2023 United Kingdom, Day 63: Home

We are home. The return journey was as easy as could be. Our taxi arrived on time, we made it to the airport early enough to walk our bikes through security, the flight was smooth, our bikes were waiting for us when we got to the oversize baggage point in Minneapolis, and City Gal Transportation picked us up as planned. We even had the energy to collect Izzie a day early, do laundry, and buy groceries. Now we catch our breath, get the bikes tuned up, and head to the Oak Park Inn in Whitehall, Wisconsin, for a long weekend of cycling with Joshua, Meghan, Josh, and Konur. More fun!

Our hedgehog from Sarah, our host in Cirencester (https://www.thelittleredcabin.co.uk/). Settled in his new home in our garden. Thank you, Sarah!

2023 United Kingdom, Day 62: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 3 of 3

Walking Route: annex to Sunbury-on-Thames Village and back 1mi

Accommodation: Lovely Annexe

Lunch: Flower Pot Coaching Inn. Pizza.

I kind of wanted to go to the Victoria and Albert in London, but an hour and a half on trains each way just didn't seem like fun. Ken wasn't excited about the idea at all. We looked at our calendar for the next two months and decided that it might be really nice to just rest for a day, go for a nice lunch, and enjoy being in Sunbury.

After lunch nearby, we walked through the Walled Garden near the village and enjoyed the flowers, bought our host a thank-you gift for the ride she gave us on arrival, and stopped at a bakery for desserts.

Walled Garden, Sunbury-on-Thames.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 61: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 2 of 2

Bike Route: none

Walking route: Annex to Sunbury-on-Thames Village and back 1mi

Lunch: Indian Zest. I had read an article on the village website, describing Indian Zest as a Michelin-caliber restaurant with an amazing two-course set menu for lunch. We reserved a table in the garden, walked over, and had an amazing last Indian meal of the trip

Dinner: Cheese, crackers, veggies, olives, and fruit in our annex

First order of business: Take apart the bikes and pack them up for shipping back home. We moved the bikes and boxes into the shade in the front garden and got to work. An hour later, that job was done.

Second order of business: Do a couple loads of laundry. While the clothes washed, we caught up on correspondence and sorted through our saddlebags and reorganized them.

Third order of business: Walk to the restaurant for lunch.

Fourth order of business: Walk back to the annex.

Fifth order of business: Take a nap.

Sixth order of business: Eat dinner.

Seventh order of business: Go to bed.

A very orderly day.

The River Thames is just across the street from our annex.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 60: Sunbury-on-Thames, Night 1 of 3

Bike Route: Whitley Wood to Sunbury-on-Thames 32mi 1100ft of climb

Accommodation: Lovely Annex (Airbnb); host Jeannette. King bed, washer, kitchen. A stylish, open plan and friendly space, five-minute walk to the River Thames and village. Large, modern, self-contained annex, behind Sunbury House; own entrance and space for parking.

Dinner: Veggies and rice in our annex

We were up early again, for our last day, planning to get to our annex in Sunbury-on-Thames between 13:00 and 14:00 so that we could walk to the bike store that was holding bike shipping boxes for us two miles away well before they closed at 17:00.

We found Anna in the kitchen when we went downstairs for breakfast, and got caught up in her life story, and left a few minutes later than anticipated, but still with plenty of time.

Remember that our host Jane was on her way to the Royal Ascot from Pewsey two days ago? Well, when we took a close look at our route for this day, we discovered we were going right through the middle of Ascot in the middle of the morning of the last, biggest day of the race. And there we were, surrounded by police and security and traffic and thousands of people dressed up in top hats and tails, fancy dresses and heels and fascinators, drinking champagne and riding in horse-drawn carriages and everything. It was festive and crazy and fun.

When we finally left Ascot proper behind, we had another five miles or so through Windsor Park, which was also lined with police and security and where carriages we queuing up and helicopters were flying low overhead. The farther away from Ascot we got, the sparser the crowds. The park was beautiful, wooded, with almost no traffic and only a few pedestrians and cyclists.

We finally rode through the last security gate and onto a busy road. We were running a little tight on time, but we were hungry and found a good place to stop at a Caribbean restaurant in Staines, a crowded city where I almost got hit by a car following Ken through a turning-red light (never do that).

