Day 9. Keswick to Moffat

Miles cycled - 74
Total ascent - 4000ft
Terrain - very hilly morning, then a flatter bit with a slow climb at the end
Weather - beautiful till we crossed into Scotland, where it rained!
Best bit - my welcoming committee
Worst bit - the long slow slog to Moffat

 www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

 

 

Another exciting day for me. David was again cycling the whole route, so good to have a pal around. The route climbs from Keswick to the top of the Caldbeck fells and it's a really nasty series of hills along the dreaded Orthwaite road. As we were nearing the end, we spotted a sign which I later discovered was planted by a friend - the first of a series of similar encouraging notices!

Me with Debbie, Ian, David and hubbie, Bob, at Gretna

At the very welcome brew stop I could see a few extra silhouettes and was chuffed to see a few friends waiting, waving flags and cheering! I was then also joined by Ian and Debbie who cycled with me through to lunch at Gretna. It's great to have such good support and to know so many are following my progress. Bob had also followed us along, and this is where I had to say goodbye for another week.

Really?

 After lunch, we crossed the border into the rain, but it didn't last long and we were soon heading directly north along some of the worst road surfaces I've encountered yet. The Welsh lads have christened it 'Potland'! There were quite a few folk fell victim to punctures - I just lost a brand new back light on a really bad bump.  Then began the slog. It looked quite level, but the road was on a slight but strength-sapping incline which carried on forever. A tiring day, but we're apparently meeting for supper tonight in the narrowest hotel in the world!!

Day 8. Garstang to Keswick

Miles cycled - 65
Total ascent - 4000ft
Terrain - a good few hills in the afternoon but mostly undulating!
Weather - beautiful
Best bit - being home!
Worst bit - can't think of one!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

At our morning briefing, my friend and training partner David was waiting for me - he's cycling end-to-end soon, so was using today as a training run.  Really good to see a familiar face!  We cycled through some lovely 'northern' countryside to the first brew stop, where Bob and my mum and dad were waiting too - they'd come to cheer me on and meet some of the folks I've been talking about.

The best view of the day - my welcoming committee at the brew stop!

We then headed directly north to Kendal for lunch, followed by a mixture of lovely back roads and a bit of A road through Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere.  Ordinarily, these would be places folk would stop to take pictures, but for me they're on the doorstep, so I just pressed on, eager to get home.  There was a big climb out of Grasmere to Thirlmere, but even that didn't seem so bad today - I think the incentive of getting home made my legs feel invincible!  Bob met us again at Thirlmere, and cycled that last bit with us towards Keswick, where we packed up my bike and headed straight home - I've passed half-way now!  A VERY good day!!!

We passed through some parts of the Lakes even I've never seen!

A typical Lake District view - Rydal Water

Day 7. Runcorn to Garstang

Miles cycled - 65
Total ascent - 3300ft
Terrain - hilly in the middle but flat morning and late afternoon
Weather - beautiful
Best bit - the afternoon brew stop
Worst bit - choosing a black T-shirt on such a sunny day!

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

Today wasn't quite as picturesque as we've become used to! The morning was largely on main roads and through busy urban areas so we split into small groups to make navigation easier. I teamed up with my usual partners in crime, Phil and John and the Welsh boys, and we picked our way through the towns together. You have to concentrate a lot more when you're in traffic and navigating through unfamiliar towns, so the miles fly by without you realising. Just before lunch we climbed up onto the moors which was gorgeous, before dropping down to skirt round Bolton and Blackburn and on to Garstang.

Up on the moors

It's been really hot today, and stupidly I chose to wear a black T-shirt. The stretch between lunch and the afternoon break was long and hot, and the brew van was a very welcome sight!

'Team Heat Absorption'

Poor Jenn had her gears seize just after lunch, and the tour guide, Niv, almost managed to sort it at the roadside. As they were less than a mile from a bike shop, it was safer to have the job finished there.

The team trying to repair Jenn's gears at the roadside

Lexi is still performing well!

Seven days done, seven to go!!

Day 6. Clun to Runcorn

Miles cycled - 79
Total ascent - 2400ft
Terrain - pretty flat
Weather - beautiful
Best bit - seeing the sign for the hotel at the end of the day!
Worst bit - poor road surfaces

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip 

 

As appears to be traditional, the day started with a few hills, but soon turned into what even I would describe as 'undulating'! We cycled through quaint little villages and open countryside to Shrewsbury and then pretty much directly north to Runcorn. Our longest mileage so far, but the flatter terrain has meant the miles clocked up quickly.

