Day 52 - Little Malvern to Hereford - Ride total 3,780 k, 24,250 m

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 way back in the 90's when I first visited the UK and spent a great day sightseeing from London that took in the Cotswolds set in my mind how great it would be to cycle through the area - then In 2017 when invited to Sarah and Tom's wedding over here I saw the opportunity to do just that and this is now my fourth visit!

Each time I come over here to ride always now includes a visit to Steve and Sarah's and I do appreciate their wonderful hospitality and our friendship.

It was a good ride up the walking/biking tracks to the ridge on the top of the Malvern Hills and there were quite a few walkers' out enjoying the nice day. After dropping down bak off the ridge I carried on through some country lanes to Ledbury an old Market town with the "Market" building still being used for everyday life (it's now the outdoor dining area for the adjacent Cafe). A couple of the signs attached to the lintel inside were still there and the posts holding up the building above and roof were virtually tree trunks sawn longitundinally to the post shape required!

I also had  a bit of gravel, enclosed single track, no track and field to ride through and appreciated having the cycle.travel phone app open on my navigation phone in front of me because all I had to go on was a line on the screen going right through the farmers' field of pasture - no track or trail at all! You kind of know you're on the "right track" when on the other side of the field and at times hidden down in the trees or heddgrow you come across a gate big enough to  yourself, your bike or horse through but no other vehicles. It's the sort of navigation I enjoy for sure.

There were a couple of small hills to get up today and the one going up the ridge I decided to walk as the surface  times was rocky or shingly making grip very difficult. Out on the lanes the gradient at one point got to 22% which made me thankful for the low gear that I have.

Before heading off this morning I rode down into Cirencester and popped in to the bike shop to get my gears looked at - He  was great as he stopped what he was doing and popped the bike up in the stand and had them sounding good in no time (like a full five minutes) - He didn't want payment and said he's  "paying it forward" as he wants to go and ride the "Great Divide" - While he didn't take payment I was able to introduce him to Warmshowers.org and cycle.travel that he was keen to find out about.

I'm staying in the Hopbine B&B tonight and like  of these places had a devil of a job finding it cos it doesn't show on the booking site as being where it is and in actual fact it is about 300 metres down the road from the Vet Surgery where it supposedly should be! The important thing is - I found it.

It feels strange as I come to the reality that I no longer have my two riding buddies with me.