Day 12 - 30th September

Heading towards the end of the trip across middle England - mostly a very busy place. I spent a lot of today travelling in platoons (technical term) of traffic, which is not much fun. It was also very hot wearing all my motorcycle gear. I had unzipped the top few inches of the jacket which produced an interesting effect. The jacket, a cheap one, has an elasticated waist and cuffs which are useful to keep you warm and dry, not so good at keeping cool. However, when the top of the zip is open the jacket blows up a bit with the air pressure, until it overcomes the elastication which lets the air out and it collapses. This repeats as you go along producing an effect a bit like bellows blowing air around inside your jacket - not unpleasant but a bit disconcerting the first time.

The scenery was mostly rolling middle England - rounded hills, patchwork fields, thatched roofs, tractors and the occasional smell of manure - the sort of place where Jeremy Clarkson would feel comfortable. The best bit was probably between Devizes and Marlborough, I just missed going past Avebury, but I did see Silbury Hill. Also found out that Wiltshire CC are very fond of mini-roundabouts, but that they don't stop Devizes being congested.

Distance today 195.2 miles in 6 hr 44 min, total distance 2015.2

Looking towards Avebury from the A4

Silbury Hill - had to wait a fair time to take a picture without a vehicle in it

Passed the 2000 mile mark at a convenient lay-by just outside Aylesbury

Day 11 - 29th September

Down to furthest South at Lizard Point on a day which started with low cloud around Truro, but cleared to bright sunshine by the time I got to the Lizard. Much more commercialised, and busy, than North and West, but not too bad - though I didn't want to stay once I had taken my pictures. Started back east by going over the Fowey to Boddinick ferry, then over Dartmoor. Very little mobile phone signal today, including here at the B&B, so my location is a bit out of date.

Furthest South - Lizard Point

Man, bike and Lizard Point Lighthouse - and wife of man taking picture
(a BMW owner who has done the 1000 miles in 24 hours)

Lots of bends, steep hills and dappled green tunnels today, with some of them on A roads. When you are up high in Cornwall it's like being on top of the world with views stretching down to the sea on either side - it's certainly like that on Dartmoor. On top the road winds out in front of you for miles, but the bends, grazing sheep and ponies, and 40 mph limit kept speed down. However, in the east the single track 1 in 4 up and (particularly) down, winding between high banks, was harassing. I was glad to emerge onto the A38, though that got mad as I approached Exeter at about 5pm. To get to the B&B I turned off at a particularly complicated intersection and then emerged almost immediately onto narrow Devon country lanes and stone cottages - the contrast was marked.

A dappled green tunnel near Fowey

Fowey from the Boddinick ferry

Dartmoor is pretty rugged

Bike in a Dartmoor landscape

Day 10 - 28th September

The Indian summer continues, but I am continuing to wear my over-trousers. They aren't very fetching but as the bike and I function as a large fly swatter for several hours a day I would rather look untidy than scrape lots of fly debris off my ordinary trousers - cleaning my helmet is bad enough.

Went across the original Severn Road Bridge - it is now on the M48, the M4 uses the new Severn River Crossing which is a cable-stayed bridge. The original bridge is a suspension bridge, and for a while was the longest in the world. It was a revolutionary design, using a much lighter deck than the Forth Bridge, achieving its stiffness from an aerodynamic box girder construction and inclined rather than vertical hangers. It was a dramatic ride with long hazy views of the estuary and the tide swirling out. I hadn't realised that my route to Weston-Super-Mare also took me underneath the spectacular Clifton suspension bridge, designed by Brunel but built after his death.

Like yesterday the roads were busy at first, but quietened down as I got further along. I diverted off the A roads to go through the Exmoor national park with steep 2nd gear hills and tight bends. Good views of great scenery, but most memorable were the bits of road where the hedges had grown into mature trees which met overhead, so it was like riding through a dappled green tunnel.

Looking down to Minehead

Exmoor

Later on I saw a couple of trikes, the first was black being ridden by an older gentleman dressed in black, no helmet, grey beard and hair tied back in a pony tail. He was followed by his companion, also of a certain age. Her trike was bright pink as were her leathers and she had long white/blonde hair. We passed too quickly for me to see if it was Billy Connelly and Pamela Stephenson - I suspect it wasn't.

