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