Day Tripper

THIS IS ENGLAND - DAYS 7 - 13

Day 7 Sunday 23rd August - Stage 7 jogle: Kirkby Stephen - Holmfirth - 85.91 miles
This is England
An absolute cracker jack of a ride right through the yorkshire dales and onto the edges of the pennines at Holmfirth. The first 45 or so miles to Skipton are as good as it gets with stunning climbs and views and hopefully not many cars. From Skipton we continue through some larger towns in Halifax and Huddersfield to get to Holmfirth famous as the town where last of the summer wine is filmed. staying in a twin room at a glorious country inn on the moorlands http://www.the-huntsman-inn.com/


Day 8 Monday 24nd August - Stage 8 jogle: Holmfirth - Ironbridge - 92.15 miles

Straight out of Holmfirth through Holmbridge and Holme we tackle the classic Holme Moss hill climb, a legendry hill climb in British cycling circles which used to feature in the Tour of Britain cyle race. On over and through the pennine towns of Glossop, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Buxton we head south west through Staffordshire countryside onto the town Ironbridge which has the honour as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Staying at a stunning guest house http://libraryhouse.com/

Day 9 Tuesday 25th August - Stage 9 jogle: Ironbridge - Cheddar - 122.16 miles

We're off to Cheddar in Somerset... (you have to say it aloud in faux farmers accent)
Second longest day on the road its heads down time to get some serious miles in. Virtually straight south after hitting culninery capital of England Ludlow we head through Leominster, Hereford and down to Chepstow. Crossing the River Severn on the old bridge, now the M48, there is a cycle path below road level.

The big challenge once over is skirting Bristol to avoid most of the stop / start traffic so we stay on A roads to get round and then cross the famous Clifton Bridge http://www.clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk We end the day cycling over the beautiful Mendip hills to Cheddar home of the great british cheese. Were booked into the yha in the centre of the village http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/south-west-england/hostels/cheddar/index.aspx

Day 10 Wednesday 26th August - Stage 10 jogle: Cheddar - St Mabyn - 125.06 miles

The monster... longest day on the road and probably the hardest. A sort of Devon, Cornwall version of the Mont Ventoux stage at Le tour except no 1900 metre mountain to get up..
What we do have is up down up down all day, getting through the miles, through Taunton, Tiverton and onto Okehampton at 80 miles on the edges of Dartmoor. Then we hit the 100 mile mark at Launceston before going through rolling Cornish countryside to St Mabyn via Camelford. Staying at http://www.theoldchapelhouse.co.uk/ perhaps the best B&B of the lot!!!


Day 11 Thursday 27th August - Stage 11jogle: St Mabyn - Lands End 73.25 miles

A brilliant day to finish. Head to Wadebridge then get onto the Camel Trail http://www.padstowcyclehire.com/cameltrailmap.htm all the way to Padstow. A really scenic ride this cycle path hugs the Camel Estuary to Padstow. Then we go south to Newquay on to Redruth, Penzance and finishing the day at Lands end... fancy a pint?


Day 12 Friday 28th August

No stages just the realisation of a dream, of shared experiences galore and a real understanding of what it means to be alive..
Staying in Flushing with the wonderful hospitable Tynan's..


Day 13 Saturday 29th August

Train back to London town where we will head our seperate ways. Booked onto the morning train from Truro to London Paddington arriving at shortly after 1pm

Then its United v Arsenal 5.30 kick off to bring us back into the real world.

Gravy.