my cycling challenges....

Team Bunny Hop on Severn Bridge

2014-09-08T20:21:00.001+01:00

Thanks for picture Ernie

a much better day!

2014-09-07T16:56:00.001+01:00

Massage in 5 minutes... That's all done. Legs definitely better but there are many other parts aching!
Great cycling group - just need to stick the pace.

Accommodation at Bath University is a dream compared to the cold campsite this morning. Back to tents tomorrow - argh. No more photos as camera as succumbed to a common HTC one m8 flaw that it doesn't like the vibrations from bikes. Ah well.

I'm the lucky owner of both Chamois Cream and Aloe Very flavoured Vaseline but I'm sure that'll work just as well elsewhere where it's more needed.

I may just have enough energy to watch some catch-up TV!

Check out my 185.7 km Ride on Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/191179295

RAB Day 2 preview

2014-09-06T19:45:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow's ride. Apparently rated the worst. Slightly longer and about same elevation rise including a dart moor and cheddar gorge.

Tough day out today

2014-09-06T19:34:00.001+01:00

Check out my 179.3 km Ride on Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/190610920

RAB Day 1

2014-09-06T19:33:00.001+01:00

I'm knackered!

Got very hot today; drank over seven 750ml bottles and still ran out. I fell off the bike early, long story but not all my fault....needed patching at the first pit stop and forgot to eat there althiugh luckily shoved banana, cadbury dairy milk in pocket. Only remembered once I'd run out of energy! So exhausted

Longest climb I've done in a days too at over 2,500m. I know others at work have recently done 5,000m but it was tough.

Up at 05.15 again tomorrow

Blimey... There's 100s of tents

2014-09-05T15:13:00.001+01:00

And a bar

RAB Day 0 - Penzance to Land's End

2014-09-05T14:33:00.001+01:00

Well, it's boiling here in the coach. I've just realised that I'm locked up with a whole bunch of nutters! In the nicest possible sense. Not quite celebrity big brother.

Also been looking at route for tomorrow - I may just close my eyes for much of it

the person behind is going to break it up into 10 mile chunks
the person next to him has apparently been thinking of nothing else all year
someone else says it's the first 40 mins each day that gets to you!
and for another it is their fourth time.
the sanest person appears to be the one next to me in his Crocs.

Wish I hadn't just had a big fish and chips by the bus station. I'm rambling....

RAB Day 0 - training it down to Penzance

2014-09-05T09:10:00.001+01:00

7am Paddington. I'm shocked waiting for the train to find someone come straight up to me and ask if I was heading to Land's End. Not thinking I was sending overt signals that I'm really a MAMIL (what an awful acronym and one I only saw recently), he pointed to my give away label on the bag - a large laminated race number tied on with a blue cable tie. Looking around I realised that there were many of us - some with much larger and heavier bags.
I feel the adventure has just begun...

..I know I'm missing one thing already the chamois cream that's supposed to be a life saver. Mental note to seek out asap on arrival!

The journey to just past Swindon was like a busman's holiday - I heard about all the pros, cons, relative pricing and showstoppers for at least four of the tenderers presenting today to win the major R&D upgrade for a manufacturer's HQers in Wiltshire. I never quite understand how people think it's a good idea to talk about confidential issues on a train. Ho hum.

OK the photo isn't great from the train but it was meant to show that the sun was poking through the haze and remind me of where I'll be cycling to get back to Bath on Sunday evening.

Thank you for your support

2014-09-03T17:58:00.002+01:00

Thank you so much to the many people who have sponsored me (over £500 to date) – this is very much appreciated. I also have a number of offline promises of support based on measured achievements!

It is never too late if you would like to provide some support to the charities at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/hughporter

Finally some news/info…

There is approval in principle (pending formal approval) that Navigant’s Foundation will match donations up to a cap and therefore each pound given is worth up to twice as much to the two charities

Even a modest donation is of huge value and will certain have an impact on me to get through the hillier sections of Devon – each day’s route can be viewed at the Ride Across Britain LIVE TRACKING website where you may be able to see quite how far back I (Rider 0690) am each day.

DEVON DAY 2 is this Sunday 7 September and woken up at 05:30am I should be on the road at around 07:00; the route and climb of nearly 6,000ft looks tough for me

I do own a bike and have been out training across southern England for this since by July email. There is some evidence of the bike and training in this photo of me (I’m in the middle!) at the top of Box Hill only a few weeks ago.

- Finally, I have twitter account if you would like to share with others https://twitter.com/shughie

Bike is on its way to Land's End and return transport all sorted

2014-09-03T14:47:00.000+01:00

It all appears very efficient....

The bike was picked up in a HGV yesterday by European Bike Express.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car even rang me up today and it looks like they will be able to pick me and the bike up direct from the the end of Day 5. I'm impressed but will just have to make sure I don't break a leg on the way up.