I managed to drop the bike twice today. First was while loading up, the pavement I was parked on sloped more than I realised. The second was when pulling over to let someone pass on an Exmoor hill - the front wheel slid sideways on some loose surface as I stopped. In both cases the pannier with my dirty clothes in prevented any serious damage, though the second time my foot was also acting as a shock absorber - also no serious damage.

Arrived in Wadebridge to find a note on the door asking me to ring a mobile number - I was then directed to where my key was hidden so I could let myself in and make myself comfortable. Later on I was able to put my bike in their garage next to their restored 1927 Austin 7 - which has a less powerful engine than my bike.

194.3 miles today in 5 hours 30 minutes. Total distance 1636.8 miles.

Day 9 - 27th September

A nice sunny day for a run through Wales. A bit busy until Oswestry, but after that I was able to Araf down. The scenery is not as majestic as Scotland, more rounded and green rather than angular and grey, but there are still some decent hills and bends, where Araf really means Araf.

Mid-Wales, but no pylon signs

Looking towards the Black Mountains

The inhabitants of mid Wales seem much exercised about wind farms and pylons - they are not in favour. Lots of "No Pylons" and "No Wind Farms" signs, but none saying "We are happy for someone else to generate the power we use". All the road signs are bilingual, but all the protest signs are in English - is English used for political argument and Welsh reserved for poetical argument? I noticed the Eisteddfod is/was in Wrexham/Wrecsam this year.

I felt like stopping for a cup of tea, but couldn't find an open cafe for about 20 miles until I saw a sign for the "Honey Cafe" at Bronllys. I turned in just after a new looking Morgan sports car, and parked up next to  two big BMW bikes. Turned out it was a new lady owner and the personal instructor you can hire from BMW for a bit of one to one tuition. The pot of tea and welsh cakes (like a thin scone) were very welcome. I've just looked it up to check the spelling (of Bronllys) and find it has been given 10/10 by a cyclist from Birmingham who "would cycle an extra 20 - 30 miles to visit this cafe".

Sunny day at the Honey Cafe

View from the Honey Cafe

Arrived a bit early in Caerleon, did a circuit of the one way system to try to find the Pendragon House B&B but failed, looked at the map again and realised I had to do another circuit - found it, but was still too early so went to look for fuel which ended up taking two more circuits. Unfortunately most of these circuits coincided with some kind of traffic problem which meant I was stationary for much of the time - I never did come across what caused it.

A nice welcome from Kathryn and Peter, the owners, who are letting me put the bike in their back garden because they have no off-street parking. Unfortunately the gate is very narrow, so I've had to loosen the mirrors and turn them inwards to get it through.

Day 8 - 26th September

A rest (and seat-drying) day in Chester - I promise that will be last reference to the dampness or otherwise of my posterior. I walked around the city walls and visited the Cathedral, and this evening I hope to watch Norwich v Sunderland at the pub just across the road.

Decent food, decent beer, Norwich 2 Sunderland 1 - a good evening.

A few pics from Chester below:

Chester Cathedral

West window of Chester Cathedral

The weir and bridge over the River Dee - the weir led to the harbour silting up and the rise of the port of Liverpool - previously just "a crikke in the port of Chester"

Looking down from the Eastgate bridge towards the High Cross

Sedan House - the porch with the black door has another one on the other side, so you could alight from your sedan chair without getting wet

Day 7 - 25th September

A good dry (apart from a wet bottom - seat still damp) run from Dumfries to Chester. Typing this for the second time because the B&B internet is so flaky that I lost almost all of the previous attempt, and having to do it sitting on the landing because their WiFi doesn't stretch to my room on the top floor. Pity that the place I am staying for two nights has such poor internet, because otherwise it's comfortable and welcoming.

I used the A6 and A59 through Liverpool to avoid the motorway, but had to go through Lancaster and Preston as well so it was slow going following long trains of Sunday trippers. The top part of the A6 has some nice scenery, though not as extreme as Scotland. Sunday seems to be the day that all Lancastrian bikers go for a run - there were hordes of them, mostly well behaved, though one group including a trike with the two wheels at the front were being a bit naughty.