When we arrived at our annex in Sunbury, our host was there to greet us and show us around. She asked what our plans were for the afternoon, we explained that we were walking to Walton-on-Thames to pick up bike boxes, and she offered to drive us. We accepted the ride, quickly showered and changed, and enjoyed an interesting conversation on the short ride to the nearby town. Jeannette pulled into a parking garage and said she would be having coffee in Starbucks, and we could meet her there in an hour for a ride back. Our bike boxes wouldn't fit in her car, but we settled on doing some shopping and dropping off a bag of groceries, then walking our boxes back.

On to Sainsbury's for food, Starbucks to drop off the bag with Jeannette, and Hoops bicycle shop for the boxes. As we were leaving the shop, the guy helping us suggested ordering an XL Uber instead of walking. What a great idea. We did it. The Uber came. We got a ride back to the annex.

Big chores done. Time to rest, eat dinner, catch our breath.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 59: Whitley Wood, Reading

Bike Route: Pewsey to Whitley Wood 48mi 2200ft of climb

Accommodation: Master ensuite (Airbnb); hosts Russell and Anna. A bright and modern large double room in a luxury house located on a private road in the Reading/Wokingham border. The room is very airy, spacious and well furnished so you have everything you will require during your stay. You are welcomed to use the kitchen and washer for your convenience.

Dinner: The Six Bells Pub. Indian food. 

The breakfast box left in our room got us started with a bagel, milk, and coffee, but we knew we would need something more substantial for our long day, so we started out early with plans to stop for lunch halfway through the ride. As I was finishing packing, Ken met up with our host, Jane, in the hallway downstairs. She was on her way to Ascot for the first day of the Royal Ascot, and hurried off. How fun.

We expected to be riding into more urban areas as the day went along, and were pleasantly surprised that for the first half of the route, we were still in the country. At Hungerford, halfway through, we stopped in a churchyard and ate our cheese, crackers, and fruit in the shade.

We made much better time than we anticipated, and arrived at our accommodation over an hour early. No one answered the bell when we rang at the gate, but a few minutes later, our host Anna and her husband arrived and let us in.

Anna and her husband moved to London from Poland 16 years ago. Anna left a bad marriage and situation behind, and brought her three young children with her. Several years ago, she and her new husband moved to Reading, where they started a cleaning and maintenance business. Anna had been cleaning for our host, Russell, who owned the house but lived in London and ran it as an Airbnb. Last October, she and her husband got the opportunity to rent the house from Russell, with the arrangement that he would continue to post two rooms on Airbnb and Anna and her husband would be onsite hosts.

Complicated, but all three were the absolute nicest people. Russell was in constant communication with us and Anna, Anna and her husband made us feel instantly welcome and at home, the house was immaculate and new and comfortable. We hung out in the kitchen for a while chatting, and finally pulled away to walk over the highway bridge to a pub for dinner.

About midway through the route, we crossed a cattle grid onto a common grazing field--and saw this sign, just past another warning that cattle can do damage to your car. Maybe we need similar signs for bikes?

2023 United Kingdom, Day 58: Pewsey

Bike Route: Chippenham to Pewsey 32mi 1000ft of climb

Accommodation: Pretty ensuite room in a bed and breakfast (Airbnb); host Jane

Dinner: Tale of Spice Indian restaurant

For the first time on this trip, I think, our room did not come with any tea- or coffee-making supplies--so we had to go without our early morning indulgence. TSo, the plan was to get an early start and stop a few miles down the road, in Lacock, for breakfast.

We found a fantastic deli with quiches and coffee in the middle of Lacock, and an empty bench out front where we could eat and watch the village wake up. By the time we were done, cars were starting to fill up the parking lot and people were beginning to walk by with dogs and strollers and cameras. We took a few photos of the pretty, historic village, stopped on the edge of town to capture a couple shots of the abbey, and headed out for more quiet country lanes.

