Day 29 - Helston to Land's End AND SHE'S DONE IT!!

Woke up feeling raring to go (only half a day of cycling and then I can catch up with my friends who have come all the way down to meet me and more importantly spent a night in a tent - Daxa you are a star as I guess camping isn't your favourite of hobbies).

On to the Lizard past RNAS Culdrose (all the nice girls may like a sailor but I don't like to discriminate). Bowling along very nicely today, in part as I had told my friends I would meet them at 12:00 at Land's End so plenty of hussle needed to get there on time but also as the road down to the Lizard was suprisingly level. Got down to the village and then on to Lizard point which was lovely. Parked Lightning up for a photoshoot next to the viewing binocular thingy at the end of Lizard Point, but no time for too much dawdling today. Onwards to Land's End.

Stopped for a quick biccie and water break and then on towards Penzance. Now for some reason I had the Pirates of the Caribbean theme music playing in my head at this time, can't think why. When I could see St Michael's Mount in the distance I knew I couldn't be far away, so one final big push onwards after a fortifying chocolate and water break. Nearly there, nearly there. Of course there are some sneaky uphill bits coming out of Penzance but I was not going to walk another hill today (you know the hill is sharp when you can feel that you are having to pull up the pedal on one side just as much as having to push down on the other). Come on Von, just a bit further.

Now I think some local scamp may have altered the sign posts as I am sure the signs went from 5 miles to Land's End up to 6 miles even though I had covered quite a bit of distance. Thought that must just be me getting tired but then it jumped from reading 4 miles back up to 5 miles. Was I on another road of broken dreams? Hang on, now it's saying 3 miles, now 2, now 1 and a bit....

Scenery started to look familiar, road started to look familiar. Through Sennen village and then is that a Matt Roberts I can see in the distance waiting by the roadside? Yikes but I must be close to the finish if I am hallucinating Scotsmen in Cornwall. No, wait, it is a Scotsman playing advance guard to the finish. Breezed down the hill to Land's End and there....well, now how can I describe the scene? My friends had got hold of one of the Sense banners, were dressed in the infamous Sense T-shirts, were waving a home made banner created by the artistic genius of Ms Sarah Wooldridge no less, orange Sense balloons all over the place and they were all armed....with party poppers!!! Can I get a whoop whoop...well at that point I got a huge cheer, showered with party poppers, and the biggest group hug you could hope for. Now that is what I call a group of supporters!! We unhooked the balloons (tying a good number to Lightning as she is the real star of the show), banners and other bits and bobs (trying to tidy up the party popper debris that had formed around us) and then it was on to the official finish by the signpost. If you are wondering what flag it is that I am holding up in one of the shots well it's a Devon flag - Devon girl done good and the Devon flag is flying for all the wonderful supporters she had in Sampford Peverell in Devon.

Now I was a bit tired at this point and managed to get the mileage I had done wrong by 100 miles by miscalculating - the group photos by the famous Land's End sign suggest I cycled 1180 miles, but actually it was 1080. Now I know what it means to cycle 100 miles and I am going to be honest about the mileage I did!!

A HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to the intrepid souls who came down to Cornwall to celebrate with me, namely:
Cat Vignon, Chris Wallis (these two came all the way from France!!!), Tom Nixon, Sarah Wooldridge, Daniel Thorndyke, Daxa Patel (sorry about the camping, chuck but I reckon you secretly enjoyed it!!!), and Matt Roberts.
I can't really express how much it meant to catch up with you guys at the end and for all your support whilst I was on the ride - just knowing you were all planning to be there at the end helped to spur me on when times got a bit bleak, and besides, someone had said something about champagne and a picnic so 2,000 miles seemed quite reasonable.

Hi diddle di di, a cyclists life for me? Or maybe not for a while. Unless someone suggests a ride somewhere. Just a quick one. We could do it for charity. Maybe wearing some kind of outfit like a ninjapig? No, no and thrice no. Or maybe...............

Day 28 - Tavistock to Helston

Woke up feeling sore but ready for the final full day of cycling. Tally Bally ho - it's over the top and on to Helston in time for tea and medals, Wing Commander. Actually, I thought I would just start with breakfast.