From the A6 approaching Penrith - M6 in the distance

Entering Lancashire, a place where letters fall off their signs

I was a bit worried about how I was going to pay the toll for the Mersey Tunnel, but as I emerged there was a big sign saying "Motorcycles free" (good slogan) directing me to a little lane running round the back of the toll booths.

Distance today 178.2 miles in 6 hr 42 min, total so far 1290.4 miles.

Day 6 - 24th September

A nice dry day, but the rain overnight had soaked my seat, so it was like sitting on a wet sponge all day.

Lovely scenery going down through Glencoe, then across to Loch Awe, Inverary and all round the top end of Loch Fyne. Passed the Oyster Bar, but no sign of any politicians doing deals. Down to Dunoon along the shore of Loch Eck, then took the ferry from Hunters Quay to Gourock to avoid going through Glasgow. It was nice and sunny and the Clyde looked very pretty.

Loch Awe

Loch Eck

Dunoon from the Hunters Quay ferry

On the other side I rode round the coast road down towards Ayr then took the Doon Valley through to Dumfries - very pretty but not as spectacular as the Highlands. Tried to fill up at a Marie Celeste filling station in Patna, said open on the sign, pumps were unlocked, but the office was locked up and no one about, so had to use the can again.

Distance today 211.4 miles in 6hr 35m. Total distance 1112.2 miles.

Day 5 - 23rd September

A day which promised to be pretty wet, as the view out of my room in Fort Augustus shows. Very comfortable B&B, with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast.

I put on my packaway waterproof jacket under my motorcycle one, and remembered to put on my silk glove inners.

View from Corrie Liath B&B Fort Augustus

The extra layers kept me warm, even though I had to fill up from my can on the road to Fort William when I misjudged how much I had left. The Road to the Isles wasn't very romantic in the rain, but things began to brighten up as I rode on the long single track route to Ardnamurchan Point (furthest West). Had to wait for about 20 minutes on the way while they were relaying a stretch of the road, so some very smooth European funded tarmac to compensate for the very rough bits they hadn't yet got to. At the lighthouse it was dry but very windy, which accounts for the shaky photo. I was greeted by a border collie which bit my front tyre as I came to a halt. He was biting the tyres of everything that moved, though had learned to mostly go for the back ones.

Ardnamurchan Point Lighthouse - furthest West

Spectacular scenery again, you can see how the road has been cut into the side of the hill:

Between Kolchoan and the Point

... with the sea down below:

The Sound of Mull with Mull in the distance

I refilled my can at the most westerly petrol pump in Kilchoan, £1.55 a litre plus £1 surcharge for spending less than £25 (but not for bikes), but I was worried about running out again. Finished up by taking the Corran ferry to get to Glencoe village for the night.

Corran Ferry across Loch Leven

163.2 miles today taking 6hr 54 mins, 900.8 miles in total.

Day 4 - 22nd September

A good day - a great run, I didn't get too wet, my packed clothes stayed dry, and I was able to watch Eagles beat Leigh 20-10 and get into the Grand Final at a pub in Fort Augustus.

Distance covered 173.2 miles in 5 hr 51 min, including a break for lunch in Lairg and two fuel stops. Total distance covered now 737.6 miles.

I got to Fort Augustus by going along the coast from Dunnet almost to Tongue and then followed the A836 down to Lairg. That bit is an old Thomas Telford single track road with passing places running along the edge of the Flow Country, the first bit runs along the shore of Loch Loyal for about 5 miles. There was no-one about, and a green-roofed boat house was the only building in sight, except for a glimpse of the main house through a clump of trees. The scenery is wild and watery, with wide open views through which you can swoop with your bike, encountering only a few other vehicles - though you do need to remember that the odd one can be an HGV. I passed a couple of 4x4 pickups with an empty trailer with ramps running down to the ground. The puzzle was revealed when I saw a full trailer - it held a small off-roader with eight big ballon tyres for trekking across the wet stuff, perhaps for luxury deer stalking.

Lairg is a small village but is the cross-roads for most of the Highlands. It sits beside Loch Shin, which looks very pretty when the sun shines.

Loch Shin from Lairg Pier

I'll try and add some pictures and a bit of video tomorrow.

