Trying out my new bike

Having cycled around the Baltics I was able to use my hybrid bike because getting around was possible using ferries as Stockholm is a hub, however this isn't going to hack it for going anywhere else because taking a bike on a train or bus out of Stockholm is pretty much impossible. Flying is also a major pain in the butt because i need to put the bike in a box and then somehow store it at the other end or get another box to fly back.

So..... Welcome to my new Brompton

Idea is I can take this on any form of transport including aircraft without any permission or special packing.

So took it for a practice run at the weekend



Went fairly well and did 90km but had to abandon the ride because of 2 flat tires. So it was down to the bike shop and new tires (Marathon) just like i was advised to do when i bumped into the Brompton tourers in Devon

Will try again next weekend

Day 8 – Lizard Point to Penzance 45km

Oh my god, worst nights sleep in a very long time. Problem was that the bed was a 6 foot bunk bed with what felt had a slight dip in the mattress. My legs are so tired from the cycling that I needed to stretch them out but because the bed had a wall at one end and a cupboard at the other I couldn’t. I am also more than 6 foot so my poor old legs didn’t appreciate being cramped all night. I tossed and turned all night each time causing the bed to creak and groan, felt sorry for the other guy in the room who was in the bunk opposite

I eventually gave up and collected my things in the dark, thank goodness I never unpack so all I had to do was grab a few things on the floor and under my pillow. Couldn’t sleep so I though it best just to go down to the lounge and do some reading as sleep was impossible. Was pleased to find out it was 04.50 so dawn wasn’t too far away. Had a shave as I look like a yeti. Messed about with my bags to ensure I was ready for the journey back and for handing the bike back.

As dawn arrived a young Italian lady joined me in the lounge as she had a bus to catch. I got the bike out from the store and headed off. My first and only dawn ride as normally I have to start late as breakfasts haven’t been served until well after 8. Lots of wildlife, the world is a different place this time in the morning. Reminded me of my rides in Ireland as I always started at dawn due to the short days

The ride up to Helston and RNAS Caldrose was lovely and then the rain started. Took a detour to Porthleven which is where my Aunt Sarah has a holiday cottage. In fact this whole area is where my mother had her childhood when she came back from South America. She lived here in Porthleven and went to school in Helston (where she took part in the floral dance). I went past the cottage and carried on with the coast road. Rain got heavier

Five miles out of Penzance and the wind and rain is so hard I can hardly see. I am completely soaked and the route has me going along the South Coast path across the top of the beach. I take shelter in a toilet for 5 minutes to check maps and see if I can find a quicker route but decide to just go for it. Arrived at the train station soaked to the skin and covered in sand. Bleh

The nice chap at the station let me use the disabled toilet so I was able to strip off and wash myself down using the tiny washbasin. Dried myself off with toilet paper and changed into some dry clothes ready for the train journey back to London. Train was full on the 0900 but managed to get a slot on the 1000.

5 and a half hours later I was back in London at Paddington Station. Rode through Hyde Park, past Buckingham Palace, down the Mall to Trafalgar Square, down the Strand and into Fleet Street where I picked up some new glasses I had ordered a few weeks after Susie had had her operation. Then down the embankment over London bridge and handed in the bike

So ends the first leg of my around UK bike ride. Not my longest at just over 700km but certainly some of the hilliest

Day 7 – Polperro to Lizard Point 105km

Last major day of cycling as tomorrow I intend to go back to London

Slept well and had a good breakfast. Got to love these B&B that charge you good money and then limit you to how many things you can have for breakfast. Not that I was bothered but how much do they save making me choose between a tomato or beans? Surely they lose more through loss of goodwill?

Huge climb out of Polperro followed by a pleasant ride to Polruan which is my first ferry of the day. Polruan is a pretty Cornish fishing village with an incredibly steep road down to the harbour. There was a queue and what with me turning up with my bike the ferry captain went off to get a bigger ferry. Short hop across the harbour to Fowey which is another pretty village with a category 4 climb out of it! Wasn’t so easy to find the way out and Google had me riding on a footpath (which a lady walking her dog reminded me I shouldn’t be riding on), but I eventually found my way. 