The Severn at Shrewsbury

John and the Amazing Cycling Sandals

I took up my usual place at the back of the pack early on with Phil and John, and we were soon joined by the 2 Welsh lads Aled and Johnathan.  John had a problem with his foot, so he stopped to buy an amazing pair of cycling sandals!

I pressed on with the Welsh contingent and the 3 of us spent most of the day together until the other 2 caught us up at the last brew stop. It feels like we're really making progress now - we've been passing through places I know well, and we're very much "up north".

St Paul's at Helsby where our kids were christened

For the last 2 days, a lot of the road surfaces have been quite poor and the constant vibration and buffeting doesn't do your bum any favours! Still, I'm feeling better than I expected to at this stage - 411 miles covered so far!!

Day 5. Monmouth to Clun

 Miles cycled - 58
Total ascent - 3300ft
Terrain - hilly
Weather - beautiful morning, cloudy afternoon
Best bit - lunch!
Worst bit - the muddy footpath at the end

 www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

Challenge or holiday?

Today started with a monster of a hill out of Monmouth, then the route was described as 'undulating'. Not how I'd phrase it, as it felt a lot more hilly than that! Out of Monmouth, we passed through some amazing countryside, picturesque villages and rural views before passing through Hereford on a lovely cycle path.

Spaced out lunch

 From there it was lunch at an old fashioned tea room in Pembridge where we had the most delicious fresh sandwiches and salad, followed by homemade cakes in their garden - the best lunch so far! 

Nice curves  -  and the hedge...

 After lunch we sailed along enjoying the views until we got 4 miles from Clun, our destination.

ho hum

The road into Clun was closed, and we had been assured the workmen weren't letting bikes through. The options were a 40 mile detour, or a 3 mile track through some woods. Not really much of a choice.

We set off through the woods, but it was far too muddy and steep to pedal on road bikes, so we pushed for the first mile, which wasn't any fun at all. As the path dried out a little, we pedalled and pushed for the last stretch, but by now we were muddy and our bikes were worse. Poor John took a tumble, and hero Aled pushed his bike for a while, but by the end of the track, I was beginning to throw my toys out of the cot.


This was not Peak Tours fault, and unavoidable, but it was not what I had signed up for. As we reached Clun, I'm not sure why, my bottom lip started to go! I'd promised myself I wouldn't do a Davina and spend the trip blubbering about how hard things get, but for some reason, it happened!

Ugh!

Niv ( one of the tour guides) took me under his wing and cleaned my bike, arranged a cup of tea, and gave me a big hug - feeling much better now!

A rough end to what had been a lovely day.

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!!

Day 3. Moretonhampstead to Glastonbury

Miles cycled - 72
Total ascent - 4000 ft
No of hills pushed - NONE!!!
Weather - a few heavy showers but mostly dry
Best bit - getting up the big hill
Worst bit  - having to pee behind a hedge at the brew stop

www.justgiving.com/JanesBigTrip

A great day today. It started with some long slow hills and gentle descents through beautiful countryside. Carpets of bluebells, thatched cottages, stunning views - I was too busy enjoying myself to stop and take pics! Then across Exeter and a long flat section before lunch. After lunch, there was a ferocious climb and then a long plateau before dropping onto the Somerset levels. 

Thankfully, they are!

The Brew Van  - always a welcome sight...

Jonathan's first puncture  -  of 5!

We all set off together but the first few big hills split the group in 2. We split further near Exeter when Johnathan had a problem with his bike. A few stopped to help but as I could only offer sympathy, I pressed on with a gang of around 6 others. I spent some time chatting and pedalling with Pat, and he confessed to being disappointed with getting off to push yesterday too. At the big climb after lunch, he stayed with me every inch of the way, with loads of encouragement and praise, even though he clearly found it easier going than I did. I may not have persevered without him, but I had a huge grin at the top! After the hill, the group split further, and I spent a really pleasant afternoon with Phil and John, who usually keep me company at the back at the end of the afternoons!

My late afternoon companions  -  John & Phil