Fri 17th
Decided to have a go at getting to Lascaux to see the caves. Headed out at found strange art deco campsite in Perigueux itself complete with bar. Planning next stage looks awkward due to terrain and campsites.

Sat 18th

Very cold night; had difficulty keeping warm with kit I've got. Decide not to risk heading into them thar hills so look round Perigueux as consolation. Visit Gallo-roman Temple and Arena (turned into nice park with stylish water feature, the gladiators would have loved it) And a quick look in museum. Perigueux itself is very interesting especially a house I saw that appears to be built on a tall wall; I guess there wasn't room for a ground floor.

Sun 19th
Another very cold night. Take advantage of quiet roads and take main route back west: about 75K in 5 hours, nice smooth road but uninteresting.

Mon 20th
Head for south of Bordeaux; nice sunny day. Bordeaux looks fascinating and I would have liked more time there. Camp south of the city and find Bill and Marsha, the canadians, there. they're heading into Spain as well and had found campsite book so borrow it for a quick browse; Looks like big gaps in available sites until Portugal. They intend cutting across Spain to catch a ferry to Italy to spend christmas with their children there.

Tues 21
Cloudy, threatening rain as head south. Straight flat roads through endless pine forests so make good time but rain starts mid morning. Decide to detour to larger town for supplies; visit bar for a coffee and find it is right beside a hotel. being rational and areligious I took it as a sign from the gods and booked in. TV, beer, bath, bed, heaven.

Weds 22
Another easy ride south in cloudy but dry weather. More pine forests so it is now getting boring. Make it to campsite to find Bill and Marsha again; they had had a wet night camping. Managed to get reasonable atlas of Spain to plan next stage. Solar charged PDA but was accidentally switched on so lost more charge than it gained.

Thurs 23
bitterly cold night; sleeping bag, fleece liner, silk liner and thermals needed but still not particularly warm. Must upgrade kit. Stray cats were foraging around last night sticking their heads under the flysheet in the hopes of food. Gave me quite a start. Cycle to Ondres just N of Bayonne to camp

Fri 24
Another bitterly cold night. Cycle through Bayonne and find Decathlon on outskits. Buy better quality sleeping bag which should help at nights although the lightweight tent I have is not ideally suited to these conditions; due to heat from my body and cold tent the condensation drips through the mesh inner onto me. On through Biarritz (very hot day and folk are surfing and sunbathing) Things are getting hilly now but the scenery is good. First glimpse of Pyrenees.
Spain tomorrow all being well

Thurs 9th

Very cold morning but sun sone warms everything up as make way through Nantes and head SW. stop at sandwich shop for bite to eat. Order sandwich and can of beer and have chat with bloke sitting at one of the tables while it is prepared. Sandwich apperars along with a large loaf (brioche I believe). Looking slightly puzzled at the gorl behind the counter she explains it is courtesy of the patron and nods to guy I had been talking to. Offer thanks and sit outside in sun to eat. Next prob, how to strap brioche to bike without it ending up like a pitta. Manage it by making envelope out of waterproof jacket and trapping it by the edges with bungee cords. Looks rather like large orange ravioli strapped to rack. Was going to get food on way but no room now so straight to campsite to drop everything off. Nearest shop is now 15K away so end up doing extra 30K due to brioche; was nice though.

Fri10th
Pleasant day cycling through countryside punctuated by small villages with big churches and little else. Pretty humdrum day really

Sat 11th Set out for Rochefort via Rochelle. Rough winding roads make final stage of journey a bit tough. Stop to work out where campsite is and french cyclist stops to help. As he is headed in same direction cycle with him to site. Just as well as it was nowhere near where I thought it was. Notice Decathlon nearby so may stop over to get some bits and pieces on Monday.

