Day Four – Silverton to Cheddar

We opted for the A396 to Tiverton which was pretty flat all the way. At Tiverton we got onto the towpath of the Great Western Canal. We were a bit horrified to find that the canal was at the top of a hill but when we got there it was fabulous and a lovely flat ride to the Somerset border.




Not particularly fast, but then, we are on the scenic  route to John O’Groats, so who cares.




By the time we crossed the Levels we were starting to feel quite weary and I realised that we had foolishly not had a proper meal today. At Wedmore Mick got lots of brownie points for thinking to look round the corner in search of a pub and found the New Inn, a traditional pub where we sank a couple of pints of Summerset from the Exmoor Brewery. On to Cheddar and the Youth Hostel for the night.

Stats
Miles: 66
Pints of beer drunk: 3 each
Canals: 2
Hills pushed: 0 (woohoo!!)

Route here

Day Three – Launceston to Silverton

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”


The hills in Devon are different to the ones in Cornwall.  Short sharp shocks are replaced by long sweeping climbs up and long rallies down.  The climbs are hard work.  Unlike the Cornish hills, these were too long to get off and push so there was nothing for it but to switch into  low gear and just keep peddling. We had been well set up with an enormous breakfast at the bed and breakfast in Launceston, and the first run, from Launceston to Okehampton went well.  We were going up the old A30 which was now pretty quiet.  Mick found a balloon to decorate his bike with in the hedge.



As we neared Okehampton we were pleased to have Phil Horsley’s little guide with us –instead of linking up with the busy main road into Okehampton we took a left turn towards Sourton and after a few yards joined the Grantite Way which was a fantastic cycle path into town, crossing the very impressive Meldon Viaduct.
I was hoping to upload this blog at Okehampton but none of the cafes appeared to have a wifi connection.  I asked in the library, and whilst the two old ladies behind the desk appeared impressed at the concept, they clearly had never heard of such a thing.
Coming out of Okehampton was far less pleasant.  We were heading for a village called Sticklepath and when we saw a sign for a cycle path to the village we foolishly took it.  Ten minutes later we were climbing up an enormously steep country lane which resulted in the first tears of the trip (mine unfortunately).




Rather than dip and dive through any more country lanes we stuck to busier (though not crazily so) roads until we got to Crediton.  After a pint at the Three Little Pigs, a very idiosyncratic decor!) we struggled back up country lanes through to Silverton.
I had marked the village as having a pub in Camra’s Good Beer Guide.  It turned out to have three and as I couldn’t remember which one was in the guide we decided to try all three.  The Silverton Inn offered accommodation but a local told us that the landlord had only that day flown off to Sharm el Sheik for a week so it was possible we would not be able to get a room.  As it was, we did a deal with the cover staff at the pub to let us stay without breakfast for a discount.  We then checked out The Lamb and the Three Tuns, both of which were also fine pubs.   We had an excellent meal at the Lamb for a price that was so reasdnable that I twice protested it was not enough.  The landlord assured me it was correct so I decided not to argue a third time!
All the beer was excellent
Silverton is very pretty, with thatched cottages and whitewashed walls, and everyone seemed very friendly.  There was a darts match going on in all three pubs, or perhaps we had unknowingly stumbled upon Silverton Darts Festival?  It turned out they were catching up on some matches missed during the icy weather earlier in the year.  We had an enjoyable evening before stumbling into bed at ten o’clock.

Stats
Miles: exactly 50
Pints of Beer Drunk: Mick 5, Ellie 4 and a quarter as I tipped the rest over in the Lamb

Blubs: 1 (Ellie)

Route here: 

Day Two- Perranporth to Launceston

Both the weather and the view from the hostel were both glorious when we awoke.  After a cuppa outside and a quick game of fetch the twig (couldn’t find a stick) with Roxy, the resident Jack Russell, we waved goodbye and headed off up the coast towards Newquay. 
Did I say it was hilly yesterday?  Yesterday’s hills were mere pimples compared to the ups and downs we encountered today between Newquay and Padstow.  The coast road was a rollercoaster of ups and downs or “curtseys” , tipping down to the sea and, invariably,  a lovely beach speckled with surfers, and then veering steeply up the other side.



Time and again we would wearily dismount and push the bikes up to the summit before starting the next big down. 
By the time we got to Padstow we were ready for a break and we took an hour here to recover. 



