Back home!

Lands End

Well that's it - we've had our picture taken by the sign post and the sun even came out for us. It's been an amazing experience though neither of us would want to cycle the same roads through Cornwall again - too much traffic. I'm a bit sad that Dad wasn't able to enjoy watching our progress though.

We've booked a B and B in Penzance for tonight and should be back in Ivinghoe by around 4 pm tomorrow.

Total miles = 1056

On the way to lands end

Penzance

Get train tickets, book somewhere for tonight and have lunch.

Hayle

Just leaving.

Cambourne

Sheltering from heavy rain again. Coffee time.

Just arrived

Stopped at camp site 5 miles passed Newquay.

This has been quite tough - very enjoyable though. About 77 miles of hills - no flat at all.

Just passed Newquay

Onwards!

1000 miles

Wadebridge

And it's not raining!

Torrential rain

The rain is currently bouncing off the road. Fortunately we are inside.

Camelford

...And it's whizzing it down. Very wet last 3 miles in to the teeth of a gale. Taken shelter in pub for lunch - might be here for a while! Still - we've done 46 miles already.

Banana time!

Last county

Approaching Launceston

...And it's cake time!!

Okehampton

Up at 6 and off at 7. Just got to Okehampton for breakfast. Hoping to get some miles done before the heavy rain comes this afternoon. Both of us feel ok at the moment - knees working fine despite the huge hills. We'll have to try and book our train home today.

Not far from Crockernwell

Lovely camp site though a 1 mile walk for dinner.

Afternoon tea

Exeter town centre for tea and cake.

900 miles! About 140 to go, I think.

900 miles! About 140 to go, I think.

Taunton

Just arrived in Taunton for a quick coffee. We're a bit worried about Maisie, our very old retreiver, who has been very unsettled for the last few days.

Would you believe it!

Remember the curry pubs at the Queens Head and The Grand Junctuion - well Simon Sturt now has a place called The Hawthorns in Glastonbury and we happened to come into it by chance. Just waiting for dinner - it all looks great!

Hello to Myles

I suppose it's as wet in Shepton Mallet as it is here. Hope you are having a good time.

Bradford on Avon

More boules

George in action.

Sherston boules competition

Amanda in action at the massive boules competition in Sherston.

At Amanda's. Went to dog training class.

At Amanda's. Went to dog training class. Picture is Arthur mastering 'sit'!

Stats for yesterday

Stats for Marton to Cheltenham:

53.98 miles
9.5 mph
7080 climb
7880 total

Route was:

A423 then minor road toward Offchurch, B4455, cross M40 then minor road to Ashorne. B4087 and B4086 to Stratford. Then B4632 to Cheltenham (very good road for cycling).

Sherston

Arrived at Amanda's house in Sherston.

Woodchester

Peggy's parents owned and ran this building as a hotel in the 1930's. It had one of the first outdoor heated swimming pools in the west country.

Just leaving Painswick

On our way again after a visiting Peggy.

No movement yet

Not going too far today so we can afford a slow start. we are going for lunch in Painswick with Peggy and then staying the night with Sal's sister Amanda in Sherston (near Tetbury).

Cheltenham

Arrived at the camp site on the west side of Cheltenham at about 6pm. Currently seated in a pub with a pint, looking at the menu. Bring on the carb!

Winchcombe

Tea time!

JOGLE Support Team hard at work

Note the dog in a pram behind Andy. An i

Note the dog in a pram behind Andy. An interesting lunch.

Broadway

Just arrived in Broadway for lunch. Very smooth rolling cycling from
Stratford, skirting the cotswolds.

Just setting off

Probably the strangest camp site so far - though very clean. This is a picture of the combined shower and washing up block.

Marton

Finished for the day. Another 70 miles. Probably met the worst drivers of the whole trip today. Anyhow, thanks for the suggestion for a cafe Roger but we're ready for a beer and curry at the local pub.

Tea time

Somewhere south west of Leicester

Kirby Muxloe

Visiting the house where Sal's family lived until she was 3.

Loughborough

We're flying along today and our reward is lunch at Costas in Loughborough - the high life!

Nottingham

Nice run into Nottingham - time for coffee and a re-enactment of
Saturday Night and Sunday morning. Fortunately I can't remember the
Dankworth theme tune.

Off we go again!

