
Abram
Wigan
What I would say about today is how friendly everyone is. You simply can't cycle or walk along the road without someone saying hello. It's great. I've had to explain the End to End about 6 times today. Good stuff!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Day 13 - Oswestry to Wrexham
Might be quite short as not much on interest on the way.
Route:
Oswestry
Pentre Pant
Weston Rhyn
Chirk Bank
Chirk
Pentre
Newbridge
Ruabon
Erdigg
Wrexham
I stopped in Wrexham to re-fuel and this was the first place that I heard Welsh being spoken. I was hoping to hear a bit more as I wove my way back and forth across the border. Had to be a little careful so people didn't think I was a weirdo hanging around listening to them chatting. From what I could here it is a lovely language with rhythm and musicality.
Driving in and out of Wrexham was interesting as there seemed to be an awful lot of lads in suped up cars who didn't like cyclists. This is the first place where I have been shouted at for simply cycling along and minding my own business. Got called the c word twice in about half a mile!
Anyway, quite glad to be on my way to:
Gresford
Rossett
Belgrave
Finally Chester
The city looks great and need to come back for a proper look around. The racecourse is pretty much in the city centre which would be very cool to go to on race day.
Route:
Oswestry
Pentre Pant
Weston Rhyn
Chirk Bank
Chirk
Pentre
Newbridge
Ruabon
Erdigg
Wrexham
I stopped in Wrexham to re-fuel and this was the first place that I heard Welsh being spoken. I was hoping to hear a bit more as I wove my way back and forth across the border. Had to be a little careful so people didn't think I was a weirdo hanging around listening to them chatting. From what I could here it is a lovely language with rhythm and musicality.
Driving in and out of Wrexham was interesting as there seemed to be an awful lot of lads in suped up cars who didn't like cyclists. This is the first place where I have been shouted at for simply cycling along and minding my own business. Got called the c word twice in about half a mile!
Anyway, quite glad to be on my way to:
Gresford
Rossett
Belgrave
Finally Chester
The city looks great and need to come back for a proper look around. The racecourse is pretty much in the city centre which would be very cool to go to on race day.
Friday, 26 August 2011
Day 12 - Clun to Oswestry
This day is a bit of a detour due to the folk festival being on at Shrewsbury. I got a bit tied up with the traction engines and vintage lorries all trundling along the road to Shrewsbury. Whilst it was great to see all the old vehicles it wasn't great for my lungs as the old PM10 count would have been through the roof . PM10 refers to the particle size of diesel and coal engine smuts that clog up cyclists lungs!!
The route is as follows:
Clun
A488 to Bishops Castle
Lydham
Left at Lydham to Churchstoke
Right at Churchstoke
Chirbury
Kingswood
Fron
Welshpool (re-fueling stop)
I then tried to go north up the A483 which was awful. A narrow road with heavy traffic and the worst drivers so far. I can't say strongly enough how bad the drivers were on the stretch of the A483 north of Welshpool. I have never encountered so many people who were prepared to risk the life of a cyclist just so that they didn't have to slow down. A pox on you all!
OK rant over. As soon as I could I left the A483 at Llanymynech and followed the blissfully quiet back roads to:
Bridge
Morton
Aston
Then I joined the A5 and headed to the Travelodge from there. I got a good deal!
I was asked in the pub last night if I had a sense of progress yet. Probably the thing that I have noticed and enjoyed most is the change in the accent. Whilst only doing 30 or so miles a day there is still a subtle change each day. In and out of Wales today was funny as the accent got very confused. Tonight there is a touch of Scouse. It feels like I'm really getting to the North at last!
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The route is as follows:
Clun
A488 to Bishops Castle
Lydham
Left at Lydham to Churchstoke
Right at Churchstoke
Chirbury
Kingswood
Fron
Welshpool (re-fueling stop)
I then tried to go north up the A483 which was awful. A narrow road with heavy traffic and the worst drivers so far. I can't say strongly enough how bad the drivers were on the stretch of the A483 north of Welshpool. I have never encountered so many people who were prepared to risk the life of a cyclist just so that they didn't have to slow down. A pox on you all!
OK rant over. As soon as I could I left the A483 at Llanymynech and followed the blissfully quiet back roads to:
Bridge
Morton
Aston
Then I joined the A5 and headed to the Travelodge from there. I got a good deal!
I was asked in the pub last night if I had a sense of progress yet. Probably the thing that I have noticed and enjoyed most is the change in the accent. Whilst only doing 30 or so miles a day there is still a subtle change each day. In and out of Wales today was funny as the accent got very confused. Tonight there is a touch of Scouse. It feels like I'm really getting to the North at last!
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Thursday, 25 August 2011
Day 11 - Leominster to Clun
After the long day yesterday it was time for a morning off and with only 23 miles to do I didn't need to leave until after lunch. Barbara, the hostel warden did both the bookings at Leominster and Clun hostels so knew where I was going today. I'm not quite sure how but I ended up with the week's booking sheets for the Clun hostel as the fax had broken down. As the fax at Clun had broken down I also ended up with the spare part for the fax machine in my pannier! It felt like being sworn in as a deputy Marshall in the wild west, acting as a courier for the YHA.
So the light route was as follows:
Leominster
Eyton
Kingdland
Lugg Green
Mortimer's Cross
Wigmore
Leintwardine
Marlow
Hoptonheath
Twitchen
Purslow
Clunton
Clun
Although a light day, my legs felt like lead and there was still a fair bit of climbing. With a strong head wind it took a good few hours to get to Clun. The hostel is in an old mill in a tiny Shropshire village. No mobile signal and no cellular data. Hence the late posting of the blog .