Cockles and whelks from the fish wagon and a wonderful pint of Proper Job (St Austell’s Brewery again) at The Shipwrights perked us up no end.  Feeling a need for respite from hills we decided to ride along the Camel Trail to Wadebridge and a good choice it proved to be.  The River Camel estuary sparkled in the sunshine alongside the cycle track and the cycling was flat and easy going 




Too soon we reached Wadebridge and a steep climb out of the town ensued.  We decided to head straight down the A39 to Camelford as the road followed the line of the River Allen and therefore was likely to be flatter than the minor roads on either side.  Although undulating there were no major shocks although before Camelford the road began the climb up onto Bodmin Moor. 
At Camelford we refuelled with another pint of Proper Job at the only premises in the village that was open.  Mick thought the pub was reminiscent of the one in An American Werewolf In London (“you made me miss my dart”), and I agreed it did feel like the Badlands.  Someone was eating a roast dinner with his bare hands and none of the patrons appeared to have any familiarity with Colgate.  We pressed on, hoping to find a country pub and B&B further along the road.  Neither appeared and we eventually found ourselves wearily peddling into Launceston.
By now it was seven o’clock and we began to wonder whether we would be able to find anywhere to stay.  Mick spotted a Salvation Army building – maybe they would take us in?  No need -  one of the Officers kindly walked us to to the top of the town where we booked into Glencoe Villa Bed and Breakfast.  (Why Glencoe I have no idea).  The owners were lovely, putting our bikes in the garage and carrying the bags to our room.  After a hot bath we hit the town.  Gangs of youth hung around or sped about in small fast cars. A police car was cruising the streets and an ambulance was sat on standby….we began to think Launceston in the evenings might not be a very good place to be..…after a Chinese takaway and a quick pint in a dreadful pub (as far as we could tell all the pubs in Launceston are dreadful) we headed back to the B&B and tucked in for the night. 
We were very pleased with our efforts today, tomorrow we would soon be over the border and into Devon.
Stats
Miles:  56
Pints of Beer Each:2
Hills pushed: More than I care to remember

Route here:

Day One - Land’s End to Perranporth

Yesterday we drove the campervan to Lerryn, near Lostwithiel where we have stayed before. Our friend Frank had kindly agreed to come with us and drive the van back to Bristol, and we have a friend in Lerryn who had said we could use his place for the night. Frank slept in the cottage and we slept in the camper in the carpark which we have used before. The big day was looming, and it was vital to get a good night’s sleep before setting off on this epic cycle ride. So, naturally, I was still awake at 3am, 4am, 5am….. I didn’t want to put the radio on and wake Mick and the only reading material I had was that dratted map so I passed the night putting the birthday of everyone I knew in my mobile phone, then learning how to use the voice recorder option which I thought might be useful on route.  Anyone outside at three in the morning would have heard me whispering “testing, one two three, testing”…
The stay in Lerryn did help to break the journey.  We had a pleasant meal in the Ship at Lerryn (after a scary moment when we thought the kitchen may have closed for the evening – only in England would the kitchen be closed at 8.45 on a Friday evening…)
For various reasons we were a little late getting down to Land’s End.  Even so, we decided it would be a good idea to set off on a full stomach so we stopped at Penzance where we found a traditional seaside cafe.  None of the crockery matched but the breakfast was excellent!  By the time we had taken photos at Land’s End it was 2pm by the time we set off.

But the weather was lovely and sunny and we were feeing good.  
We had pre-booked  (and pre-paid for) beds at the youth hostel at Perranporth, 46 miles away so this was our goal for the day (or what was left of the day).
I was expecting the ride to be really hilly from the outset, but in fact the first 20  miles to St Ives were gentle.  We were following the coast road and the scenery was lovely.

Mick, rather unkindly, said that swathed in blue plastic I resembled a condom. I retorted that he was not exactly a picture of sartorial elegance himself.



We dived into the Tinners Arms in Zennor to wait for the rain to ease a little – may as well have a pint whilst we wait we thought.  I tried a pint of Tinners Ale from the St Austell Brewery which was excellent.  Mick’s pint was so memorable he has already forgotten what it was.  He did however cause some hilarity when he tried to wander into the Ladies toilet.  “You’re in Cornwall now” said one of the locals – “!the Ladies get to go inside – the Men’s toilets are out in the yard”
After St Ives the weather improved but the hills did not.  Up and down, up and down until I was starting to feel quite seasick.  And weary. Finally we pulled into the Youth Hostel at Perranporth.  The situation of the Hostel  is fabulous, perched on the cliffs overlooking the beach.



Turned in at midnight, very tired.
Stats:
Miles cycled 47
Pints Beer drunk Each: 3
Hills pushed: 14

Route here:

Final Route Map

Well - "final" in a provisional sense. But I think now we have a pretty good idea of the route we want to take. I say "we" , in fact Mick has had no say whatsoever in this part of the preparations.
I am Routes and he is Maintenance.