Rode through Carlyon Bay which is a very nice looking resort including a hotel that we almost stayed in a couple of weeks ago. Also caught a glimpse of the Eden Project on the horizon something else we almost went to a couple of weeks ago. This is an amazing project where they have recreated a rain forest and other climates under two domes. Very popular tourist attraction but I have no time to visit it today

Next destination was Mevagissey which is another pretty fishing village and where I decided to have lunch. Couple of sandwiches and a fruit scone with cream and jam which I apparently ate incorrectly. The Cornish eat theirs by first putting on the jam and then adding the cream. In Devon they put on the cream on first and then add the jam. So I was eating mine the Devon way, however I did explain that I was born in Devon so they excused me 😊 Just to keep everyone happy I then ate the second half the Cornish way. Question is how do they eat them in Dorset?

Huge climb out of town and I made my way up and down to my next ferry at St Mawes. Another lovely village with quite a few steps to the ferry which required me to dismantle the bike bags. Was able to manhandle everything down and up the other side into Falmouth. Didn’t hang around as Falmouth is nice enough but its just a busy town that I have seen before a few times. Legs are really tired and I am still some way to go plus its getting late, still have a few hours but I don’t like cycling too late in case I have to make any emergency changes

Lovely ride to the next and last ferry crossing at Helford Passage. The river was a very popular with families everywhere and children playing in the water and on the beach. Manhandled the bike across the beach to the ferry point and into the little ferry. Soon I was across and time for the final leg to Lizard Point where I had booked into the youth hostel. Spent way too much on B&Bs the last few days but its been unavoidable as there has been no hostels available in the last few stops. Eventually arrived, found the hostel and grabbed some food from a local pub, fantastic fisherman’s pie. Crashed out really early as tomorrow I have no breakfast booked so I want to make an early start in the morning.

Day 6 – Dartmouth to Polperro 95km

Great sleep though I was woken a little early by the bin lorry backing up and the seagulls. I love the seaside and would like nothing more then settle down with sound of the crashing waves in the background and the smell of the sea. It’s a very different sensation to the seaside in the Baltics where there is little salt in the sea and few waves

Pouring the rain, absolutely chucking it down, thank goodness I purchased the rain top and sorry Susie for losing your poncho with the sheep all over it. Actually lucky I didn’t have it as it would have proved no good in the wind

Monster climb out of Dartmouth with the castle in the background. Last time we were here they were filming a TV series in the area. Was determined to go to Plymouth via Slapton Sands as this is the area that Susie and I walked back in the 80’s. Our first holidays were on a shoe string as we had little money so I borrowed camping gear from the army and we walked the South Coast coastal path. Many fun and adventures were had and I have great memories of those days

Found the fields where Susie and I had had to abandon the coastal path all those years ago. The coast path had fallen into the sea so we had to climb over a barbed wire fence and walk through the farmer fields. We say the farmer on that day so I walked over to him to ask permission. He said it was very nice of me to ask and most people didn’t bother. Warned me about the bull in the last field and that he would be no problem as he had a field full of cows, I didn’t tell Susie that until we were there and it all went well 😊

Arrived in Slapton after a lot of climbing. Spent some time reading the memorial that has been erected around a Sherman Tank that had been recovered from the bottom of the sea. This area was used in 1944 to practise the D Day landings. Some 30,000 troops landed on Slapton Sands. However the exercise had problems with a live firing incident in which 100’s were killed in friendly fire. Then German E-boats got into the convoy killing 749. 10 of the casualties were officers who knew all about the landings and their bodies had to be recovered. The D Day landings were almost called off because of this.

The road to Kingsbridge and onto Plymouth was a main road and though the traffic was slow moving it was really boring as it was just up and down with traffic, not much choice though as there were no other routes available.

The rain has now stopped

Crossed over to Torpoint on the chain ferry. Chatted to a young navy lad who serves on the submarines (Trafalgar class) that was currently docked for some engineering works. Once on the other side had a sandwich and a cup of tea in Cornwalls #1 café (at least according to what they displayed on the wall). Was actually very good 😊 Studied the map and found there were roads that I could take that followed the coast

Lovely ride to Looe where I tried to find a bike shop as my gears are playing up again but nothing available. I really need to learn some basic bike maintenance as this is ridiculous. Looe was very busy so happy that I had decided not to stay here but to push on to Polperro

