Central London CTC blog

Monday 6th April
John and Paul rode out separately, meeting at Wallingford for tea, and then on to a B&B in Goring. Paul had already broken a toe strap. 82km

Tuesday 7th

Over the hills to coffee at Kingsclear. Then a climb over the Hampshire downs and along the Test valley against a persistent head wind to Salisbury Youth Hostel. 94km

Wednesday 8th

NCN24 was a good route out of town. Further on BT had closed the lane and dug a trench down the middle giving a traffic free few miles on the way to Shaftesbury. We walked down the cobbles of Gold Hill (used in the Hovis advert) and through a bridge closure before the Piddle valley. Then contested rush hour in Weymouth and across the causeway before we reached Portland YH. Paul had also broken a mudguard by this point. 102km

Thursday 9th
Low cloud and mist hid Chesil beach and the hills to Bridport. After lunch in Axminster the clouds turned into steady rain on the big climb of the day from Southleigh, but we had largely dried out by Exeter. Nina, Chris and Richard joined here for an evening spent in the Tally Ho Inn. 105km

Friday 10th
A good cycle route NCN2 along the Exeter canal followed by shopping for cycling essentials in Exeter. Then a hilly route to Dunsford for coffee and lunch at Fingle Bridge. The narrow lanes and hedge banks were lined with early spring flowers, and Chris proved that Bromptons can be made to climb hills. Sticklepath and the National Trust industrial forge there also provided tea before arriving at old Okehampton station, now a Youth Hostel. 46km

Saturday 11th
Paul had to glue his venerable cycling shoes back together, luckily none of the bets on how long they would last were accepted as he would have made a killing. Richard’s front mudguard also required immediate surgery. NCN27 passed a memorial to Balaclava, before coffee in Hatherleigh. Then NCN3 led to the Tarka Trail on a former rail line towards Bideford. We reached the old Torrington station, now Puffing Billy pub, for lunch and returned on a more hilly road route. There were superb views of Tors on Dartmoor in the distance. Tea was replaced by Scrumpy and then a ride back to Okehampton down quiet lanes in the early evening sun. 77km

Sunday 12th
Careful map reading minimised hills, with good beer and lunch at Witheridge. A steady climb up the Exe valley was surprisingly quiet for Easter Sunday. We paused at the Rest and be Thankful Inn for refreshments before a descent to Dunster that seemed to last for ever. Minehead YH had an enthusiastic cycling warden, with a commitment to real food : the best hostel on the tour. 83km

Monday 13th
Down to the harbour and sea, then along the coast road to Watchet following the steam train which took a flatter route. After lunch at Crowcombe the tour broke up with Nina, Chris and Richard returning from Taunton, whilst John and Paul climbed over the Quantocks to Bridgwater and across the Somerset levels to Cheddar YH. 75km

Tuesday 14th
First left after breakfast and up the Gorge, but it was not as steep as Winnats! At the top we were waved through a road closure by the crew just before their machines took out the tarmac. Lunch was at the Marquis of Bath’s hotel Longleat where Paul’s joke about tourists and hungry lions was not appreciated. The quiet of the Wylye valley on NCN24 to Salisbury was disrupted as we were buzzed repeatedly by a jet which seemed to track us down the valley. 89km

Wednesday 15th
NCN45 to Amesbury for coffee, then across Burford army training ranges; no tanks but no shelter either from the headwind. Just after lunch at Shalbourne we were passed by Google cam, perhaps we will appear on their web site. NCN4 near Newbury used part of the Kennet and Avon towpath which we shared with a horse drawn barge. Streatley YH warden made us welcome mugs of tea as we booked in to end the tour. 98km

Thursday 16th
Back through Sonning and Windsor in light rain to Chiswick for lunch. Total distance 922km

A connoisseurs tour, with excellent sunny weather and the English countryside at its early spring best. Paul promises to spend some money on new kit, and maps before next year.