After another 10 miles, we were on a narrow canal path. To be honest, I have not enjoyed those trails in England. The canals are narrow and overcrowded with narrow boats, the paths are narrow and overgrown and overcrowded with walkers, bikers, fishers, dogs, and narrow boat people camped out on lounge chairs. The scenery is limited to the shallow, murky canal, the weedy banks, and mostly the trail (because you need to watch it carefully for obstacles).

I was glad to get back on the road in Devizes, where we stopped in the shade for a little lunch. Then it was back on another canal path for a few miles, until we pulled onto a good road through several small villages. Overall, it was an easy ride with no real climbs, and we got to Pewsey just in time to shower and go eat.

Our host was at work but had left instructions for letting ourselves in with a lock box. She had also left a pitcher of water, snacks, and tea- and coffee-making supplies. We were happy.

Pewsey was even smaller than we expected, but we had a white-tablecloth dinner at the Indian restaurant down the road, followed by ice cream bars from the new, large Co-op less than a block away. We walked down a side street, crossed the River Avon, and made our way back to our room.

Closing in on the end of our ride; only two days to go

Lacock Village, early in the morning, before the tourist buses arrive. 

Meghan and I visited Lacock Village and Abbey during our trip to England in 2004, and I remembered it as a charming place, looking very much like it did in the 1995 movie Pride and Prejudice.

While Ken and I sat outside the deli eating our breakfast, we overheard two locals discussing the sorry state of the village buildings, saying that since the National Trust took over, only the bare minimum is done to maintain the facades so that tourists will continue to come, while the structures themselves are falling into disrepair.

Lacock Abbey was founded as a nunnery in the 13th century. After Henry VIII closed all the Catholic abbeys and churches in the 16th century, it was sold to Sir William Sharington, who converted it into a residence for his family. Later, it was owned by the Talbot family. It is now owned by the National Trust. Most recently, it has been used as a setting in several movies and TV shows, including the 1995 BBC/A&E presentation of Pride and Prejudice.

The Caen Hill Locks are a series of 29 locks that raise the water level by 237 feet over 2 miles. The tow path along this section of the canal constituted our longest "climb" of the day. 

Way off in the distance, we saw the Alton Barnes white horse. It was too far away for a good photo. So we detoured about 8 miles out of our way and rode right past it--and took a photo. 

2023 United Kingdom, Day 57: Chippenham

Bike Route: Cirencester to Chippenham 25mi 800ft of climb

Accommodation: Large, sunny converted attic in family home (Airbnb); hosts Lucy and JJ

Dinner: The Fortune Chinese Restaurant just a few hundred feet up the road from our room

Sarah joined us for an enormous breakfast of homemade and local food. Before we knew it, two hours had passed and we needed to hit the road. As we packed up, Sarah gifted me with a glass hedgehog she had made, on a little post so I can place it in our garden at home. What can I say? An amazing lady.

So, we were sorry to leave.

We had a short and easy ride, and even with our late start arrived in Chippenham before we could check in. After our big breakfast, we had not been hungry for lunch, but by the time we got to town, we were thirsty and starting to think about eating again. We found a convenience store with cold drinks, and a school yard with shade, and rested until check-in time.

Our room was in the attic of a family home that was bustling with two young children and their friends, and with JJ running a body-training business in a shed in the garden. We showered and ate at the nearby Chinese restaurant. Our room was located about a mile and a half from the center of Chippenham--a little too far to walk. We considered grabbing the bikes and exploring the town, but we had a long day coming up and chose to stay put with our books instead. It seems like a shame to pass up opportunities to see more, but we find that we need time to rest and recover after long days outside.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 56: Cirencester

Bike Route: Todenham to Cirencester 33mi 1900ft of climb

Lunch: The Rose Tree in Bourton-on-the-Water, a cheese board with melted camembert, bread, and accoutrements. Perfect.

Accommodation: Quiet and Spacious Suite in City Centre (Airbnb); hosts Sarah and Andy.

Dinner: La Bobina Cirencester, Spanish tapas

As we left, Alison was cutting out a christening gown for her grand-daughter, but stepped outside to chat for a few minutes, and Bruce took a break from work and stopped by to say good-bye. Alison asked where we were headed, and suggested back roads to avoid Moreton and its market-day traffic. Usually, we like to go through a town on market day, but Alison explained that Moreton's is overrun by tourist buses and not a real, working, local market. We took her advice, and were glad we did. The back roads were tiny and green, winding through hamlets of limestone cottages and farms.

