http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/BenGarethRolfe/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from BenGarethRolfe en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 00:53:38 +0000 Thu, 23 May 2013 00:53:38 +0000 It would be fitting if we could find some profound words to summarise the final hours of our adventure. Frankly parts of the last day took a lot out of us so you'll have to make do with this.We awoke with a strangely nervous anticipation of the day ahead. We'd already cycled 940 miles through some awful weather at times see day 3 and had longer days see 1 3 and 7 so why the butterflies i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/blog-285769.html As with a lot of the rest of Scotland we rode along one long road for most of the day. An Aroad in name only the A836 from Loch Shin via Loch Loyal to Tongue is a single track barely used by anyone. This made for very pleasant cycling across undulating moorland past conifer plantations eerilyquiet lochs and towards the imposing peaks of Ben Hope and Ben Loyal.We could have headed directly http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/blog-285766.html It seems that after many miles of separation endtoenders are funneled through the same routes in Scotland. We were pleased and slightly smug to realise that we were faster than the ones we encountered whether it be on the relative flat of lochside cycling or up the brute of a hill that marked our departure from Loch Ness. 1 mile 15 wishing for even lower gears.Day 13 was notable for the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/blog-285765.html Today was relatively flat alongside several lochs. While it did not match the stunning scenery of yesterday it was certainly very pleasant. We took in the UK's highest point Ben Nevis its largest body of freshwater Loch Ness and also our highest average speed are you ready stats fans 16.7 mh The previous days had ranged from 11.514.1.Our hostel was somewhat rustic and remote situate http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-283993.html The day began with a misty morning over the now mysteriouslooking Loch Lomond. We cycled along its shores for many a mile barely seeing a soul.A steep long ascent took us into the Highlands and would you believe it the sun came out. We weaved our way through the mountains following the paths of the rivers and streams as many a Highlander must have done over the centuries. And as most of the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-283833.html We took a break from our bikes to walk to the Falls of Clyde. Poor old Clyde it looked quite steep and slippery. Joking that was a joke btw aside they were very pretty.We knew today would be a relatively short cycle so we decided to take a look at Glasgow. It seems to spread for miles over a wide flat valley. It's not particularly cycle friendly but vaste swathes of the centre are pedestr http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/Scotland/blog-283831.html Our highest average speed but lowest top speed tell today's story Fairly flat into a stiff breeze. In nine days of cycling the wind has been behind us twice. Once on the way to Land's End from Penzance and once on a roundabout.We made it to Scotland though. We cycled along an old A road for miles the majority of the traffic now on the adjacent motorway. The scenery was often obscured by the t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-282647.html Gareth's knee pain reached its nadir almost causing him to puke on the last Dales miles to Kirkby Stephen. We thought the smell of our clothes may have contributed but cycling naked wasn't an option we were prepared to entertain.Neverthless he soldiered on. Meanwhile Rolfe and I enjoyed another day of imposing fells and dales streams and villages. A fortuitous wrong turn took us into the cent http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-282645.html Up through the former industrial landscape of Greater Manchester mills chimneys factories terraced houses into the rolling hills and evocative landscape of the Pennines. Bronte country as you probably know although they lived a few miles away on the other side of some imposing hills.Up into the clouds we peddled and down into Burnley Colne and Barnoldswick where we had lunch at Victori http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-282577.html Filled with another massive breakfast we made our way through the country lanes of Cheshire in double quick time. The sunshine even stayed with us as we found our to way to Manchester.Rolfe's dreams of recordbreaking average speed were shattered as Ben dragged the group down a cycle path which soon became a bridleway which then became some sort of marsh.Neverthess lunch with the Williams famil http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cheshire/blog-282575.html Shropshire is quite big it turns out. If you recall it was badly flooded in many parts last summer. And no wonder we thought as it rained for almost all of our 40 mile morning cycle to Shrewsbury. However Shrewsbury seemed like a lovely town full of winding streets and medieval buildings and we had lunch and more real ale at the Three Fishes pub.The first day with no bike breakdowns and a r http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Shropshire/blog-281463.html It's pronounced Lemster would you believeWould you also believe that Gareth had to get a new wheel Only his spoke broke opposite a cycle shop.Finally the wind eased off the rain stopped and we crossed the Severn Bridge in Wales which looked...much the same as England. Except the road signs were supplemented with some unintelligible clusters of letters. We enjoyed a 3 mile downhill on beautif http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Herefordshire/blog-281455.html Words cannot adequately convey the horrors of day 3. The first 31 miles were into a storm. 3050mh head winds all day. We almost gave up. A boat passed us on the A30. Not sure whether it was being towed or not. We didn't take many photos as noone wants to see grown men cry. But we made it. Surely nothing will ever be this hard again.Michelle laid on loads of lovely food we collapsed soon after. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Somerset/blog-280663.html Despite a dreary Cornish morning and warnings of more bad weather to come the sun poked from behind the clouds for most of the afternoon. One awful hill approaching Exeter aside this was a lot less troubling. We saw a 15 gradient sign of a fairly steep climb but we'd done far steeper already.Rolfe got another puncture. Plymouth is a bit of a dump and all its traffic lights were on red. We reac http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Devon/Exeter/blog-280657.html Cornwall is so hilly. Why weren't we told this at school All we heard about was tin mines and a moribund language. One hill broke a spoke in Ben's back wheel. We can fix most things but not that. So a cab all the way back from Godolphin Cross to Penzance for Ben as Gareth and Rolfe continued. One new wheel and two hours later Ben's mission to catch them up began. It was eased by a puncture fo http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cornwall/blog-280479.html Whether or not we cry noone will be able to tell. The tears will be washed away by the rain and blown away by the wind. Ben http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Cornwall/blog-279277.html Hi everyoneIt's one day to go until Ben Rolfe and Gareth set off on our little trip from Land's End to John O'Groats on our bicycles. We'll be using this site to let you know how we get on to let you know about our joy our pain our adulation and our tears. And looking at the weather for the next couple of days it looks as though it's mainly going to be tears.We're going to try to keep in tou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Bristol-County/Bristol/blog-279141.html