Unsurprisingly the breakfast at Colcharton farm was as good as the welcome I received the day before. I even had my sneaky bacon sandwich request met - oh but there is nothing like a bacon butty to help out on a long day's ride.

I got some tips as to the country I was about to ride over. The ominous words of 'you will have a lovely ride down to the Tamar, free wheel all the way...mind you, it's a bit of a pull on from there' were kind of what I was expecting. I remember from the Land's End to John O'Groats cycle that Devon and Cornwall were some of the hardest riding days. The don't bother to go around hills in that part of the world. Would call it the Roman approach to road building but then the roads aren't particularly straight so that one kind of falls flat (unlike the roads themselves which are anything but).

Lovely coast down to the Tamar river and then, hold on to your hats but we're in Cornwall. Must have missed the border control as no-one wanted to check my passport. Good job I had hidden the Devon flag in my panniers though or I might have been refused entry...

Now the good folks at Colcharton Farm were not mistaken about the pull upwards from the Tamar. It was a walker of a hill given that I hadn't really warmed up yet (and to be honest it would be a tough climb even after a 10 mile head start). Onwards to Liskeard and then to Lostwithiel. Stopped for a tea and cake break in Lostwithiel and to muse on the cycling pattern for the day - nice coasting ride down hill immediately or very shortly after followed by a long slog up the same gradient on the other side. Occassional nasty sharp hills just to throw a spanner in the works but generally a gradient that implies you can make it if you keep your head down and keep going for a while.

As I was walking out of Lostwithiel (had cooled down during my cake break and the relatively steep ascent as I came up the otherside demanded some non-bicycle time for the ankle) I was overtaken by two cyclists who appeared to be end-to-enders cycling for an anti-malaria charity. Now Lightning got the wind up about being overtaken by a couple of boys so she told me to mount up and catch up, bad ankle or no. Fairly soon after there was a steep descent, which really did sort the men from the boys. A vague transcript of the kind of discussion I had with Lightning I had during the descent went along these lines (yes, I was starting to imagine that my bike was talking to me).

Lightning - don't touch the brakes
Me - but we are going a bit fast now and there might be potholes
Lightning - don't touch the brakes
Me - AGGHHHHH
Lightning - look, I won't be left behind by boys so leave those brakes alone
Me - AGHHHHH here comes a big pothole
Lightning - Don't be such a girlie and don't use the brakes
Me - But we are going over 30 MPH now
Lightnin - DO NOT TOUCH THE BRAKES
Me - AGGGGHHHHHH

Safe to say I only used the brakes a little bit on the hill, and Lightning was pleased to see that the boys had stopped at the bottom of the hill for a drink break. Us girlies kept going. Obviously.

Onwards to St Austell. They put a bit of a steep hill coming out of town which was mean. Decided to come off the main road and stopped for lunch in a village called Sticker. Went to a pub called the Hewas Inn for a well deserved cheese and pickle jacket potato. Rain started up just as I came out of the pub but it was a quick shower so onwards.

Pushed on to Truro where they had decided to put an even bigger hill on the road out of town. Mean. Ankle a bit jittery now so walked that one. Traffic was hellish on the road towards Devoran. I may be skinny and Lightning isn't exactly overweight but it would be nice if cars gave us more than a sliver of space when they hurtle by at 50 MPH. Decided to stop for refreshment at the Norway Arms near Devoran. Had a very very very good pudding (chocolate and cherry thing with icecream) and girded my loins (and even guided my lions) for the final push on to Helston. Traffic got a bit better after the road split off for Falmouth and I started counting down the miles.

Now I hadn't prebooked anywhere to stay in Helston - I went past a place called the Roslyn Cottage on the way in to Helston (it stood out because of all the lovely flowers on the front) but thought I should push on into town really. Came across a Premier Inn on the road towards the Lizard but they were full. Now the lovely lady on reception offered to phone around the other places she knew in Helston to see if there were any rooms available. Lo and behold the only place with space was the Roslyn Cottage so it was back up the road (although a mile and a half seemed an easy trip after the tester hills of Cornwall).

