Starting out 11:30, Fri 5th September and wending my way south down to Stratford was a bit of a slog in the rain. Managed tp pitch tent during brief dry spell at the racecourse.
Sat 6th
Wet and windy start to the day as headed S through Cotswolds.
Stopped at Bourton where tourist info suggested camping at local football club. Had quick pint and interesting chat with some other tourists then made way to campsite. Turns out you get temporary membership of club bar when you camp so made good use of the facility. Barman marvelled at cycling all the way from Leicester.
Sun 7th
Another grey wet day as I dring tea and eat meusli bars for breakfast. Headed S to Calne. Stopping at Fairford for my lunchtime pint a bloke said "won't get far on that shopping bike", we'll see.
Mon 8th
Desperate sun peers through the clouds this morning, saw my own shadow for first time in days. Headed S again stopping at interesting little Saxon church at Alton Barnes. Tiny place in middle of nowhere yet has many memorials of important folk buried in far flung places. After lunchtime pint in Enford it's off to Salisbury stopping at Woodhenge, Durrington Walls and Stonehenge. Dissapointed with presentation of latter, reminded of caged leviathan in circus freak show. Camped beneath walls of Old Sarum just outside Salisbury.
Tue 9th.
Day off today to do laundry and look round Salisbury. Interesting exhibition at cathedral detailIng 750 years of its history and fascinating maze of a museum. Took evening stroll around Old Sarum, the remains of an important Saxon stronghold. Here William the conqueror gathered the major land owners to pledge their loyalty, more of a corporate takeover than invasion. I've heard te Normans introduced the rabbit to England, if so they still hold firm at Old Sarum. Apparently they wanted to cull the rabbits and collapse the burrows but they were concerned that, with the so many burrows it would result in the levelling of the impressive earth embankments.
Weds 10th
E to Winchester, took waterproofs off for first time! A look round the castle and cathedral before pitching tent just E of the city.
Thu 11th
As I set off from campsite a woman dashed over and asked if I was the chap in the small tent. After saying I was she said her friend had come over earlier to ask if I would like breakfast. I must have been in the shower at the time. After thanking her for the kind thought and declining the offer of a banana, I headed off E. Good weather and interesting rural architecture make journey to overnight stop in field outside a pub in Hambledon a pleasure. Come out of pub after a pint to find rear tyre completely flat. It was so sudden I thought somebody had done it deliberately.
Couldn't find obvious cause sochanged inner tube. Started dinner and meths stove erupted setting fire to my hand, leg and tent. I think I must have spilled meths but not realised it due to cold damp hands and tiredness. Managed to put everything out with minor damage to tent, stinging hand and slightly burnt thigh, I was Very lucky.
Fri 12th
E towards Crawley. Stopping at Cranleigh for provisions I met a chap with a folding bike (brompton) who heartilly recommended I travel down a particular cycle path although it sent me completely the wrong way. Hands chapped and sore from damp and wind and bike in need of service. After so long in the saddle minor imperfections in the seating position become apparent and my body is feeling the effects.
Camped outside Lingfield near Crawley and took stroll into village for provisions when started to thunder. Didn't fancy going back to cook so bought fish and chips and sat beneath very old oak tree besides strange mini church to eat.
Turns out mini church was originally a boundary marker, St. Peters cross, to which a small lockup had been added later giving shape of mini church.
Sat 13th
Into Crawley for bike spares etc. Then on to visit relatives. Meeting relatives who I had not seen for a long while was a real pleasure. Strange that even after many years, within a few moments it felt as though no time had passed at all.
All too soon it was back to campsite to find I had another complete flat tyre. Found the culprit this time, a piece a wood buried in the tyre. Must have been some force as the tyre is kevlar belted.
Sun 14th
E towards Dover. Met other cyclist at lunchtime pub stop. One had been all over the world cycling on his titanium bike. Briefly describing his experiences as he smoked and drank beer he said you couldn't get much better than a sunday ride out to an english pub on a sunny day. Shame the Kent country roads were the worst i'd encountered.
