Where's yer bin? Through blue-remembered hills to Hereford

Brother Giles (sibling as opposed to holy orders) has pointed out that Wem is in Shropshire not Herefordshire. I thought maybe A.E. Housman was associated with the town but it seems not. Look up his poem 'A Shropshire Lad' and all the sources kick off with the 'fact' that he never set foot in the county before writing the poem. They then riff on his penchant for not letting facts get in the way of a good story (an early Trump?), quoting examples such as a reference to a steeple on a church that has always had a simple tower only, and similar others. Which to me begs the question - if he exercised his poetic licence that much, why do they believe the not-visiting-Shropshire part? No satnav or GPS then so he could easily have taken a few sneaky rides round the county any time. Talking of which reminds me of a certain bike-ride that is subject to modern technology and consequently auditable from top to bottom.
The pub didn't do breakfast until 9 so they knocked up a couple rounds of sandwiches and some crisps - for 2 quid! - and I left nice and early for a full English in a friendly cafe (please bring your bike inside sir) - in Shrewsbury, lovely town, see pics. On the way I got into a surreal dance with the local binmen in a little village out in the wilds. Having got stuck behind them in a narrow lane I stopped to answer a phone call from Darren F, and they came up behind to empty some bins, then overtook me but actually parked right next to me so I couldn't hear a word, this being otherwise in the back of beyond.
The rest of the day was relatively incident free, apart from a detour to avoid road closures for a level crossing upgrade. And what countryside! Into the Shropshire hills at All Stretton then Church Stretton, and a quick stop overlooking either Wenlock Edge or possibly the Long Mynd (pic), then through green, tree-lined valleys and typical English fields to lunch in gorgeous Ludlow next to the castle. More country lanes to Leominster, then, railway detour apart, a final stretch into Hereford, an interesting cathedral city, and the huge, imposing if slightly tatty Green Dragon hotel.
Giles turned up around seven at the bistro where I was already ensconced and later read the hotel history - Edward IV stayed here when Earl March - and the hotel still has WW2 armour plating from when it was an air raid shelter for the town's residents.
A great day's ride in all and only a little unexpected rain in the first hour. Tomorrow promises more of the same, down to Tintern and Monmouth. If you don't know this Welsh border country, come and see it, you can't beat it.

Photos (in reverse order...)

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury

Blue re membered hills

11:33 - probably the only reason Dad didn't pop in here for a swift one

Selfie £2 lunch

We're all going to Wem...

...'b'lie 've it or not, that headline took 8 hours and 76 miles to work out so I hope you like it. There was no tickertape and no one was singing as I rode into the little market town of Wem, just as well as I was bound for the Burlton Inn seven miles further on and a well--earned venison steak.
This morning Sue drove me back to Wigan and left for home, while I hit yet another canal en route for the Mersey. A decent surface and not many people was good news but there was a succession of complicated barriers with sort of bike-shaped gaps to slow you down (and presumably keep motorbikes out). Another cyclist riding by said his mate had been out with an angle-grinder and certainly after that point most of the gates were wide open.
Then reality in the form of fast A roads intervened and I was briefly not sure of the route. After I found it Darren C informed me I'd just ridden past his brother's house, would have been useful if he'd been there to help but it's the thought that counts. Soon I found Great Sankey, a country park leading all the way to Widnes and the Mersey bridge. A little slow but a most enjoyable off-road section. Spotting the impressive bridge at a distance I thought there was a lot of work going on, lorries, people, equipment everywhere. Then I found a sign saying the  route I was on was suspended while the new bridge was built. Panic set in...do I have to ride up to Liverpool and the tunnel or ferry? Obviously the old bridge was in fact still running so over I went (sole pics for today). On stopping for photos I found the cycleway disconcertingly bounced when anything heavy drove past so on I went.
The route thereafter was flat and fast with little wind and apart from half an hour lying flat out beside yet another little canal in the sun, it was full speed ahead to journey's end.

At this point, more than half way through the challenge, I feel pretty confident about finishing and will provide a few stats and route detail soon. Tomorrow: Hereford and meeting my brother who is coming over for a ride on Wednesday.

Wem the original inspiration for the Wembley arch..?

