Locks and rail path

A slight shower of rain soon passes as we take the canal towpath to Devizes, where we leave it as it is closed for refurbishment! Now we terrorise pedestrians on the pavement, as the town roads are too intimidating to cycle.
At Marlborough the path meanders through Marlborough college grounds. We take the rail trail North, crossing the M4. Through pretty villages to Oxford centre and my brother's house on the Thames.


A beautiful sunny evening so a walk around Christ Church meadows and Oriel colleges, and a quick look at the rowing teams practising on the Isis. It is the end of exams so the cobbles around the exam building are covered in celebratory confetti and streamers. A Red Kite is mobbed by crows in a cloudless sky.


Miles to date 169

Location:Trowbridge to Oxford

Churches and Manor Houses

There's a shower of rain overnight but the Met office App promises (and delivers!) sunshine the rest of Tuesday.
A circuitous route to avoid any main roads takes us past ancient village churches, the occasional handsome manor house, and bumping along an unmade bridle path. Somerton is an attractive stone town, followed by lunch on a bench in a churchyard near Downhead.


Over the hilly Mendips, the Westbury White Horse is sunlit in the distance.

Miles to date 103

Location:Curry Rivel to Trowbridge

Rapeseed and Bluebells

Not a cloud in the sky as we load the bikes, setting off on a familiar route, with Pauline catching up with us up the hill out of Clyst St Mary. P was off to Escot to meet the rest of the Monday "ladies".
A stop to scoff a cheese scone in the sun at Talaton, then up the long hill to Hembury Fort.



Farm lanes through fields of rapeseed, lambs, and a llama sticking his head through the hedge! Bluebells and Stitchwort, line the route. A hair-raising dash through the traffic on the Hatch Beauchamp by-pass, then peace again and coffee at the little Post Office cafe at Curry Mallet. Our wonderful "WarmShower" hosts are at Curry Rivel. Their 19 year old son Ed is currently in Germany,1000 miles into his round the world trip on a unicycle! His fascinating web site is
http://www.worldunicyletoir.com/
(Our tour miles to date 49!)

Location:Exeter to Curry Rivel

Preparing for the Baltic Tour

We are almost packed and ready for the off tomorrow morning!

Location:Exeter