An added bonus was that the local pub was having a 'folk night' and one of the guys playing was staying at the hostel. Obviously had to go :-)
Just found broadband at the pub. There are no other signals here. Very remote!
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So the light route was as follows:
Leominster
Eyton
Kingdland
Lugg Green
Mortimer's Cross
Wigmore
Leintwardine
Marlow
Hoptonheath
Twitchen
Purslow
Clunton
Clun
Although a light day, my legs felt like lead and there was still a fair bit of climbing. With a strong head wind it took a good few hours to get to Clun. The hostel is in an old mill in a tiny Shropshire village. No mobile signal and no cellular data. Hence the late posting of the blog .
An added bonus was that the local pub was having a 'folk night' and one of the guys playing was staying at the hostel. Obviously had to go :-)
Just found broadband at the pub. There are no other signals here. Very remote!
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Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Day 10 - St Briavels to Leominster (Pronounced Lemster)
Well I posted a new Personal Best of 47 miles today and it certainly wasn't on the flat. The route I took is referred to as "The Highroad" in the CTC LEJOG guide. Maybe that explains it! So the route was as follows:
St Briavels
Coleford
English Bicknor
Stowfield
Kerne Bridge
Walford
Tudorville
Brampton Abotts
Hole in the Wall
Brockhampton
Fownhope
Modiford
Hereford
Shelwick
Sutton St Nicholas
Bodenham
Leominster
What a day. In the morning it was so hot I had to stop and sit in the shade. Then in the afternoon I had head winds and thunderstorms. There was a detour into Hereford for tea and sandwiches to revive me.
A passing cyclist stopped for a chat and told me the best route from Hereford to Leominster and it was perfect. The heavens opened just as I got to Leominster and was soaked by the time I got there. The wardens here are amazing and washed and tumbled dried all my kit this evening. So not only am I dry but smell much better too.!
It was by far the hardest day both in terms of distance and the number of hills!! Easy morning tomorrow. I need to find somewhere to stay on Saturday night. Bank Holiday weekend.....I'll be lucky!
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St Briavels
Coleford
English Bicknor
Stowfield
Kerne Bridge
Walford
Tudorville
Brampton Abotts
Hole in the Wall
Brockhampton
Fownhope
Modiford
Hereford
Shelwick
Sutton St Nicholas
Bodenham
Leominster
What a day. In the morning it was so hot I had to stop and sit in the shade. Then in the afternoon I had head winds and thunderstorms. There was a detour into Hereford for tea and sandwiches to revive me.
A passing cyclist stopped for a chat and told me the best route from Hereford to Leominster and it was perfect. The heavens opened just as I got to Leominster and was soaked by the time I got there. The wardens here are amazing and washed and tumbled dried all my kit this evening. So not only am I dry but smell much better too.!
It was by far the hardest day both in terms of distance and the number of hills!! Easy morning tomorrow. I need to find somewhere to stay on Saturday night. Bank Holiday weekend.....I'll be lucky!
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Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Day 9 - Bristol to St Briavels
This might be short as the internet cuts in and out this being a remote area of rural Gloucestershire. Not much in the way of phone signal either. No pics I'm afraid either but I'll see if Facebook will accept them.
So from the B and B it was a dull peddle along A38 to the outskirts of Bristol. What looked easy on the map proved to be a horror of a little hill up to the Clifton Suspension bridge. Well worth the work as the bridge is a fine piece of Brunel's engineering.
I wiggled through the residential areas of Bristol following the A488 I think. Anyway it crossed the M5 at junction 17 and I continued on the back roads toward the village of Aust to pick up the cycle path across the Severn Bridge. This is a great bridge standing out for miles as it is painted white.
I stopped in the middle of the bridge and it was only then that I realised that the bridge moved so much with the wind and traffic. Quite scary :-) Finishing off the bridge I followed the A466 into Chepstow.
In Chepstow I decided to carry out some bike repairs myself as the back brake was very loose. Of course I made it worse so I went to Chepstow's only bike shop with my tail between my legs and asked them to fix it which they did in 45 minutes!!
This is my plug for a great bike shop who really looked after me. Pay them a visit:
http://www.559bikes.com/
After that headed out of Chepstow on the A48 towards Gloucester and then took the left hand turn off the A48 to St Briavels. This proved to be 7 miles of pretty hard climbing. So much for it being easy once over the Severn!
Anyway the Youth Hostel is a pukka castle and I'm in the East tower. Hope its not haunted!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So from the B and B it was a dull peddle along A38 to the outskirts of Bristol. What looked easy on the map proved to be a horror of a little hill up to the Clifton Suspension bridge. Well worth the work as the bridge is a fine piece of Brunel's engineering.
I wiggled through the residential areas of Bristol following the A488 I think. Anyway it crossed the M5 at junction 17 and I continued on the back roads toward the village of Aust to pick up the cycle path across the Severn Bridge. This is a great bridge standing out for miles as it is painted white.
I stopped in the middle of the bridge and it was only then that I realised that the bridge moved so much with the wind and traffic. Quite scary :-) Finishing off the bridge I followed the A466 into Chepstow.
In Chepstow I decided to carry out some bike repairs myself as the back brake was very loose. Of course I made it worse so I went to Chepstow's only bike shop with my tail between my legs and asked them to fix it which they did in 45 minutes!!
This is my plug for a great bike shop who really looked after me. Pay them a visit:
http://www.559bikes.com/
After that headed out of Chepstow on the A48 towards Gloucester and then took the left hand turn off the A48 to St Briavels. This proved to be 7 miles of pretty hard climbing. So much for it being easy once over the Severn!
Anyway the Youth Hostel is a pukka castle and I'm in the East tower. Hope its not haunted!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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