For anyone wishing to view more photos from the 2014 tour, a selection can be found at this link:-
http://1drv.ms/VPNw0c
Thursday 10 July 2014
Monday 7 July 2014
Finals day...
We leave the camping gear at mum's to make the last leg of the trip a bit easier. An early start, just in case it rains later, sees us up the top of our first steep hill at Hardy's monument at 7.30.
Mike is following a "Bike Hub" quiet route that is mainly Sustrans Route 2. Then we skirt north of Bridport, and into Axminster as we are peckish, stopping at Tesco's garage for a takeaway coffee and buns. A flat bit is followed by a horrible hill that goes on and on, on the east side of Raymond's Hill. This would normally be a quiet farm lane, but a moto-cross event is being held in a field we pass so we meet lots of cars. Now we begin to recognise place names and a sign tells us we are approaching Ottery St Mary. This time it is Sainbury's to the rescue for a comfort break, shelter from a really heavy shower and a chance to buy our supplies for the evening. The so familiar route from here takes us to Tipton St John, over Metcombe Hill, and past Sandy Lane. Tour de France fever has gripped local cyclists, as a little girl on a "tag-a-long" bike shouts "Allez, Allez," to us, and an elderly couple leap off the path cheering us on like a Peleton. Home by 4.00, 67 quiet but hilly miles. Time to catch up with the men's singles final at Wimbledon, as we unpack.
Total tour miles:- 2970
Mike is following a "Bike Hub" quiet route that is mainly Sustrans Route 2. Then we skirt north of Bridport, and into Axminster as we are peckish, stopping at Tesco's garage for a takeaway coffee and buns. A flat bit is followed by a horrible hill that goes on and on, on the east side of Raymond's Hill. This would normally be a quiet farm lane, but a moto-cross event is being held in a field we pass so we meet lots of cars. Now we begin to recognise place names and a sign tells us we are approaching Ottery St Mary. This time it is Sainbury's to the rescue for a comfort break, shelter from a really heavy shower and a chance to buy our supplies for the evening. The so familiar route from here takes us to Tipton St John, over Metcombe Hill, and past Sandy Lane. Tour de France fever has gripped local cyclists, as a little girl on a "tag-a-long" bike shouts "Allez, Allez," to us, and an elderly couple leap off the path cheering us on like a Peleton. Home by 4.00, 67 quiet but hilly miles. Time to catch up with the men's singles final at Wimbledon, as we unpack.
Total tour miles:- 2970
Location:Dorchester to Exeter
Saturday 5 July 2014
Nearly home...
Our last day in Guernsey and sunny again. We check out of the hotel and explore the north of the island. By farm houses there are lots of large derelict glasshouses, which used to grow tomatoes but are abandoned as no longer viable. One or two propagate flowers. There are many tiny little inlets on the north peninsula, most incredibly pretty and undeveloped, but one is the island land fill site! I supposed they have to put the rubbish somewhere. Further on, a disused quarry has the shore side blasted out to form a small marina. As we head clockwise down the east side there is an off-road cycle option beside little moored tenders bobbing on the outgoing tide, then a cycle path into busy St Peter Port. More big marinas stuffed full of yachts and motor boats - if they are not out in this beautiful sunshine, when are they? We take the opportunity to find the oldest Postbox still in daily use in the British Isles.
We queue up for the 16.45 ferry to Weymouth. Just as we leave the shore a few spots of rain fall. At Weymouth the mist is so thick at 20.05 that Portland Bill is barely visible as the boat glides into dock. We are first off and soon pick up the dedicated cycle path by Radipole Lake. We are in Dorchester by 21.00, a bit damp from drizzle. Next morning we visit my mum in a nursing home in Weymouth and my sister nearby. We manage to pick up a lifetime Bird "Tick"as we have good view of a Bearded Tit (Reedling) near the bird observatory on Radipole Lake!
This takes our total bird count this trip to 102.