Navigant Cycling Team

2014-07-09T15:31:00.002+01:00

So the team jersey has arrived from the US already - and the bike is ready to go too....

I quite like the zebra! - Turn to us for Direction[s]

Day 1 - I've never come across gears that are linked to brake levers- apparently this is very normal now!

The Route

2014-07-07T07:06:00.001+01:00

969 miles of the UK’s most breathless sightseeing

The full route is 969 miles broken in to 9 daily stages averaging 108 miles a day. Whether you call the UK home or not, the ride is one of the classic cycling challenges on the planet. It takes in the most beautiful parts of Britain from barren moorlands and majestic highlands to lush green valleys, winding back lanes and stunning coastal roads. We aim to find the most varied and interesting route out there and riders climb around 15,000m over the 9 days. That is around 13 times up Alpe d’Huez! This sounds like a lot, but with the right training it is within your reach.

Donations can be made at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HughPorter . Thank you.

Riding Across Britain - 2014

2014-07-07T06:02:00.001+01:00

The England Package

Stunning cycling through the Lakes, Peaks and Moors of England

The England Package takes in 5 days of exceptional riding exploring little known back routes through to legendary climbs and descents like Shap in the Lakes, Cheddar Gorge and the stunning scenery of the Westcountry moorland. Most riders who complete this section of the ride come back wondering why they always head off abroad for beautiful scenery when they are within a matter of hours from some of the best views in the world. Formed from Days 1-5 of the full route you can explore exactly what is involved by clicking the stage icons above the map to the left.

Dates: 5th to 9th September, 2014

The England package sets off on the 1st day of the full course and riders need to arrive by 6pm on the evening of Friday 5th September at the Land’s End base camp. They will register for the event, have a hot dinner and meet the other riders before settling in for the night in preparation for an early start.

Donations can be made at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/HughPorter . Thank you.

Runkeeper maps and route profiles added

2010-10-09T20:01:00.001+01:00

I've added at the end of each date the route I took and the approximate statistics - elevation, speed etc.

Clicking in the top left hand corner of these images (view details at runkeeper.com) should take you to further information as shown below for 25 September where I climbed a total of 1.36km and cycled 161km.

From Screen Captures

Finished - 955 miles; summary, some list and miscellaneous figures!

2010-10-06T18:49:00.015+01:00

I certainly didn't come first in any speed challenge but I have enjoyed myself!
I set out with some Goals, these were to:

cycle from Orkney back to Kent before my son's 15th birthday; done with time to spare!
look at engineering works to show how great examples of both current and historical engineering works are all around us and help to make our country the success it is; I believe I had a good go at this and whilst I could have done more, some people found it a little too technical!
visit my family across the country; well I managed to visit my parents, brothers and sister and most of their children. Thank you for putting up with me and my thoughts are very much with my brother Angus who shortly after I met up with him and Robert had an accident and has yet to recover.
reflect on the implications of the big changes I (and perhaps we all) need to make as we move to a low carbon economy; well I have done this but reached no firm conclusions. I will return to this on another blog.

There's always something to do...

raise money for two charities; I still have a bit of work to do on this but I am extremely grateful for all those who sponsored me - thank you
find a new and challenging permanent job; still working on this one but the notice period I have been given related to my redundancy goes through to mid-February, so there is till time!

_________________________________________________________________________
So I thought I would round up with some lists
Challenge favourites

1 cycling with Angus and Robert from Hexham

2 south from Tongue to Lairg with pint in the Crask Inn

3 05:30 start from Kirkwall to catch ferry from St Margaret's Hope

4 getting new wheel in York!

5 staying with and meeting nearly all my family at various places along the route

Places that catered for my cycling best

   1 London (quantity, maps, clear route types, investment)
   2 Loughborough (junctions, quality and quantity)
  3 York (cycling facilities)
   4 Inverness and area around south to Aviemore (old A9 and commuting)
   5 Sheffield (plus whole region from Derby to Market Harborough)
Places that catered for my cycling least

1 Leighton Buzzard to St Albans (signs, routing etc)

2 Milton Keynes (signage misleading and quality of surface)

3 Peterlee plus or minus 10 miles (quality of NCN route 1 surface)

4 Edinburgh (RR - ring road was very poor quality routing, poor junction design, no temporary routing whilst roadworks taking place). Of course this is where I was born so I should favour it!

