Day 2. Fowey to Moretonhampstead

Miles cycled - 61
Total ascent - 4500ft (but it felt like more!)
Weather - everything. From warm sun through horizontal rain to hailstorms
Terrain - very hilly
High point - beautiful cycle path through Plymbridge Woods
Low point - getting off to push

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

Peak Tours describes today as " arguably the hardest day of the tour". I won' t argue. There have been some very tough climbs, and I have to confess to getting off to push - twice!! The first time was at Looe where we had been told to detour from the usual route, as the road was currently closed. The detour took us up 'Shutter Hill' which was an unnecessarily steep lane which turned into an even steeper footpath. It was gruesome, and I only know of one cyclist who made it all the way up. Up to then, the route had been very scenic but quite hard going.

The tunnel before Heartbreak Hill

After lunch, we picked our way through Plymouth and onto a lovely cyclepath along an old railway line through Plymbridge Woods. We stopped briefly to look at the nesting Peregrine falcons, and then headed through a long tunnel and up 'heartbreak hill'! There was about 13 of us cycling in a group, and a few headed on up while I dropped into crawler gear at the back. One by one, they started getting off to push, and whilst I've done steeper hills in my time, my legs were just really tired, so I wimped out. 

After all that, we then had to climb onto Dartmoor. The group spread out, as this was something we all needed to do at our own pace. Stunning scenery, including the prison, but long slow hills and horizontal rain. I was glad to get to the B&B at 6.15pm - a long day, but rewarding, and I'm not quite as tired tonight.

The prison at Dartmoor