27 July

Today started really well, albeit under the shadow of heavy rainstorms with potential thunder and lightening.   I decided to set off early, in the hope of staying ahead of the bad weather.  The first twenty miles was great, down through Somerset towards Devon.  Lovely scenery and villages with thatched roofs.  Then a right turn at Somerton took me towards an unexpected development.  

The Blackdown Hills run along the Somerset and Devon border.  I’d never heard of them but the road I took went directly over them and was quite steep, for five miles.  Still, up I went, enjoying the scenery and into Devon. 

Then a long downhill through some more lovely villages towards Exeter, my eventual destination.  The rain hadn’t appeared.  Everything was going great.

I arrived on the outskirts of Exeter in good spirits, only two days left after today.  

As I cycled around Exeter, I developed some sharp pains in the back of my right leg.  I stopped and stretched and they settled, but came back again a mile of so later.  I decided to take it really easy and the last five miles of so took ages, but, with only two days left, I didn’t want to risk any injury.

As I sit here, there is no pain and I had a chat tonight with Shona Eyre, our local physio who didn’t seem too concerned and gave me some very good advice for stretches tonight. It would take something really serious to stop me at this stage, but I’ve still got my fingers crossed for how I feel in the morning.

Fowey tomorrow, then the final push to Land’s End.

Nearly there....

B score 1. 

26 July

Good day again, today.  67 miles, a stinker of a hill in the middle but a sunny day and some great sights.

I woke up early again, clear blue skies and quite warm with no wind. 

Ideal.  

The first part of the ride took me down the Wye valley, along the banks of the river Wye. This was quite magnificent, great views and gently downhill to Chepstow, right past the race course.

From Chepstow, I made my way towards the Severn Bridge via a huge cycle path alongside the M48.  This took me across the Severn Estuary, from Wales back into England.  Then along to Avonmouth and skirting the western side of Bristol into a park, the grounds of Ashton Court.  Then over to Long Ashton and towards Somerset, with the Mendips awaiting. The countryside was lovely, the sun shining, I had no pain and felt strong after yesterdays easy day. 

Then I came to a small village called  Chew Stoke, turned a corner and saw a huge climb ahead. Five and a half miles later, I stopped climbing to be greeted with stunning views of Somerset in the sunshine. Then largely downhill, through Wells and into Glastonbury.

And all before lunch. 

Another afternoon spent with my family.  

Only three more days to Lands End. Could I do it?

B meter reading 2.  

25 July

My official ‘rest day’.  Just 45 miles of rolling hills through Shropshire, Hereferdshire and into Wales.

I felt remarkably good this morning, on waking.  No aches, no pains, raring to go.  We camped in the grounds of a pub and had a great meal there last night, then back to the van where I had another good sleep.

We had decided I would set off quite early today, the destination Monmouth and after leaving Bucknell, I made good time and arrived in Monmouth at 12pm.  The ride was great,  with gentle hills and descents and arriving in good time, meant I have spent a fantastic afternoon in the sunshine exploring Monmouth. Nothing of note, really, a short sojourn into Hereford, but otherwise just lovely countryside.

 As I write this, I am outside the van, the sky is blue, it’s 23 degrees and I have a beer in my hand.

Yesterday seems so long ago.

B meter reading 2

24 July

Today was tough.

Eighty miles, relatively flat until the end, but I really felt it today.  Aching all over, feeling tired and yes, my backside got sore.

I had slept well last night, a good nine or ten hours and woke feeling not too bad but after about twenty miles, everything started to hurt.  The worst was a splitting headache but my back legs and neck were also very sore.

Now there are many challenges to cycling over 70 miles a day, but a major one is reaching a point where it is easier to stop than to carry on.  This happens every day; halfway up a hill, into the wind, when you get over eighty miles.  At these points, I get through by setting small goals; make it past that tree, to the next corner, one more mile.  These are individual challenges which have punctuated every ride so far but today I faced a more general challenge.  Today it was easier to stop the whole thing.  The goal today was to get to the end of the day.  I discovered today that this is as much of a mental challenge as a physical one.   This is particularly true when you’re on your own on the road.   There is no one to gee you up, no one to moan to, no one to tell you not to be so soft. 

Several things kept me going today.  The ladies in a small shop in a tiny place called Hanmer, my best mate Nick, a group of RAF guys in a village called Clun, and the unerring enthusiasm and support of my family.

I arrived at Hanmer after about twenty odd miles of lovely countryside, through Cheshire and briefly into North Wales.  It was great to leave behind the endless urban landscape and be back in the fresh air, but tough going nevertheless.  I had a bad headache at this stage and my legs were quite sore, so I thought I’d just get some painkillers and load up with water.  They immediately knew I was on my way ‘End to End’, as this shop is apparently used my numerous cyclists doing the same thing and their encouragement really perked my up.  Half an hour later, the aches in my legs had eased, the headache was gone and I was feeling much better.  I then went further south, out of Wales and into Shropshire towards Shrewsbury, a beautiful town where I had a great lunch on the river side in the sun.  