5 Perth (no idea what is going on at junctions)

Numbers

   £2,637.10 raised to 6 October; £1,400 to go, it's never too late and every little helps! Thank you.
   955 miles (1,635 km) cycled including about 1 mile walked (some hills, tunnels and foot bridges)
   356 photos taken
   20 blogs written (almost daily)
   9 kilometres (5.6 miles, 29,600 ft, 9,031m) total vertical climb
   8 serious near misses; incl. 2 by me (skidding on wet rivets on old rail bridge and narrowly missing curb, 6 by others - 1) head-on young guy racing level crossing barrier closing from side road near Doncaster, 2-5) local coach in Derbyshire, HGVs near Perth, St Albans and Woolwich having no idea what they were doing! 6) 50+ year old woman driving in Tain where shopping is far more important than watching the road. General knowledge of Highway code rules 139, 158 and 188 fairly poor with at least 1:100 drivers - at least the time I met them!
   1 new rear wheel but no punctures

Slideshow of all photos as per map above

Day 20 : Flamstead to Chatham, 68 miles, wet start to dry and overcast

2010-10-05T14:31:00.012+01:00

Well I may have got a good night's rest but the weather was no better in the morning. Despite my best efforts, substantial 'as much as you can eat breakfast at 7am etc, I didn't get away until just before 8am. This was probably a good time to go with hindsight as I suspect that HGVs avoid the rush hour journey along the A5 into St Albans.
Notwithstanding that the journey all the way to Barnet on A5 via St Albans (nice but didn't look around much), Colney, M25 junctions 22 and 23 via Blackhorse Lane, South Mimms certainly got me close to certain good and poor aspects of highways design.

London Cycling Guides - these are really excellent and are available free on line from tfl.gov.uk

However, once in Barnet the excellent and free London Cycling Guide map series (I had carried the four relevant ones with me all the way) came into their own. They are absolutely superb, although I could have protected them better from the rain, and I enjoyed the whole way back from there on in. Routes are colour coded to one of six types and I easily followed yellow routes (quieter roads recommended for cyclist although not necessarily signed) all the way to Tottenham Hale. This is the current link to order cycle guides on line.

The point at which I reached Route 1 (this is the route that goes through Kirkwall, hugs the east coast and passes our house enroute to Sandwich/Dover). The path follows towpath to west of the River Lee Navigation from Stonebridge Locks, however as there was only one arrow on the post it was not at all clear!

Route 1 takes a little diversion across this footbridge and then around Hackney Marshes. It is completely unnecessary, today it required a splash through 300mm of water and a trek across muddy playing fields just to get to the same canal towpath I was on already! I wasn't very impressed with myself for not noticing that on the TfL cycle guides.

First sight of Isle of Dogs

I passed by the Olympic site and into Mile End.
After turning west away from the Hackney Cut of the River Lee Navigation and along side the Hertford Union Canal, the route took me through Victoria Park and then south through Mile End Park, between Mile End and Limehouse. I have to admit not being at aware of the existance of the very pleasant series of parks. On leaving the park, I almost made a fateful mistake on turning right on CS3, Cycle Superhighway 3, which although it was clearly signposted to Tower Gateway did look very inviting!

Millwall Inner Dock from Pepper Street towards One Canada Square

Not a great photo but the route 1 takes lifts up and down from the pedestrian tunnel (designed by Sir Alexander Binnie). Built from 1899 to 1902 it replaced an sometimes unreliable ferry service. The southern tunnel entrance in Cutty Sark Square. The tunnels and their staircases are currently be refurbished as it the Cutty Sark (out of shot but behind me!). A quick pit-stop to buy lunch of sandwich, fruit, Eccles cakes and orange juice from M&S and I was straight back on the road. I'd divided today into 5 sections of 20km each and Greenwich was the end of section three. I knew I had to keep moving!

Several hundred extras being allowed to cross Romney Road for a the next of the Pirates of Caribbean films, On Stranger Tides (due for release in 2011) part of which is being shot near Greenwich Park and the National Maritime Museum (thanks for the help on this one - see comments and this link). The characters looks very believable to me!

I took route 18 to Woolwich which was a safe and easy ride at this time of day

Looking upstream back towards Canary Wharf and O2 Dome with Thames Barrier in the foreground. Route 1 joins the path alongside the River Thames for the next 10 miles (apart from a short break at Erith) when it turns inland to follow the River Darent and Crayford Creeks into Dartford.

According to its Wikipedia entry the Thames Barrier started construction in 1974 and although largely finished in 1982 was not officially opened until 1984. The concept of the rotating gates was devised by Charles Draper. The barrier was designed by Rendel, Palmer and Tritton for the Greater London Council and tested at HR Wallingford Ltd. The site at Woolwich was chosen because of the relative straightness of the banks, and because the underlying river chalk was strong enough to support the barrier. It is the world's second largest movable flood barrier (after the Oosterscheldekering in the Netherlands)

Some of the Grade I and II listed buildings in the Royal Arsenal Development. Over 3,000 people now live on the coverted Royal Ordnance Factory site (closed in 1967). Plans have now been submitted for a new masterplan encompassing further land along the river. The new plans incorporate a further 1,200 new homes, along with 270,000 sq ft (25,000 m2) of commercial, retail, leisure space and a 120-bedroom hotel. Also included in the plans is the new Woolwich Crossrail station, which has been part-funded by Berkeley Homes.

