The Long Way Home - England

Day 33 – Castle Hedingham – Distance: 68.1 km

Up at dawn to pack up for the ferry. Tent was soaking wet but a great sunrise – definitely my favourite part of the day.

Ferry was a fast catamaran so the crossing was less than 4 hours. Learning from earlier mistakes I bought a good 1:100 000 scale map of the South-East of England on board.

With the early start and the hour time difference we disembarked at 10am and I headed off into the rolling (compared with Holland anyway) Essex and Suffolk countryside.

Tapas for lunch in a very posh gastro pub. I knew I was back in the UK because the waitresses were Eastern European. After lunch the heat was immense, so much so that the roads were melting. I didn’t have far to go so I ambled along.

A complete lack of campsites on my route so I stopped at the youth hostel in Castle Hedingham. It is a nice old building and is well run. I was disappointed to learn that it is shutting at the end of the year. A few other cyclists stay here and I spent the evening sharing war stories with a couple of Wessies touring on fixies. There bikes were very cool.

Melting tarmac in North Essex, England

Day 34 – Willingham – Distance: 75.0 km

Good breakfast in the hostel and a leisurely start. Not too far to go today to visit Emily just North of Cambridge.

During the morning I took a couple of extended breaks. It was too hot and humid for any concerted effort. Approaching Cambridge I got caught in a couple of thunderstorms. I had to decide whether to shelter under a tree and risk being struck by lightening or drown in the downpour.

I survived to make it to Willingham and it was great to see Emily. We took her horse out for some exercise but had to return when we were caught in another thunderstorm. This time accompanied by hale stones the size of golf balls.

I am absolutely knackered and enjoying the company so I am going to stay here for another day.

Day 35 – Willingham – Distance: 45.1 km

Lazy morning listening to the cricket. After lunch I popped into Cambridge to get another map and speak to the bank. Got lost on the way in despite having a map and knowing my way around here quite well. Got caught in a couple more showers but nothing too bad.

Spent the evening mucking out horses and continuing my winning streak at cards against Em.

Day 36 – Great Bourton – Distance: 142.4 km

Start of the last leg of my trip. Away by 9 and made good progress in the morning whilst it was still relatively cool, before the wind got up and in flat Cambridgeshire.

My pace slowed a bit in the afternoon as my legs were reintroduced to hills and a slight headwind blew in. I was originally aiming for Stratford but too hot and tired to make it. I am staying on a small campsite in a village just North of Banbury. Spent the evening watching a cricket match at the local club. Nearly home now…

The locks at Stoke Bruerne

Day 37 – Kinnersley – Distance: 77.0 km

Up nice and early and it wasn’t long before I was skirting the Northern edge of the Cotswolds. As I came over the top of Snow Hill the tip of the Malvern Hills hove into view which prompted a large grin.

I stopped just past Broadway at a farm offering cider tasting. Half a pint of scrumpy at that time in the morning on an empty stomach saw the next 10 miles fly by.

I was soon passing through familiar villages where I have played cricket. After Pershore it really was home territory. In the end I was home in time for lunch.

Nearly home

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