Polperro was worth the effort as its just a beautiful fishing village. I have been here before but its very different when you arrive on a bike. Found the B&B checked in, showered, changed and then into the village to find something to eat. Had a Pie in the Blue Peter Inn (best in Polperro) and then an early night. Only 95km but at least 7 major climbs today

Day 5 - Sidmouth to Dartmouth 85km

Great nights sleep and waking to the sound of crashing waves. Perfect start

Monster climb out of Sidmouth but spectacular views back out across the coast. Legs are really tired so I am already thinking that my target of Barnstaple is unrealistic. Probably could do it if I had to but where is the joy in just pushing out the miles and not enjoying the actual journey. Just setting the scene for excuses as to why I don’t make it but frankly the scenery is just too beautiful and varied to just ride past it, heads down, cursing the hills

The route to Exmouth was uneventful except at one point I made a bad decision and took a “short cut” that didn’t work and I had to push the bike down a muddy embankment to get onto the bike path which turned out to be a disused railway

Today I have been incredibly lucky. I looked at the timing of the Exmouth ferry and as it wasn’t running until something like 1030 decided my route should be up the Ex estuary and then cross at Topsham further up. Good decision as the scenery and the bike trail were both stunning. Not such a good idea as the ferry didn’t run on Tuesdays! Found the hut and by a huge stroke a luck there was somebody there. He had forgotten it was Tuesday and was just hanging around to see if anybody turned up. Second oldest ferry route in the UK having been going for 500 years. Manhandled the bike onto the ferry and off the other side getting a bit muddy in the process as it was low tide. He even waived the two pound fare, what a gent 😊

The ride back down the estuary was equally beautiful. Passed a family on Bromptons and Asked how far they went on them. 50 miles easily but get the tyres changed to the marathon ones as the standard ones aren’t very puncture resistant. Good advice for next year.

Lost access to the big ring on my gears so found a bike shop in Newton Abbot where he adjusted the gears for me and where I was also able to buy a better coat than the one I have with me. The one I have with me has lost all its water proofing so it just useful to keep me warm in a shower. The new one is cheap and cheerful but is at least a bit more shower proof than the one I have. I could have gone for a rain proof one but whats the point I don’t intend to cycle hours in the rain if it rains that much. The bike shop was part of a charity complex for children providing a skate park. Great to see how much it was being used

Lovely ride through my fathers home town of Torquay famous for its palm trees and title of the English Riviera. Cycled through Torre Abbey built in 1196 and along the coast. Stopped for an ice cream, it is the seaside after all, and watched all the holiday makers. Tourism is alive and well in the UK still and people certainly seemed to be having a good time.

The day has been one climb after another (though none quite as bad as the first one out of Sidmouth) and I am tired so on reaching Dartmouth I stopped for the night. Stayed in a 14^th century inn just by the ferry next to a tavern and the best fish and chip shop. Apart from being tired there was nowhere really to stay between here and Plymouth and I want to go via Slapton Sands and Kingsbridge and there was nothing down there I could find and its too far to start this late in the day.

So that’s it, Barnstaple is now not doable and frankly it’s a good decision. Sat with Google maps for a while and have made some alternative routes. Depending on the hills (and the profiles look very lumpy) I will be happy to make Penzance

Day 4 – Witchampton Mill to Sidmouth 131km

First day of serious cycling today as the previous 3 days all had certain limits and targets attached to them. Today though I was determined to get into Devon as I have big ambitions for the next few days and I need to hit some key targets to realise them. Breakfast with Paul and Alison and on the road by 0815 having had a great nights sleep (my alarm clock was Sam bumping my feet at 0630)

The route took me through the back lanes of Dorset as I slowly wound my way to Devon. Avoided all the towns on the way but I couldn’t help making a detour to the Bovington tank museum. Didn’t have time to go in but cycling there and going past learner tank drivers on the road rattling past and then watching Warriors and Challengers on the proving grounds was quite a thrill. Took some photos of the outside of the museum before heading off across country again.

Lovely route avoiding all the big roads, skirted Dorchester and then through the Valley of the Stone before my first monster hill climbs, like nothing I have ever encountered before and a taste of whats to come I am sure. First climb was up to Hardy’s monument which was not for Thomas Hardy but for Vice Admiral Hardy who held the dying Nelson in his arms during the battle of Trafalgar.

