North Devon coast road

We delayed our departure until the rain arrived – no change there then…. Took until 2pm to set off: this was our first proper micro-tour with panniers & top box – a sort of trial for our planned 3-week tour of Spain. Let’s hope we get it better sorted by then!

Debs said ‘ No motorways!’ so we started by taking the lovely Monmouth to Chepstow ride via Tintern Abbey.

The M48 bridge was closed (high winds) so we detoured over the M4 Severn Bridge (I just don’t listen!) then down to Weston Supermare. Then it was south to Bridgewater the west to Watchet, scene of good Preece memories.

Then the good bit: the A39 through the hairpins and hills of Porlock, Lynton, Lynmouth. Sublime. But my pillion was enjoying it much too much to take photos…. The Hartland moors are fantastic: dodging sheep and ponies, with the sea glistening over the cliff edge. After Bude the road opens up and it gets a bit quicker – and eventually it’s up the long driveway to our friend’s manor at Camelford. 230 miles: the 19 year old son of the house is a real ale expert so it was a good night.

The manor house

Our bedroom

View of the estate

So after a great night’s sleep it was up and off bright and early (11am).

Traditionally, it started spitting with rain, so it was obviously time to set off.

The satnav threw a bit of a wobbly, but after a good slapping it remembered where Crewkerne was. So on to our next mansion for a spot of lunch with an old friend I hadn’t seen for 16 years. Well, we have hectic lives….
So lunch lasted until 5.30pm – non-stop chat with Ben and Jo, and their son Quin (he’d been 3 months old last time we saw him…). Well, the rain set in really hard so we set off towards Cheddar – well, we were on a tour of the south-west. We skirted Glastonbury (a few addled memories surfaced at this point) then through Wells and up to Cheddar Gorge.

The start of Cheddar Gorge

Debs wouldn’t use the camera, but then regretted it – the gorge was perfect: no traffic, grey, moody and topped off by clouds:

After the gorge we wended our way through wild countryside and into Bristol, under the Clifton suspension bridge and onto the motorway. By this time the rain was torrential: the Severn Bridge (M48) was a nightmare – strong side winds meant even 40mph crouched down over the tank was unpleasant. But then it was into the Forest – through St Briavels and back to Lydbrook – another 200 miles completed.
So we enjoyed most of the route and learnt a lot about the bike, the extras and what we need to get right. The next night the bike had a good cleaning – it needed it.