...no, it's actually the Silver Jubilee bridge linking Runcorn and Widnes

View up the Mersey from the bridge

Canals and county town

This morning Sue and Paul dropped me off back at Milnthorpe, and straight into some back roads down to Lancaster. This is what I love about England, within 5 minutes I was riding in front of Dallam Tower and its herd of (?) roe deer, then through villages of grey stone called Slack Head, Yealand Storrs, Yealand Redmayne and Yealand Conyers, then Nether Kellett and a sign to its companion Upper Kellett. Later a pub called the Shovel Inn - they didn't say but surely they welcome big eaters...
At Carnforth I sat on a handy garden bench on a corner to have a drink and watch classic cars chug by and up the hill to a rally. The bench owner had set it out specially for some visitors but once we'd sorted out that little difficulty we watched a stream of identifiable and unknowns roar or puff by - Moggy Minors of course, an A40, a Morgan, an Austin Healey (a 3000 I thought), some three-wheelers and lots more.
Later I rolled in to Lancaster for morning tea and cake. One of the pics if James has them uploaded should show a domed building in the background which you may recognise from trips up the M6 rising above the trees on the left around J34 or so.
Next came a stretch of the Lancaster Canal, but the towpath was bumpy and both uncomfortable and slow, so I reverted to the A6 for a while, not too bad on a Sunday. The sun came out and I stopped at a convenient point for sandwiches lovingly provided by Sue who was enjoying a visit to a National Trust property, Rufford Old Hall. Later I reached Preston, not much to report there, but an extensive country park and then the Leeds and Liverpool Canal provided an attractive and traffic-free ride, apart from Sunday strollers that is, in the fine afternoon sun. So with relatively slow progress I eventually abandoned the canal and hot-footed it into Wigan (even less to be said, just glum faces drowning their sorrows after some sporting event) where Sue was patiently waiting to drive back to our castle home. Takeaway pizza from the pub at the bottom of our drive, and supposedly an early night to get me down to Wigan again for tomorrow's journey to Wem (me neither, first time for everything, I think it's in Herefordshire).

Our home for two nights in Hornby

The old Tramway near Preston

Lancaster Canal

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

River Lune at Lancaster

Deer at Dalham Tower, nr Milnthorpe

The biggest climb

Please try the link below - I think you can all see recent photos.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5kY9_T1TmtXZWlpd0lRdC1tRnc

This morning after breakfast I tried to adjust my brakes which had lost their effectiveness over a few days. Not seeing any difference I rode down to Carlisle city centre and found a bike shop where they immediately took the bike into the workshop and fitted new pads. Apparently a combination of weather throwing up wet grit, plenty of use down some steep hills, and extra luggage weight was enough to wear them out over 500 miles.
The first part of the ride was along small country roads with light traffic in sun and just a little wind - perfect. The village of Unthank is no doubt hundreds of years old but sounds like a modern way of withdrawing your appreciation for a gift that wasn't quite as good as you thought it was. Greystoke followed, (pics) the home of Tarzan or at least of Lord Greystoke upon whom the stories were based. A great run down to Dacre took me to the shore of Ullswater (pic) and along to Glenridding for lunch. Then it was time for the big one. I've driven over the Lake District passes but never cycled up one. A gentlish ascent turned into Kirkstone Pass proper, 20% and then 15% gradients up to 1500', a few hundred feet higher than Rannoch Moor and a lot steeper, bending this way and that to make the climb. I divided it into sections, looking upward and deciding on a lowest gear stretch followed by a slightly higher gear standing up stretch and then a minute's rest before starting again. That way I managed the entire climb without walking and stopped just past the summit (pic of low cloud).
Now for the descent. Several miles of 25-35mph round sweeping bends was fantastic, then maybe fifteen miles of up and down, all through the more intimate Lake District countryside I love. At Milnthorpe Sue had just arrived and we put the bike in the car. Tonight we are staying in an Airbnb in a genuine castle
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Hornby--United-Kingdom/homes?allow_override%5B%5D=&listing_types%5B%5D=3&s_tag=lIdqbaJh&type=bnb
with Paul, an old friend from Northampton who has come over for an early birthday celebration.
Tomorrow: Milnthorpe to Wigan or thereabouts.

Proof that he's actually riding it and not just doing a tour of the North of the UK's pubs!

Getting in the way of that bull or getting in the way of Dad sailing...not sure which would be more perilous

Back in England

Friday stats and route
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1827389434?share_unique_id=16

Not so much to write about tonight. Slightly odd going over to the motorway  services for breakfast amongst a few early travellers. Up at 247m from sea level the clouds were at ground level, but after an hour or so they cleared away and the mainly northerly wind might still have kept the temperature down, but it enabled consistent speeds of 15 to 20mph and more for mile after mile as the empty B road closely followed and occasionally crossed the M74/A74(M) and encountered the West Coast mainline. The scenery was unremarkable and the gradients kind.

Every silver lining has its cloud, however.......no, not another weather report, but a nasty toothache that progressively worsened through the morning. A while ago with my group of ex-Police walking friends I instituted a 5 minute rule for discussion of medical matters, so suffice to say I found a dentist opposite my lunch stop in Lockerbie who prodded and x-rayed and advised to the extent that I have just eaten fish pie and other 'soft food' without too much discomfort.
Subsequently I stopped briefly at Gretna Green, where the only visible bride was definitely not a 16-year-old elopee, crossed the border and arrived in Carlisle.
Tomorrow sees possibly one if the toughest but most scenic days, and marks Day 7 which I can hardly believe. I will also see an old school friend, and Sue is coming up for a couple of nights, so lots to look forward to to. HIGNFY beckons if it's still on, then an early goodnight.

