This was hard, getting up early and leaving the house, aga just switched on, and poor old Charlie dog, it didn't come easy, added to that there was a mist hanging over Upton Hellions and surrounding area. Nevertheless we trudged on out the gate having edited our luggage, I was now free of panniers, poor old Neil still had two, albeit lighter. It was hard to get going again and it took to Bow before we got the hang of the riding malarkey again. Once we got the hang of it we trundled up and down to Okehampton where we stopped for a lovely cup of coffee at Toast, ( but no toast).
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| The Best of the "Cycle Path" |
Neil and his trusty friend Satmap found us a glorious cycle tail following the old railway line from Okehampton to Lydford this skirted Dartmoor, fabulous tarred track with perfect views sometimes wooded some moorland. A small section of A road took us to the Dartmoor Inn where we turned off for Lydford. We ate our picnic lunch at Lydford castle and just as we finished it started to rain. Neil and Satmap then decided to try some different path which was horrendous, across grassy mounds, stony paths really rough and covered with sheep droppings, of course I didn't complain!! Once we got back onto the road it was nice downhill into Tavistock where we stopped at the old pannier market for a coffee out of the rain and prepared ourselves for the road ahead.
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| Meldon Quarry; Oakhampton Train Graveyard |
Neil and Satmap knew we had Gunnislake and it's miles long hill to contend with. What a slog through mist and rain, we were knackered. When we eventually crested the hill we got on a fairly level cycle path which took us into Callington and then onto Liskeard finishing off as usual with an uphill to the Eliot House Hotel. 54 hard miles today, my longest and hardest day. Of course our Lycra lad could beat that with his 60 mile day in Scotland.
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| Lunch at Lydford Castle |
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