I knew that today needed to be a big riding day…
So, I’m pleased to have clocked up 140 miles and get out of Cornwall, across Devon and up to Glastonbury in Somerset. Ooh arr!
I set off from Newquay at 8.50am and decided on a route that would take in some main roads. It’s not fun cycling on big roads but they really do eat the miles up. They tend to be flatter, smoother and more direct. It’s easy to average over 20 miles an hour. Sometimes it’s just the only way to get it done.
So, I took a deep breath and hit the A30. I was flying until Bodmin where there are signs saying cyclists are permitted no further. So, I had to turn off and take the A38 to Liskeard where I’d been yesterday!
I had decided that I DEFINITELY wasn’t going back over Dartmoor. It was a great experience but twice in 3 days is too much in my opinion!
So, I took the B3254 towards Launceston which took me further north towards Wells. It was a nice road, hilly of course but with more gentle gradients and some lovely views…
I did have a bit of a drama just after I took the above picture…
It was at the top of a descent and after taking the pic, I waited for a van to pass and then followed on down the hill.
When I got to the bottom and turned into a little village called Middlewood the van had stopped because there was an oncoming car and the road was narrow.
Now I’m cautious on descents – especially on roads I don’t know and when they’re twisty – so I didn’t exit the bend very quickly and was able to brake and stop comfortably. But because the van was so close to the bend, I stopped about 2 feet behind it…
As soon as I released the brakes, the van’s reverse lights lit up and it started moving towards me, to let the other car through. Not good! I was still clipped in on one side and did my best to shuffle backwards whilst shouting expletives!
Fortunately the driver heard me, because the bike was already down and I was about hit the deck too when it thankfully stopped.
I’m totally fine but for those of you on Strava, you’ll see that my peak heart rate was 195bpm, and mine rarely goes over 178bpm. It was scary…
The lady driver apologised profusely. She just couldn’t see me in her mirrors because I was too close.
I was shaken but fortunately a couple called Pam and Tony Mills overheard and offered me into the garden of their B & B called Hillview for a coffee. They were lovely people and I’m so grateful to them for making sure I was ok. If you need accommodation in that area, stay there!
Once I hit Launceston I got back on the A30 to eat some more miles and then turned off through Okehampton and headed through Crediton (not that nice but cool church) and then the A3072 to Tiverton.
If you want to cycle in that area then I highly recommend this road. The scenery was amazing, plus some lovely Devon cows/bulls and Tiverton is nice too!
Again, I hadn’t decide where to stay but really fancied getting to Glastonbury. The road from Taunton to Glastonbury is basically flat, so I was able to push on and make it!
Glastonbury doesn’t have a cathedral but does have an abbey. So I took a pic there anyways….
Cathedrals tomorrow! Lots of ’em….
Thanks for reading!