Sun 12th
Lazy day in sun, washed a few things and charged up PDA

Mon 13th
Call into Decathlon to get gas cartridge, cycling glasses (previous ones had broke at Dover) and a dry bag to reorganise kit to prevent another brioche incident. Cycle out from Rochefort on very impressive bridge. Very busy but a white line protected from all those cars and lorries.
Had cultural fix by visiting Abbey at Trizay. It was closed but managed to see what I wanted by scaling wall. Pleasant half hour relaxing under shade of tree in abbey herb garden.

Tue 14th
Cycle S down coast meeting another french cyclist who is headed same way so chat in franglais for a while. Visit hermitage at Montagne sur Gironde but that's closed as well.
Arrive at campsite in Jonzac where bloke in reception looks supprised I when I tell him I'm in a tent. Everything seems designed for motorhomes so end up on narrow lumpy grass strip between toilet block and wire fence.

Wed 15th
Head towards Perigeaux with choice of two campsites, decided to go for furthest as going was good. Get to Menesplet and follow directions to campside which promptly directed me 4K back the way I had come. Arrive a bit fed up to find warm welcome and free carafe of local wine. As I'm in reception a woman knocks on door and asks if I would like dinner. As I had already bought stuff, and caught a little wrong footed I declined.
Pitch, cook and drink wine and all is well with the world.

Thurs 16th
Spoke too soon. Woke in night 01:00 to strange prodding sensations coming up from under tent. Turns out I had pitched on top of a mole run. After putting up with mole trying to clear tunnel that I kept on collapsing I gave up first and moved tent at 03:00. As I couldn't tell whether I was on top of another mole run I slept in the campsite day room.
Met one off the proprieters, Marianne originally from Nottingham, and later the other proprieter, Mark, comes along so end up having general chat. They had moved from Notts down to Cornwall but decided to buy this campsite and property and give it a go. End up stopping for dinnerand beer.

Sun 5th

Thanks to everyone for comments and emails. After past few days they helped cheer me up a lot.

Walked into Rennes to see about catching train South. I might have if I could understandthe automated ticket system.

Mon 6th
Packed up and headed south for Guemene Pentao. Long trip as followed minor roads and the river Villaine. Pleasant countryside most notable for large tracts of woodland and particularly Sweet Chesnut trees.
In this wind the chesnuts fall off the trees and carpet the road ready for unsuspecting cyclist to cruise around the corner. Nearly came off the bike twice. Also had to run the gauntlet when cycling under an avenue of sweet chesnuts in the wind.
Generally stayed dry but windy with rain starting just as pitched tent so not too bad.

Tue 7th
Rain again as I pack and head South for Nantes. everything is damp or wet and muddy. The rather eager young girl at Guemene Pentao campsite assured me tomorrow will be fine and had the campsite been clean and pleasant I might have stayed a while.
Absolutely drenched by time reach Nantes but find campsite on Notrh West suburbs called Le Petit Port. Seems good so if weather good will take day off to clean and dry everything as on last set of dry clothing..

Weds 8th

THE SUN IS OUT!!!!!!!!
Take everything to laundry and get session on internet whilst its cooking. Now to air and clean everything else down.

rotten weather

Fri 3
Decide to make a break as wind in NE and Ièm heading SW so it may give me a hand.
Initially blows me across road till get used to it. Ride interspersed with diving for cover as hail pelts down. Beer and a Jambon and Camenbert sandwich restore spirits somewhat. After hours in the saddle back sets and I shuffle around like a constipated chimp until I can get some flexibility back. Get some funny looks.
Made it to Pontorson to camp; really nice campsite but it's called Haliotis and I cant help pronouncing it wrong.

Sat 4th
A nice sheltered spot gives a windless night; bliss. Chilly in morning but sun is out so time to head South. South Westerly wind starts to build, then the rain starts again. oh well.
Get to Rennes; get lost; find tourist office: find campsite is back the way I came in.
Chatted to bit of French fluff on neither bike nor motorbike ( see comments) but on foot. My powers of seduction resulted in finding where the nearest supermarket was; must try harder.

Sun 5th
Day off in Rennes to recouperate.