It was misting/raining lightly, so I got to try out my new rain jacket; it worked!

About noon, we arrived in Bourton-on-the-Water, a busy but pretty tourist town. Being hungry, as always, we found a cafe with outside seating right on the water near a picturesque bridge, and the hostess guided us to a table in the shade at the end of the garden where we could park our bikes and sit near them. As we were eating, a family sat next to us, and the adult son ordered for his parents in French-accented English. They were from Nantes, on the Loire, just west of Angers, where we ended our trip down the Loire with Konur and Meghan last summer. The son spends quite a bit of time in England for work and pleasure, and he was treating his parents to their first trip. They loved the Cotswolds and were very happy to have their son as a guide and driver--driving on the left side of the road was more than they wanted to tackle.

Back on the bikes, we had a pleasant afternoon rolling up and down the hills to Cirencester, where we checked in with Sarah. What a treat. She met us in the garden and helped us store the bikes safely, then led us up to a spacious, spotless oasis with all snacks and beverages and lovely little touches of art and comfort. We are pretty self-sufficient, and we generally are quite happy for just a moderately comfortable and quiet room. Every once in a while, we get blown away by a host's generosity and feel especially well cared for and/or connected. This was one of those times.

Sarah told us about the hedgehog that has taken up residence in their back garden, and suggested that if we sat on the terrace after 22:30, we might see him come to eat the cat food she leaves out for him. I would love to see a hedgehog in the garden. We have seen several on the road, unfortunately victims of accidents with cars, but only one alive on the side of the road in Spain. Our early bedtime doesn't really match up with the nocturnal habits of those cute little creatures.

After hot showers in a beautiful bathroom, we took one of Sarah's recommendations and went to a little Spanish restaurant for tapas. The food was awesome, the atmosphere brought back sweet memories of our time in Catalonia two years ago.

Relaxed and happy, we returned to our airy room and crawled into bed. I woke up about 11:30 and peeked out our window. Not seeing the hedgehog, I went back bed for a few (many) hours.

A typical farm in the Cotswolds.

Cirencester.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 55: Todenham, Night 2 of 2

Bike Route: Todenham to Batsford Village to Moreton-in-Marsh and back 10mi

Accommodation: Wheelwright's Mews

Lunch: Tea, scones, clotted cream, and jam at a tea shop

Dinner: in our apartment

Todenham is such a quiet, pretty village. We set out late in the morning to visit the Batsford Arboretum on the southern edge of Moreton. Google took us to Batsford Village instead--a private estate north of Moreton. The little country lanes leading to the village were beautiful, though, and we able to ride through the estate when we reached the village. At the entrance to the estate were several paddocks with mares and young horses, and a group of walkers passed us leading two mares and their four-month-old offspring.

We went on to Moreton, thinking we would still visit the arboretum, but the entrance to the gardens is on an A road and traffic was crazy, so we bailed on that idea and just stopped in town for a quiet lunch.

The manor house, now a stud farm, in Batsford Village. The road past the farm and through the village was marked Private, but it was not gated so we rode on through it--quietly.

It was difficult to find information about Batsford Village, but the church dates back to the 12th century and appeared to have been built around the same time as the cottages.

Our lunch consisted of tea and scones at Martha's. A little reminder of a favorite pastry shop at home--Martha's Eats and Treats in Dundas.

Moreton-in-Marsh is on the northeastern edge of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with buildings made of that warm Cotswold limestone.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 54: Todenham, Night 1 of 2

Bike Route: our lodge to the Ledbury train station 2.5 miles

Train Route: Ledbury to Moreton-in-Marsh 1.5 hours

Bike Route: Moreton-in-Marsh train station to Todenham 3.5 miles

Accommodation: Wheelwrights Mews (Airbnb); host Alison. Apartment with one bedroom, sitting room, fully equipped kitchen, ensuite, garden access.

Lunch: ASK Italian. A chain restaurant, not very good.

