Five Days on the Road

Easing Into the Adventure

The first five days were a real success — with great weather and lovely cycling to ease me into the adventure.

Setting Off from Home

It was a strange feeling to pack my bags and set off straight from the doorstep in Bristol. I gave Dem the biggest squeeze I could, and then Andy and I rolled out of the city. Having Andy ride with me for the first 25 km was lovely. Before long, we found ourselves on the very edge of what you could still call Bristol.

When Andy turned back, that’s when it really felt like the journey had begun — being alone with just the bike. Until that point, it had just felt like a normal ride out with a pal.

Bristol to Evesham: A Familiar Route

From Bristol to just outside Evesham on day one, I meandered near or alongside the beautiful British canal network, spotting some of the places I’d stayed 15 years ago when doing LEJOG.

By around 3 p.m., it reached 28°C, so I took a siesta, then finally found the edge of a farmer’s field to set up camp for the night.

A Relaxed Day to Rugby

The next leg was a shorter ride to Rugby, where I stayed with friends for the night. With plenty of time in the day, I stopped at an old swimming spot in Stratford-upon-Avon and went for a dip.

It was an easy ride after that through Warwick and Leamington, finally arriving in Rugby. Huge thanks to Dalton and Chloe for the bed, the fajitas, and breakfast!

Pushing On to Sleaford

The big day to Sleaford turned out to be surprisingly smooth. I made a quick stop at 50 km for snacks in Syston, then took little breaks at 75 and 100 km.

I rolled into Sleaford around 4 p.m. and met up with my mother- and grandmother-in-law 💗

Windy Lincolnshire Roads

After a big greasy spoon breakfast, I pushed on to East Barkwith. Welcome to Lincolnshire: the land of flat fields and lots of wind.

If yesterday was easy, today was a little more taxing; the wind just seemed to come from whichever direction I faced. On the plus side, I spotted a seal in the River Witham — a definite highlight!

Final UK Miles: Heading to the Ferry

For the final day in the UK, I had company again. Mum and my brother joined me from East Barkwith to Tealby. After saying goodbye to Mum, I carried on to meet up with Dad at Melton Ross.

Once again, the wind was ever-present as we headed toward the Humber Bridge, but overall, it was a not-too-taxing day. We made it to the Hull ferry port right on time.