Day 3

Cheddar to Clun

Distance: 123.28

Average: 13.6

Maximum: 41.1

Duration: 9:04:58

Cumulative: 327.38

Cheddar Youth Hostel was one of those that offered breakfast and a packed lunch, at a price of course. I took full advantage! It saved me the bother of shopping around for food the previous evening! When I received my lunch pack an envelope was attached! An anonymous donation (from Carol apparently!) who was "most impressed by my efforts"! Very touching.

Cheddar Gorge


Off I went, straight up Cheddar Gorge! Blimey, a hill first thing in the morning - voluntarily! I must be mad! It seemed to go on forever! This could be because I took "a slight detour". I found myself going the wrong way on the A3135 heading for Green Ore. Anyway I was soon back on track heading towards West Haptree, Chew Valley Lake, Chew Stoke, Chew Magna, (do they eat a lot around here?) and Long Ashton.

Chew Valley Lake

The previous night I had decided to follow the CTC YHA route through Bristol. (I took the Bristol and Manchester sections of this route with me - just in case!) This goes via the Clifton suspension bridge. I thought it'd be fun to go over that! I had however, a sneaking suspicion that I'd missed a turn somewhere. This was confirmed when I saw said bridge in the distance.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Oh well, what the 'eck! I'll go straight through Bristol. It'd probably be quicker!

Bristol Cathedral - I think! A large church like building in the centre of town!

In the centre of Bristol I stopped to ask a guy for directions! A big mistake! This guy was, I discovered, worse for wear from the previous evening and was almost incoherent! After humouring him for 5 minutes we parted! Me on my endurance quest no wiser on which way to go and him clutching a bunch of flowers. My guess was they were possibly purchased to placate the missus after a night on the town.

Cycling through the centre of Bristol wasn't as bad as I thought it might be! Maybe it's because it was beautiful morning. I followed the A38 right out of Bristol and eventually got myself to Olveston. From there I went down to the services and across the footbridge to the West side of the M4 and in to Wales. Crossing the bridge was a bit surreal. Just me and my bike on this track and lots of motorway traffic thundering past. I stopped to take a couple of photo's halfway across but soon moved on as every time a lorry passed the bridge juddered in a very disconcerting manner.

M4 bridge over the Severn


Wales! I could see the signs welcoming me but I couldn't get to them! I was stuck on a cycle track on the other side of the road! (The only cycle track I used on the whole journey!) After a couple of attempts to get down a steep banking to get across the road I gave up and decided the only way across was by going back about a quarter of a mile, so I did! I'm sure you'll agree this stunning photograph was worth the effort!!

Croeso i Gymru


Wales, eh? I sent a couple of texts to people - "Croeso i Gymru". Surprisingly they understood! Onwards up the A466 towards Monmouth. As planned, I turned left at St Arvans to keep to minor roads. Another big mistake! Yet another big hill up to Devauden! Time for milk! £1.98 for four pints! Blimey! Could I not have purchased the whole blooming cow for that - and had a steak dinner as well? Anyway, it was worth it, I suppose!

I continued on the B4293 to Monmouth and then the B4347 to Rockfield and Grosmont, which I particularly liked the look of despite the store been closed! Onward through the Golden Valley and to another welcome milk stop at Peterchurch. A very nice stretch of road and not too hilly! I then went over a toll bridge but there didn't seem to be any way of paying so I pedalled on through! Now I had to find the right turn which would take me to Kington. I passed a road going off to my right. Surely that wasn't it! It wasn't signposted to Kington, just Brilley. On checking my map it seemed to be the way but another monstrous hill! Oh well, so much for the first 2 days been the most hilly as is commonly stated! I suppose choosing my own obscure route didn't help matters! Perhaps I should have bought a map with contour lines! Through Kington (apparently the walking centre of Wales or something) and on the B4355 to Presteigne (the gateway to Wales apparently!) Yet more hills! Then from Prestiegne to Knighton and, well, more hills!

Knighton is a place I used to drive to a couple of times a week for about 8 years in a former life! I got chatting to a guy there to ask about the factory I used to visit! It closed down in approximately 1996! This guy gave me a donation and advised me that the road between Knighton and Clun, my destination, was very hilly! He was right! Still, I had come to embrace hills by this point and although they felt like they were the toughest hills of the day they weren't going to be a problem!

I purchased some provisions in a shop in Clun and headed for the youth hostel. The centre of Clun was alive. The pub was overflowing.

Clun Youth Hostel


Clun youth hostel was one of the nicest buildings and locations I stayed at. The room however was one of the smallest. 8 men packed in! 4 others of whom were fellow LEJoGer's. It was extremely hot and there was a snoring competition going on throughout the night!

3 days down and still feeling on top of the world!