back home now

Can't recall exactly where we were when we last gave an account of ourselves.  We are now back in London.  We want to enter some reflections on it all, and on the last bits later.  But right now, just the last bit of "the story".

We left York on Wednesday 31 August.  We cycled along the railway path to Selby, which is one of Sustrans' earliest paths.  It runs where part of the East Coast main line used to.  During this section, where it crosses the Ouse river, we had a look around.  A complete maniac on a bike almost hit Katherine although the path was good and wide and she was not in his way.  At Selby, the path went to the East next to the Ouse, which becomes the Humber further down, as far as a village where we had phoned a campsite.  This turned out to be the outside area of a pub, where we could put our tent and this meant a nice pub meal and then we camped for nothing.  We were next to the river, quite wide at this point and with boats going past.

The next day we continued to the Humber Bridge.  We stopped for lunch at a place where a neolithic boat had previously been excavated.  It was extraordinarily cold at that point, but probably a coincidence (with the site having had neolithic remains, that is).  Then to the bridge, which is long; it was the longest in the world when built, and i think is still number 3.  The usual trouble finding how to get to the cycle track, and then off to Barton on Humber on the other side.  After Barton, over the Lincolnshire wolds to a campsite near market Raisen.  This was all quite a long way.  The wolds are hilly but not very high. n They have a wideness which is inspiring  But there was plenty of up and down.

The next day, less up and down, to Lincoln and then on over the totally level fens towards Boston.  It was a good sunny day and the wind was pleased with us, or one assumes that.  The way down was along another old railway, but there was also a long stretch on a dead straight road that was very reminiscent of th Netherlands. Campsite near Boston, the the next day went on a walk organised to see wading birds near the Wash.  This took till midday, then back to Boston, something to eat and on.  Now the wind had changed its mind about us and it was distinctly heavy going.  We wanted to get to Kings Lynn, but by Holbeach we were tired enough to stop anyway, although Kings Lynne seemed less and less likely.  An excellent tea in Holbeach revived, the on towards Wisbech, en route to Kings Lynne.  But we got lost and by the time we had untangled this and got to Wisbech, it was getting dark.  Decided to continue in the dark.  A local person asked if he could help us with directions, told to use the old direct road (there is a new fast one bad for cycling) which seemed appealing compared with the Sustrans twisty route.  We did this.  After a bit, round a corner comes a car on full beam headlights, going the other way.  For a second, total blindness, just black with the blinding headlights.  Brake hard.  Katherine gets a broken brake cable, so subsequent progress has to be much slower.  Saw a campsite sign on the road, which we did not know about.  Went there, not yet to Kings Lynne.

Next day, Sunday 4 September, up early, brake repairs then to Kings Lynne.  Bad mistake on the way, but got there.  Through the town and on.  We were invited to lunch by some friends, Marion and Brian, in a village called Docking further on.  Katherine went into pessimist mode that we could not possibly be there on time.  We were.  The weather was fine in the morning but it came on the rain strongly in the afternoon.  We were going to continue, but they kindly invited us to stay the night.  Next day, on the Burnham Market for posh coffee and exceptionally good food from butcher and baker.  On to Walsingham, where we visited both the Anglican and the Catholic shrines, having afternoon tea in both.  Now thoroughly late, but on towards Norwich.  When it was getting dark, and we were not in Norwich, asked an a pub about camp sites.  Directed to what turned out to be an outdoor centre for schools, but no schools there at the time and when we did find someone he showed us the camping field and said it was OK to use it.

It rained seriously the next morning.  But up and on.  From here, the route to Norwich was a well-maintained track along a former railway.  Stopped in Norwich for lunch and then on.  Route was close to Norfolk Broads, to Beccles, where it was on the third try that we found an open cafe, and this was a posh joint with outstanding cake.  Also chatted with some people from Manningtree (near Harwich) who offered us accommodation on our way.

After this, we cycled as far as Haleworth then sought somewhere to stay.  We knew there was no campsite, but there seemed nothing else either.  We were told that Sizewell nuclear power station was having it annual shut-down and the area filled up with all sorts of experts when they do this and all rooms were taken.  Seemed surprising, but it was so.  In the main hotel, they offered us floor space in a spacious and tidy attic room, at half price and we took it.  Had a bar meal and witnessed the entirely non-violent ejection of four extremely drunk men; most impressive.

Then, next day, on towards Ipswich and Manningtree.  By now it was very windy, but not directly against us.  Not too much to say about this bit of the route.  We got confused as to what was Sustrans 1 and what was not, but we had to depart from whatever route it was, anyway, to save time.  From Ipswich to Manningtree, on noticeably more busy roads, but not too bad.  Got to our new friends, Margaret and Dennis in good time and they were most welcoming.

Next day was the last.  Harwich was not far away.  We left a bit before lunch time, had a rather good pub lunch in an establishment on the way called the Fat Goose, and got to our B&B in Harwich in good time.  Good dinner in the Pier restaurant, wander round old Harwich, which has considerable charm and historical significance; one interesting fact is that the Mayflower was built in Harwich.  Finally, on the next day, Friday 9 Sept, cycled to Harwich International railway station and got on a train to London.

Now we are at home and having a lot of difficulty in doing much, so so far we haven't - done much, that is - but we did go to see Toulouse Lautrec in the Courtauld gallery earlier today.  There was a lot of mail waiting for our attention.