LLantwit to Norway and back!

 The title may be a little misleading - the truth of July's cycling adventures is that I caught the train from Bridgend to Chepstow and then cycled to Hampshire to stay with the Liphook Loafer. Over the course of three days, I stopped in Bristol and Marlborough before being joined en route a couple of kms outside Liphook by the aforementioned Loafer.  A couple of days later we met up with the other stalwarts of the team at Gatwick, namely the Pedalling Physio, aka Hywel and the Highgate Viking and  flew to Norway for  four days where we were joined by The Mallorcan Mayor (To Be) and the Oslo Turkey, aka, Tommo and Justin.   During our time in Vik, courtesy of the Highgate Viking, we hired mountain bikes and explored the the tracks around the ski resort of  Mrykdalen for a day and spent the other days vainly attempting to catch fish between bouts of eating an drinking.  Tommo & Justin headed back to Oslo and the rest of us for Gatwick.  My return to Chepstow started from Ringwood after The  Loafer volunteered to give me a lift to help me on my way and show off his new electric car and test out his tow bar.  So Ringwood to Yeovil was the first leg by bike, followed by Yeovil to Bristol and finally Bristol to Chepstow and then the train back to Llantwit.  All in all I was away for 12 days and covered 470km. Points worth mentioning:

Komoot doesn't always get the route right - on one section from Marlborough to Liphook, the route took me down a bridal path that looked as it hadn't been used for about 150 years, was very isolated and very steep  and ended up in a farm yard - note to self... always check the OS map against the Komoot route

The scenery in Norway is stunning, the ski tracks are steep and the bike hire is expensive.... but then so is beer, meat and almost everything else!

UK Border force need to get their act together and fix those Passport machines - 10 minutes wait in a queue to get to a machine that then rejected my passport was followed by a 40 minute wait in a queue to see some dreary humourless official who treated me as if  I was an illegal immigrant - BREXIT is a POS

The North Dorset Cycleway is delightful and well worth a trip- pretty villages with thatched cottages and quiet country lanes.

Yeovil makes Bridgend look posh,  its a one horse town and the horse seems to have f***** off - drongos hanging about street corners with cans of strong cider, shopping precincts that wouldn't look out of place in Zombie films and a plethora of fast food emporiums clustered round a Wetherspoons pub - all went some way to make me feel at home!

Avoid cycling on the A303 at all costs! I didn't as a result of some of the backroads being closed due to the massive civil engineering works going on to improve that cursed road!  It was like cycling on the M25 during the rush hour. The A37 wasn't much better either.

Wells to Bristol provides a couple of very steep climbs but spectacular views from Priddy in the Mendips.

Chepstow Railway station needs upgrading for wheel chair users and ebike users! - There is only a footbridge that allows access from one platform to the other so arriving in Chepstow by bike and wanting to go west by train means a struggle up and down the steps - Network Rail take note!

Enjoy the selection of photographs, they can tell the story better than I can!

Ready for Departure

Crossing the Severn Bridge

Bradford on Avon

Caen Hill Locks

Amesbury White Horse

Norway breakfast

Myrkdalen

Myrkdalen again

And again

Sneaked out for a cheeky one

Nice car!

North Dorset heading for Yeovil

Around Glasto

Back to Wales

Back roads in Mallorca

I have always been aware that Mallorca is a top destination for cyclists having been on many holidays there.  Indeed, many of the professional teams use it for preparation for Le Tour, the Giro and La Vuelta because the island is able to offer good weather, fantastic road surfaces and a variety of terrain. So whilst Sue & I were there a few weeks ago on holiday I decided to hire an electric bike and put the backroads of Mallorca to the test.  I was not disappointed.

Our base for the week was a house in the middle of the village of Sant Joan.  Sant Joan lies in the middle of Mallorca and is about as far from the coast as you can get on the island. 