Dropped down and through a twisting route avoiding the A35 going through pretty Dorset countryside and villages. Was getting low on energy at this point but found nowhere to eat as all the pubs are closed on Mondays! Did find a cider shed that Fredrik my friend from Sweden would have loved. Took a break there and spoke to the young ladies running it (French and Italian doing language training and helping out on the farm for the summer). No food but I did sample a small glass of the local produce.

More hills at just before Axminster and at Seaton which were just huge and at this late stage in the day really tough! Did find a garage that was open so was at last able to get a sandwich as by this time I had used up my last reserves. Arrived in Sidmouth and got a good deal on a seafront facing room. Indifferent food but went to sleep with the sound of the waves crashing on the beach below. Perfect end to a hard days cycling

Day 3 – Calshot to Witchamptom Mill 63km

A short day ride as the aim today is to visit Paul. Breakfast with Steve and I was soon on the road on what was supposed to be a good weather ride. Calshot has a micro climate so my first few miles were in torrential rain. Soon cleared as soon as I left the area and then the route took me into the New Forest

What a beautiful ride dodging the horses who wander were they like and the motorists have to be avoid them. I encountered literally hundreds of them and it was a joy to see that they were so relaxed and that they had complete right of way. The scenery of the New Forest was also lovely as there are no major developments.

At one point I overtook a steam engine towing a trailer that had 2 people in deckchairs sitting in it 😊 Very relaxed way of travelling as it was going slower than me. Stood my the side of the road to take a picture and he tooted his steam whistle 😊

Later I encountered a fellow cyclist lying on the side of the road so stopped to render assistance. Turned out he had bonked which happens to us all and is when you just have no energy left at all to carry on. Luckily I had a couple of power bars in my back pocket (well they were breakfast cereal bars from the hotel in London) so I gave one to him which gave him just enough energy to get home which was only 5km down the road. He was very happy and asked me if I liked coffee. I said sure expecting him to offer me something from one of his water bottles (caffeine is used a lot by cyclists) but it turned out he is an importer with a micro label. He took my address and promised to send me some 😊  

Out of the New Forest and cycling through Dorset was just magic. The roads were quiet, the route was just about perfect and I passed so many quaint villages with thatched cottages. Went past Neolithic burial mounds and an old beacon tower that was used to warn of the arrival of the Spanish Armada in 1588

Navigating by postcode worked well enough for Steve yesterday because he lived on an estate. Didn’t work so well for Paul as his postcode is in the middle of a forest with no mobile reception. So I just cycled on until the reception worked.

Wasn’t easy to find but got there in time to get a shower and then join him and his family for Sunday lunch at a local pub owned by the community, what a great way to ensure it doesn’t get closed and redeveloped into a house. Paul now works for the Earl of Shaftsbury so he gave me a whistle stop tour of the estate and we stopped by an old stone circle (one of a number in the area). Took ther dog Sam for a walk and then later that evening Paul played in a ukulele band at another pub in the area and that was an absolute blast. Alison and I sat at the back and had a good old sing a long. Happy days 😊

Day 2 – Ryde to Calshot

The hotel lost access to its gas supply so breakfast was a little limited. Everything microwaved and to be honest a little inedible. Was glad to get back on the road

The storm last night continued to blow all day so my circumnavigation of the island was intere3sting to say the least. I have been to the island a few times as it was where Susie and I had our first few wedding anniversaries. Took the road out of Ryde and followed it to Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor. Did my first big climb up the Cowleaze Hill before dropping down into Bonchurch to check out the old hotel that Susie and I used to stay in. Was still there but now a holiday home complex. I had planned to ride across the top of the sea defences to Ventnor but had to push the bike for some of the distance as the storm was whipping up the waves.

Leaving Ventnor I cycled past the Royal Hotel, a more recent stay a couple of years ago, and then onto the road to Blackgang. This was a bit of gamble as Google maps said there was a way through but the road had deadend signs on it and no traffic. I know that this area of the coast had has problems with erosion and that parts of the road had collapsed into the sea and that they also had problems with landslides but I discovered from the postman that the road had been reopened for cyclists and pedestrians so I was able to get through.

