NORMAN’S BLOG
Following my injury (too embarrassing to detail) sustained on the first leg of our ride, I set off for Somerset with my sister Maggie in her motorhome to complete the section that I missed between Street and Slaidburn .
Day 1 Street to The Forest of Dean (68 miles)
This is essentially the route that Dougal would have followed if he hadn’t spurned the offer of my GPS and got lost several times. Fortunately the weather is much kinder to me than it was to him. The road is gloriously flat for the first dozen miles through the Somerset levels to Wells, it then climbs steeply over the Mendip Hills, to enter Bristol through the Ashton Hall Estate and dramatically over Brunel’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. Bristol is surprisingly hilly, but I make good time and meet up with Maggie at Severn View Services after fifty miles and four hours riding. After lunch and a short rest there follows a spectacular ride over the Severn Bridge to Chepstow and a long steady climb up into the Forest of Dean to our camp-site near Coleford.
Day 2 Coleford to Leominster (48 miles)
A pleasant ride in intermittent sunshine to the historic market town of Ross-on-Wye, stopping off on the way at Symonds Yat Rock for an interesting chat with the RSPB volunteer there and a view through his telescope of the resident Peregrine Falcons. The route from Ross-on-Wye follows the river, I was expecting it to be quite flat, but unfortunately it keeps leaving the river and climbing up the sides of the valley . At least the views from the top make the effort worthwhile. The battery in my cycle computer is running low and I seek out a Cycle shop in Leominster for a replacement. Despite the combined efforts of myself and the proprietor we fail to find a way of opening the battery compartment. Are we very stupid, or are the Japanese very clever? We camp at Bircher , about 4 miles north of Leominster.
Day 3 Bircher to Montford Bridge (50 miles)
The day is dull and overcast, it dosen’t look too promising. I get to Bishop’s Castle, a picturesque Shropshire town close to the Welsh border and set on a hill, before it begins to rain, gently at first and then more heavily. I’m not really equipped for this; no mudguards. I put on my thin waterproof top and decide to carry on . I don’t mind getting wet but the problem is I’m becoming quite chilled. To make my misery complete the road that runs up to Bridges is being resurfaced, the loose chippings are two inches deep. Where the work is ongoing, although rain seems to have temporarily stopped play, only half the road is so affected. I decide it’s better to cycle on the wrong side of the road, the roads in this part of Shropshire seem to be remarkably traffic free.. At Bridges the pub that Dougal and I visited when we stayed in the youth hostel there proves too tempting. An hour and a bowl of soup later it’s stopped raining andI’m starting to feel better, only about fifteen miles to go. From Bridges the road climbs for a further five miles or so and then it’s downhill or level for the rest of the way. By the time I reach the camp-site by the banks of the river Severn the sun is even shining.
Day 4 Montford Bridge to Chester (40 miles)
The route today starts in England, we’re still in Shropshire, passing through quiet roads to the interesting canal town of Ellesmere. About three miles out of Ellsmere we enter Wales, passing first through Overton and thence to Bangor-on-Dee, where from the bridge,I watch two Salmon fishermen as I eat my first Welsh “Cornish Pastie”. It begins to rain, we are in Wales after all, so I take shelter beneath the entrance of the local church, only to discover that I’m preventing two swallows from feeding their brood. Rather than have their deaths on my conscience, I move on and resign myself to getting wet. After about ten miles we once more cross the River Dee at Holt, returning to England via the Cheshire town of Farndon. By now of course the sun is shining. We camp at Birch Bank Farm near Chester , a beautiful grade two listed farmhouse.
Day 5 Chester to Adlington (45 miles)
The first part of the route is through pleasant countryside including The Delamere Forest Park, where taking it easy up a steepish hill, I’m overtaken by a very fit looking cyclist riding a fixed wheel. I briefly take up the pursuit but common sense soon prevails.Today being Sunday, many of the local cyclists seem to be out training, most of them give me a cheery hello as they sweep past. Joining the busy A 49 we cross in quick succession, the River Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal and follow the main road almost as far as Warrington. We then head for Lymm on minor roads, where passing another bike shop, I try once more to replace the battery on my cycle computer, the display of which is still blinking away, although it continues to faithfully record the mileage. This time two bicycle mechanics are defeated by the devious Japanese. After Lymm a toll road (bicycles go free) takes us over the impressive Manchester Ship Canal. The route continues through rural countryside, even passing a field full of Llamas, until we reach the outskirts of Leigh. There now follows a busy section through the urban streets of Leigh, Atherton and West Houghton to finally reach Adlington where we camp beside the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
Day 6 Adlington to Slaidburn (40 miles)
My last day of riding, Slaidburn, my destination today, is where I rejoined Dougal and Kate for the final two days to Carlisle. Only 40 miles to go but I know it’s going to be quite tough. We soon leave the bustle of Adlington behind and are briefly in open country before entering the outskirts of Chorley. The route north runs parallel to the M61, crossing both it and the M65 and passing between Preston and Blackburn. There then follows a scenic ride through Mellor to Whalley. The main trunk roads follow the valley but my route, on minor roads, runs along the ridges both north and south of it. This involves quite a lot of ascending and descending. Whalley is a charming place beside the River Calder, a tributary of the River Ribble, with an Abbey, a viaduct, some fascinating architecture and a Bakers selling excellent pasties. Well worth a return visit. From Whalley the road climbs steadily up to the strangely named Cow Ark. Shortly after here I make a costly navigational error. Descending for about two miles down a 14% hill, whatever that is in English money, I check the GPS at the bottom to discover I’m no longer on my route. No option other than to turn round and climb all the way back up. It takes me a little longer than the descent. Once back on route there are more climbs before reaching Slaidburn, elated but exhausted.
