Gweek, Lizard

31/7/15

Our task today was to put ourselves in pole position for mainland's most southerly place and thus completing the fourth and final cardinal point in our journey. Although we were now off Sustrans routes, we found reasonably quiet lanes and were delighted to stumble upon Waymarker, a Restaurant just north of Constantine. We settled down to an excellent sea food platter and completed some more accommodation booking over a 2 hour lunch! Our camp for the night was a strong contender for Cool Camping, a field with a great view, composting toilets, chickens for your egg supply and even a small salad garden  - I am not sure what compost they use on the lettuce but it tasted good! This is a real family site with not a caravan in sight. 

Figures:

Distance:- 25.1 km

Cycle Time:- 2 hours 23 minutes

Average speed:- 10.5 kph

Total Distance:- 5832 km

Trelissick

30/7/15

An excellent off-road track took us all the way to Mevagissey. It is the perfect fishing village but popular so with hardly a harbour bench or cafe table available we only paused briefly before the climb over to a quieter Portmellon.

Decending to Porthluney Cove and Caerhays Castle, we found a food shack selling posh pasties and slow cooked pork in a roll so we stopped to eat! This style of good fast food is becoming much more prevalent in Britain.

Getting through Pendower Beach was disconcerting with a steep decent and a no-through road sign but a short walk across the sand and a small foot bridge put us on the other side of the cove and back on to Tarmac.

The up and down pattern continued but the Post office and stores in Veryan cheered us up considerably. Thoughts about our evening meal hadn't got much further than pasta until we discovered scallops, Cornish creme fraiche, a bag of frozen berries (which we used as a fridge in our bags) and local beer in this little village shop. With a feast stashed away in any available pannier space we made haste for the historic King Harry Ferry to Trelissick.

This is our second ferry using submerged chains to move across the narrow stretch of the river Fal and will be the last ferry of our journey. Once across we just got into Trelissick house and garden with enough time for a National Trust visit. This house was home to Ronald Copland who was chairman of Spode, the Staffordshore bone china company. The most recent resident auctioned off much of the contents so the building was strangely empty save a few flowery plates! The views and garden position are unique and the large conservatory gave Sue ideas about our own home improvement possibilities!

We completed both house and gardens in a ridiculously fast time before hitting the tea shop!

Our camp site was a small farm curiously named Come to Good and a beautiful evening with a fine meal could convince you that camping in Britain is always a pleasure.

Figures:

Distance:- 43.7 km

Cycle Time:- 3 hours 51 minutes

Average speed:- 11.3 kph

Total Distance:- 5807 km

St Austell

29/7/15

Today involved countless climbs and as many decents through beautiful quiet Cornish lanes. Decending from our lofty 300m high hotel we skirted the south side of Bodmin Moor riding a roller coaster made by it's deep cut river valleys.

Passing through the pretty village of St Neot and crossing a 600 year old bridge were some consolation for plunging from the moor to near sea level before climbing back up.

Our National Trust visit for the day was Lanhydrock House. A late Victorian extravaganza with an astonishing number of rooms related to the kitchen.

The onward journey was back on the NCN 3 with another great bit of Sustrans routing through quiet wooded lanes and through the Eden Project.

Considering how busy Lanhydrock was, the amount of traffic on the small inland roads was very small for school holiday time.

Our B&B was very conveniently situated right on the route and just a short walk into the centre of St Austell where Prezzo produced a poor imitation of Pizza Express.

Figures:

Distance:- 46.3 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 5 minutes

Average speed:- 11.3 kph

Total Distance:- 5763 km

Caradon Hill

28/7/15

Today was good, rolling hills, quiet lanes and a bit of sun to warm the afternoon. We left Okehampton on the Granite Way (NCN 27) which contours the edge of Dartmoor for about 15km to Lydford and crosses 2 spectacular viaducts.

The National Trust own Lydford Gorge so a tea shop and visit to the impressive Devil's Cauldron were essential.