The cycle route continues past the Riverside Resource Recovery (RRR), energy from waste facility. According to the company's website, the Riverside Energy from Waste facility at Belvedere in the London Borough of Bexley, is Cory Environmental's single most significant development project. With an average annual capacity of 585,000 tonnes, it will be an important strategic river-served waste management facility for London, helping the capital to manage its own waste, keeping over 100,000 HGVs off the capital's congested roads each year and making a real contribution to London's ability to meet its landfill diversion targets. Looks a little like an incinerator to me.

Dartford Salt Marshes with the Dartford River Crossing (QEII bridge, 1991) just visible in the gloom!

Once in Dartford the route is easy and follows a dedicated path in the corridor of the A2, but away from it, after Bluewater.

Further along the same stretch the route utilises the old A2 surface for several mile. The path meanders pleasantly with new landscaping on either side.

Familiar local journeys suddenly didn't seem that far nor the gradients very steep at all as I rapidly found myself pedalling back over the bridge I'd started on a few weeks ago.

Looking the other way from the way I left 20 days ago, across the bascule bridge taking me across onto St Mary's Island, Peel Port's Chatham Dockyard can be seen beyond the first basin.

Day 19 : Northampton to Flamstead, 50 miles, wet and dull!

2010-10-05T13:39:00.002+01:00

Today I was intending to travel from the Hopping Hare in Dunston, on the northern outskirts of Northampton, to Waltham Abbey YHA near the M25 and the Lea Valley.
First of all the weather was horrible and towards the end of the day a south-westerly wind was buffeting me about.
I did know that the whole of this route was not complete and that my Sustrans route maps refer to some routes opening in 2002! However, I was not expecting quite as many alterations from the maps and missing and confusing signposts.

Nene Whitewater Centre is an artificial (pumped) whitewater course just to the south of Northampton.NCN route 6 passes immediately adjacent to the course. According to their website (www.nenewhitewatercentre.co.uk) three pumps control the discharge of water down the 300 metre whitewater course allowing the Centre to control flow rates thereby altering the course’s difficulty and skill Levels required to paddle it. It certainly looked fun and really suitable for the weather!

I wished I'd stayed longer watching the fun people were having at the Nene Whitewater Centre because it was after this I managed to find myself misdirected into Hardingstone and then had to find my way out of a new housing estate by a very muddy and slippery grass bridleway totally unsuited to my laden road bike. The Google street view that I have given this link for this might look alright on a dry clear day but it was wet, dark and windy. This was a fairly low point for me!!!

The rest of the day was wet and I thought I wouldn't get out the camera very much. Milton Keynes (MK) promised a lot to start with, clear signs (perhaps a little too often) but then rapidly descended into farce as signs had either been moved for fun by locals or otherwise vandalised. I must have spent a good extra hour exploring the canals and paths of MK. The only good thing I can say is at least there were paths, overgrown and infested with tree roots they might have been! Anyway I did manage to get a way out of MK vis Fenny Stratford and the A5(T) and the A4146 towards Leighton Buzzard (LB) for a distance. looking at the map now I have no idea why anyone would ever contemplate going the way I did - especially when I see with the A5 I could have got past LB in half the time. Grrr!!

16.00 in Stanbridge

16.00 in Stanbridge, Bedfordshire. I'm still on route 6 at this point but realise with 33 miles on my current routing to Waltham Abbey I needed a Plan B. I was going at less than 10 mph, in strong wind and then having to navigate through lightly signposted paths around Dunstable, Luton. Welwyn Garden City and Ware I was going to reach the Plan A destination very (too) late!
It was at this point that I noticed the A5 was the most direct route if was still going to go to Waltham Abbey or even to get to London. So I I put on extra lights and checked out reflective jacket etc and headed off down the A5. It is fair to say that my view is that trunk roads are to be avoided at all times and especially when cold, wet (with a great deal of spray) and very dull). There was some provision in places for cycling, large warning triangles, but remedial classes for those drivers who are so desperate to get where ever they are going that they have forgotten to look where they are going.
To cut a long and tiresome story short I ended up just before the M1 at Junction 9 considering my options to keep heading south along A5 to St Albans. Then I realised I was in the rain just outside this Premier Inn which looked like a good idea at 17.30. So that where I stayed and I was so relieved. I told myself I'd be up earlier to get a good run at the whole journey back to Kent. I did sleep well. Zzzzz

Day 18 - short video piece

2010-10-03T10:43:00.003+01:00

- Day 18 travelling south from Market Harborough on the old Great Central Railway track plus a short and poor quality shot of a steam train leaving Leicester North station

Day 18 : Shepshed to Northampton, 56 miles, sun with cloudy intervals

2010-10-03T10:33:00.004+01:00

Shepsted is a small town a few miles north-west of Loughorough and I knew it was going to be a good day when I opened the curtains to see most of the rain clouds had vanished. I took route 6 all the way to the north of Northampton via Loughborough, Leicester and Market Harborough.