Cup of tea and a shower before off on another adventure to find dinner, but on foot this time as I thought Lightning deserved an early night. Had been told that there was a pub about a mile and a half away so set off in the direction of Gweek to find the Gweek Inn. Think the walk was actually quite a good way to stretch out the legs (handy as it was almost a 5 mile round trip according to Google...). Had a very good pint of DoomBar with an equally good dinner before setting off in the near dark to get back to the Roslyn Cottage. Was actually a lovely evening, enjoying watching the swifts circling overhead in search of their dinner, nearly falling over backwards watching a helicopter flying overhead back to RNAS Culdrose. Off to bed after the last of the full days.

Day 27 - Sampford Peverell to Tavistock (with a bit of Peterborough delivered...)

Having been well rested, fed and generally re-energised by my rest day (but more importantly the welcome received) at Sampford Peverell, I set off Westwards. Oh but the legs said 'hello' at the little bit of a slope coming out of my Mum and Dad's place. Felt decided mixed feelings at leaving Sampford - good to be back on the road now the end is so near but always a tough one to be leaving behind such lovely people. My family had kindly offered to drive my panniers down to my final destination just outside of Tavistock - not so sure about the offer to open the passenger door as they drove past me to give me a bit of a nudge. That or put the bull bar on front of the car to really give me a push in the right direction...

Onwards to Exeter. Buzzed through Halberton (sorry to the SP cyclists - I wasn't able to make the 20 MPH sign flash a warning at me as hard as I pedalled due to the uphill bit just before the village although of course I could not condone breaking the speed limit on a bicycle...) and around Tiverton on speedy patrol. Oh but amazing what my Mum's home cooking can do to help with the speediness.

Arrived early in Exeter - funnily enough when I know there is a specific time arranged for me to be in a place and I have been able to plan well in advance so I don't have to cover an extensive distance before I get there I will make it on time.

Met up with the Providence Court team - I had seen Providence Court and Cafe 55 on TV but have never actually been inside. The cafe was officially opened by Sense's patron HRH The Princess Royal which got lots of media interest. The TV presenter Judi Spiers also came for a visit as featured on TV. But they had never seen anything like the sweaty cyclist on a trusty silver bike turning up at the Cafe!! Hold the front page...

Huge thanks to Jane Tucker for making me...yep you guessed it...some banana sandwiches (but with a lovely side salad, crudites and dips so she gets bonus points). Had a good old chat with Shaun Gibbons and Lorna Mackie whilst enjoying my sandwich feast. Interesting to note that Cafe 55 has a number of volunteers who are prepared to help out so that the cafe can be open more often, but until the CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) checks can be completed for each individual they can't come to work at the Cafe. Let's hope there is some way of speeding up the process so that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect deafblind people but without the lengthy administrative delays that hold up the whole show. Cafe 55 is a really positive initiative for deafblind people as well as the wider community so I hope the necessary safeguarding checks can go through the CRB as quickly as possible so the cafe can really come alive.

Had a tour of the cafe kitchens, the day centre facilities and then the meeting room - if there is anyone in Exeter who needs a bright and airy meeting room together with delicious catering and an outside break area backing onto the Roman city wall then look no further than Providence Court. Jane Tucker is the lady to speak to. Thank you to all the team at Providence Court for making me feel so welcome and for showing me around what promises to be a buzzing venue.

I also have to say a huge thank you to the team at Hampton Resource Centre in Peterborough - on arrival at Providence Court there was a package waiting for me. Inside were two bundles: the first contained a variety of edible goodies including flapjack and millionaires shortbread and the second contained a selection of pampering goodies like shower gel and hand cream. It was so kind of the Hampton team to send these on for me together with all their best wishes - you are such a thoughtful team and, as you will read later, the flapjack really helped out with a difficult ride over Dartmoor.


Onwards from Providence Court and out onto the moor. Yep, never one to take the easy road I decided to go over the moor rather than round it. It was a glorious ride through the forest around Dunsford and although mostly uphill the gradient was never too bad in one go. There is a sharp little corner with a nasty uphill climb just before Moretonhampstead but luckily there wasn't any traffic behind me and I used the granny gears to good effect to pull up it (and thankfully it is short and sharp rather than a long drawn out death-rattle hill).