Day 3 - 21st September

Day 3 a bit delayed because I couldn't get the internet in my hotel room, which was otherwise fine though I was the only guest. I eventually found a phone signal on the beach, so I was able to ring home while watching the kite surfers, but it was a bit cold for blog posting. 3's signal seems to be pretty limited up here, so the 'where am I' thing only works some of the time.

Started out with a great run over the hills from Braemar to Grantown on Spey, passing Balmoral (Police Notice - No Stopping). Even had to drop into first on one hill, and passed couple of ski lifts, but the downhill bits and scenery were superb with hardly any other traffic. As I reached Nairn and headed west to Inverness into the teeth of the gale the rains came down, and I was able to ask the question how good are my waterproof jacket, overtrousers and gloves? The answer is not good enough, I got soaked to the skin and very cold. By the time it had stopped, and I filled up with petrol north of Inverness I found that my fingers wouldn't work properly and I couldn't stop shivering. Fortunately the garage had a cafe (though the fuel was £1.43 a litre). I had egg and chips, a coffee, and a sit in the warm - the only thing wrong was that the hand-drier didn't work so my hands took a long time to warm up.

Managed to stay dry for the long run up the A9 to Dunnet, it follows the coast most of the way so isn't so spectacular, but it is still a very attractive route. Getting close to Dunnet Caithness becomes very flat and windswept (wide open views the lady in the hotel called it), and there are amazing sand dunes towering above the road at Dunnet Beach. I made it out to Dunnet Head (furthest North) for the obligatory photo. It's a great place with views all along the Pentland Firth and across to Orkney, but the wind was howling round my head and I could see a heavy shower rolling in from the west. Before I set off for the hotel two groups of people asked me about the charity (it was worth getting my reflective jacket printed) and one gave me a £2.50 donation - thanks.

Dunnet Head lighthouse - furthest North, looking across to Orkney

One down, three to go

At the hotel I made the unwelcome discovery that the lack of waterproofness also extended to the rubberised bags I had used to pack my clothes in before putting them in the panniers. I spent most of the evening moving gloves, socks and underwear on and off the radiator in my room, but eventually managed to dry everything.

Dunnet Beach, and kite surfer

Distance covered 217.0 miles, the 212.3 miles to Dunnet Head took 6 hr 20 min, including fuel stops and that restorative lunch.

I'll update Day 4 later, I'm off into Fort Augustus to see if I can find anywhere to watch Leigh v Eagles in the play-off semi-final this evening.

Day 2 - 20th September

Arrived in Braemar at about 2.30pm, though my map position is a bit south of that at the moment - it seems 3's 3G writ doesn't run in Braemar. I'm in a pleasant single room at the Braemar Lodge - when I arrived in the village I stopped to consult my phone to confirm where I was going to stay, expecting to be looking for a B&B, but it turned out to be the hotel under whose sign I was parked. 146.7 miles today, in 4hr 23 min, including a couple of petrol, and one coffee, stops.

A good trip from Jedburgh, fortified by a fine breakfast. I managed to navigate onto the Forth Bridge without hitting a motorway (though the A720 is one in all but name), and off it up to Perth, this time threading my way along B roads called things like "Old Perth Road".

The Forth is a spectacular bridge, the first big suspension bridge built in Britain after the war, following the lead set in the USA with a stiff deck suspended from vertical hangers - the Severn and Humber are different, see later posts for more info.

I followed the A93 from Perth, it starts off much like the A68, but a bit less wild and with more mud on the road from tractors. But as you climb into the mountains it gets more exciting. There are signs with a motorbike on top and a bends warning - presumably meant for road safety, but to bikers it means "here comes a good bit". As you get above the trees, and signs appear for ski hire, it gets even better, winding through spectacular scenery with mountains on either side and the river alongside the road. It's a steep 12% climb, which needed 2nd gear at times, and I caught some proper heavy rain approaching Spittal of Glenshee which was close to the summit. As I started downhill the sun came out and the road stretched out it front of me with hardly any other traffic. I swooped down for about 10 miles with only the odd sheep to worry about - brilliant. I didn't worry that my legs were wet and cold.