Leaving Dartmoor and the Sustrans route at Brentor the slingshot seemed to work as we had a brisk decent to the River Tamar. We entered Cornwall and gradual ascent brought us to the edge of Bodmin Moor, even more ascent and we reached the Wheal Tor Hotel with fine views from their terrace. 

Set in a coppice with camping pods and free range animals everywhere, this is a quirky hill top retreat. Coincidentally, we chatted to the owner about our journey and he told us that his 68 year old friend called Maggie is also doing the coast by bike with her dog in a trailer. She will be staying at Wheal Tor in a few days time and we remember passing her travelling in the opposite direction on our way to Laxford Bridge on the west coast of Scotland, well done Maggie!

Figures:

Distance:- 47.1 km

Cycle Time:- 3 hours 53 minutes

Average speed:- 12.1 kph

Total Distance:- 5717 km

Okehampton

27/7/15

Sue had devised a sneaky route out of Exeter which worked perfectly and avoided any Monday morning traffic- not that many people leave it until 10am to go to work!

Our first 10km were continuous climbing but the remaining 30km also felt up hill. We were engaged on part of the Tour du Manche which completes a circuit of the English South and French North coasts using Dover and Plymouth ferrys. The labelling is rather subtle with small blue stickers appearing just when you are about to give up and this stretch from Exeter to Okehampton is more functional than picturesque.

We had our first tea shop stop at Woodleigh Coach House near Cheriton Bishop The cold weather returned the desire for soup, they served a good sea food chowder. We then stopped in Sticklepath for Finch Foundry which was actually a forge until 1960 and turned out up to 400 tools per day for the busy farming and industry of 19th century Devon The use of water to power dates back to 1100s on this site.

A final decent to Okehampton for a food shop then a climb back up to the busy Youth Hostel which was full of families. The YHA here is doing what it does best, there is a huge selection of activities put on to entertain all in the fraught school holidays.

Figures:

Distance:- 40.0 km

Cycle Time:- 3 hours 40 minutes

Average speed:- 10.9 kph

Total Distance:- 5670 km

Rest Day 20

26/7/15

Coincidently my sister Jude and her husband Ian were driving to Exeter to pick up their youngest, Sophie, from Exeter. She had finished at university here with a first in English.

We met them for lunch at Jamie's then planned and booked the following week.

We will be at Land's End next weekend but our route strays from the sea somewhat. An absence of cycle network routes between Exeter and St Austell means we are going to avoid a stretch of coast. In space exploration the slingshot technique uses the gravity of a planet to propell a probe further into space, we will use Dartmoor to sling shot us to St Austell. I am not sure if we will actually gain any momentum from it however!

Exeter

25/7/15

Beer was a very different place this morning, a sunny Saturday brought everyone out after a day of rain.

Cars jostle for position in these tiny towns causing anger and frustration- at least they are not truck drivers on the M20 however as Operation Stack continues for the forseable future.

Our first climb over to Brandscombe earned us a pause at the Old Bakery and Forge. Sue pondered a purchase from the forge showroom but realised that the extra steel in her luggage would not help with the hills. The tea shop garden served nice coffee but they couldn't add up and nearly charged us an extra £3.

The rising valley after Brandscombe was very pretty and efficiently got us up to the Donkey Sanctury before Salcombe Regis followed by a rim warming decent to Sidmouth. We stopped for an icecream and watched the world relax while listening to an old chap singing the sun has got his hat on.

The climb out of Sidmouth is sustained and steep but gave great views across the coast ahead.

We picked up a disused railway from Budleigh Salterton that eased the climbing and got us traffic free to Exmouth. Here the NCN 2 continued to Exeter on a fantastic smooth surfaced track along the estuary. Board walks, bridges and even bird hides make this a very popular place for huge numbers of cyclists and walkers.

Everyone was out enjoying a bit of sun and the small village of Limpstone was preparing itself for the  Annual Furry Dance, an ancient event of dressing up and dancing in the street and said to originate from when sailors brought furs back from Nova Scotia.

Finally the NCN 34 along the canal brought us right into the heart of the city at the popular Quay. This is a very unusual appearance and approach to the outskirts of a city in Britain, we wound our way up past the cathedral and checked in for two nights at the Pensylvania student accommodation at the University of Exeter, a perfect place to rest and dry out the tent!