Preparations

We have had a sort out, and managed to ditch a staggering 2.8 kg of kit! I really thought we had only bought essentials with us. We have been looking at the weather forecast for the next 10 days, and may seriously reconsider the camping for the last week if the weather doesn't improve- the thought of pushing the full camping gear up all those hills in Devon if we are not able to camp.....

Stats for today

O miles
O mph
O m climb
Total: same as yesterday

Rose and Crown

Also - I just want to say how delighted I am that the Rose and Crown will be opening soon. We can't wait to get back and have our first pints.

Rest Day

We're having a day off today and getting our washing sorted out and the bikes cleaned up. Here is a picture of us arriving at Mum's house yesterday at around 6:10pm. We were quite damp.

Stats for today

74.70 miles
10.6 mph
662 total
2290 m climb
7 hours and 1 minute

Route was:

York
Cawood
Selby
Thorn
Bawtry
Retford
Ollerton
Wellow
Eakring
Kirklington
Edingley
Farnsfield

Retford

Very good bike shop!!!!!

Bawtry

Juist waiting for lunch. We've had very heavy rain and thunder on the way here and had to shelter in bus stops and under trees while the worst passed over. Anyhow, that's 45 miles done - so only another 30 to go!

Thorne

Bad cramp in left leg - ouch!

Selby

Coffee time

Caywood

Just got to Caywood - here is a pciture of us with Adri.

St Paul's Square

Spent a lovely evening at the St Paul's Square garden party and BBQ. They even had live music. We are staying with Adri, who was a very dear friend of Sal's mum. This is a photo of Sally and Adri in the garden in the centre of the square.

Stats for today

42 miles
9.4 mph
4302 climb
586 total

Route was Northallerton, Thirsk, Easingwold, Stillington, York.

Timothy Taylor

Carlone take note - here is a pint and a half of Timothy Taylor. Yummy.

York Minster

Strange case of cramp for last 6 miles, but here we are.

Correction

We are in Easingwold - not Easington!

Easington

Lunch time

The Ritz cinema, Thirsk

Roger - check this out!

Thirsk

Coffee break in Thirsk. Gordon and Ann passed us by twice on our way here in their convertable.

On our way to York

Just left Brompton and heading to York. This is a picture of Sally with Gordon, Ann and Reuben. Thanks very much for letting us stay and I'm sorry I ate all your food - it was very tasty.

Tent drying at

Tent drying at Brompton.

Stats for today

53.48 miles
8.7 mph
6204 m climb
544 total

Route was over to Durham and then down the A167 to Northallerton.

Brompton

We arrived in Brompton at about 6 o'clock, after pimms and ice cream at Betty's cafe in Northallerton. We are not in the tent tonight because Gordon and Anne (relatives on my Dad's side) have very kindly given us a bed for the night. Stats to follow.

Half way now- so pimms and fruit sundae

Half way now- so pimms and fruit sundae at Bettys in Northallerton

Market Hall Darlington

Darlington is a very fine town - at least a lot better than Aylesbury!

Just about ready to head south toward Northallerton.

Darlington

Just arrived in Darlington after a reasonable ride down the A167 - sometimes oin the road and sometimes on a path next to it. Not a bad way to move fron Durham to here. Anyhow, M and S lunch next.

Durham

Just arrived via a very hilly route - either hammering down hill or pushing up the other side.

I have some very happy memories of Durham from when I was a student at Newcastle.

Coffee time!

Stats for today

56.34 miles

9.5 mph

490 total miles

Climb for last 2 days was 10.7 km



The plan for today worked quite well. We rose easrly and blasted down the A697 to Longhorsley at quickly as we could. The cross country route from there to Newcastle was hilly, but they were ok and our average speed for the day was 9.5 mph despite some walking.



There was very heavy rain during lunch and we had to wait for it to ease off a bit before setting off again.



Sally had an idea for a short cut in Newcastle that resulted in heavy use of google maps on the mobile phone.



Just been for an Italian meal and now ready for sleep. Up early tomorrow to head for Northallerton, to see my Dad's cousin Gordon and his wife Ann - who have kindly offerred us a bed for the night.



I am really, really tired.

Stats for yesterday

Forgot stats for yesterday:

52.36 miles
8.7 mph
434 miles total
Climb - forgot to check and reset altimeter - see tomorrows entry.

Rowlands Gill

Just arrived.

The River Tyne

Heavy rain

Currently in a pub in Whalton (under water) waiting for some very heavy rain to pass by. Fortunately it was lunch time when it started so we are dry for the moment.

Hills!