 It's also home to our friends Richard and Catalina who live and work in the village and it was on Richards's recommendation that I chose to hire a bike from Bike Experience Mallorca. The booking process was easily done on line and the  delivery was prompt and to my door - I opted for a Giant Explore E+ 1 Pro with a Yamaha motor and a 625amh battery.  I decided that 3 days rental  was going to be enough for me and give me time to sample some of what Mallorca had to offer for the discerning cycle tourist! So  I selected for a first ride of 55km taking in the villages close to Sant Joan and set off just before 10 0'clock as the temperature was rising!  The cycling was made easy with a gentle breeze blowing me along and the flat road that  headed west passed golden fields of barley.   

There was very little traffic and the occasional lycra clad cyclist would raise a hand in acknowledgement as they passed me and the sun rose higher and the temperature with it! As I got close to Porreres I decided that it was time for some liquid refreshment so stopped in the village square for a nice cold glass of beer. 

With my thirst slated and aware that day was getting significantly warmer, I headed for Felanitx before turning north to Petra and back to Sant Joan.  The village square in Petra was bustling with hoards of German cyclists eating and drinking in the many cafes that surround it so I joined them briefly for a swift half.   By the time I arrived back at the house I was so hot that my first action was to flop into the swimming pool to cool off.  The ride was better than I'd expected - quiet roads, picturesque villages and some delightful scenery.

In view of the previous day's heat I decided that my second ride should be a little shorter so from Sant Joan I headed north west to the village of Lloret and returned on some single track roads which were betted suited to a mountain bike than a touring one.  Again the scenery was stunning with the golden fields edged by red poppies set against an azure sky.  My only encounter with any traffic came in the form of a local farmer on his tractor, piled high with boxes of some produce or other.  His walnut brown weathered face looked somewhat bemused when he saw me and his expression definitely said, "Mad dogs and Englishmen etc" - regardless,  we exchanged a friendly wave.

For the third ride I chose another circular ride from Sant Joan only this time taking the very back road to Sineu, a small town with a railway station with links to Manacor and Palma.  It also hosts a weekly market which swells the town in high season every Wednesday.  People are bussed in from all over the island and there are a huge variety of stalls ranging from local produce to live chickens and goats. Sineu is also a popular stopping point for cycle tourists and the local cafes and bars are well geared up for their arrival with bike stands outside almost every establishment. As they had put all this effort into welcoming the cyclists I felt duty bound to stop and rehydrate in a cafe overlooking the main square. Suitably refreshed I headed home, again enjoying the warm sunshine and the magnificent road surfaces.

The bike was collected the following day with the same efficiency and punctuality as its delivery.  Mallorca is a perfect destination for cycle touring and the "amuse bouche" that I tasted over the three days has left me hungry to taste the seven course "gourmet meal" that is definitely waiting to be devoured there!

Meanwhile in London, the Highgate Viking has been out and about.....

We can't wait for the report of his trip.....

The Celtic Trail West - Fishguard to Llantwit Major

The Celtic Trail takes the cyclist from the  eastern gateway to Wales at the Severn Bridge through to Pembrokeshire in the west.  I had already cycled the eastern section so was waiting for a fine weather window to complete the western half of the route. As the prevailing winds are generally westerly or south westerly I figured it would be better to start in the west at Fishguard and pedal back to Llantwit Major with the wind. So an early start on a slightly overcast Thursday morning, saw me stumbling onto the train from Bridgend to Fishguard with the bike laden with 2 panniers and a front rack bag - I'm not sure why I needed so much...  I was only going to be away for 2 nights. On reaching Llanelli to change trains, the over indulgence of the night before celebrating Johnson's 61st birthday, had just about worn off. The journey from Llanelli to Fishguard was uneventful with the only thing worth mentioning was that I was the only passenger on the train for the entire journey the journey - luxury travel.