Bike parked in sunshine below the bedroom - each door is an entrance to 3-4 self catering units

Loughborough, as I had expected from its sporting reputation, was well stocked with cycling provision. The best aspect being the attention to detail in the routing of the paths especially at junctions; there are certainly other places that I'd passed through that could learn a lot here.

There were also neat design features to make sure cyclists can join traffic flow without being run down.

I'm not sure that I have ever been anywhere in Leicester other than stopping in a train at the main station. I realise my transit through the city was fairly superficial but I am getting the impression that from the cycle route of old canal tow paths and railway lines I do see a side of these cities that it is not seen by people in their cars or simply shopping.

Leicester City Centre Park

Leicester City Centre Weir on the River Soar

Route 6 leaves Leicester to the west along the old Great Central Railway line, there is an alternative route 63 that is three miles shorter from Leicester to Market Harborough which goes due south. However, it has 11 miles less traffic free routing and the climbs are steeper or so I am led to believe!

The ride I took was great and there was still some hard climbing from Leicester to Saddington, five miles north of Market Harborough.

looking towards one of the steepest climbs since the Yorkshire Moors.

The section along the Grand Union Canal just before Market Harborough was very tranquil; I particularly liked the various bridges that peppered the route, each one with a name which I can only presume related to the land owners for whom the bridge was constructed to provide access.

One for Jane - just to make sure she knows I hadn't forgotten Frankie!

horses in Leicestershire

Market Harborough market place where I had a late lunch of ham and cheese pancake followed by a lemon and sugar one. They were huge!

From Market Harborough to Northampton route 6 is traffic-free for 16 of the 18 miles and follows what is known as the Brampton Valley Way. This consists mostly of railway lines, including over 800m of unlit section in tunnels but also some canal tow path closer to Northampton.

Kelmarsh Tunnel (480 meters). I got out both front lights this time and it was much easier going!

13 miles to go and stopping to call Jane from the side of the route whilst it was still light!

Day 17 : Hope Valley to Shepshed, 50 miles, heavy driving rain all day

2010-10-02T09:37:00.003+01:00

I set off for Shepshed (4 miles NW Loughborough) after 12:30 in the hope that the rain might ease off a little and there is little to indicate in this picture quite how wet and windy it was. However, the rain did manage to get the Ryder Cup in South Wales delayed for some hours so and I'm sure that was not just because, as a Scottish newspaper put it, the event was brought by money to a river valley in South Wales!

Nearly out of the gate!

,,,,and I'm off (9 seconds later) via Calver, Baslow, Chatsworth House, Beeley, Rowsley, Matlock, Cromford, Wirkswater and Duffield to Derby

... another 6 seconds later on the road and I'm still trying to remember all the place names from Derby to Loughborough as I was determined not to open up any of my panniers and get everything wet.

Whilst I have no regrets taking the route I did in the circumstances, there can be no doubt that the A6 on a Friday in heavy rain, with showers of spray and half the road flowing like a river 10% of the time was not much fun! I was particularly pleased with myself that I cycled the whole way up the hill out of Cromford, without stopping once, on the B5023 all the way to Wirksworth. This was partly to keep me warm as I was by now soaking all the way through - the water from the road having penetrated everything from underneath!
I took the opportunity, on the way down just after Wirksworth, to take off all my wet clothes and put new dry ones on. The icing on the cake was a £8 sheet of polythene, 'novadry' poncho that Decathlon sells for cyclists in these circumstances. It really looks awful but I had carried it and thought that now was definitely the time to get it out. Apparently it is breathable but I think only to a point. Anyway it did the trick and I got all the way to my destination with only my feet feeling like they were in a bucket of cold water.
The upshot of all this is that I did not stop to take any photos, or to look at the soggy frontage of Chatsworth, or the historic mills and sites of the Peak District.
From Derby going south, I joined Route 6 and this was a real joy - 18 plus miles of canal rides seamlessly flowing into wide railway paths taking me as far as Worthington.

The first section of route 6 out of Derby is called the Canal Path but some of the canal into Derby has now gone. At this point, just beyond the bridge, the end of a narrowboat can be seen indicating the adjacent Trent and Mersey Canal.

