LEJOG Blog

We awoke this morning to grey skies - something of a shock after the treat we had enjoyed over the previous four days. Again we had a splendid breakfast - we seem to have been as fortunate with the B&Bs as we have with the weather.

This was a morning for long trousers and warm tops and the flat countryside allowed us to keep up a good speed, covering 10 miles in the first hour. Shortly after crossing the A37 at Shapwick, we met a group from the Somerset CTC, who were returning home after a four day tour. Almost all were riding Argos bikes - not bought from a well-known purveyor of household goods, but a renowned local builder of the finest riding irons. We chatted briefly and they passed on useful info regarding Cheddar and the Mendips and also the Severn Crossing - cyclists only on the north side, apparently.

We stopped in Wedmore for coffee, which is where I have scribbled these words. So far, 19.53 miles at 9.6mph in two hours, one minute and nine seconds.

Cheddar Gorge was quite fun. There were lots of slow-moving cars, not enough parking spaces and many admirers and one round of applause as we cycled up, only getting off to push for about 200 yards, and that being the steepest section in the middle. Once we were on top of the Mendips, lunch became a priority and the Blue Bowl, near the Chew Valley lake provided a very good ploughman's.

From here, there were more hills than I expected and when we found our way into the Ashton Park, I was very cross to find that we had somehow missed our way and now had to climb a very unpleasant 1 in 7 to make the Clifton Suspension Bridge. As cyclists, we had no toll to pay and it was from here that Sustrans route 4 proved very useful. Finding our way through Bristol was easy.

Unfortunately, once we started heading out towards the Severn Bridge, Sustrans took us through all sorts of outlandish places, so deserted and desolate that one could easily imagine gangland murders occuring nearby. Worse than that, I reckon that Sustrans added a good three miles to the route that I had planned, and it is a matter of great regret that I did not pay more attention to my own route planning.

We did eventually find the bridge, and were rewarded with a superb sunset picture. However, the inadequate, nay downright untruthful signposting will be the cause for a letter of complaint at some time when we arrive home.

We finally reached Chepstow at about 8:30 and found our digs with little difficulty. The tribulations of the day were almost compensated for by the excellent Indian meal that we enjoyed prior to a romantic stroll down to the River Wye, followed by a most unromantic night snoring and spluttering.