Fishguard & Goodwick Station Cafe

The station cafe in Fishguard and Goodwick seemed the perfect place to seek sustenance and time to review the day's route choice.  I had opted to take the inland route which basically follows NCR 47 as opposed to the longer coastal route which is NCR 4 - they both start in Fishguard and loop round to Carmarthen.  My destination for the first leg of the journey was to be the Youth Hostel in Manorbier so I was crossing from North Pembrokeshire to South Pembrokeshire. I realised that there would be a certain amount of uphill pedalling to be done but the rise from Fishguard to the point at which I left NCR47 at Henrr'y Moat to head south,  seemed to go on for ever and got steeper with every turn of the pedal.... real battery sapping stuff this I thought but at least the sun was shining.  The uphills got less steep and less frequent and the decent to Clarbeston Road was on quiet country lanes.  After crossing the busy A40 I was pleasantly surprised to follow a traffic free section through Canaston wood which brought me into the small town of Narbeth.  Time for some liquid refreshment in the garden of the Angel Hotel where I basked in the sunshine with a couple of pints of Gower Gold! I was tempted to sample the Felinfoel Double Dragon but with still 30km to ride, abstinence got the better of me. More down hills and a few steep short climbs and I was soon in St Florence, a pretty village close to Tenby.  Onwards and downwards into Manorbier with its imposing castle meant it was time to find the Youth Hostel.  

Manorbier Youth Hostel

The hostel is situated a couple of kms outside Manorbier in Skrinkle Haven.  It is also adjacent to an MOD establishment that is used as a firing range!  Upon my arrival I was greeted by what sounded like a Exocet missile being launched but was assured by the young warden that this had been going on for a couple of days and that the drones in the sky were making sure nobody encroached into the firing line! A comfy bed with en suite facilities and breakfast for £33 was a bargain and if you're ever visiting the area be sure to call in to the Hostel's cafe for coffee and cake and some fabulous views.

Day 1 Fishguard to Manorbier

Day 1 Stats - Distance 70km - Climbing 1160 m

Looking out over the cliff tops at Skrinkle Bay on the Friday morning with ominously dark clouds appearing , was a sure sign that I was going to get wet at some point during the day's ride from Manorbier to Llanelli. Even more climbing than the previous day lay ahead of me and the route was a tad longer as well! I left the Hostel with a cheery wave from 4 motorcyclists who had shared the breakfast buffet with me and after a  short climb out of Manorbier onto the Ridgeway I was back into the groove.  The descent into Tenby was quick and dry and then the route followed  NCR4 along the coast  through Saundersfoot and Amroth before climbing up to St Clears.  Arriving in St Clears still dry, the next section meant cycling on the cycle path alongside the A40 against the oncoming traffic - somewhat disconcerting so I was pleased when the road once again headed south and followed the lanes  through the Cynwyn valley with the pungent smell of wild garlic in my nostrils.  Next stop was Carmarthen, the county town of Carmarthenshire which sits on the River Towy and boasts as one of it's own none other than the the comedian Rhod Gilbert. 

Carmarthen

A stop for lunch in a greasy spoon cafe was most untimely because as I left the rain started.  Battling uphill and into a strong head wind I eventually reached the summit of  what I thought was going to be the final climb of the day - a fast descent into Ferryside with my eyes clenched half shut  against the raindrops,  meant that I missed a turning, so with the Komoot instructions insisting that I do a U turn and that my route was 400 metres left of me, I chose to battle on figuring that the coast road would get me back on track and into Kidwelly.   I was sadly mistaken - another climb appeared before the aforementiond coastal route so by the time I reached Kidwelly I was soaked to the skin with the battery indicator almost in the red zone.  At this stage the route became very flat, the rain had stopped and the wind was behind me so I flew along through Pembrey and Burry Port like a galleon in full sail.

Burry Port Lighthouse

 My arrival in Llanelli was heralded by the sun emerging from behind the clouds and the glorious Millennium Cycle Path made for easy riding.

Millennium Cycle Path

 I eventually found my hotel very close to the Parc Y Scarlets, home of Llanelli's eminent rugby team.  Not quite the £33 I'd paid the night before but at least for the £70 I had paid, I had been allocated the disabled room on the ground floor.  So I was able to get my bike into the room without too much of a struggle and being able to sit down on a plastic stool in the shower under the jets of hot water made life very passable, very passable indeed.

