Evesham Wheelers - Other Events - Evesham to Spain and Back

Evesham to Spain and Back

Report by Phil Stayte

Day 1. Evesham to Portsmouth

Left Evesham at 08.00 on the dot, weather bright and chilly, decided to wear arm and leg warmers. The weight of the luggage on the bike was soon very evident, both in the way it slowed down progress and the way it altered the balance of the bike.

Fish hill came within the first 5 miles, it was very difficult - legs not warmed up, just managed to grovel my way up to the top.

Image right: Ready for the off

Pressed on through Stow on the Wold, through Burford and Faringdon. Then came the climb onto the Ridgeway where I had a planned stop, a banana and a sports drink. Arrived at 11.00 stayed until 11.45. Left refreshed and with the sun shining. Gorgeous views acres of oilseed rape spread out in front of me.

The Ridgeway above Lambourne my first stop after 47 Miles.

Next stop was at Stoke after 76 miles by now it was hot, the cycling was fantastic and I was feeling good. Passed the watercress farms in the Test Valley, and before I knew it I was in Winchester with 100 miles behind me. My usual coffee stop at Twyford was closed so I pressed on. Met up with another cyclist called Dave who rode with me for a few miles and then offered to buy me a drink at his local. Chatted cycling for half an hour and then I pressed on arriving at the ferry port in Portsmouth at 6.30.

Within minutes I was waved first onto the Pride Of Bilbao stowed my bike and found my cabin. Spent a relaxed evening on the boat pawing over my maps with anticipation of what was to come.

I had covered 130 miles.

Day 2. Pride Of Bilbao

Spent the day Whale watching and sunbathing looking around the shops and relaxing. Saw bottle nosed dolphins and porpoises riding the bow wave of the boat. A glorious warm and sunny day. Watched the sun go down chatting to an ex fireman called Don from London, I now know more about him than almost any other person alive!

Day 3. Bilbao

After a fitful nights sleep got up at 06.00 had a carbohydrate full breakfast. By 08.00 I was stood on the lower car deck with my bike and kit.

A nice hairy cyclist called Doug said he knew the way into Bilbao, it turned out he didn’t and we ended up with a 20 minute tour of the dockyard before I was on my way. Took the hanging bridge over the river and within half an hour I was into countryside with the hills looming ahead of me.

On the fist major hill just after Urduliz my rack broke and spilled the entire contents of my panniers onto the road.It took it half a dozen zip ties and some cursing to repair what could have been a fatal problem.

The scenery was fantastic rather like the Auveregne. Fields full of flowers and groups of lazy looking cattle.

This was contrasted by the N10 around San Sebastian, that was a nightmare, heavy cement lorries thundering by inches away, no hard shoulder, and a tunnel pitch black which you couldn’t see the end of. Probably some of the worst cycling I have had to do in my life. I would never do it again!

Got to St Jean De Luz at around 7pm without realising I had crossed the Spanish French border. Got to a campsite, pretty basic but I was shattered. Pitched my tent in the gloom and drizzle and had a tuna sandwich, and a cold shower. A really taxing day.

I had covered 114 miles.

Day 4 St Jean De Luz to Biscarosse Plage.

Started to rain at 05.00, then a thunderstorm, got on the road by 08.00 cycled through Biarritz and Bayonne, everywhere looked miserable, low cloud and drizzle.

Stopped at Hossegor for breakfast. The weather was improving and the terrain was flat as a pancake. I made good progress. Acres and acres of pine forest, there were handily placed cycle tracks running next to the roads, which I used where possible.

This was a day for getting my head down and making progress, the first really enjoyable days cycling. Arrived at Biscarosse plage at 7pm, brilliant sunshine, found a campsite with hot showers, and red squirrels. Set up camp and set of into town for a beer and hot food.

I had covered 116 miles.

Day 5. Biscarosse to Royan

Annoyed most of the night by a loud French family. Up and away in the morning at 08.30 in brilliant sunshine passed by the highest sand dunes in Europe at Pyla. Watched Black Kites circling overhead, picked up a cycle track that took me all the way around the Arcachon basin, via pine forests, simply superb cycling country.

Had my usual stops at supermarkets to take on fuel, eating took on an entirely different aspect. It wasn’t the enjoyable process, it usually is, now it was just refuelling.

Arrived at ferry port on the Gironde 10 minutes after the ferry left, had a 2 hour wait, time for a sunbathe and a beer. Felt fantastic.

Crossed over the Gironde to Royan, cycled around a bit and found a campsite, it was then that the mosquitoes found me!

No food no shops open, forgot it was a Sunday. Had a banana and a cup of coffee and went to bed, scratching my bitten legs.

I had covered 118 miles.

Day 6. Royan to Fontenay Le Comte

Just a banana for breakfast, set of in drizzle again at 08.00, managed to do 18 miles before finding a supermarket at Saujon, bought food and had a picnic in the car park, next to a wheelie bin. I was feeling tired today.

The temperature rose as the day went on. 28 degrees on a roadside thermometer, it was a nice undulating countryside, plenty of wildlife to see and some pretty villages.

Found a campsite at 6.30pm. A beautiful setting, rather like a Cotswold hamlet, the showers were hot it had a restaurant, and it’s own vineyard!

Lay in the tent that night listening to Nightingales in the trees behind me. Magical!!

I had covered 109 miles.

Day 7. Fontenay Le Comte to a Bus Shelter near Angers

Woke at 6.30 with spots of rain on the tent, packed up quickly and on the road by 08.00. Showers to start with but within an hour it was heavy rain. Stopped at Pouzauges at a supermarket. Whilst inside there was a thunderstorm with torrential rain. I sheltered under the canopy for an hour and a half. It cleared a bit and I decided to make some miles, the next few hours were spent getting soaked, drying out and getting soaked again. Then came the first detour. Route Barre on the sign, this involved a 15-mile hilly detour to make 5 miles in the direction I wanted.

My makeshift repair to the panniers was starting to cause problems fouling the back brake, no alternative, disconnect the back brake!

Crossed over the Loire at St Florent, by now it was getting late, asked everyone I saw if there was a campsite nearby. Non.

Found a super bus shelter in a village I never knew the name of. Got my bedroll out settled down for what was not a bad nights sleep. