Reflections
It’s now six weeks or so since I finished the ride and Ive had plenty of time to think it all through and reflect. What went well, what didn’t, what, if I did it again, would I do differently? What went well? It did! Leaving aside some wet and windy days, which were obviously out […]
The Last Day – Greenwich to Dungeness; 7th July 2023
The last day! One hundred thirty-five kilometres and 740 metres of climbing will lead me to the lighthouse on the shingle of Dungeness. If you look at the route below, you’ll see the line could have been straighter, but as I’d not seen a Ness since York, I was duty-bound to head along the banks […]
Day 12 – Stevington to Greenwich; 6th July 2023
After 120 km and 829m climbing I have finished today’s ride in Greenwich, a big contrast to the start of the ride! To prepare me for the business of the capital, the route followed lovely, country lanes into Bedford before popping out on the eastern side and turning south to follow more little lanes down […]
Day 11 – Pickwell to Stevington nr Bedford; 5th July 2023
Again a sub-100 km day (97 km ) with a few undulations totalling 908m climbing. After a good night in Pickwell, it was back on the road. The bike computer told me there were 18 summits to overcome… the most since leaving Durness. That said, most weren’t big, and after surmounting a few lumps and […]
Day 10 – Retford to Pickwell near Melton; 4th July 2023
It was a shorter ride today but over double the climbing of yesterday: 94km and 660m climbing, most towards the end of the day. Today dawned sunny and dry and continued dry all day although the clouds did roll in and the wind picked up in the afternoon. Leaving Retford, I headed south and at […]
Day 9 – York to Retford; 3rd July 2023
Today will be different! 110 kilometres to ride but only 234 metres of ascent. I might have to work today; no cruising downhill. Yesterday we had a day off with Paul and Katherine to rest and fettle the bike. And today it was a later start so we could meet the MNDA team from York […]
Day 8- Kirby Stephen to York; 1st July 2023
It’s the day of the long climb today and the highest point of the whole ride as we cross the Pennines – 130 km and 1259 metres climbing. It was also the day that had been nagging away at me for a couple of days. It’s a big hill, and the end of eight days […]
Day 7 – Gretna to Kirby Stephen; 30th June 2023
Today’s the day we wave a cheery farewell to Scotland and start stage two of the ride down the length of England – 100 km and 992 metres climbing. After yesterday’s good weather, things reverted to type, and it was raining as we left our wonderful overnight accommodation. Taking the back lanes, I rode to […]
Day 6 – Bathgate to Kirkpatrick-Fleming near Gretna; 29th June 2023
Back in the saddle for a long one again today as we leave the central belt and cross the Scottish Borders down to near Gretna, another 144 km and 1300m climbing. The day dawned bright for a change. Leaving the hotel, the grey skies built, a splash of rain, and that was it for the […]
Day 5 – Kinross to Bathgate; 28th June 2023
After yesterday’s long day, a relatively shorter and flatter affair from Kinross to Bathgate near Livingston; 89km and 690m ascent and into the latest ness – Bo’ness. It wasn’t raining, which was a bonus today. After a bit of a lie-in, I left just after ten and, after a brief sprint along the A91, turned […]