Day 2 Manorbier to Llanelli

Day 2 Stats - Distance 98km - Climbing 1319 m

The Loughor Estuary

The early start on Saturday morning gave me the opportunity of seeing the Loughor estuary at its finest.  The views across to Gower over the desolate sand banks must be some of the finest coastal views that Wales has to offer.  NCR 4 was the chosen route for most of the day.  Across the Loughor Bridge, into Gowerton and down through Clyne Valley Country Park into Swansea was easy traffic free cycling. I have to admit getting lost in Swansea Marina when the route was blocked off over one of the docks but once I found my way I was soon heading passed the vast Amazon Warehouse en route for Baglan and Port Talbot. The NCR4 signage in Port Talbot has caused me problems on more than one occasion and once again I got lost... but I did find a great cafe in Taibach run by a lovely gentleman of Italian extraction by the name of Marco, which served a great breakfast but didn't find the Banksy portrait.

Bankys Portrait in Taibach

The route home from Port Talbot is a well ridden one so no more tricky navigation or sign searching was required, just a pleasant Saturday morning pedal passed Margam Park, Bridgend and back to from whence I started.

Day 3  Llanelli to Llantwit Major

Day 3 Stats - Distance 81km - Climbing 530m

April Adventures

 Easter in Hampshire

The kind April weather has proved to be a "Brucey" bonus for the fair weather cyclists amongst us and so some of us spent the Easter weekend exploring or in some cases, re examining the backroads of Hampshire.  Maundy Thursday saw the Liphook Loafer & The Grange Gardener head north of Liphook to the infamous Devil's Punchbowl, a big hole in the ground that the old A3 used to run through until they built the Hindhead tunnel. Just exactly what caused this cavenous crater remains a mystery, suffice to say it is an impressive landscape well suited to off road biking, the sort that Richard and his woodland chums so enjoy. 

 We came across a monument on our route which bore testament to a gruesome murder in the 18th Century.  A poor unsuspecting sailor was en route from London to Portsmouth docks when he was befriended by three men in a pub.  The sailor bought drinks and food for the three men who then followed him, stripped him naked and  murdered him on the path and  then rolled his body down the hill into the undergrowth.  The men were later arrested trying to sell his clothes!  The trio were found guilty and sentences to death and their bodies were preserved in tar and hung from Hindhead Gibbet as a lesson to others.  Ah! The good old days!

By the time Good Friday dawned, we had been joined by the Highgate Viking and decided to explore a circular route to the south west of Liphook. After an early start and a few miles hurtling down the cycle track beside the A3 towards Portsmouth, the rumbling of our stomachs got the better of us so we headed for a great little cafe in Liss where vast quantities of healthy food were consumed  Suitably refreshed and sated we continued, and shortly came across a bridge that crossed the railway lines - bridges with steep steps are not designed for heavy e bikes ! 

Thankfully pity was taken on the eldest member of the group and The Loafer and The Viking gave valuable and much appreciated assistance. We continued onwards through picturesque villages skirting to the east of Petersfield before stopping for more liquid refreshment in South Harting. Heading north to return to Liphook we made it as far as Milland before the killer climb of the day.  It seemed sensible to refuel outside the Sun Inn - mistake - 2 pints of Peroni before a Class 1 climb is not a good idea - after all they don't do it in the Le Tour?

For Saturday's ride we decided on a route that took us south and west from Liphook towards Midhurst. A pleasant ride that meandered through the village of Lurgashall, home apparently to a vineyard and then  onward to the Cowdray Park where the vast green swathe of the Polo park is particularly impressive as are the views to the South Downs. The return to Liphook via Milland meant we had to negotiate that damn hill again, only this time The Highgate Viking had learned his lesson and restricted himself to just the one pint of Peroni.

Steak on the BBQ, lashings of Ginger Beer and talk of future cycling trips ended our Easter Saturday.  The following day The Viking returned to Valhalla and the Loafer and I headed off on our bikes for Day 4.  This time heading to the north and east.  Another sunny day with an easterly wind made for another great ride and took in the village of Selborne and the town of Alton and the garrison town of Bordon before arriving back in Liphook.

