Taunton
Today is what cycle touring should be about: a stiff 1.5 mile climb out of Moretonhampstead, then a downhill cruise off Dartmoor and into Exeter.
Sun shining, wooded valleys, orchids in the hedges and a big Devonshire cream tea outside Exeter cathedral. In short, goodbye to the b*****d hills of the last two days.
After Exeter, a pleasant spin up to North Devon and into Somerset.
Bumped into a fellow End-to-Ender on the A38. Not at all like those Antipodeans; quite a pleasant, sensible man, more up my street: retired and Canadian. Legs like redwoods.
Later on, whilst trying to catch him at 35mph came a shout of, “pot hole”, from Steve up front. Sadly, a little too late as my chain hopped off the big chain ring and rapped itself twice around my crank, which brought my cadence down fairly briskly. No damage done.
The Pyrland Farm B&B in Taunton is genuinely magic and run by the marvellous Mary Read, who has kindly performed beyond the call of duty in washing and drying 350 combined miles of sweaty cycling gear.
Sunday night in Somerset has proved a difficult time to find a good pub serving dinner.
One could almost find themselves cycling back lanes and villages, from pub to pub, in search of sustenance. Imagine that.
A word of advice: always ask if dinner is available before buying two pints of local cider.
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
MoretonhampsteadYate
Statistics
- Miles today:
50 - Average cycling speed:
11.7mph - Total miles: 175