Stopped in Moretonhampstead for lunch (excellent chicken baguette at the town bakery). Chatted to two lovely people who had dropped in for a cream tea (and boy did it look tempting) about the cycle and deafblind issues in general. So kind of them to give me a contribution for the collecting tin - that went in when I got reunited with my panniers in the evening.

Onwards and onto the open moor. Now it had been a series of uphill climbs to get into the National Park and now my ankle was starting to mumble a bit. On one ascent my foot and leg below the calf went numb which was a bit of a suprise - got off the bike and must have looked a bit funny trying to push it with a deadleg! Mind you, wasn't laughing when the foot came back to life. Yowzer. Back on the bike and push on - suprisingly it was a bit windy on the moor (no, who would have thought it, windy on an exposed moorland bit) and rain threatened. Now the ankle was really starting to jibb and there was moderate to severe swearing as I went along.

As I rolled down the hill into two bridges I felt a sudden jar in the ankle and all I could do was hang on until I could brake to a standstill and get off the bike. Now if you have ever had to unclip your cycling shoe from a bike by pushing your ankle away from the pedal when your ankle is screaming at you then you will understand the yelp I gave at that point. Even worse than that, as I hung onto the fence trying to breathe through it all and not just burst into tears, my sister pulled up in the car behind me. Now you know you must have looked in a right state when your sister puts on her care profession voice and says 'now just come and sit down over here for a moment'. I would have given anything to have avoided her seeing me at that precise moment in time - I had got used to things like that happening on a daily basis but for Helen it must have been a shock. She suggested that we probably could fit Lightning into the car but I was having none of it. After a quick stretch at the roadside (as well as an internal monologue telling myself to sound breezy and carefree...) I suggested that I could try pushing the bike up the hill to see if I could walk off the ankle ache and that Helen could give me about a 10 minute head start before following me in the car. I started off and just told myself to keep going, keep going. That hill was a long one but I didn't dare stop walking. Onwards, Vonnie. Eventually it flattened out and I got back on the bike and set off. Push with the ball of the foot, not with the toes (this got shortened to BALL of the foot, BALL of the foot, BALL of the foot which then just got shortened to me shouting BALL, BALL, BALL as I cycled along just to try and keep stretching out that ankle). Recognised the sound of the Thomas-mobile behind me, checked to make sure there was plenty of ditch to avoid an opened passenger door (awwww, I knew you wouldn't really...I think) and then Helen was on down the road to find somewhere to pull in. Bless her, she parked up at the top of a hill so she could leap up and down shouting encouragement as I slogged along (well, I think it was encouragement, all I could hear was me inwardly shouting 'KEEP GOING').

Stopped somewhere for a cake break - this was where the Hampton goodies came into their own. If ever you are feeling tired, achey, jelly-like etc then a slice of millionaire's shortbread is surely the ticket. Sat in the car enjoying my treat and watching the sheep circle ominously (never knew a sheep could loom in such a menacing fashion but the Dartmoor sheep have got it down to a fine art). Onwards. Suddenly realised there was more downhill than up and gave a whoop-whoop to herald the descent from the moor towards Tavistock. Flew over the cattlegrid (trust me, they are best taken at speed!!!) and then onwards. Awkward junction coming into Tavistock and then got a bit confused as to which road I should take. Thankfully Helen came along at that point and started pointing so I knew which way to go. She then pulled up in a car park to check where we were headed and then set off on the final leg.

Onwards to Colcharton farm. Now I had compared notes with Helen as to where she thought it was and I wasn't too sure which of us was correct, but it turned out (thankfully) that I was heading in the right direction - I don't think any extra miles on hilly roads trying to find the B&B would have been popular with me or Lightning. I managed to get there first even though Helen set out before me (well I knew I was quick but overtaking a Fiesta...). Just as I was talking to the lovely lady who runs the B&B, Helen arrived and we retired to the conservatory for tiffin (that's a cup of tea and a biccie to be precise).