So the stats were - 5 rides (4 and a pub crawl) - 8 pubs visited - 211km ridden - 12hrs in the saddle - and a lorra, lorra laughs!

The Taff Trail

I've been meaning to cycle The Taff Trail for some time so with the fine weather continuing I booked myself and my bike on the train from Bridgend to Abergavenny and headed for the Brecon Beacons.

 The Taff Trail runs from Brecon to Cardiff and is 88km in length, so easily rideable in a day.  I chose to travel up one day, stay overnight in a Youth Hostel and ride back the following day.  Friends and family found great amusement in my desire to stay in a Youth Hostel.....sharing a dorm ? .... cleaning the toilets ?.... Youth Hostels have, I am pleased to say , moved on .... I had my own room and bathroom & toilet, a cooked breakfast, wifi and a fully stocked bar!  The last time I was in a Youth Hostel I was in the Lake District aged 16 and got caught in a pub in Hawkshead drinking under age!  

The ride itself was fantastic - downhill (apart from the first 5 km where the track rises gently but steadily through the forests alongside the Talybont Reservoir).  

Down through Merthyr Tydfil and past the haunting white crosses of the graveyard in Aberfan, a reminder of the awful colliery spoil tip collapse in October 1966 which left 116 children and 28 adults dead.  The descent continues through Pontypridd and beneath the iconic Castell Coch before flattening out to follow the River Taff through Bute Park and into Cardiff Bay.

So now into May....next plan ?  

AVON CALLING - DING, DONG!

 Good news - I have got my bike back and it's had a new motor fitted (free of charge!) and a new cassette, new chain, an upgraded computer and a new front rack and bag (not free of charge!)

What better way than to put it to the test but the 140km Avon Cycle Way over 2 days.  The route was launched by Avon County Council in 1989 and conveniently links National Route 4, The Bristol & Bath Cycle path and National Route 41 as well as many other local routes into Bristol City Centre.

SHIREHAMPTON TO WARMLEY

I'd arranged to leave my car on someone's drive in Shirehampton through JustPark for 24 hours and duly arrived at the property near Avonmouth. I'd chosen this location as my starting point in order to give me approximately 75km to cycle each day, so day 1 of the tour was to be Shirehampton to Warmley Station, a watering hole on the Bristol & Bath Cycle path. The first part of the day saw me negotiating fly tipping dumps to surpass all fly tipping dumps!  Old three piece suites littered the well marked Avon Cycleway along with all manner of other human detritus. Throw in my near collision with a drug dealer in the middle of a deal and my rapid escape from two snarling pit bull terriers about to escape from the lead of said drug dealer, I was pleased to reach the relative calm and safety of countryside north of the M4 & M5.  Having reached Thornbury and a quick look at the Thornbury Castle Hotel, where you can enjoy a 2 night Easter break for £823, I decided that a more reasonably priced bacon sandwich was in order in Shelly's Cafe!

From Thornbury the route heads east towards the village of Wickwar, the name adopted as part of the Wickwar & Wessex Pub Company - I thought I'd heard the name before.  Heading south and then west the cycleway meanders to the north of Chipping Sodbury and Yate before turning to the south at Iron Acton where a welcome pint of "Proper Job" was enjoyed in the sunshine outside the Lamb Inn.  

Back over the M4 and towards the suburbs of Bristol, I picked up the Bristol & Bath Cycle Path and decided that at Warmley Station it was time to seek a bed and some sustenance, so I headed back into Bristol and made my way to my friend Barry's house in Cotham.  A retired dentist who has a passion for fishing, Barry & I have been friends since our youthful days in Huddersfield. We had a great evening eating, drinking & reminiscing.

WARMLEY TO COTHAM

Day 2 began somewhat blearily - I'm unsure whether it was the cloudy ale or the spicy Sri Lankan food we'd eaten or a combination of both but I had to make a decision. Did I retrace my steps to Warmley Station or pick up the Avon Cycleway further on.  With rain forecast and conscious that I needed to get back to my car by lunchtime, I decided to head due south to Chew Magna and re-join the route there.

