A Royal arrival

Our WarmShowers hostess, Alex, lives in a terraced cottage, walking distance from Cambridge city centre, in an area around Mill Road which has its own village atmosphere with lots of local shops. Alex gives us a great route out of the city, along the Cam riverside path. The only cyclists out on an early Saturday morning are the rowing coaches hollering instructions to the students in singles or eights. A quiet Route 11 cycle path takes us to near Ely and then a bit on a pavement by a busy road. We have chosen the perfect moment to visit the Cathedral as the choristers are all out in their resplendent scarlet robes, taking part in some bizarre hoop and stick race in front of the Cathedral, egged on by classmates and dignitaries.


Next is Ten Mile Road, along a canal dyke, blissfully quiet as it is shut for repairs but with no workmen around on a Saturday, we can sneak through. Then through the centre of historic Kings Lynn and the Royal Sandringham estate to WarmShower host Trevor who has been busy today on a pedal with mates raising money for the RNLI, but still has the energy to cook us smoked salmon omlettes. Perfect.


Miles to date 333

Cambridge

The first "stop in your tracks" sight in Cambridge is a sign "Stephen Hawkings Building" on Gonville & Caius college, then the view of Kings college chapel across manicured lawns. Most of the colleges are shut to internal inspection as the exams are still on, but we can appreciate the exteriors. Magdalene College resplendent, with flowering lilac over the river side elevation. Tubs of enormous bright tulips decorate the porters lodge entrance at the oldest Peterhouse College (founded 1284!).
Punt renters are busy in the sunshine, some "chauffeured", others less skilfully propelled under the low bridges by enthusiastic amateurs.

Location:Cambridge

Route 51 and Politics

Leaving Oxford North East through the old Jericho area; terraced streets with bikes chained outside every house. Families bike the school run.
Route 51 takes us nearly all the way to Cambridge, interrupted in Bicester where they felt the need for even more shops so have closed the cycle path to build over it! Electioneering posters beam with the grinning face of the Speaker John Bercow. The editorial in the local paper indicates that not everyone is happy having him as the local MP, as this means they get no other main stream candidates to vote for.
Bedford centre is a bit like Exeter, dominated by a wide river. Then the path dips into fields, around cricket pitches on village greens.


We cycle on, through the National Trust's magnificent Wimpole Estate. I'm wary of their big horned Highland cattle, lying by the path, but they and the chocolate brown lambs in the next field ignore us.
The tourist office in Cambridge provides us with a map of the sights and we set off to explore.


Miles to date 267

Location:Oxford to Cambridge

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