Now if you are looking for a lovely B&B then you will struggle to find many as good as Colcharton Farm. It was lovely - friendly, comfy, good tea and biccies (always gets my vote). I decided to take my intrepid pannier-carrier out for dinner at the local pub The Harvest Home. Oh but a good pint of beer, lovely food and fantastic pudding - what's not to like!! Then Helen dropped me back at the B&B and headed off back to Sampford. Sleep time for Vonnie - only a day and a half to go so sore ankle or no I am determined to get there (even if I have to get off and walk it!!).

Day 26 Rest day in Sampford Peverell

Oh what a glorious place to be. Listening to the chimes of the church clock, watching the ponies grazing in the filed in front of the house, eating my Mum's chocolate sponge, drinking tea.

Rest day today - after a good breakfast I retired with a good book for what I knew would turn into a long nap in the morning. I could get used to naps and siestas.

After a full roast beef and Yorkshire pudding lunch with all the trimmings, it was off to the lovely Fern's house for another massage (oh yes, bring it on) as well as a pedicure. My sister had very kindly arranged all of this by way of a birthday treat for me and it was fantastic. Whilst she babysat the two boys, Fern eased my tired muscles and made my feet look less like they had cycled almost 2,000 miles. Oh oh oh but that was a real treat and no mistake.

Back via the heady cosmopolitan whirl that is Wellington to tea and more chocolate sponge (well it would be rude not to).

Caught up on the blogging - should be up to date now. Hopefully I will be able to update a few times on the way down but not long to go now. I am due to finish at Land's End at around midday on Saturday (HURRAAHHHHHHH!!!) and am starting to look forward to the finish. Had been musing on the issue of change whilst cycling: I had been a bit worried in the early days as to how I would adjust to life when I got back from the cycle as life had not been too happy before I set out on my ride and the transition from being on the road and pretty much constantly occupied by a single task (i.e. cycling a silly long distance) to 'everyday life' will be a big one. Life is all about change as nothing ever stays quite the same. I am trying to get my thoughts into a place where I see this as the chance to grab my life by the scruff of the neck and ensure I do what is best for Von for a change. You only get one life and if you don't seize the chance to make yourself happy then no-one else will do it for you.

Day 25 Churchill to Sampford Peverell

Very excited today as I am off to my home village of Sampford Peverell - Mum and Dad moved to the village a couple of years ago now and what a friendly place it has turned out to be.

Had a top breakfast (just sorry I couldn't stay for more toast and to try out the local conserves on offer which looked mighty tempting). Onwards towards Rooks Bridge, Highbridge and a cafe for my first rest stop in Pawlett. Motorcyclists having full cooked breakfasts whereas I went for the low fat option of lemon meringue pie (tee hee but dietary advice has never been my strong suit). Got chatting to one of the motorbikers who responded to my assertion that I would be riding to Land's End by looking at Lightning and asking 'on that?' Oh yea of little knowledge of what Lightning can do.

Onwards through Bridgwater, around Taunton, and time for lunch at the Rumwell Inn. Treated myself to a proper lunchbreak today - food was so good it would have been rude not to! Even made time to read the newspaper - aparently there is a world out there that has been doing stuff whilst I have been on the road. Sent some texts to the cyclist posse from Sampford headed up by the stalwart Roger Greenwood. I knew these brave souls were meeting up at the church in Sampford Peverell to come out along the canal to meet me at the bridge near Holcombe Rogus. I pushed on out of Rumwell at Mach 3 (that's about 17 miles an hour to you) and hurtled along the A38. Sent a text at the bottom of White Ball hill to say I was on my way - had been thinking about that hill but actually the gradient was kinder than I remembered and I was soon powering off the A38 and on towards Holcombe.

Now what can I say about the kindly cyclists of Sampford who came out to me other than a huge THANK YOU!!!! There at the bridge were these wonderful people who had come out in the rain to welcome one of their own and accompany her into the village. Even the local Councillor Mr David Sweatman in full regalia had turned up to welcome me. I was so touched by my welcoming committee that I didn't really have the words to say how delighted I was. After some quick photos we cycled back along the glorious Grand Western Canal. I was lucky enough to see the kingfisher who lives on the bank near Westleigh, his dazzling wings a blur of aquamarine as he skimmed the surface. The swans were out with their fuzzy grey signets (not so sure about swans as a welcoming committee through - I saw one frighten a canoer out of the water near Sampford when he came to close to the nest, and I have heard they can break a man's arm with their wing, and their eyes can turn a man to stone...oh no wait, maybe not that last bit, but they are birds not to be trifled or even meringued with).