Tues 23

Pack and head for Amiens. Lot of pedestrianisation going on there so things were a little chaotic. Cathedral adorned by usual scaffolding. Manage to extract myself and head towards Rouen before branching off to Poix de Picardie to camp. bought tape from local supermarket to try and repair tent. My french not brill so hope tape does what I think it says it does!
Days shooting by.

Weds 24

Off to Rouen to look for campsite on northern outskirts. Get totally lost as many roads did not allow bicycles. Ask at bar but get typical french shrug. Find bookshop and peruse camping book till find site then off to get map to find out exactly where I was. Find it eventually and settle down for evening

Thurs 25

Damp and grey start. Chat to bloke at campsite who is there for a few days while he gets clutch repaired. It burnt out on way to Greece. As he said " you can't tell your satnav you're towing a caravan.
Really difficult getting to centre of Rouen on a bike, extremely busy roads. Eventually make it in but seem to attract a few stares. whether this is due to odd bike or me or simply the fact I'd made it alive to the centre on a bike.
Manage to find my way out again and travel very scenic road to Roches d'Orival. Popular with the Lycra clad cyclists. On to Bec Hellouin which is very attractive but not a lot there apart from empty restaurants and an abbey that supplied two archbishops of canterbury courtesy of Willy the Conqueror. Nights are getting chilly now

Fri 26
Nice rural ride to Toutainville and on to Port Audemer to camp. First person I bump into is from Coalville. A few moments later he offers me a job resurfacing roads!

Sat 27

Very cold morning and condensation in tent is dreadful. Head of to Honfleur then Villers sur mer where meet young Norwegian cycle tourer. he was spending 10 months touring around. Found we were heading in same direction to Cabourg off we went. Both camped at Cabourg; nice to have a bit of company for a while.

Sun 28

Off to Caen for breakfast, quick look round cathedral then off to tourist office to ask about Peace museum several people have recommended. The point to a road and say follow signs. By the time I find it I am some way out of Caen so no breakfast. Museum very stylish but too much reading and not much exciting to look at. thought may as well carry on to Bayeaux to Camp. Meet two women, Patricia and Ionie ( forgive me if spelt names wrong ladies) in a camper van and start chatting. As pitching they invite me over for a drink. Get on very well and they invite me to stay for dinner.
Spend pleasant evening chatting, eating and drinking and turn at 11; late for me on this trip.

Mon 29
Pleasant day in Bayeaux looking at Tapestry exhibition and Battle of Normandy Museum. As cooking dinner my back went; just what i'd been dreading. Changed bike seating position to take strain off back. Borrowed campsite book of Patricia and Ionie who then suggested I keep it as they were on their way back.

Tue 30
Fitful night with bad back, took ages getting dressed and out of tent. Need to move on as campsite closing. Persistent rain and wind as head off to look at coastal gun batteries. Nearest open campsite was Carentan and headwind very strong, at one stage was having to pedal down hill, so took it easy and eventualy arrived 6:30; A wet, windy, uncomfortable day I must remember to forget.

Weds 1st Oct
Very strong winds rattle tent around during night, quite disconcerting. Luckier than german lad who had his tent pegs ripped out in middle of night. he managed to rescue tent before it blew away though. Decide to have rest day and stroll round Carentan.
Meet couple of canadian cycle tourists. they have sold their house and business and are now touring round: they spent last 3 months touring British Isles.

Thurs 2
Chilly night. Set of SW. Wind picks up and hail forces rapid retreat to cover. Weather changing rapidly with periods of wind, hail, rain and sun; another nasty ride. Meet canadian couple again; Jim and Marsha, find we're headed to same campsite. With it being the end of the season routes are basically determined by whatever campsites are still open. Camp at Donville les Bains and take stroll into nearby Granville. An old twisty hill place where I got lost and had to ask for directions.

Fri 3
Horrific winds and rain threaten tent so pack everything away just in case tent rips or pegs pull out; Apparently going to be like it all day so not sure quite what to do yet

Story so far

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.