Dad mastering the selfie...almost

Thursday's route and stats

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1825853284?share_unique_id=14

A day of two parts

It rained all day. Ok, you don't want to listen to me complaining all the time, but...it rained all day.

B&B was on a farm last night and after a traditional breakfast with a couple also staying there it was off into the rain....sorry.

The morning ride was interesting and all off road, firstly down to Balloch at the Southern end of Loch Lomond, then a great cycle path along the Forth and Clyde Canal. It was well surfaced which is important both to maintain a decent average speed and to avoid continual jarring through the handlebars, which apart from simple discomfort also causes you to grip more tightly, leading to tension across the shoulderblades (in my case at least).

If the photos have come through you can see a 'drop bridge', where the water level under a very low road bridge is temporarily lowered to allow boats to pass under the road. A weed-cutting and collecting boat chugged past and later there was a succession of towers clad in corrugated iron, with a small locked door and no openings other than at the top, about 20' high, where a live cockerel was strutting round. I have no idea what these are and didn't see anyone to ask (it was raining so not very busy).

A tea stop at a convenient canalside bike shop enabled me to replace a water bottle that went under a car a couple of days ago. Then the route met the Clyde itself going into Glasgow city centre. The whole quayside has evidently been and is being massively developed - if you've been to Newcastle I'd say it's similar but on a massive scale. (Various pics hopefully)

No time to stop though and a good thing I didn't. Once again (Inverness if you remember) both bike-nav and Google Maps had me going round in circles and doing U turns until I eventually found my way out to the SE. From there it was grinding and rather dreary and wet - did I mention that? - and spirits were only raised at the Route 74 Truckstop for tea and cake - the Englishman 'abroad'! Then the road, following route (M)74, climbed for a few miles into the mist and bleak moorland, a sort of high up Hound of the Baskervilles feeling with almost no cars at all. The rumbling of the motorway half a mile away was quite comforting. Then a fine downhill and a sign reading Abington 1 mile, where tonight's stop in the Day's Inn at said route 74 services was booked last night.

After Harry Ramsdens fish and chips I now need to plan tomorrow as this section is not booked, but I must have gained 10 miles on the plan, even in the weather which wasn't that good today in case I didn't tell you.

Hope James can get the photos up - more ramblings tomorrow, when I reach England!

Son of Nessie found in canal...

You take the high road...

Lawrence W. commented on the blog that I should take the high road to Loch Lomond, and I did, but mainly because there isn't a low road. It was an unrelenting climb from Glencoe through the Great Glen for about five miles up to Rannoch Moor, a bleak rather desolate area I remember from the West Highland Way. It was great to receive an encouraging text on the satnav from Gary F just as I took a photo of the summit sign. Shortly afterwards came a superb three or four mile descent at 20-30 mph, almost no traffic, and the sun even came out for a while.
Gary knew where I was from Garmin as did Sue who texted to ask if I was having tea, which I was having reached Tarbet towards the top of Loch Lomond. If you want to follow in that detail just. send me your email address.
Tonight it was haggis, neeps and tatties and a Balvenie malt or two and as soon as this is done it's bedtime.
Tomorrow: Glasgow.

Route and stats
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1824286424?share_unique_id=12

Lots of lochs

All photos are currently being uploaded by son James as I can't on the phone for some reason, hence the disconnect between words and pictures.

The Whitebridge  Hotel served up a Highland burger last night, venison with a layer of haggis and then bacon and a side order of whisky sauce. Not what Rabbie Burns would have recognised but an interesting meal. The beer in Scotland has improved greatly with a reasonable range of local real ales available.
This morning started with some climbing that led to a superb run down past little Loch Knockie to Fort Augustus. I could have topped 40mph but a wet road and bends kept the maximum speed down to 39. At the end of Loch Ness I had to use the busy A82 to Loch Oich. At Bridge of Oich a couple of large passenger boats were going through, causing the swing bridge to be closed and I saw an old railway line now converted to foot- and cycle path which was a peaceful route to Laggan and Loch Lochy. Not the most original of choices, making me wonder if whoever thought up Boaty McBoatface hails from these parts.
After viewing the well known Commando monument, a pleasant detour from the A82 ended at Neptune's Staircase, a busy set of locks on the Caledonian Canal where I had lunch and watched the boating activity. Then through Fort William, passing the photostop at the end of the West Highland Way which I completed a few years ago.
Back on to the A82 which by now had a cycle path in places much better surfaced than the main road, along Loch Linnhe and briefly Loch Leven before reaching the village of Glencoe and its youth hostel. Dinner in the Clachaig Inn in the hills above the village with a retired Naval radio engineer rounded off the day. Hopefully the clothes washed in the hostel machine and currently in the drying room will be ok tomorrow as they are all I have!
Tomorrow - the bonny banks of Loch Lomond.

Tuesday's route and stats

http://livetrack.garmin.com/session/23ef8ebd-3cc0-4865-a341-09b5b2859d7f/token/40284EBF64F3D3A3A5966AB2A26A48