Miles to date:- 2903
We queue up for the 16.45 ferry to Weymouth. Just as we leave the shore a few spots of rain fall. At Weymouth the mist is so thick at 20.05 that Portland Bill is barely visible as the boat glides into dock. We are first off and soon pick up the dedicated cycle path by Radipole Lake. We are in Dorchester by 21.00, a bit damp from drizzle. Next morning we visit my mum in a nursing home in Weymouth and my sister nearby. We manage to pick up a lifetime Bird "Tick"as we have good view of a Bearded Tit (Reedling) near the bird observatory on Radipole Lake!
This takes our total bird count this trip to 102.
Miles to date:- 2903
Location:Guernsey to Dorchester
Thursday 3 July 2014
"Rest" day...
We have a handy French booklet of cycle routes around this island. The first one takes us near our hotel through the lanes past impossibly pretty cottages and farms of Guernsey cows. Then a tougher route up and down into two valleys and a bit of an off road section through woods. Along the coast road, stunning views, with a low tide, of little rocky islands, a lighthouse and old stone towers. The latter were restored by the occupying Germans as lookout posts.
St Matthews Church, on a hill, has the grave of cyclist John le Tocq. He was a champion cyclist who was killed in an accident when training for the island championship at the end of the 19th C.
Out onto the most south westerly peninsula cars are banned, so a quiet pedal past old German gun emplacements overlooking rocky bays under turquoise seas. Oystercatchers "beep beep" as they fly past. The island works to the rhythm of the tide as the ferry comes in with the tide, and cars beetle back and forth to collect passengers, then there is quiet again.
Every time we stop to look at the route an islander will stop and ask if we want help - very kind. We manage to find more than 30 miles of lanes, all of it without any potholes, then back for an evening in the hotel watching exciting mixed-doubles tennis from Wimbledon.
Miles to date:- 2855
St Matthews Church, on a hill, has the grave of cyclist John le Tocq. He was a champion cyclist who was killed in an accident when training for the island championship at the end of the 19th C.
Out onto the most south westerly peninsula cars are banned, so a quiet pedal past old German gun emplacements overlooking rocky bays under turquoise seas. Oystercatchers "beep beep" as they fly past. The island works to the rhythm of the tide as the ferry comes in with the tide, and cars beetle back and forth to collect passengers, then there is quiet again.
Every time we stop to look at the route an islander will stop and ask if we want help - very kind. We manage to find more than 30 miles of lanes, all of it without any potholes, then back for an evening in the hotel watching exciting mixed-doubles tennis from Wimbledon.
Miles to date:- 2855
Location:Guernsey
Island hopping...
An early start so we meet deer and rabbits crossing the farm roads. The Baie cycle route is right beside the shore, often on dykes so for the first 15 miles there are views of Mont St Michel on our right, then on an empty, dedicated cycle route.
Finally into St Malo, with its enormous marina, alongside the city walls to the Ferry port. As usual we have not booked tickets, but the Condor ladies are very helpful, booking us onto the fast afternoon ferry to Jersey, and then onto Guernsey. Mike has never been to the Channel Islands so we are taking advantage of the sunny forecast to spend a couple of days here on the way to Weymouth. We each manage a large helping of Moules Frites whilst waiting for the ferry boarding time.
We have to change boats in Jersey. Our captain comes on the tannoy to apologise for a delayed docking. The weather is very high pressure and it is such a low tide that there is less water that they had hoped for. We wait awhile for the sea level to rise. There is then a bit of a dash as those of us carrying on to Guernsey have to queue to clear Customs, but they hold the onward boat and we soon are enjoying views of the coast and in 1 hour are docking in the very pretty harbour of St Peter Port. The first roundabout confuses us - it feels very strange to be back on the UK side of the road. A 4 mile cycle north across the island to Hotel Hougue de Pommier set in acres of gardens a stones throw from the coast.