Here is our route

Technical note - 98% of the time this link works perfectly well. However occasionally Google will display a map of Wyoming and the surrounding areas and now and again you will find yourself viewing a map of Norway. Why this happens I have no idea. I have, however, discovered that by simply clicking on the back browser button and then viewing again, that a map of the UK usually then appears. If this fails, you could try kicking your machine, or for smaller models, thumping the keyboard hard with your fist. I have found this to be effective although I take no responsibility for any damage caused either to yourself or your machine whilst attempting this procedure.

It (the route) is a little unusual in places - for example I have not found anyone else who has taken a tour of The Wirral - but I have never been there and probably never will again so why not.. I have not mentioned this detour to Mick yet, I am hoping that if I don't let him see the map he won't twig that I have flung in a few extra miles...

Things get a little crazy in Scotland. We have a zig-zag route across to the West Coast, then up the Great Glen towards Inverness, before a whopping big left turn to head back to Ullapool and the West again.

At this stage matters get even worse as it appears we are then taking a madcap tour across the mountains followed by a dip in the sea. (Brrr). This is indicative of my clumsy mapping skills rather than any desire to attempt extreme off-road cycling. By the time this virtual tour arrived in Scotland I was getting tired . (If I get this weary just drawing a map, what's it going to be like doing the real thing?)

We shall see how much of this plan actually comes to fruition, especially when Mick finally manages to see it. I may at that point be demoted from Routes for the remainder of the journey.

The British Weather

As I write, there is driving rain hammering on the windows and the wind is howling round the outside of the house. Never mind "the prevailing wind blows from the South West", it's blowing round and round in circles and whipping itself up into a right old bad temper.

So I Am Trying Not To Panic. I specifically put in a request Upstairs for sunshine this month. I submitted it in plenty of time and in writing - how can it have been ignored? Is it too late to go to church and start praying? I realise with dismay that there is only one Sunday left before we go, and that God may well discern that there is a teeny bit of self-interest in my new-found devotion.

Giving up on religion I turn to science and check out the long range weather forecast. Next weekend is predicted to be cloudy but not too much rain. A glimmer of hope lifts me from my despondency. Maybe it won't be too foul after all...although given the famous unpredictability of the British weather I may still pop into church on Sunday just in case.....


I have just taken my new Vango 85 quid sleeping bag with me on a weekend camping trip with my daughter and her friends - it was hopeless (the sleeping bag, not the camping trip). I now realise that the reason it is as light as a paper bag is because it may as well be made of paper for the amount of warmth it affords. Even in my lovely Warmbac "sleepsuit" (see below) I was freezing and, despite also donning two more jumpers, I still strayed into the edges of hypothermia. I finally gave in and ungallantly nicked a sleeping bag off the kids' bed. (I hear your howls of outrage but they were fine in their £10.99 sleeping bags plus quilt. Well, ok, they were complaining a little, but that's what 14-year-olds do) -and I resolved there and then to return the Vango as it was pretty much useless.

Cavers are more sartorially discerning than you might think and here is your proof. These "furries" are for wearing under oversuits but they are also brilliant for camping, or for just snuggling into on those colder winter evenings. Check out
caveclimb for the full range. Unfortunately they are too bulky to take cycling though.

Wanderings in the World Wide Web

I have, of course, been doing plenty of research on the web in preparation for this trip. (In no way is this an excuse for actually getting out there on my bike for some preparation proper! Desk research is Very Important.) This admittedly sedentary research mainly involves reading innumerable blogs written by cyclists who have completed the End to End or Lejog cycle ride (and, sadly, one or two who didn't manage to finish for various reasons), plus dipping into some cycling forums. In fact I am beginning to wonder why bother writing this blog - there are hundreds of them out there, just floating around in the ether.....

Reading blogs more or less at random, I am alternately reassured and terrified by what I read. I found The Ultimate Links List of Lands End to John O'Groats Cycle Trips useful as a starting point as there are loads and loads of Lejog accounts on this site. Some of the older links have now disappeared though. Also Google's Blog Search has thrown up some useful sites.

I was inspired by Esther & Michael Abrahams. They completed the ride to celebrate Esther's 60th birthday and to fulfill a long held dream. Despite the fact that on several days they spent less than five hours in the saddle, and their bikes weighing in at over three stone each when loaded, they still completed the trip in 23 days. I sat back and relaxed. What on earth have I been worrying about? We will do this no problem, probably won't even break into a sweat.

Then I come across other blogs from cyclists who are quite clearly in a different league. Jason is one of them. He completed the trip in four days. FOUR DAYS! Oh my giddy aunt. Don't suppose he carried his laptop either.....

The CTC Forum has been a useful source of information as well. There is a specific board for Lejog queries and discussions, and everyone seems very ready to help by sharing their experience and local knowledge etc.

Despite all this reading though I still haven't managed to resolve the dilemma of What To Do With Cornwall (see previous entry Which Route? 02 March 09).