What goes down must go up

As the reverse Newton law goes for cycling.

We had good night sleep bar one peak outside at midnight looking at the stars. The Trekmates mat, Mummy camper lite, I got yesterday did the job but I wouldn’t sleep on it for more that the two nights I’m doing now.

Got up to glorious sunshine and cooked our porridge and a cup of tea. This campsite is one that we come back to again and again. George the proprietor said that we were brave to do what were about to do.

We set out and climbed the highest hill of our tour at 542 metres, well the road next too it. At Whitney-on-Wye we paid 10p pet bicycle on the toll bridge over the Wye.

In Dorstone we had a splendid lunch, which confused the staff a bit. Since the were looking for a table for four. But is two mains, two side dishes along with a plate of chips on the side that much for two hungry cycle tourers?

If you should in Dorstone do make sure pop into the The Pandy Inn to try our their banoffee pie a true delight for a cyclist in search for some energy.

The we rolled down the Golden Valley along the B4348 to just past Much Newchurch. Just before before said village we got waved down by a para glider who had lost his ways. We pointed him to the nearest main junction where he could get come provisions while waiting for his rescue vehicle.

The we took the parallel road to the A4137 which was very scenic which made our legs ache. On one of the down hills Peli hit some deep gravel and came off her bicycle after quick shout of WOOLLY! I came to the rescue and found her in a heap next to the verge. A quick check over and it looked like the panniers had taken the bulk of the fall and the left hand hood was bent a little bit and the chain had come off.

Oh and Peli you ask, well she will be all right in a few days 🙂 No broken bones or road rash to take pictures of just covered in road dirt where her sun cream was and bit of a whip lash in her neck, she is a tough little girl.

On route to the campsite we had planned to find a place to get stuff to cook but we found none. In Goodrich the only local shop was closed but we spotted a pub, which we agreed would do for dinner, since the campsite was only one and a half miles away.

Well that was before we cycled that one and a half miles. Up one steep hill then a drop down to Welsh Bickor YHA. They are not lying on their website when they say that there was a very steep hill and a hairpin down
to them.

We were very relieved to learn that the kitchen would be open and ready to cook us something. Because there was no way that we would be able to get back up that hill without a rest and plenty of food.

The YHA is located on the banks of the river Wye next to a little church, very beautifull.

After food and shower we crawled into our sleeping bags for what we hoped would be an early night. Instead we got entertained by singing scouts around the bonfire for the first act. The second act was a stag do who talked until four am.

Day 1: The road have gone pots
Day 2: What goes down must go up
Day 3: Into the wind
Photos : Click her to see all the photos
Route : Click here to see the route