Figures:

Distance:- 51.4 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 47 minutes

Average speed:- 10.7 kph

Total Distance:- 5630 km

Beer

24/7/15

Well today was wet, very wet, interminably and torrentially wet. Inspite of any previous claims, this was the wettest and hardest day - an 'unendlich' day

We woke to the sound of Wood Pigeons rather than Gulls and with a bleak Met Office forecast, I began the ritual of tea making and filling the flasks for the day. We had converted to using the vacuum flasks for a cold drink during the journey around the South East but colder weather has reverted the need for tea and hot Ribena.

We rejoined the NCN 2 and continued on a wide sweep north of Bridport. The series of Loders villages would have looked fine on a good day but this was very much head down and carry on sort of weather.

At about midday we sort refuge in the Shave Cross Inn where, in spite of the sign on the gate reporting we be closed we were welcomed in by Carl an excellent Caribbean food chef who sang (slightly out of tune) at the top of his voice while preparing our food in the kitchen. Two pots of tea and a Carribean chicken curry gave us some fuel for the big climbs up to Raymond's Hill. Entering Devon, we passed River Cottage HQ and wondered if Hugh F-W could prepare us a quick snack but Seaton seemed to be moving away from us and the last climb up and over into Beer was not very welcome!

Fortunately we had booked  a B&B so no tent pitching tonight - we were able to dry our dripping clothes. We ate tapas in a wine bar near by.

Figures:

Distance:- 51.8 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 29 minutes

Average speed:- 11.5 kph

Total Distance:- 5578 km

Puncknowle (near Litton Cheney)

23/7/15

Today was a perfect ride that wiped all memory of Bournmouth from my mind. We noticed a bridle way leaving our camp site for East Creech and it gave us a couple of kilometres of wooded track which avoided any contact with the A351.

The subsequent lanes were quiet and for the first time in days we saw scores of cyclists- I shouldn't need to emphasise  the connection here! We generally kept to the NCN 2 but a more direct line from Wool through Crossways to Dorchester worked well with some off road track.

As we entered Dorchester we visited Max Gate, birthplace of Thomas Hardy. He hosted many notable people including Robert Louis Stevenson who liked the Mayor of Casterbridge so much he wanted to dramatise it. His moral censorship did, however, however get the better of him and he joined Henry James in condemning Tess as a vile book!

Leaving the flat Frome valley we climbed to the Hardy monument, another National Trust tick for the day (not the same Hardy - but the one from the battle of Trafalgar when Nelson said 'kiss me Hardy') and fine views of all of Dorset.

Our decent through picturesque Little Bredy was again on traffic free lanes and terminated at quiet camp site in easy reach of a pub. Great beer and food, we just got a table before people were being turned away, some pubs are surviving very well.

Figures:

Distance:- 54.0 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 11 minutes

Average speed:- 12.8 kph

Total Distance:- 5526 km

Corfe Castle

22/7/15

We packed up and crossed the border into Dorset. Christchurch and Bournemouth were not a nice place to cycle, they have decided to ban cycling on the prom in July and August between 10am and 6pm. I understand the conflict but all the promenades we have been allowed to use so far have actually been fine. From Bournemouth pier we took a terrible route that climbed from sea level to cliff top countless times before we finally battled against a head wind to Sandbanks. The ferry to Studland crosses on two massive submerged chains. At first it appears that you are not moving and the ominous hammering noise sounds like a broken engine. Then, at a snails pace, the landing ramp draws near and we dock.

The road to Studland bay was no quieter but we passed the NCN 2 on route to Knowle Beach and vowed to take it after an all important visit to the National Trust tea shop. Fortified with a hake hot pot we enjoyed a car free hour or so to Corfe Castle.

We completed our usual speed tour followed by our second NT cafe of the day. The big family site at Norden Farm near Corfe is in stark contrast to last night but a warm sunny evening at our tent brought a satisfactory end to the day.