Our luck with the weather threatened to take a break, with rain forecast and the skies cloudy. We decided to treat ourselves to a train ride--trading 8 to 10 hours of biking on regional hills for an easy 1.5 hours of riding on a regional train.

That meant we could sleep late and drink an extra cup of coffee.

We arrived in Moreton about 14:00, just as it started to rain. We quickly found an Italian restaurant with empty tables, and sat out the downpour while eating lunch.

Our apartment for the next two nights was in Todenham, a hamlet a few miles north of Moreton. On the way out of Moreton, we passed a big, new Co-op and made a stop for groceries.

Our hosts were away when we arrived, so we let ourselves in with the key left for us. When they returned, we met up in the driveway to share stories. Bruce spent most of his career working on cargo ships all over the world, and had been up the Saint Lawrence Seaway to Duluth and Thunderbay several times, and Alison had met him a few times. They were from Moreton and had raised two sons there. They bought the Wheelwright's Mews in Todenham 12 years ago. One son lives in Wales, which is where they had been for the weekend, caring for their six-year-old grandson. The other son and his two small children live just 20 minutes away. Delightful people; we talked way too long while their luggage sat in their car and their dog waited patiently in the garden.

Father's Day. Thinking about my brother and son on this special day. Oh, and Ken too, of course.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 53: Ledbury, Night 2 of 2

Bike Route: our lodge to Ledbury town center and back 4mi

Accommodation: The Lodge at Heathfield House

Dinner: lamb steaks, couscous, and vegetables in our lodge

A day of rest. In the morning, we reviewed the rest of our itinerary and made a few changes to eliminate some miles and climbing. Instead of going to Bath, Stroud, and Oxford, we will head to Chippenham, Pewsey, and Whitley Wood, near Reading. We will miss some of the lovely parts of the Cotswolds, but I have already been there and Ken is not feeling the need to go, and the long distances and hills during the day would mean we wouldn't have a lot of energy or time to enjoy those historic places. There is always more to see and do than we can fit in. That is actually a good thing. At least, it is what keeps us coming back for more.

About noon, we cycled down to Ledbury to explore. A flower stand and two vegetable stalls were just packing up in the Market Hall; we bought fresh local veggies for dinner. The butcher shop across the street had lamb steaks. The health food store provided Moroccan couscous.

We wandered down a side street and discovered historic buildings with volunteer guides, where we learned a little about the history of the town and the civic pride that keeps it alive.

Fresco-style paintings on the upper floor of a 16th-century building on Church Street. The paintings are in the style of an Elizabethan knot garden. They are rough representations meant to mimic the warm tapestries found in the elegant manor houses of the wealthy. The building is thought to have been Booth Hall, the home of the town constable, and the painted room may have been used as a courtroom.

Market Hall. Our bikes are chained to the post in front.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 52: Ledbury, Night 1 of 2

Bike Route: Ludlow to Ledbury 42mi 3100ft of climb

Accommodation: The Lodge at Heathfield House. Ground-floor one-bedroom apartment with wifi, kitchen, garden access.

Dinner: The Horseshoe Inn, woodfire pizza

Deborah served toast with avocado, fresh local sausages from the butcher across the street, roasted tomatoes, and sauteed mushrooms--with yogurt, fruit, cereal, orange juice, coffee, and croissants. We could hardly stand up afterward, let alone haul our gear down the stairs and climb onto our bikes.

But we did, and we headed on out for another day of hills and views. We just can't believe how lucky we have been with the weather, the people, the bikes, the routes. The biking has been challenging, but every day has been unique and doable and special. Our hosts and the people we meet during the day are interesting and kind. The sun keeps shining.

As we cycled through Ledbury on the way to our annex just outside of town (up a hill), we planned a trip back to the shops for dinner and groceries. We were happy to find that our "lodge" was roomy and clean and well-equipped with a nice little kitchen. After showering and washing a few things out in the sink, we put on backpacks, hopped back on the bikes, and headed to town.

At the Horseshoe Inn, the owner locked our bikes in his storeroom and we found a picnic table in the back garden and ordered soda water and pizzas. The garden filled with people and dogs, the light began to fade, the pizzas took a long time to make, we didn't care.