Once past Blackgang what should have been an easy enough ride upto Freshwater Bay became one of the most difficult bike rides I have ever done. With 40 knot winds whipping in from the sea (which looked very dramatic) I was in constant danger of being pushed into traffic. The wind was coming in from side so I had to ride extremely slowly and grip the brakes so I could stop instantly I felt the bike being pushed. Stopped in a couple of parking bays to get a rest, in one of them I was chatting to a local family buying ice cream when a gust of wind pushed the wife into a puddle it was that strong! On the last climb into Freshwater Bay it was impossible to ride as the wind was swirling and coming at me from various directions.

Thank goodness that he route after that took me inland and rest of the ride to Yarmouth and then onto East Cowes was far less adventurous. In hindsight the route from Yarmouth should have been via West Cowes and then over the chain ferry but somehow I messed that up. Just missed the ferry to Southampton so had a bit of as wait but eventually made it back to the mainland. Had a lovely chat with June on the ferry who had served a pay clerk in the civil service. Small world so we chatted about our various memories of paying soldiers

Caught the ferry to Hythe which has a very old electric train that takes you the length of the pier. The road to Steves place in Calshot was easy enough to follow and thus finished probably one of the most challenging days riding (at least with regards wind) I have ever done. Lovely meal and a catchup with my friends.

Biggest disappointment of today was that I let my phone run down to less than 15% and consequently Strava crashed out. Yes it recorded where I started but it didn’t kick in again until I was able to plug in my auxillary battery pack. Lesson learned, don’t let the phone get low, Android does weird stuff with running apps

Day 1 – Brighton to Ryde 96km

This years cycling was always going to be a little adhoc as the main priority of this summer was my wifes gall bladder operation in London. I did try and be a little proactive and initially planned 2 weeks at the start of the summer in which I planned to cycle to Narvik up the middle of Sweden but this was cancelled as Susie was admitted to hospital with gall bladder pain so I stayed behind to keep an eye on her. I then decided that I needed to solve this issue I have with not being able to travel with a bike within Sweden so I bought a Brompton but this failed to arrive in time so that will have to be for next year.

Cut a long story short we came back to the UK for Susie to have her gall bladder removed and to have some vacation. At the end of our stay I added another week to my planned time away from my client in Stockholm and instead picked up a hired bike from “On Your Bike” in London Bridge. Took it back to our hotel and packed a few essentials in the panniers they supplied before catching a train down to Brighton. SJ in Sweden could learn so much from the British train operators as the whole country is accessible by bike using the train. I don’t often have anything to say against Sweden but this has proven to be one of my personal disappointments.

Once at Brighton I literally just turned right and followed the coast.

The bike is a Trek 520 touring bike which is actually the first time I have ever had a real touring bike as I have done all my cycling on a bog standard hybrid that I use to do to work. Very sturdy and capable of taking quite a load it’s a bit overkill for my 2 lightly loaded panniers. However I can see why they say that a bike like this could be used to circumnavigate the world as she is certainly sturdy. A little lower though than my normal bike caused by the tyres being that bit more heavy duty.

From Brighton I cycled through Shoreham by Sea and Worthing where I stopped briefly to talk to a fellow touring cyclist from Iran. Always nice to chat to random strangers and share experiences. From Worthing the route took me to Bognor Regis (where decades ago my mum and dad took me to Butlins). Up to Chichester which I bypassed and to Havant which is where I changed my route having discovered that there was a ferry from Hayling Island over to Portsea Island. Hayling Island is some where I was last on back in 1979 when Roger and I went on a cycling holiday together just before we both joined the army.

That trip saw us cycle from Hereford to Farnborough and pitching a tent in my Aunty Sarahs garden before cycling down to Hayling Island and back. Our experiences of that were rather damp as it poured with rain the whole time we were then hence our return to Farnborough to recuperate. Once that was done we cycled down to the Bovington tank museum before heading back to Hereford via Bristol and the Severn Bridge. Sadly we didn’t make it to Hereford and rang my parents and asked if they could give us a life back from St Arvans outside Chepstow. No such options this year

Once on Portsea I cycled up to Southsea where I had intended catching a ferry to Ryde but then I happened to cycled past the hovercraft service so never having been on a hovercraft before I decided to try that out and promptly arrived in Ryde. Checked in at the Esplanade Hotel (terrible bed) and hardly slept a wink. Combination of too big a meal and the storm that raged all night.