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Category: Bonny Journey

Bye bye Northamptonshire

Bye bye Northamptonshire

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It was my home for 3 or so years. The time has come to move-on.

Here’s some visual highlights from my time on the Grand Union from Milton Keynes upward.

  • View to Grafton Regis Church
    View to Grafton Regis Church
  • Braunston – Borderlands
  • Blissworth Mill
    Blissworth Mill
  • Nene Valley Way
    Nene valley
  • Nene Valley Way
    Nene Valley – Flore
  • All Saints Chapel - Flore
    All Saints Chapel – Flore
  • Dodford - Grand Union
    Dodford – Grand Union
  • Northampton to Banbury railway
    Northampton to Banbury railway
  • Walking from Weedon to Whilton along the towpath
  • M1 Bridge Brockhall Northamptonshire
    M1 Bridge Brockhall Northamptonshire
  • Long Buckby
  • Braunston
  • Drying clothes in the May sunshine
  • Sunset over Nene Valley near Flore
    Sunset over Nene Valley near Flore
  • Beast from the East on a narrowboat
  • Dodford
  • Winter sun in Weedon
  • Winter Weedon
  • Boats in Blisworh
  • A45 – Bypass
  • Canard Mead Wharf
  • Beast from

Bonny Journey .2

Seeing as now I am work-less. I’ve decided it’s time to explore some more of the UK waterways.

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Day 56 – Newquay to Lands End

Day 56 – Newquay to Lands End

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Last day.

It’s taken 56 days to make the whole journey; from John O’Groats to Lands End.

I’ll do a summary of some stats in the next post, but here’s to final day – Newquay to Lands End.


Started off misty.

This was taken cycling out of Newquay.

Much less wind

Made it a much more pleasant journey.

My pedal had also ceased, which was putting some considerable drag on me which I hadn’t realised.

I got this fixed by an RAC man sitting on the A30 just outside Newquay.

A little WD40 and a lot of oil.

The Newquay to Lands End stretch was a lot more pleasant.

Here’s some photographic mementos from the journey.
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River Lyd
Day 55 – Tavistock to Newquay

Day 55 – Tavistock to Newquay

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A whole day with the the wind in my face. A full 16-30 kph of it.
Pedalling down the hills kind of style.

In addition, Google decided I was a CAR and sent my down the A30.

So

THANKS GOOGLE

Pain in the ass…..

Anyway. I’m here now.

Holed up in the Griffin Inn, right in the very heart of Newquay. Party capital of the south coast.

I’m having a shower and feeling absolutely shattered.

Newquay

Fancied fish & chips, seeing as it was a Friday.

By the time I had all washed up and had a little nap, it was getting on for 9.

Some of the places had stopped serving food.

After a walk down to Fistral Beach and taking a look in the Atlantic Hotel and the Red Lion, I settled on this place, The Dolphin, which had seasonable prices and was still serving.

River Lyd
River Lyd, Conwall

Nansledan

Happened across this village.

Nanslesdan.

They have invested a lot in paint and breeze-blocks to put the place up in the middle of no-where.

It’s  another one of those ‘Poundbury’, self styled ‘good ideas’, from the same people that bought you ‘Poundbury’, (surprise surprise).

10 out of 10 for choice of colours. Bohemian, sort of reminiscent of central European housing of a certain era, with all the funny colours and what not.

It seems that central Europe has come to Newquay, or that’s the impression I got. Airlifted, and dropped in from a height, like and alien invasion.

Nanseldan, Newquay
Nanseldan, Newquay

Nanseldan, Newquay
Nanseldan, Newquay

Today, I’m taking the final leg of my trip, to Sennen, the closest village to Lands End.

Day 54 – Exeter to Tavistock

Day 54 – Exeter to Tavistock

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Through the National Park, which turned out to be extremely hilly.

Climbed the same height as Ben Nevis during the course of the day.
I must admit, I did some of it walking.

Clifford Bridge - Teign Valley
Clifford Bridge – Teign Valley, Devon

This particular road took me up a steep embankment from the River Teign.
It was never ending.

Google Maps

Google kept trying to turn me back from this route, (through the national park), and send me round the A30, (around the edge of the park). …

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Bonnie Revival

Bonnie Revival

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That’s right!

The Bonnie Journey is to be revived. And finished!

All the way to Lands End.

Not from here in Aldermaston. But from where I left off, Exeter where I sustained my knee injury.

Exeter to Tavistock

I’ll take the train down there. Pretty pleased the weather has deteriorated slightly.

Cycling at 30 degrees isn’t always that comfortable. Especially for upwards of 5 hours a day.

Gets a bit grating.

Journey begins tomorrow, when I will begin bringing you more tales from the road.

Bonny Journey

Bonny Journey

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Aborted!

At least for now, whilst I let my knee rest…

The sensible thing to do was let my knee recover.

After leaving the Gypsy Hill Hotel, I got about 3/4 mile down the road before I realised it was just not going to be possible to go any further.

It feels OK. When I put any pressure on it, it starts to hurt.

Exeter to Lands End

When I start again, I commence where I left of.

I believe it’s £15 on the train if I book apex.

There are some great national parks down there, at present, it will spoil my enjoyment of the autumnal scenes and make the best of the journey pointless.

So I’ve given up on it for now.

The boat is still here, although someone tried to rip my TV aerial out, didn’t cause any damage.
Maybe they caught it on something.

Gonna do some chores round here, then pick it up in a few days.

Devon Lane
Day 53 – Taunton to Exeter

Day 53 – Taunton to Exeter

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Knee isn’t much better.

I’ve decided it’s the tendons at the back of the kneecap have become slightly inflamed.

Tendonitis I believe it’s called. I personally don’t think it’s very serious, although there’s no doubt it’s going to slow me down, roughly by about 1/2 the amount each day.

Today, I took it particularly easy, just travelling to Exeter, or thereabouts.

Somerset into Devon

The most significant development of the day was moving between the counties of Somerset and Devon.

Devon Lane
Devon Lane

The lanes in Devon look like this. …

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