COTHAM TO CHEW MAGNA

A series of cycle paths and small roads saw me navigate (with the help of Komoot  of course) through the southerly suburbs of Bristol until I was out into the lanes of north east Somerset and a long descent into the Village of Chew Magna which is close to the northern edge of the Mendip Hills and almost equidistant from Bristol & Bath. Those of us who have ever flown out of or into Bristol airport will have not failed to notice the vast expanse of water which is Chew Valley Lake, a reservoir that was created in the 1950's and now famed for fishing and sailing among other recreational activities.

From Chew Lake I headed west towards the coast at Clevedon.  The route passes close to Bristol airport and the long sweeping descent towards Clevedon enabled me to make up some lost time after my tardy start to the day.  A strong cup of coffee in Clevedon and a chat with some fellow cyclists who stopped to admire my bike and I was off again heading north west following the well marked cycleway which runs parallel to the busy M5 but well below it - that is until you cross the Avon Bridge - where the path runs right alongside the oncoming traffic as it hurtles towards Taunton & Exeter.  This section of the journey was made even more disconcerting when I came across a Police man restraining a young person on the bridge. I did, for one nano second consider stopping and asking him if he needed any help, when reason got the better of me and I noticed a Police motorcyclist approaching in the opposite direction to assist his colleague.  Now I know why on some sections of cycle paths they have removed those annoying metal obstructions that stop you getting a bike through that's any bigger than a Raleigh Chopper.

CHEW MAGNA TO SHIREHAMPTON

With the rain imminent I made it back to the car before my allotted parking time ran out with 154 km clocked up, the bike in great working order and ideas buzzing for my next trip - who's joining me?

Happy Birthday!

 

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY!

Saturday March 5th  - Riese & Muller Supercharger 2 GT is one year old and has clocked 7497 kms. So to celebrate it's birthday a 60km day tour from Monmouth was planned  with a cake baked by the Fairfield Flyer to add to the occasion (his Victoria Sponges are to die for!) But as they say  "the best laid plans.....

As the weather has been so awful last week, with the arrival of some dry conditions on Friday I decided to head off to Porthcawl.  Everything was going swimmingly well until after my coffee stop at the Cafe in Rest Bay.  No power assisting my pedalling and an error message on the display screen - ERROR CODE 500. Out came the phone a quick Google search for  Error Code 500 told me that there was an internal drive fault and that resetting the display might cure it.  Tried the reset - no such luck!  The next suggestion was very helpful...If the problem persists, take it to a Bosch Dealer.  So I phoned my Bosch Dealer who told me to bring it in for them to put the bike on their diagnostic machine.  Problem being that I'd bought the bike in Bristol and as it is still under the warranty it had to go back there!  Porthcawl to Bristol on a ebike weighing 32kg with no power would have probably have meant I may have made it back home for Christmas 2023  I considered the easier option of trudging as best I could to Bridgend (16kms away) to catch the train back to Llantwit Major - this would probably have meant I would have made it to Bridgend by Easter 2022.   I went for the easiest option - phone the 4th Rescue Service - Sue and get her drive my car to Porthcawl with the bike rack!  During the hour wait I popped into ONIT Sports, the bike shop in Porthcawl, who were very helpful and offered various ideas as to what might have gone wrong with the R&M. Sounded like a new motor which will have to come from Bosch in Germany - I'd been through this very scenario when I had a Cube Acid 500, which needed a new motor after less than a year's riding - that time the bike was off the road for 6 weeks.

 Sue duly arrived and the trusty steed (not so trusty Bosch motor!) was mounted onto the tow bar and driven  home in time for a cup of tea and to make the arrangement to take the bike to Bristol on Monday, where hopefully it will be fixed very soon!  

So, no birthday celebratory ride... no cake.... no candles....no Saturday morning bacon butty....

but here's the route we would have done.... and will no doubt do in the near future!