My trip so far

Hi,

I hope you will find this extended entry interesting as it is based on my diary entries mostly unexpirgated and recall of the trip so far.

Day 1 (Friday 3rd August) Lands End to Wadebridge 73 miles.

Bit of a late start and I got us lost on route to Lands End which was dreadfully commercialised. I did not finish my 73 miles until 8pm – that’s 10 hours cycling over lost and lots of hills but feel amazingly well. Sheila and Grace had trouble with the car and had to call out the ETA and spent hours in a VW garage.

Day 2 (Saturday 4th August) to South Molton 72 miles.

Tintagel in the mist – magic and bought a sausage roll and Cornish pasty in Boscastle who are raising money for the Yorkshire floods. 5 bottles of water drunk and hot sun from 4pm. I cycled fro 11 hours to do 72 miles – much too long too many hills but still feel good and have now left Cornwall. Given £2 from a passing car “Good on you”

Day 3 (Sunday 5th August) to a farm at Wedmore near Cheddar 69 miles

Massive uphill from North Molton in the hot sun very dispiriting but my back up team turned up trumps by bringing me a sun hat! Spent the rest of the day ‘catching up’ and decided not to cross the Quantocks but skirted round them instead. Given £3 by an elderly woman and was entertained by performing motor bikes who supported me. The B and B which is excellent www.hillviewfarm.co.uk and then donated £10 to m y trip, is on reclaimed land in the Somerset levels near Bridgewater. The Duke of Monmouth and his rebellion of 1685 is much on my mind, a fascinating period of history for me. I feel like a real End to Ender having done 214 miles in 3 days.

Day 4 (Monday 6th August) to Ross-on-Wye 74 miles

Did 74 miles by 7pm but was 10 miles short of Ross part not leaving from Cheddar, getting lost and this being an extra long leg. My back up team is fed up. Cheddar gorge was a slog and when I got lost it was on a big uphill and skirting around Bristol was not fun. But the Severn Bridge was amazing and cycling through Tintern was a delight as was being on part of the Bath Bristol cycleway. This means an extra 10 miles tomorrow unless I can figure out a quicker more direct route

Day 5 (Tuesday 7th August)to Much Wenlock 59 miles

On my own today as my back up team return to Manchester. I used direct main/B roads through Hereford, Leominster and Ludlow which reduced my journey to 59 miles which still took me until 7 after a late start in Monmouth. Very sluggish at first and I felt sad and saying goodbye to Sheila and Grace. Wished now that I had a group of cyclists with me. Definitely the low point of the trip. Will see about a more direct route from now on. Reached my B and B to get a phone call from Richard who hopes to join me on Friday.

Day 6 (Wednesday 8th August)to Knutsford 72 miles

This proved to be testing. I hoped to find a short route to Manchester and to arrive there before my sister-in-law did on the London train. Despite an early 8.15 start with the sun in my eyes and a good first hour soon my average was below 7 miles per hour and no bakeries for miles. There was helpful traffic warden in Ludlow who saved me some miles and I found a nice Cornish pasty in Market Drayton. By 7pm 3 miles short of Knutsford I had had enough and Sheila picked me up.

I had wondered whether to quit all day but Sheila suggested that I take a 3 day break and then resume from Edinburgh and to do Knutsford to Edinburgh over a long weekend later. It makes some kind of sense to me.

I have a sun burnt ear, sore throat and a swollen lip and am tired but I hope I bounce back!

Day 7 (Thursday 9th August) rested up at home
Day 8 (Friday 10th August) ) restyed up at home
Day 9 (Saturday 11th August)to Peebles

No cycling since Wednesday! 3 days rest up and then cycling again to morrow. The landlady in Peebles donate £15 at this great B and B – www.venlawfarmpeebles.co.uk . I am touched my people’s generosity and responses to my trip. I really needed this resting up.

Day 10 (Sunday 12th August)to Upper Yetts O'Muckhart(!) near Perth 37 miles

Only 37 miles today from Edinburgh but it took nearly 6 hours. Glad to have a short trip but form now on it will be 70 miles a day. Sheila and Grace spent most of the day in Edinburgh but had trouble driving out. I found a great cycle route just outside Edinburgh to the Forth Road Bridge which was impressive. I felt a bit sluggish but I think much of the route was up hill as it will be tomorrow. Good B and B – www.tollhouse-perthshire.co.uk

Day 11 (Monday 13th August)to Blair Athol 65 miles

The Maitre D in the hotel a rather severe young woman gave me £10!! It was a great day cycling my best mph so far and wonderful Scottish Highland scenery and the great NCN Route 7 cycle route.

Day 12 (Tuesday 14th August) to Black Isle 80 miles!

80 miles covered at 8 miles an hour! I was daunted by the thought at the start of my trip about hills in Cornwall/Devon and the Scottish Highlands. I was right about Cornwall and Devon but wrong about the Highlands. They were so much easier to cycle in, less pushing up hills and next to no braking on the down hills. NCN Route 7 is a delight – great to be off the dreaded A9 and in forests, cycle tacks, quiet roads etc. A good day all in.

Day 13 (Wednesday 15th August) 12 miles short of Altnahara, 69 miles

Following Sheila suggestion not to climb a steep hill, I followed a delightful coastal route which added too many miles to my journey And cycling in the Black Isle proved to be very slow if enjoyable so I fell short of our B and B which means I probably wont reach John O’Groats tomorrow.

It rained for several hours which did not help – the first time on this trip for full rainproofs including overshoes. Bit of a mindless day for me though there were some memories of early days with Sheila in the family holiday cottage near Ardgay which I passed though.

Day 14 (Thursday 16th August) 59 miles to Reay

Still 32 miles short of John O’Groats. Today was the worst cycling conditions I have ever faced – wind, driving rain, quite dangerous places, blown up hills, sideways and against me sometimes, cold and wet and poor visibility through rain streaked glasses. Managed 59 miles nonetheless.

Day 15 (Friday 17th August) John O’Groats – 32 miles

At 12.10 after just over 3 hours cycling! I wished I could immediately do the missing 220 miles but have still done 762! Brilliant weather mostly just a bit windy in places but otherwise sunshine ands only one brief rain shower. I met other cyclists there – ‘we’ve done it have you?’ ‘Not quite’, I felt a fraud.

I am amazed though at what I have achieved – 340 miles in the last 51/2 days, 762 in 111/2 days about £1000 for Kenya. I didn’t know I could do so much!”

Notes from the car Saturday 18th August

The inner Journey

Some thing unexpected and some things expected came to me.

I felt lonely felt anguish and separation from Sheila and Grace which was unexpected. It felt futile, why do this?

I felt pleasure, achievement, good in myself and in the trip.

I felt bored, empty, tired.

I thought deeply about friends alive and dead.
I thought about some problems I have and gained some insights.

I am thankful to be alive and in one piece. I am thankful for Sheila and Grace. I am thankful especially at the Reay B and B after the awful day. I appreciate the simple things like a warm house, hot shower, bed, tea, food.

Best to all,

Bill on bike