Rome to London 2024

My last ride of this adventure was a short but very "So London" ride as I left Sir Christopher Wren's 1735 St Paul's Cathedral, through the city to the banks of the Thames, past Big Ben, the Museums, up the Birdcage Walk, swung by Buckingham Palace and on through the Wellington Arch and across the Hammersmith Bridge via Hyde Park. And all that was without even trying or amending my cycle.travel route. The day was lovely and warm so I just took my time soaking up the last few km's of the journey. A lovely ride to finish the amazing journey that it's been.  Another cyclist on his way to work through Hyde Park commented on the "great kit you've got there" as he checked out my Aero Spyder rear bags, then when he learned this was my last day of a ride from Rome he was most impressed. I arrived at Ian and Lone's a bit before 11:00 a. m. and it was lovely to catch up with them after last seeing them on their NZ holiday when they were on one of the l...

116 km's  to Milton Keynes then train to London then 5 km's to St Paul's YHA Hostel. A shower then off shopping for a new outfit! The rest of the Blog will have to wait till the morning.  Come back tonight to read and see more... Well, here I am in "Old Lodon Town" relaxing at the end of the ride from Rome. Yesterday when I left Birmingham I did  not know where I would be sleeping that night - I had  options a) a 40 pound per night Hotel b) a 20 pound campsite and c) a possible still to hear back from WarmShowers Host. I had options so I carried on and thought I'll sort that out later (no it was by design not by procrastination). I was making very good time and wanting  to get to beyond the halfway point before I stopped for lunch - I didn't need to stop for breakfast or coffee (not that I drink coffee) as the Hostel provided breakfast. Had I needed to stop for coffee though I would have been out of luck as the route avoided all cities and towns with Cafe...

I got away to good start and before leaving Longton I saw Subway were open and doing a "beakfast" deal - The bacon Sub and a nice cup of tea went down well and I headed out of Longton on a trail that pretty soon had me back on the Trent/Mersy Canal. Back in 2017 before I embarked on my UK tour I went and had a chat with Anthony and Englishman kayaking/b iking friend as I was keen to pick his brains. He mentioned quite a few things that I've taken on board and also told me about the "best kept" secret to cycling in the UK. The network of canal tow paths that stretch across the breadth and a fair chunk of the length as well. While I don't go out of my way to design routes along the canals cycle.travel also knows of the secret and so I leave it over to it to make full use of them. Today was one of those days where perhaps half of the ride was beside the canals - be it out in the countryside or as I discovered to my amazment and joy today when I was taken right ...

The good early start from the Backpackers today was delayed because as I was getting the bike from the yard the owner put the kettle on and said help myself to the cereal. So I did as it is far more convenient to have breakfast like this rather than seek some on the ride. Being a Sunday morning the roads and trails out of Liverpool were very quiet and I made good time and got to the Silever Jubilee Bridge over the Mersy in time to see it back lit by the sun - once again the pics do not do justice to the view I saw. This was the bridge I crossed going the other way in 2017 on my Lands End to John O'Groats ride. The route took me out through farmland and away from the busy roads and just as well as when I did get to cross over the M6 motorway it was bumper traffic and this was only lunchtime Suday of the Bank holiday  long weekend! After negotiating some single track through a farm and forest I popped out back on a road where a "Barn" conversion was going on - it had all th...

  Britain continues to educate me.  In 2017 this Kiwi was promptly shown on day one of his 5, 000 km ride, that, a) Britain has hills - like ones that make a touring cyclist on day one get off and push, and b) Britain does experience heat waves of plus 30 degrees, and c) it just so happens that both those lessons were learnt at the on same day !  This time round She has taught me that everything I wrote in an earlier blog about how easy it is to book accommodation for the next night, tonight, simply, does not apply here in Britain!  My casual thoughts of a week ago of taking in the Lakes District disappeared when I couldn't find suitable accommodation. No worries just switch where I'm going. Let's make it Wales then.  Well, I almost managed it having spent last night in Hereford close to the England/Wales border with thoughts of riding into Wales today. However, after much searching and not happy about paying hundreds of pounds for a bed for one I changed t...

After spending the last three days with Steve and Sarah they were kind enough to drive me and the bike across to Little Malvern where I began my ride to Hereford with a climb up onto the Malvern Hills and along the ridge to get a 360 degree view of the countryside all around - a huge expanse of rolling hills and plains stretched out below on both sides of the ridge (the pics do not do justice to the view in real time). Never say to me "you must come and stay" - unless you mean it, coz I do! In 2017 when I met Steve when we were both doing LeJog (Lands End to John O'Groats) and along with Peter became riding buddies along the way. Steve like me was staying on in Scotalnd and holidaying in the Outer Hebredies with Sarah where I met up with them again for a meal as I was out there as well. Somewhere they must hace said to me"if you are ever in the Cotswolds come and visit". The beautiful Cotswolds are the whole reason for me getting into these journies by bike as w...