Mon 15th
Cold night, spent morning chatting with Dutch couple about differences in cycling between the two countries.
On to Folkestone and a dubious campsite called Little Switzerland.
Although the proprieter said he'd collect payment later he never did, just as well as facilities were poor.
Tue 16th
No response from reception as I left so a free nights camp. Horrible hill out of Folkestone to the cliff tops. Stopped at Battle of Britain memorial. Sited on remains of an old coastal battery it reminded me of bronze age earthworks. Inside the circular enclosure, paths shaped like a propeller lead to a sculpture of a pilot looking thoughtfully, expectantly towards the coast of France. On the memorial wall I notice 2 Chappells, A.K and C.G. I wonder if we're related? Stpping at info to check departures I join queue to board ferry. Spent time before boarding chatting with group of motorcyclists debating practicalities of using bungee cords to tow my bike behind their motorbikes.
Onto ferry, a glass of beer and an hour later into Calais. Checked with torist info about campsites and then headed E to Oye Plage and 'camping petit moulin'. Its deserted so pitch tent cook dinner and wait.
Weds 17th
Nobody came and place still deserted so another free night. Set off E for fortified town of Gravelines. Interesting place and history. A couple of coffees and on to Eperlecques. Here the site of the Blockhaus used to prepare and fire V1 and V2 rockets is worth a visit. Incredibly brutal architecture for a brutal weapon. The massive amount of bombs dropped on it have cracked and shifted the huge concrete structure with almost geological force and scarred the surroundings with craters. Walking inside to see the concrete reinforcing rods peeled back into sculptural forms by the force of the explosions is a sobering experience. Found campsite nearby so set up for night. Local café did takeaway cheeseburger and chips, rounded off with tea and chocolate biscuits all is well with the world.
Thu 18th
SE to St. Omer to find maps. Nothing appropriate so couple of beers and a coffee later its off to another V2 site the 'couperole' just outside St Omer. Again a well presented tour, more comprehensive than Eperlecques and a lot of history on the concentration camps. I can't help wondering what the many german visitors think. Head off E to Arques to camp for night.
Fri 18th
Head for Bethune, roughly following canal and onto Voilaines for the night. Strong Easterly makes gng hard. Campsite basic but friendly and spend while in bar chatting with locals who joke as a 'sportif' I should be drinking water not beer. Get offered free 'pain au chocolat', be churlish to refuse of course.
Sat 20th
Tightened head bearing on bike and adjusted seat. Its now an inch higherthan normal, perhaps i'm growing! SE towards Lens and onto Arras and tourist info. They said nearest campsites were E of Arras, I want to go SW now. Whilst having beer in the central square i find one in leaflet that's S near Bapaume. Found way out of Arras and headed S only to find ot from locals the campsite closed 2 years ago when owner died. Getting late now so ask about alternatives, after much sucking in of cheeks and shrugging of shoulders they decide the best place would be the Hotel de Gare in Achiet le Grand. So retracing my steps I went to hotel and asked for a room for the night, they seemed most put out. Still, got room and settled in. Best shower i've had in weeks.
On way down here I passed many war graves and memorials. I never expected to be so moved by them; from fields with thousands of graves to small villages with just a few.
Sun 21st
Off to Bapaume to get some cash out then on to Albert. More graves and memorials; one in a tiny village off the beaten track marked ' in memory of nine brave men' and there names. What they did I don't know but at least they're named, so many are just marked 'known unto god', so's the bloke who killed him I thought.
I'm not remotely religious but am immensely impressed with the efforts of the war graves commission in maintaining the sites; they are immaculate.
On to Albert and a visit of the museum there. Interesting place with reconstructions of the trenches and artifacts found in the ground.
Camp in municipal campsite in Albert .
Mon 22nd
Stop in Albert for day to do laundry and postcard.