We came off the canal at Boehill bridge and headed for the Sampford Peverell village sign for a photo opportunity. Actually the photos came out very well and don't have that 'staged' look, probably as the heavens opened and we were all so busy giggling at the downpour. We decided to take shelter under the trees until the worst of the deluge had subsided before the last quarter of a mile or so to my Mum and Dad's place. My Mum had decided she would put on 'a bit of a spread' of food - if you have ever had the good fortune to come to my Mum's place when she is expecting you then you will know how amazing her cooking is. Sausage rolls, quiche, lamb kebabs, cheesy things, not to mention the Chudley's (bread rolls topped with clotted cream and jam), mini pavlova's, chocolate sponge cake....oh I am drooling on the keyboard just thinking about it! Just the thing to greet my wonderful cycling welcoming committee. You could tell it was good as everything went momentarily quiet as everyone tucked in!!

I have to say a huge THANK YOU to the cyclists of Sampford for giving me such a wonderful welcome. Such an unexpected show of support was just the tonic for a tired cyclist. Huge thanks to Roger Greenwood for helping to organise the posse, as well as David the photographer (sorry, I didn't catch your surname), my sister Helen and my Dad for helping set this up, Councillor Sweatman for bringing the gold insignia out in the rain, and of course to my Mum for providing such wonderful eats. Sampford Peverell cyclists have done me proud!!!

Time for a quick shower before another treat for the day (oh but I have been spoiled) and it was up to Gill Bowers house for a massage. Is there no end to talent in this village. I have to say that if ever you are in need of relaxing, massaging of tired muscles or soothing with amazing essential oils then Gill is your lady. I could have fallen asleep quite easily and you can tell its a good massage when you stand up feeling a good couple of inches taller. Felt like I floated home after that.

Bed after an amazing day - I like Sampford Peverell, I think I might have to spend more time here in the future. Lightning says she likes it here too and wouldn't mind coming back more often. That can be arranged, Lightning....

Day 24 Abergavenny to Churchill

Was intended to head to Bristol today via the Sense office at Merthyr Tydfil, but woke up with a sore ankle and not sure whether the Merthyr office would be open so decided to take a short cut (Vonnie - you cheat), go to Bristol direct and then push on as far as I could today as I knew I would be meeting up with some of the cyclists from my home village the next day and wanted to be in some kind of shape to meet up with them.

Onwards out of Abergavenny towards Usk. Lovely quiet road, beautiful views, not bad weather to start with. Through Usk and on to Chepstow. There were a couple of tester hills but I was generally coasting along nicely. Chepstow was a really interesting place to cycle through. If I didn't have Lightning with me I would have liked to have spent more time wandering around Chepstow. As it was I stopped at the tourist info office to check that I could go over the Severn Road Bridge (there are pedestrian/cycle lanes), and then found a pub called the Bridge for, you guessed it, lasagne.

Just about starting to rain as I set off. Then it got heavier and colder. By the time I got to the bridge it was lashing it down and quite misty with it. Looking out for 'you are leaving Wales' signs but nothing to be seen. Couldn't even see the oOther Severn bridge it was so misty. Not the best of signs for the rest of the day. Got over the bridge, saw a sign saying 'Welcome to England', then headed out to the A403 towards Avonmouth.

Now it is very easy to be seduced by the lure of an off road cycle path. There were a number that started up near the A403, but none of then said where they were going. I followed one for a while until it dumped me unceremoniously on an industrial estate in the scrag end of nowhere. Hum. Back onto the main road just so I would know where I was. Rain was coming down persistantly now - welcome to the West Country, m'dear.