Whilst I was eating my lunch, a text came in from Nick.  Nick and I go back a long way, to University.  A friendship which has lasted over thirty years.  He texts me every day to encourage me.  He has tried really hard to get over for these few days to ride with me but circumstances have prevented this but his moral support really spurred me on today.

From Shrewsbury, it was rolling countryside through numerous lovely villages back towards the Welsh border and then down further towards Bucknall where my family were waiting. My wife, Amanda had been texting support all day, as usual, and this also makes a huge difference. Almost there, I arrived at another small village called Clun where a large transit van was parked with several cyclists around it.  I stopped for a chat and found out they were traveling John O Groats to Lands End too.  The only difference was they were climbing all Three Peaks along the way and had just come from Snowden today.  That kind of put things into perspective a bit!

After a chat, I left them on their way to Hereford and set off the last eight miles to Bucknell.  After going through the village, I turned right across a ford then right again.  I was met with a 25% gradient!  This is all you need after 78 miles, but up I went, then a long downhill to the campsite, and to my family, the most important people who keep me going.

Given I am now in some discomfort, there will be a B meter.  Scale of one to ten.  One is no pain, ten is unable to sit down.

Day nine score: 4

23 July

The Day of Non Events.  Woken up at 6am by lightning and thunder and a little rain at the campsite.  Given the forecasts of the previous day, we decided to move the campervan onto hard ground. Best be prepared.  We were feeling quite smug about this, when the rain stopped.  It didn’t really start again all day.

It rained a bit when I was in Blackburn, but that was about it.  By the time I was in Bolton, there was blue sky and it stayed fine all the time. 

The route today took me through what could most accurately be described as ‘Industrial Britain’.  Down from Clitheroe into Blackburn, through the middle of the town and down then towards Bolton, the Leigh, Wigan and Warrington.  Not much to report really.  I grew up in places like this.  Row upon row of terraced houses, supermarkets, industrial estates etc etc.  Once I had climbed out of Blackburn, it was largely either downhill or flat, a welcome relief after yesterday. 

Once through Warrington, it was down towards Chester and to the campsite.

Longer day tomorrow, but I’m past halfway now.... 

and you know what is holding up pretty well.

22 July

So, halfway point, seventh day and just over half the miles completed. Feeling okay so far, but it was a hard day today, just over 70 miles but lots and lots of hills, some quite steep.  

I should have known what was in store on leaving Keswick.  A steep 1:4 gradient almost immediately then lots more hills all through the Lakes, as I went down through Grassmere, Ambleside and Windermere before heading down a rather hairy stretch for a couple of miles on the A65 with cars travelling at 70mph taking turns to see how close they could get to me as they went past.

Nearly all drivers are great, giving me a wide birth and passing slowly but the odd one makes stretches like this very frightening.  The route avoids A roads as much as possible but this small stretch was unavoidable.  I was glad when I turned off, heading South towards High Bentham, across Bentham moor.  Glad, that is until I could see the hill in front of me and feel the wind in my face.  The next twenty miles were the hardest so far, harder than that fateful first day into the wind on the North Coast of Scotland.  Terrible road surface, full of potholes, strong wind directly at me and steep climb after steep climb.  Finally it ended and then a very long downhill stretch I was into Clitheroe. 

Amanda hadn’t arrived when I got there, she and the boys were off in the middle of nowhere, climbing but luckily my parents had come across to meet me.  They took me to a factory outlet store, where I bought some cheap clothes a towel and soap and we spent a lovely couple of hours in the pub, chatting.  When the rest of the family arrived, we all went out for a fantastic Italian meal in Clitheroe, when my parents landed me with news of the weather forecast, and imminent thunder storms.......

Still, my bum’s not sore.

21 July

Thankfully a shorter day today, 66 miles from Beattock to Keswick.  By mutual agreement, we were up very early and left the campsite before 8am.  No one saw us leave.

This meant I was cycling at a much better time of day, with little wind and still quite cool.  I made good progress, again along a boring stretch by the side of the M74 until I got to Gretna Green, almost back into England.   I paused for a while to reflect on my time in Scotland.  Great scenery, the wind, blistering heat, no shops, miles of nothing.  Everyone I met was friendly and helpful.

Once over the border, the sun came out and I had a lovely ride down into Cumbria, along tiny single track roads, up and down hills, with great views and not a soul around.  And all before lunch on a Sunday.  

Then a long downhill into Keswick.  A great campsite here, on the banks of Derwentwater. Spent a lovely afternoon with a glass of wine and Amanda.  The boys went off climbing.  Yesterday seems such a long time ago now. 

Off down to Clitheroe tomorrow, another shorter day of less than 70 miles.

No need for a midge watch in England.

Backside still okay.