The Trent and Mersey Canal by Swarkestone Lock. The canal goes from the Bridgewater Canal, near Northwich and Sandback in the NW, across to Shardlow, where it links to the River Trent. The later point is interesting from Jane's family history as relatives of hers are Shardlows that come from this area. This bridge at Swarkestone dates from 1810 but original ones date back to the 13th century. The original river crossing marks the furthest point south reached by the Jacobite army of the Scottish Young Pretender Prince Charles Edward Stuart in 1745. There is quite a flow of water coming through the culvert just below the bridge on the far canal bank.

The Canal path was wet but was a great ride - I expect in summer it can get very busy and as it is very narrow in places it might be difficult to travel at my 'cruising speed' of 15mph.

I took this photo to show the care taken in marking out the route and ensuring it is suitable for horses, walkers and cyclists. This disusedrailway line was particularly wide, the bridges in particular were very noticeably wider, and it could have had more than two lines.

Well signed, smooth and rolling country roads took me on towards Shepshed. I stayed at The Grange Courtyard which somewhat surprisingly has no front entrance and hides itself a little too discreetly behind the old red brick of the stable yard. Unfortunately, Shepshed appeared to have only one really good eating place within walking distance - a very popular, lively and fully booked Italian establishment. I dodged the numerous well lubricated gangs in the poorly lit streets to take home a huge Chinese take-away! Perhaps I now understand why the Grange Courtyard may prefer to hide itself away from sight.

On a day that I thought I would have no photos I do appear to have taken some, even if the last ones shows signs that my camera was already a little wet!

Day 16 : High Melton to Hope Valley, 32 miles, brilliant sunshine and warm

2010-10-01T11:27:00.003+01:00

What a great day's weather I had and most of the route (even though it was fairly short) was traffic free. There was much to remind me of Yorkshire's mining and industrial past as well as a lot related to its flourishing industrial present. I followed in 62, 67 and 6 routes that brought me to Sheffield City Centre and then followed the main road out to Castleton and then took the spur off to Grindleford.

Breakfast and the overnight at The Stables was as good quality and value as it was advertised and the clear blue sky was a very welcome change from the previous few days!

I haven't looked to see what the areas were like previously but for much of the way to Sheffield the surrouding areas looks like they had been reclaimed from previous industrial use.

Approaching the Elsecar Heritage Centre - home to many interesting industrials artifacts include a Newcomen beam engine used to pump water out of Elsecar New Colliery from 1795 until 1923, when is was replaced by electric pump.

The cycle route up the quite steep 'Inclined Plane' whcih as the plaque explains was lain from Milton Ironworks to Elsecar Canal Basin - built c1840 and dismantled c1930 it transported 500 wagons a day. I assume it worked a little like a funicular railway with some wagons going up whilst other went down.

Old weir and bridges on the approach into the heart of the Sheffield City. Many of the industrial units in this area were very much alive and working.

The top - looking over Eyam Moor towards the South

Another view from the top - showing the patchwork of field boundaries stretching far into the distance

Cycle routes abound in the Peak District and some traffic free ones in particular were drawn to my attention by my brother and family. The High Peak Trail from near Buxton to Cromford looks great if your going downhill and The Monsal Trail which from next year should enable people to travel the whole way along this disused rail line including the tunnelled sections. I did pass by the Monsal Viaduct last night once I had arrived in Hope Valley (although not by bike) and it looks like a fantastic route to take - on another visit!
My brother also pointed out that there is a lot of potential for renewable energy sources, particularly small scale hydro, in the peak district. There is good advice and examples of investment made at the friends of the peak website. In particular I thought these publications of theirs were useful

Peak Power - Quick Guide to Micro Hydro

Peak Power: developing micro hydro power in the Peak District (full technical report including Appendix A listings of the sites covered)

Day 15 : York YHA to High Melton, 51 miles on a very wet day!

2010-09-30T07:29:00.007+01:00

There is a risk that I could feel a little sorry for myself but I do seem to have been a little unlucky with the weather of late. However, that is not to say that I haven;t been lucky in other ways. Today's ride, although very wet (did I mention that yet!), was fantastic and I really enjoyed it.
That was partly because the issue with the back axle has now entirely gone away. I have to thank the guys from Cyclestreet bike shop (Dawes dealer) in York and I now have a new wheel on the back, the previous one had had a good run, the ride is as good as new. They dropped everything, and despite a hearing of a fatality of someone they knew overnight, they both were extremely helpful and did what was necessary to get me moving again. More of the country needs businesses like this.
The next door deli is also fantastic and I had a couple of very exciting sandwiches later in the day that I bought there. I also learnt that the faster time for Land's End to John O'Groats is less than 2 days and that the guy on the left in the photo below (done the trip twice) completed one of his runs in 7 days including a 180 mile day!! I still think the Dean of Rochester at 12 days was fairly good going. You won't be reading about me complaining about any long days for me in future.