Miles to date:- 2822
Finally into St Malo, with its enormous marina, alongside the city walls to the Ferry port. As usual we have not booked tickets, but the Condor ladies are very helpful, booking us onto the fast afternoon ferry to Jersey, and then onto Guernsey. Mike has never been to the Channel Islands so we are taking advantage of the sunny forecast to spend a couple of days here on the way to Weymouth. We each manage a large helping of Moules Frites whilst waiting for the ferry boarding time.
We have to change boats in Jersey. Our captain comes on the tannoy to apologise for a delayed docking. The weather is very high pressure and it is such a low tide that there is less water that they had hoped for. We wait awhile for the sea level to rise. There is then a bit of a dash as those of us carrying on to Guernsey have to queue to clear Customs, but they hold the onward boat and we soon are enjoying views of the coast and in 1 hour are docking in the very pretty harbour of St Peter Port. The first roundabout confuses us - it feels very strange to be back on the UK side of the road. A 4 mile cycle north across the island to Hotel Hougue de Pommier set in acres of gardens a stones throw from the coast.
Miles to date:- 2822
Location:Avranches to Guernsey
Tuesday 1 July 2014
Horses for courses...
We are staying in the village of Saint Laurent de Condel with Bruno and Francoise, who we stayed with as one of our first Warm Showers stop overs in 2011. It is so nice to meet them again and catch up with family news. Bruno is now enjoying retirement and is spending more time looking after their beautiful garden. The climbing roses are heavy with scarlet blooms and the jasmine sweetly scents the table on the patio. They enjoy their trekking holidays, recently returning from the mountains of Corsica.The evening meal starter is very tasty boar sausage, brought back from there. Their village is twinned with Dunsford, near Exeter, so Francoise has visited with school parties many times.
Next day we cycle through "Swiss Normandy'" as the sign describes it. Though actually it is more like Devon, with very hilly farm lanes up and down through some lovely old woods. The sparse traffic is mainly tractors, but also a horse and trap with a red setter enjoying a ride on the back step. The big white horse doesn't mind us at all. The first tourers we have seen since the Loire are resting from the gradient at the side of the road. They are a German couple 1 week into a circumnavigation of France, heading eventually to Corsica. Lunch is a Menu du Jour in a tiny restaurant in Vire, filled with workers, which we only spot because of their vans parked outside on the pavement. We are fairly sure the steak is horse.
We are the first Warm Shower guests our host Martine has welcomed in Avaranches. She has to go out for the evening, but very kindly arranges for her son to make us comfortable in our own self contained flat on the ground floor of her house. The late evening temperature is comfortably warm after a rather stifling afternoon cycle, so we enjoy a stroll in the historic centre and up onto the castle ramparts for a panoramic view west across north Brittany with the iconic profile of Mont St Michel outlined against the evening sky.
We hope to pass near it tomorrow. On wifi we look at options for the return trip to England from St Malo. Our adventure is drawing to a close!
Miles to date:- 2765
Next day we cycle through "Swiss Normandy'" as the sign describes it. Though actually it is more like Devon, with very hilly farm lanes up and down through some lovely old woods. The sparse traffic is mainly tractors, but also a horse and trap with a red setter enjoying a ride on the back step. The big white horse doesn't mind us at all. The first tourers we have seen since the Loire are resting from the gradient at the side of the road. They are a German couple 1 week into a circumnavigation of France, heading eventually to Corsica. Lunch is a Menu du Jour in a tiny restaurant in Vire, filled with workers, which we only spot because of their vans parked outside on the pavement. We are fairly sure the steak is horse.
We are the first Warm Shower guests our host Martine has welcomed in Avaranches. She has to go out for the evening, but very kindly arranges for her son to make us comfortable in our own self contained flat on the ground floor of her house. The late evening temperature is comfortably warm after a rather stifling afternoon cycle, so we enjoy a stroll in the historic centre and up onto the castle ramparts for a panoramic view west across north Brittany with the iconic profile of Mont St Michel outlined against the evening sky.
We hope to pass near it tomorrow. On wifi we look at options for the return trip to England from St Malo. Our adventure is drawing to a close!
Miles to date:- 2765
Location:Saint Laurent de Condel to Avranches
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
