"Spirit of Britain"

We do not have to book out til midday Friday, which was just as well as it is slashing down. We run across to the George pub, meeting up with the 2 Ks and a rather damp Roger and Marilyn. After lunch only a 1 mile pedal to the European Bike Express bus, parked under a road bridge to give us some protection from the rain as the bikes are loaded onto the big trailer. Jenny and Tom are already ensconced.
A couple more stops to pick up a few more passengers, then Dover in time to catch an earlier than planned ferry at 4 40.


A smooth crossing into more rain. Further south, the bus stops a couple of times to let off cyclists who pedal off in the dark and rain! Most of the passengers are blokes with white hair. Kirby is enthralled by Keith's anecdotes.


After a surprisingly comfy sleep we wake at dawn near Bayonne and at last it stops raining. We pile out, sort out the bikes and take a cycle path along the estuary to a well run youth hostel to get rid of our luggage.
5 of us birders set off to the Marais bird reserve to the north, first enjoying a 3 course lunch to make up for missing breakfast. The other 3 explore Biarritz.
The birding is brilliant, Hoopoe, Black kite & black redstart.

Location:Gravesend to Bayonne