Figures:

Distance:- 52.5 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 4 minutes

Average speed:- 12.9 kph

Total Distance:- 5472 km

Lymington

21/7/15

You know you're on a long trip when it gets to the fourth tube of tooth paste! After dumping yet another lot of gear with my mum in Whitstable, it seems we have it just about right, it has only taken 4 months to work it out!

It is fair to say that we both have home-fever and although meeting friends and family is really nice, it seems to dislodge the rythm of our daily routine. With the end point in sight we are cutting the Isle of White short by taking a quick step across the north of the island instead of looping around the south as planned.

Some nice lanes and cycle track took us through Newport and West Cowes.

There is heavy anticipation and much preparation being done for the forthcoming America's Cup sailing clearly dominates the island and the good wind and fine day has brought many yachts out onto the water.

We paused tn the curious Newtown who's Old Town Hall, built in 1699, was the base for the town's two members of Parliament until declared a Rotten Borough in 1832.

On to Yarmouth and a late tea shop resulted in us just missing the ferry back to mainland.

The crossing was very different to our outward journey, the sea glistened in the sun and the Needles appeared clear beyond Hurst Castle.

We had some difficulty getting out of Lymington owing to my poor sense of direction and exacerbation at navigating in busy towns. We eventually arrived at a perfectly secluded Camping Club site and cooked a novel meal involving chorizo, Thai rice and a couple of courgettes we had bought from someone's front garden on route.

Figures:

Distance:- 50.3 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 2 minutes

Average speed:- 12.4 kph

Total Distance:- 5420 km

Fishbourne, Isle of White

20/7/15

We had a traumatic time getting to Chichester by attempting to forge a cut through route through an exotic vegetable distribution farm. We boldly rode down the track and asked a man the way but his English was insufficient so we asked another who turned out to be a delivery man and had been stuck there for some hours unable to find anyone who could understand him!

We eventually gave up with a wasted hour and a few extra kilometres to our day.

The busy road to Chichester was slightly alleviated by the final stages along the canal to the centre of the city.

We left Sussex for Hampshire and the route didn't really improve, with no ferry from Hayling Island it meant heading straight for Portsmouth in drizzly rain.

Our consolation was that we arrived and walked straight onto a ferry that had been delayed so we were off on our first visit to the Isle of White. Looking out across the Solent was like being on a CalMac boat crossing the Minch as the mist was so thick- the foghorn had been operating for much of the morning and hence the delays.

We pitched our tent at Kite Hill Farm just outside Fishbourne before a band of rain swept through. I then made a dash to a local food shop and a nice meal cooked made the day seem better.

Figures:

Distance:- 57.8 km

Cycle Time:- 4 hours 14 minutes

Average speed:- 13.6 kph

Total Distance:- 5370 km

Rest Day 19

19/7/15

A day spent resting and enjoying being with family. We had a long Skype with Joe, caught up with news and made plans for a visit down to Bognor when we are all back to normal life - work, University and home. 

We had a lovely relaxed lunch in the sunny peaceful garden - a proper rest day!

Bognor Regis

19/7/15

Like many of the big coastal towns, Brighton was full of foreign students who seem to walk the streets wearing uniform yellow rucksacks and little purpose.

We set out in the bright sun along the prom. We passed fine examples of an active Britain with joggers, cyclists and keep fit classes all along the front on this sunny Saturday morning.

We arrived in Shoreham high street to many Moris Dancing groups then over a fine pedestrian and cycle bridge to the sea front.

The segregated cycle and pedestrian lane or very wide proms seem to work well for all promenade users but I wonder how it would be when there are more cyclists.

The NCN 2 starts to get a bit fragmented around Littlehampton but new developments look optomistic for the future. Bognor Regis marks the end of a week of shingle beaches, Victorian piers and promenades and home to Sue's family so a place to rest for a day.

The pier at Bognor was alive with visitors and the annual Bird Man challenge was in full swing where people dress up and attempt to fly from a platform on the pier.

Figures:

Distance:- 48.1 km

Cycle Time:- 3 hours 23 minutes

Average speed:- 14.1 kph

Total Distance:- 5312 km