Jon Dean (right) MD of Cycle Street at 1 Heworth Village, York The business has been going for six months and provided me with great service (http://www.cycle-street.co.uk/)

York is clearly one of those cities that takes its cycling very seriously. The road markings and cycle routes are brilliant all over the place - although I was told that bicycle theft is on the increase. A really great place that I must get Jane to take me back to.

Route 62 to Selby follows an old railway line and has been a traffic-free route for the last 25 years.

The path is fantastic and fast for at least 50% of the way to Selby

Selby Abbey, founded in 1069,

The Abbey was apparently founded when Benedict saw three swans on a lake in Selby, and he saw it as a sign of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This is why the official crest of Selby Abbey is three swans.
I was familiar with Selby as an important coal mining town but was no so familiar with the fact that its position on the Selby Canal led to it having a substantial ship building industry. According to the Wikipedia for Selby the current Greenpeace craft bearing the name Rainbow Warrior was built in Selby in 1957

One of a number of locks along the route - not many boats using the canal today though!

Riding along side the Selby Canal makes short work of the distance from the cooling towers of Drax to those of power stations closer to Doncaster.

There were plenty of people out working in the rain today from the people clearing the vital land drainage ditches near Selby to the manually operated level crossings closer to Doncaster. In fact I am not sure I have ever seen so many level crossings in a stretch of 2-3 miles before - from Ouston Wood to Bentley; some automated, some operated manually by others and one I had to open and close all the gates myself.
I stayed at Doncaster College's Conference Centre - the Stables at High Melton - that has rooms for hire when not used for other purposes. Jane found it for me and at £30 including breakfast is great value although I couldn't eat last night as there is nothing within walking distance I am looking forward to a big breakfast in the morning.

Day 14 : High Leven (Yarm) to York YHA, 53 miles, overcast, dull and mild

2010-09-29T10:32:00.078+01:00

Good journey over the top of the Yorkshire Moors on Route 65 via Hutton Rudby,
Swainby followed by some very steep climbing sections to

Swainby Village Store - source of my ham salad sandwich for lunch today.

Osmotherley just a little beyond Yorkshire Water Cod Beck Reservoir where there is an a slightly off-road section on Route 65. Here I looked out for a little a sausage dog that had escaped his owner's lead and onto the higher ground.
The journey across the top of the moors was very pleasant despite the weather.

It can get a little lonesome when the weather is like this ...one of my companions for the day!

One of the gentler hills before getting to the top of the moors

The first really steep downhill section - given the wieght I was carrying on the bike, the wet road and the mud etc I had to take these very slowly!

Although there were a few stretches of steep downhill before I reached the White Horse Hill above Kilburn nothing had really prepared me for the lengthy and severity of this drop - perhaps the home of the Yorkshire Gliding Club at the top should have been an obvious clue and the faces on the ten or so horse riders who had just made it to the top. Apparently in the Milk Race a few years ago riders effortlessly tackled this climb.
(very steep downhill by the white horse) and then along to Easingwold which was very pleasant.

Looking back towards the hill, a little indistinct in the gloom, from Kilburn village

The ride down past Linton-on-Ouse to York was then fairly simple.

Approaching York, I was reminded that it was a long way back to Edinburgh and I hadn't in fact taken the most direct route. The did note that the four track mainline here was particularly quiet for the whole time I passed.

Bootham Bar - one of the gates in York City Walls provides access into High Petergate.

West end of York Minster whose bells were ringing out loud and clear and could easily be heard from the YHA a mile away.

Still some reoccurring issues with the back axle on the bike which I hope to get fixed whilst I'm in York. I've found a place on the internet that looks promising so here's hoping.
At the recommendation of Jane, who studied Psychology at York University, I had fish and chips for supper buying these from Drake's in Low Petersgate.

Day 13: Castle Eden to High Leven (Yarm) : 27 miles, overcast, wet, cold

2010-09-27T19:17:00.004+01:00

The main achievement for me today was getting the back wheel sorted - travelling less than 30 miles will simply mean I have more to do tomorrow in order to get to York. Hopefully the weather will improve a little as it was desperately dreary today.
The street lights were still on in Blackhall Colliery on the Durham coast at 10.00 this morning as I travelled to an industrial estate alongside Peterlee. Unfortunately the bright lights and sounds of Strawberry Cycles here weren't able to help - they specialise in MTB (mountain bikes) with either much longer or shorter spokes than mine.
After limping down to Stockton on Tees, I eventually managed to get the bike back to normally with the input of Doug at Halfords; Doug was also a great source of knowledge on cycling in the North Yorkshire Moors. At least getting to Stockton enabled me to have a look at the Infinity Bridge that I saw win the Supreme Award at the Structural Awards (designed by Expedition Engineering - I love the graphics for the people on their website- led team) in the National History Museum last year.
On the positive side of things in Stockton the cycle routes were well marked and plentiful - it is a little unfortunate that the northern end of the bridge approach paths are incomplete and some of the light fittings are already corroding.