Since I arrived early I've been able to have a walk round, including a look at the Highland Games field where the Queen goes to watch blokes tossing telegraph poles about and force Prince Philip and Prince Charles to wear kilts. There's a sporran shop in the village, it's definitely tartan and dead animals country (there's a pheasant on a shelf outside my room), but I was able to buy some expensive toothpaste - the tube I brought is running out. However, I'll have to wait to get a new watch battery, it stopped just after I left Perth.

The river in Braemar

Braemar including sporran shop

I'm off to see what the hotel restaurant can offer this evening. I noticed they were laying a fire in the bar, so I may try a wee dram in there later on.

End of Day 1 - 19th September

Arrived in Jedburgh just before 5pm, having set off at 10.30am after filling up with fuel. Filled up again in Darlington, and just made it here with the fuel gauge below the E mark. Total distance covered 199.9 miles. Sunny up to York, then it clouded over and began to get a bit cold, so I put a jumper and my over-trousers on in Darlington. It was damp - drizzle rather than rain - from Hexham to the Scottish border, but then the sun came out again, so when I arrived I was only slightly damp. The scenery around the A68 is spectacular, like the Peak District but bigger. One of the road signs says "Sharp bends, sudden crests" which sums it up, it's a bit like a roller coaster with added side winds - trees leaning over, crows flying backwards, that sort of thing.

Nice comfortable B&B (Airenlea), with a friendly host - from Bridlington - and the other guests are from Hull, so it's Yorkshire mafia time. Looks like they eat early here, so I'm off to see what the town has to offer - the answer is not a lot, but what there is looks good, though all the shops are closed. Had a pleasant meal in the sparsely-populated restaurant at the Spread Eagle hotel, at one point I was the only customer.

The river in Jedburgh

Jedburgh Jail

Here we go ...

All ready (I hope) to set off on the first leg of my ride, to Jedburgh today, my 60th birthday.
It was great, and unexpected, that people at work made a collection and gave it to me on Friday - thank you to all at Carbrook .

Thanks also to everyone else who have sent messages of encouragement and have made a donation, we're up to nearly £1,000 so far.

The webpage at http://tiny.cc/CPC2011 will remain open during my ride, and for some weeks afterwards.

I will be keeping this blog up to date so you can follow my progress.

Thanks again for all your support.

Pete

Last minute preparations and fund-raising

Jeff Hall's have given the bike a full service, including adjusting the tappets, and fitted a new spark plug and rear tyre. I've got spare bulbs and inner tubes, and a throttle cable is on order. They have also given me a pair of waterproof over-trousers as a donation - thank you very much - let's hope I won't need them too often.

The Norwich branch of Compass Point Challenge (my mum) has held a coffee morning, which has raised over £130 with donations still coming in - thanks again.

Thanks to my "offline" donors

Thanks to all of you who have made a donation directly to me, I'll list you below:

Dick S from Transport & Highways
Dennis W from Transport & Highways
Bielawski's Sheffield Trimming Company
Elleri from the Learning Support Service
Verena from Birkendale
Jeff Hall Motorcycles
Greg from Jeff Hall's
Paul T from Transport & Highways
Anne and David
Sue N from Sheffield
Kate B coffee morning
Joyce B from Norwich
Jackie from the Learning Support Service
John M from Transport & Highways
Andy B from Transport & Highways
Nigel M from Transport & Highways
Ian S from Transport & Highways
Collection and donations from all at Carbrook
Hettie in Lincoln
Eleanor
A couple at Dunnet Head
Anne from the Learning Support Service
Biker from Cornwall at Ardnamurchan Point
Potential biker from York at Ardnamurchan Point
Derek and Suzy at Torbay Lodge, Dumfries
Another lady at Torbay Lodge
Margaret from the Learning Support Service
Kathryn and Peter at Pendragon House
Rosie from the Learning Support Service
Norwich ladies
Pete M from Transport & Highways
Dave B formerly from Transport & Highways
Nigel and Barbara

Total now £550.09 - see later post for any later donations

In the news

There's a nice piece about my ride in this week's Sheffield Telegraph

http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/local/epic_ride_with_an_eye_on_cambodia_1_3736637

 - which shows the value of taking the time to put together a press release. At the time of writing my picture is also gracing the top of the first page of their website - so it must be a slow news week.

and in The Star: