Winscombe to Crediton

30 July 2012.  65 miles

Overcast, slight headwind, sunny spells, rain at the very end of the day. 

After a lovely night at Anne and Hugh’s – thanks for the best cake of the ride so far from Jane (luvu Wembury Sister Jxo) - or at the local pub for Dave, Charlie and Andy-  we gathered for departure at a lazy 10am, dressed for the showery weather forecast.  Fortunately for us all, Charlie’s Andy took our bags by car to the B&B today, making light work for us all.  Thanks Andy!

The sun soon caused all the jackets to come off along the Strawberry line.  There was a very dark tunnel…spooky!

Fran’s Alan’s Uncle Bill had got up really early from Newbury at 5.30 to meet us by the roadside, assuming our usual 7:30 start….sorry Uncle Bill :]. Bill tagged along for another 20 miles and was excellent company and support (he had a bag full of double decker and twirl chocolates, yay).  Uncle Bill had had his bike since his teenage years, had cycled all his life and several parts of the bike are now officially “collectable”…  he scoffed at our modern contraptions! 

We stopped at Bridgewater for a bike shop adventure (new tubes after Dave’s three punctures) and Jan bought a book about the world record for there and back - Land’s End to John O’Groats to Land’s End again in four days with 2 hours sleep… amphetamines anyone? – as inspiration and added weight.

On the way to Taunton we stopped at a roadside ‘bistro’ caravan run by Claire and Dot for a luvly cuppa tea and snacks from Charlie’s tuckshop.  Again more of Jane’s best cake in the world :)  Cheerio Bill, who turned back. xxx

We also took in the sign to the Walpole Depot.  Jan was delighted her family shared a placename with something so dear to her heart – a big dump!  Charlotte shares her name in France with a cake, funny that.

We sped on along the A38 towards Wellington (and the monument high on the hill) and stopped for another comfort break at Willowbank garden centre.  More cakes -  not as nice as Jane’s.  Charlie had Elderflower cordial.

Our legs are heavy after any stops.  Quads and gluts (bum) and unmentionable regions are feeling the strain.  And our eyeballs…. all tired, Dave has been sporting a red eye in sympathy with his friends Mike and Stuart.  But despite our aches, Joe’s fresh legs carried him and towed us onwards and upwards towards those Devon hills.

We stopped at Tiverton for the last of Jane’s cake (did we say it was excellent) and an orange to prevent scurvy.  Tiverton is quite posh.  Blundells’ school seems to own the town and has been educating the local darlings since the 1600’s.  There were lots of smart folk in Tiverton.   So we… had to leave!

Past some beautiful thatched cottages into the centre of Devon at Bickleigh, which was lovely until the 12% climb up and up and up and up towards Crediton. 

On the way we had one of the most inspiring experiences of the journey so far.  A Ghanaian Olympic bike rider overtook us all.  He had one working leg, the other he rested on the rear brake caliper.  Dave and Joe took chase and were knackered by the time they caught up.  Joe’s tennis elbow and Dave’s lack of pace meant little chance of staying with “Haleb”, but we look forward to seeing him and his team of four riders in the Olympic road race.  Finally, he accelerated up a sharp hill leaving us gasping for air in his wake.  Awesome.

Through the longest High Street in the world at Crediton (another hill) and finally at the Farmhouse B&B as the rain started.  Angela was waiting at the door for us and we quickly made ourselves at home.  

Showers then a taxi to the New Inn pub at Coleford where Carol and George served us beautiful dinners and Captain the parrot kept us entertained, though it was a bit too willing to say “Goodbye!.. Goodbye!.. Goodbye! ”.  There were other creatures spotted later on, even 'Charbacca':

Two days to go.  After the middle bit of Britain that was very tiring, the end is in sight, and by now we can smell the Cornish pasties and the clotted cream scones.   Our adventure has to end sometime soon, but we genuinely don’t want it to.  The girls are already planning the next adventure!   Charlie’s family tomorrow.  Short day.  The overnight rain is due to clear early in the morning... what luck.

Hereford to Winscombe

29 July 2102.  Sunny and showers, warm. 80 miles.

Rosie and Bill worked hard to provide us with breakfast at a rapid rate.  Rosie is possibly a relation of Jan, Fran and Dave’s, a Blanksby from Matlock in Derbyshire.  Her relations also moved to Melbourne in the past and a Blacksmith Blanksby was responsible for making Camberwell a dry suburb there!

Fran took a rest day today, Jan’s Tim picked her up and took her banger racing and met the world champion.  A great way to relax!  She joined us later….


Thanks to Fran for taking our bags, doing everyone's washing and making the day a whole heap easier on the rest of us.  This was meant to be a rest day! xoxoxo

As we were pedal ready, Dave noticed he had a puncture. 

Quickly fixed, Charlie, Jan and Dave took off into a sunny day (that’s the weather forecast, said Jan).  5 minutes down the hill, it rained, but we pressed on regardless.

The countryside around Hereford was beautiful, hops, apples, strawberries and corn, loverly views, some big climbs (and a great place to try Aunty Pauline's lovely slice, yum..):

We crossed over into Wales again where the place names are like weather forecasts.  Over the day we crossed in and out of Wales and England.

Monmouth was next for a bacon bitty, a coffee and the meeting of minds: Charlie met Charlie!

Well fed, we travelled downhill along the Wye valley, a lush tree lined canopy, dappled sunlight, a happy time for all.  Great cycling - fast, constant fun.  And then to the glorious Tintern Abbey sitting by the river bank.

To Chepstow, past the racecourse and onto the old Severn Bridge across both the Wye and the Severn Rivers.

We were making good progress, had a quick lunch stop (cheese sandwiches, crisps and more lovely cake) from before hitting the cycle route which skirted Bristol around Avonmouth and then over the Avon  Bridge. 

We tried to follow the cycle route signs but got lost several times and Dave got another puncture:

At last we were were helped by Julie, a cyclist who knew the way.  

Up hill, “that was a real ********” said Charlie at the top!  Then downhill, losing our way, but finally meeting up with Joe and Fran at Congresbury.  Yay, welcome back Fran!!!  And welcome to Joe (new alpha male/ fridge), who is joining us for the last 3 days (thanks for lending him Jane)…. Only 3 to go.

We headed back to Winscome on the Strawberry Line, the old railway line running through the Thatcher’s Coder Orchards.  Dave got his third puncture for the day…… Sorry, Chris, I must be torturing your bike :]

An emotional end to the ride as Jan and Tim celebrated their 18^th Wedding Anniversary together along with Jack - Charlie and Andy were reunited - Jane and Joe and Oliver and Gabriel greeted us , and Anne and Hugh hosted us with a warm welcome and a glass of champagne!  

A lovely dinner at the pub followed (rain while we were inside…) and then Jane’s chocolate cake and after dinner drinks back at Anne and Hughs.  Night night!!

Chester to Hereford

Massive day, 97 or 99 miles (depending on the cycling computer).  

Cool to warm, mostly overcast, no rain, light breeze.  Perfect for a long day in the saddle.

“Tell me a story Charlie” / “We’re not singing, we’re not singing, we’re not singgggingggg anyyyyy morrrrrre”

Everyone tired and battling on, making sandwiches at the Travelodge was second business to breakfast. 

We then went to our third country: Wales and into Wrexham for hugs, tea and biscuits with Brian and Dorothy.  Great to see you both xx  B & D drove their team car ahead of us to show us the way out of town (to make sure we had gone, Brian?!).

Switching back into Ingerland we headed due south

Ellesmere Boathouse for cream tea (bloody lovely) with the geese, ducks and swans by the Mere.  Fran says that the cream teas in Devon and Cornwall have a lot to live up to.

Lots of lovely place names round here:  Butt Green, Cock Bank, Cock Shutt. Lots of poppies roadside.

Main A roads(A528, A49) via Shrewsbury with heavy loud traffic meant another day with little socialising en route, however we were pressing on and completing this section meant less distances in the days to come.

With the sign saying 50 miles to go, our spirits dropped and we slowed considerably, the team finding it hard to pick a suitable speed for all.  After a quick telling off, Charlie started making stories up to get us all going again.  Stopping for treats also helped.

The scenery was pretty, no major climbs, following the valley up through the Shropshire Hills to Church Stretton 

and then Frannie took the lead for a brilliant long downhill ride into Ludlow.  What a surprisingly lovely old place.

The last section of the ride was Leominster to Hereford with a “lovely” big hill up to Bodenham just to drain us completely.   But we still did it and were undefeated!

As a lovely surprise, Fran’s husband Al’s Uncle Frank and Aunty Pauline were waiting at the hotel and after a quick shower we left to the local pub for a meal.  We are grateful for the delicious dinner.  Though we are all exhausted, we are looking forward to Pauline’s treats tomorrow… mouths watering already!