After rescuing our bikes from the storeroom in the alley, we cycled to the local Co-op grocery store, where we met another guy locking up his bike at the racks outside. The three of us made our way through the store, picking up breakfast and lunch supplies.

On the way back up the long hill to the lodge, we passed a sign for a strawberry farm with a 24-hour vending machine, and cycled a mile and a half up another hill to buy fresh berries. It was getting dark by the time we made our way to our bed.

2023 United Kingdom, Day 51: Ludlow

Bike Route: Shrewsbury to Ludlow 43mi 3400ft of climb

Accommodation: Pepper House (Booking.com); host Deborah. Deluxe double room with ensuite, breakfast included, choice of feather or fiber bedding, choice of breakfast buffet or full English breakfast. Free WiFi, TV, a washing machine, and a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher and toaster. The ground floor entrance leads through Deborah's upholstery shop. A stairway leads guests up to the bed and breakfast, where they can enjoy some fruits and chocolates or cookies.

Dinner: The Church Inn garden, in the courtyard of the parish church. Shady, quiet spot with good, simple food and pleasant servers. Cornish sole and braised leg of rabbit.

When we came downstairs in the morning, Sophia greeted us with homemade brown bread fresh out of the oven, yogurt, and fruit. Gavin and her son had left early to work in the vineyard. She joined us for breakfast, and shared her philosophies and wedding plans.

A little later than we had planned, but with a hug and a wave that were worth the extra time, we pedaled off down the street.

After the last two days of fairly flat riding, we had almost (almost) forgotten about those pesky hills. We found them again today. The positive side of the hills is the scenery. There just isn't anything like it on the flat canal paths.

This was our day of riding through the Shropshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. On the way up the longest climb, we caught up with a school group on a three-day hike, for which they would win an outdoor award. They asked about our bikes and our trip. One of the young men looked at us, shook his head, and asked, "Why are you in the Shropshires, when you could be in London?"

As we rested partway up, a couple a little younger than us on electric mountain bikes stopped on their way down, and we compared experiences on various routes around the UK.

At a trailhead parking lot, while Ken waited for me to catch up, another couple, about our age, walked over and asked about our bikes. Many minutes later, we all decided we really had to get moving or the day would disappear with us still hanging out beside the road.

Finally, we reached the summit, at a glider center, and got our first glimpse of the Cotswolds in the distance.

When we arrived in Ludlow, we found a pretty little market town with cute shops and a festive market square. Turning down a narrow cobbled street, we spotted the sign for Pepper House and the Ludlow Upholstery Shop, where we would spend the night.

Our host, Deborah, greeted us warmly, introduced Teddy the springer spaniel, helped us store our bikes in her very small shop on the ground level, and led us up steep stairs to an amazing, spacious, beautiful, comfortable guest suite, with an open bedroom and sitting room, dining nook, huge bathroom, and shared kitchen. She had stocked a little refrigerator with cold drinks, chocolates, and fruit, left us with an assortment of teas, coffees, and biscuits, and encouraged us to relax and rest.

We showered, did a load of laundry, drank lots of cold beverages, ate cold grapes, and following Deborah's recommendation walked a few blocks to the garden of the Church Inn and had a wonderful meal. Then we explored the little town, walked around the castle, and wandered back to our room for a good sleep. This really is the life.

As we left, Sophia came out to share this poem from her mother's funeral. Words of wisdom to guide us on our journey--through England and life.

At the top of the long climb came a steep downhill. Of course.

We stopped about halfway down to let the brakes cool.

I'm just barely holding the bike back from rolling downhill--both hands on the brakes and both feet on the ground.

On the other side of the pass, we see the Cotswolds in the distance.

I don't remember what Ken was pointing at, but I'm sure it was interesting.

At the top of the pass is the Midlands Gliding Club center. The planes are towed out by jeeps and take off from the ground.

Across the road from the glider center, we found a bench with a view over the valley below. Keeping our helmets on to protect us from the sun, we sat on the bench and ate a lunch of crackers and cheese and fruit. And chocolate digestive cookies (my favorite).

Ludlow has an actual castle. Again, we arrived too late in the day for a tour, but we were able to walk around the outside on a shaded path.