Day 4. Glastonbury to Monmouth

Miles cycled - 64
Total ascent - 2900 ft
Weather - beautiful!
Terrain - a few big hills but mostly 'undulating'
Best bit - the last 10 miles along the Wye valley
Worst bit - the long slog to lunch

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip 

We began the day with a nice cycle path and a few country lanes to beautiful Wells where we stopped to take pics. 

Beautiful Wells..

....and its cathedral

Clifton Suspension Bridge

We knew today's route took in a lot of tourist sights, and we wanted to take pics to prove it. Leaving Wells was a nasty, nasty hill which brought out my tourettes again, but then a lovely route through to Bristol. From there we went over the Clifton suspension bridge and on to the old Severn crossing. Another hilly section past Chepstow racecourse to Tintern Abbey and then a gorgeous road along the Wye valley to Monmouth. We became a group of 10 early on but poor Marj had something snap on her gears halfway up a hill and took a tumble. She and her bike had to be taken to be fixed, but she met us again at Bristol. The rest of us stopped off in stunning Wells to be tourists before tackling the enormous hill we'd been warned about. What they didn't mention was the false summit half way up, and as we began the second climb my legs started to really shake and my language plummeted!

The Severn

 A pint of dry white for the lady, please, bartender...

I took in some calories, but too little too late and my legs were tired for a long time. 

Lesson learned.                       

The lunch stop was late today, and made later for our group down to sightseeing and the odd puncture, and we were all completely drained by the time we stopped. Riding in a big group is fun but much slower - another lesson learned. It took me until the afternoon brew stop to feel human again, but I thoroughly enjoyed the last stretch to Monmouth. Despite it being a 'short' day, we finished later than any other day so far!

A tiring but really good day, passing some iconic landmarks. You can't blame us for taking pics! I've just treated myself to a large glass to celebrate getting this far!!