Saturday 4th – Monday 6th May
When on the move I often feel a mischievous sense of possibility. As if the departure screens in airports were menus from which to pick, at a whim, your day's destination. When the train ticket small print says "Any route permitted". Even driving to work with a full fuel tank. Indulging this urge, I suppose that is part of the attraction in self-sufficient cycle touring. Within the bounds of your legs, lugs and bottom, every track is a possibility freely followed. Known or unknown.
Separately, while riding a Southbound train to Bristol, you may notice the tannoy announcement of upcoming stops invariably includes Taunton and Tiverton Parkway. A quick google confirms this is because, after Bristol, the train tracks, squeezed together by the converging coastlines, narrow into a single mainline, all the way down to Penzance in the Southwest tip of the British mainland.
How do these two ideas relate? Last May Bank holiday weekend, having never ventured on past Bristol, I finally followed the train to both Taunton and Tiverton. How exciting! These names I'd heard so often felt both unknown and strangely familiar - like the friends of friends you know only through Facebook feeds.
Along with my friend Pauline and her boyfriend Seth, we followed the West Country Way cycle route 350km through Devon and Somerset. Importantly, having recently come across this excellent Sweedish concept, we were careful to include lots of Fika along the way.
Our route led us through English countryside doing what it does best - rolling greenly into the distance, spotted with sheep, canals twinned with towpaths winding between fields and orchards. Stopping at the occasional hamlet or town, with a church tower and cafes stocked with cake and cream teas. Mr Stevens would have approved. We kissed the coast before riding inland over Exmore (perhaps the beast is in fact a lost Albanian dog) and the Mendips on our way back to Bristol.
While not strictly part of the trip, Pauline’s Friday night Pesto & Pea lasagna was an excellent start, perhaps a highlight. As were the excellent Swedish Chocolate Oat Balls we made.
We elected to pitch in 'official' campsites, as opposed to wild camping. The lawns and flushing facilities aside, these spots were not as good as the hillside views enjoyed by the grazing sheep and, potentially, wild campers. However, 'muggle' camping proved very relaxing compared to the usual stealth wild camping, giving me the wholesome feeling (and good night's sleep) which comes from behaving like a normal person.
Sausage rolls, coleslaw and hummus along with other familiar snacks from supermarkets added to the wholesomeness, topped up by frequent coffee and cake breaks, like this:
Unfortunately the switch from casual skiing to cycling affected Seth’s tendons, forcing him to finish the final day by bus. Pauline and I battled on fueled by wine gums and ice cream stops. Devon hills are tough.
Day 1 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347305864
Day2 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347327734
Day 3 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347332853
- An official pitch - no need to worry over invisible rustling from
foraging hedgehogs or terrifying midnight fox screams -
When on the move I often feel a mischievous sense of possibility. As if the departure screens in airports were menus from which to pick, at a whim, your day's destination. When the train ticket small print says "Any route permitted". Even driving to work with a full fuel tank. Indulging this urge, I suppose that is part of the attraction in self-sufficient cycle touring. Within the bounds of your legs, lugs and bottom, every track is a possibility freely followed. Known or unknown.
Separately, while riding a Southbound train to Bristol, you may notice the tannoy announcement of upcoming stops invariably includes Taunton and Tiverton Parkway. A quick google confirms this is because, after Bristol, the train tracks, squeezed together by the converging coastlines, narrow into a single mainline, all the way down to Penzance in the Southwest tip of the British mainland.
- Admittedly, possibility does not always equal reality -
- Railway map proved surprisingly useful planning this trip -
Along with my friend Pauline and her boyfriend Seth, we followed the West Country Way cycle route 350km through Devon and Somerset. Importantly, having recently come across this excellent Sweedish concept, we were careful to include lots of Fika along the way.
Our route led us through English countryside doing what it does best - rolling greenly into the distance, spotted with sheep, canals twinned with towpaths winding between fields and orchards. Stopping at the occasional hamlet or town, with a church tower and cafes stocked with cake and cream teas. Mr Stevens would have approved. We kissed the coast before riding inland over Exmore (perhaps the beast is in fact a lost Albanian dog) and the Mendips on our way back to Bristol.
While not strictly part of the trip, Pauline’s Friday night Pesto & Pea lasagna was an excellent start, perhaps a highlight. As were the excellent Swedish Chocolate Oat Balls we made.
We elected to pitch in 'official' campsites, as opposed to wild camping. The lawns and flushing facilities aside, these spots were not as good as the hillside views enjoyed by the grazing sheep and, potentially, wild campers. However, 'muggle' camping proved very relaxing compared to the usual stealth wild camping, giving me the wholesome feeling (and good night's sleep) which comes from behaving like a normal person.
Sausage rolls, coleslaw and hummus along with other familiar snacks from supermarkets added to the wholesomeness, topped up by frequent coffee and cake breaks, like this:
Unfortunately the switch from casual skiing to cycling affected Seth’s tendons, forcing him to finish the final day by bus. Pauline and I battled on fueled by wine gums and ice cream stops. Devon hills are tough.
Day 1 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347305864
Day2 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347327734
Day 3 - https://www.strava.com/activities/2347332853
- Petrol pumps and flaking sign posts offered windows into the past -
- Despite Seth's best efforts...
...breakfast coffee wasn't up to the Devon standard -
And Taunton or Tiverton Parkway? Neither ended up in a photo, but I'm still glad to have finally made it!
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