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Saturday 5th Aug

The train journey down from Glasgow was busy but the time flew in as Andy caught up with the latest news at work from Arthur and Calum.

We passed through very heavy rain on the way but all going well we should be through it all by Bristol. We were!

Andy met up with Andrew at Temple Meads station who was looking very fit. Arthur and Calum arrived and checking the map we set off through a busy Bristol but we were quickly onto NCN3 and away from traffic.

4miles done, we said goodbye to the old railway line and hello to quiet country roads....and of course some hills. Another 4 miles and we passed Chew Magna, stopping shortly after at Chew Valley Lake (reservoir) to have a snack, drink and take in some sunshine! The weather was looking good.

Setting off again we very quickly turned right and headed for the day's major hill. On the map it says 'The Wrangle' but looking again this may mean a land feature to the west, a steep sided valley. However it is certainly apt for the cyclists trying to get up this hill with 3 or 4 very steep sections in an already steep road. It sure was a wrangle getting up it!

The last steep part beside some houses did not look too bad until I stopped to look back down it and get a picture of Arthur coming up it. We were all glad to have conquered it as we stopped for a breather at the top and took in the view to the northeast.

Less than 5 miles to go now and the sky was clearing. Patches of blue! Soon a sign for Cheddar Gorge and we were freewheeling downhill very quickly, but watch out for the free-range goats halfway!

A photo stop, then it was on to the hostel where the Bertram family had a mean lasagne waiting for us.

A great start to the holiday and improving weather for the next couple of days.

Today 20 miles.

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It was nice and bright and dry in the morning. A long way to go today heading south towards the Somerset Levels. We went right past Street YHA and stopped for a look at The Hood Monument

Then we headed down to Somerton for lunch at a tea shop.

Somerton is a lovely place, former capital of Wessex.

We did the shopping, I sat outside chatting to an 85-year-old Thomas Hardy fan. The going continued to be easy until Ham Hill Country Park. We took the route over the hill so we could bag a BCQ.

That hill wasn't too bad but there was a beast of a hill just after Corscombe. Beaminster was down in a dip so there followed some serious undulations until a final descent in to Litton Cheney to stay at the YHA.

Mileage 59

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We decided to have an easier day today so we used the NCN2 eastwards which was mostly quite level. We stopped at the Hardy Monument on Black Down, It's not a monument to Thomas Hardy but Sir Thomas Hardy of 'Kiss me Hardy' fame.

We carried on in to Dorchester for an early lunch, slightly curtailed by a road digger. The afternoon was lovely and sunny, easy going. We made a navigation error approaching Corfe Castle but eventually made it to a café.

We then rode over the Nine Barrow Down (sounds like we're in a Lord of the Rings book) to Durlston Head for a BCQ

Soon after we arrived at the hostel at Swanage. Bert, Sally and Charlotte arrived just after us.

Mileage 47