At this point Lightning asked if we were going over the Clifton suspension bridge as she had heard that would be rather nice. I couldn't say no to Lightning so pushed her all the way up a steep hill into Clifton and then walked across the bridge as it was a bit to slippery to ride. Onwards towards Failand at which point the heavens opened again. Had to go down a rather steep and slippery hill - own the lane, Miss Thomas, own the lane. Could hear cars gunning their engines behind me but as a) it was slippery on that road b) there were suprise potholes on the near side which would put a dent in my day as well as the front bumper of the car that ran over me and c) my brakes were getting a bit sluggish in the wet so I was having to hang on for dear life, I decided to take it slowly and in the middle of the lane. Lightning suggested that she could be converted like the Aston Martin in Goldfinger so she could spray the road behind with oil or sharp tacks. So long as she doesn't start considering the ejector seat option I stand half a chance.

On to Flax Bourton and the A370. Oh my but the traffic was all in a bad mood on that road. Didn't help that the heavens decided they should deposit more rain on my head. Decided to take shelter in the pub at Backwell which turned out be lovely - had a really good bowl of soup followed by a delicious chocolate gateau which seemed to take the sting out of the soaking I had received earlier. Rain eased off so I pushed on towards Congresbury. Hum, rain started again and boy was it heavy. On the B3133 I had a bit of a close encounter with a Ginster's Cornish pasty lorry. Now I like a pasty as much as the next person (even if he is a pasty-fiend) but I am not so keen on the lorries when I am on my bike!

Traffic on the A38 was almost at a standstill and given the heavy rain, Ginsters-incident and general bleurghhness of the day I decided to call it a day and look for somewhere to stay. In the village of Churchill (ohhhh yes) I found the Mendip Gate Guest House and you know you are on to a winner when the owner offers to make you a cup of tea on arrival. Hot shower restored spirits, phone call home to check on logistics for the next day and before I knew it I was asleep (helped in no small part by the super comfy bed with one of those foam mattress top thingies - oh but that was comfy to a tired sore cyclist).

Day 23 Ashton Keynes to Abergavenny

Awoke feeling refreshed and ready for another challenging day. After a good breakfast and loading up of panniers with various food treats to keep me going during the day it was on the road. You can always tell when I have stayed somewhere with people whose company I really value as it is a hard one to get out on the road (and is invariably a little bit later than intended).

Today was a day for 'chasing the pace' as I wanted to get to Tanglewood in Great Malvern by about midday. Got out onto the road for Cirencester and coasting along nicely. Then didn't realise that I should actually turn off for Cirencester - the sign pointed straight on for through traffic and I had assumed that meant straight on to go through Cirencester. It was only when I looked back over my shoulder and saw a sign saying 'Welcome to Cirencester' that I realised my mistake. Squeel of brakes, reversing 'beep beep beep', mild swearing as I waddled across the road and then on into the town. Cirencester was a lovely looking town - another place to go back and visit. It wasn't quite so easy to navigate quickly though - eventually got going in the right direction but on the wrong road so had a bit of navigating to get through to Perrott's Brook and the A435 to Cheltenham. Then I was flying along - gentle uphill slope but a good road and quite quiet. Coming in to Cheltenham was fine, but then the old problem of navigating whilst trying to avoid idiot car drivers and I must have missed the sign for a turning. A bit of wandering around the back streets of Cheltenham and eventually I found the right road.

Ankle was starting to jangle a bit at this point. Might have been as I had been chasing the pace in the morning. Headed through Bishop's Cleeve and on to Ashton Cross, Eckington before turning towards Upton upon Severn. At this point ankle really starting to jitter. Traffic getting a bit more insistent too. Eventually on the turning for Great Malvern. As I came into town an idiot driver through it would be a good idea to pull just in front of me and then turn left into a parking space next to me. He must have been coated in vaseline as somehow he slipped into the gap without knocking me over, but only just!!. Now as you may be reading this pre-watershed I will give you the censored version of my comments (muttered under my breath). Firstly I commented something about his family lineage. Then I suggested that a certain part of his anatomy was attached to his forehead which would make him a medical curiosity to say the least. I finished by asserting that he could take his car and proceed to insert it somewhere that is not only anatomically impossible but would also render driving the vehicle a distinct challenge. Was so miffed I almost missed the turning, but eventually I was turning into Albert Road and there were the familiar orange Sense t-shirts waiting to welcome me.