Infinity Bridge in Stockton-on-Tees opened 2009 and cost £15m to build. It is for pedestrian and cycling use. The bridge is a dual, tied arch bridge or bowstring bridge. It has a pair of continuous, differently-sized structural steel arches with suspended precast concrete decking and one asymmetrically placed river pier. The tapering arches are fabricated from weathering steel plate box sections. The arches both bifurcate within the spans to form a double rib over the river pier. A reflex piece between the two arches holds them together making the two arches one continuous curve. No other bridge is known to have quite the same design.

From Wikipedia... There were more than 1,000 entries to the competition but this was slimmed down to a shortlist of five. The successful competition design was by Expedition Engineering and Spence Associates.

The subsequent design was led by Expedition Engineering assisted by Arup Materials, Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, Black and Veatch, Bridon, Cambridge University,Cleveland Bridge UK, Dorman Long Technology, Flint & Neill (checkers), Formfab, GCG, GERB, Imperial College, RWDI, Spence Associates, Speirs & Major, Stainton, and William Cook while White Young Green were project managers.

Apparently the Old Mill B&B that I'm staying at tonight has a hot tub outside - I'm going to pass on that!

Day 12: Hexham to Castle Eden : 56 miles, overcast, dry(-ish!)

2010-09-27T09:15:00.004+01:00

I was joined for my ride today by my brother Major (retired) Angus and nephew Robert, who is studying Civil Engineering at University. Before heading off on route 72, or Hadrian's Cycleway, we had a hearty breakfast in Hexham. I also took an opportunity to look around Angus's hard work in the garden - although there didn't appear to be any gooseberries left. The weather today remained fine but slightly overcast - so no need for waterproofs again..

Angus and Robert in Corbridge market square. Corbridge is a jewel in the crown of Northumberland. It grew from the Roman town of Corstopitum, a supply town for the troops on Hadrian's Wall. In the thirteenth century Corbridge was second only to Newcastle in wealth and its citizens were heavily taxed to help pay for Edward 1's Scottish wars and its mediaeval street plan is much the same today. The bridge at Corbridge is the oldest of the mediaeval bridges which became derelict by the 17th century, and was finally replaced in 1674.

The section of route 72 we followed follows the River Tyne through Corbridge, Bywell and Ovingham and Prudhoe - we decided to ride up on a short diversion to near the course of Hadrian's Wall high above Corbridge. The view was well worth it and we returned to the main trace through Newton to Bywell.

We had some good fun although Robert did particularly well given the number of gears available on his bike was restricted to just a couple of high ones - in the above photo there are a couple of horses being caught up. After a good 12 miles or so we said farewell at Prudhoe where the cycle route becomes traffic free right along to South Shields.
From Wylam to Newburn, the route follows the old North Wylam Branch Railway.

The wrought iron Wylam Railway Bridge (1876), also known locally as Points Bridge, Half-moon Bridge, Hagg Bank Bridge, Bird Cage Bridge, or The Tin Bridge, is a footbridge and former railway bridge crossing the River Tyne at Hagg Bank. I recall cycling over this 28 years ago when I used to spend too much time in and around the Boathouse Pub in Wylam.

The 18th century stone cottage was the birthplace (June 1781) and home of rail pioneer George Stephenson. It is owned by the National Trust and is situated along the waggonway (correct spelling) some 0.5 miles east of Wylam Railway Bridge.

I enjoyed the rest of the journey into the heart of the Quayside districts of Newcastle and Gateshead. There were a lot of people out on their bikes and enjoying the sunshine and the market in and around the many bridges.

Gateshead Millemium Bridge opened September 2001 and cost £22m to build by Volker Stevin. It was conceived and designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre and structural engineers Gifford. The bridge is sometimes referred to as the 'Blinking Eye Bridge'.

I continued to follow route 72 towards the coast, seeing the huge Duco and Shepherd offshore facilities down towards Swan Hunters and other famous names of the past ship building heritage of the lower Tyne. It also looks like good progress has been made in constructing the new and second Tyne Tunnel at Jarrow.
At this point I turned to the south and headed towards a place near Castle Eden south of Peterlee. The old Caste Eden brewery is now an Italian restaurant although I didn't stop to see if the food was a good as the beer.
The quality of the signage and paths of cycle ways deteriorated significantly near to Hetton-le-Hole. Unfortunately it was around this time that I lost a spoke on the rear wheel, just next to the chain block for those who know, and I couldn't fix it my the side of the road. In the end I limped in to my accommodation, near to the sea, rather tired and exhausted at 18.30 after a great ride earlier in the day. Tomorrow I'll need to sort it all out and perhaps lose some weight from the bike (thanks Angus for the observations and advice - you were right!).