Now the Tanglewood team must have heard of my liking for banana sandwiches as there was a generous plate awaiting me. Unfortunately, I have realised that when my ankle is really bothering me my appetite goes through the floor and I couldn't eat very many of them. It has been a real challenge to have sufficient calorie intake on this trip and finding it difficult to eat when the ankle is throbbing doesn't help matters.

Tanglewood is a converted house which went through a major refurb about 5 years ago (Wayne - please do correct me if my memory is not great). The thing that struck me about Tanglewood is that it doesn't feel like a residential or care home so much as 'home' - the place that you or I would think of as our home is very much the same feeling I got at Tanglewood. Yes, there is the high-spec equipment such as the bed to bathroom hoists in each room, the snazzy lift system like the one I first encountered at the Dereham Resource Centre, and the usual friendly and professional Sense staff, but the thing that really struck me is that the service users each have a room that is very clearly 'theirs'. Each bedroom was decorated differently and has a real sense of the personality of the person to whom the room belongs. I even picked up some decorating and home furnishing tips from looking around Tanglewood. Huge thanks to Wayne and all his team for making me feel so welcome, and to all the service users for letting me visit their home.

Eventually it was time to move on as still several miles to go yet. Cycled into the Malvern Hills - managed to hit my head on a branch that was hanging into the road which was not an auspicious start. This was followed by the ankle turning audible as well as feeling squeeky - surely not a good sign. Walked up some of the hillage towards Little Malvern but managed to avoid the worst of the 'Bliss festival' traffic. Onwards towards Ledbury - saw the Ledbury foot and angle clinic and was suprised at how prescient they were in this town to have set up a service just for me. Darn, it was shut. Stopped at a pub in Much Marcle for a much miracle chocolate gateau and icecream break. Road got steeper and twisty, and then I was turning of the A449 to avoid the section at Ross on Wye where the motorway joins the dual carriageway. Went via How Caple Court after admiring a fine view over the Herefordshire and Welsh countryside. Of course when you leave the main road the gradient can be a bit more 'variable', as my tired legs and aching ankle found to their cost. Did get to ride through the beautiful Penalt village (although nearly burst my tyre trying to cross a cattle grid at speed) and then it was on through Hoarwithy and on to the A49. Stopped for a sandwich break and to look out for triple H's (the miffed apiary dweller will know to what I am refering - everyone else will have to remain mystified over that one!!!).

Onwards to the Border. I've got my passport ready. Unfortunately no signs on the B4521 to welcome you into Wales so I had no idea when I reached the land of the Welsh dragon. The view was amazing, the road a bit uphill for my ankle's taste (which was now screaming at me) and it seemed a hangmut of a long time before I got to Abergavenny. Then a long downhill cruise and I was in the town. May have taken some deep breaths when I arrived to steady myself - ankle was on its last legs (or is that too confused a statement) and my pain threshold had been passed about 15 miles ago...

Was staying at the Black Lion B&B and you couldn't have hoped for lovelier hospitality. My bike was taken through for me (whilst I did a quick emergency stretch of the achilles) and I was shown up to a lovely room with all the little extras that help to make a night in a B&B a real treat (they had white tea, and two types of biccies, and shampoo, and conditioner, and and and.... ) Had a good bath which seemed to settle the ankle a bit and then headed out for dinner (although I realised I was walking like John Wayne after a long day in the saddle). Had a huge and delicious dinner at the Sundarbon Indian restaurant. Oh but that was needed after a 100 mile day! Couldn't finish all the lovely food but they very kindly packed up the leftovers neatly for me so I could take them on my journey the next day.

Back to the guest house and the lovely landlady crushed up some ice so I could make up an icepack. She even offered me some of her Ibuprofen muscle relief gel stuff but given its warning about asthmatics I thought I ought not to risk it. Mind you the hot bath, excellent Indian food and icepack with my foot propped up on every cushion in myroom did seem to work wonders.

To sleep, perchance to dream. Not likely...too tired.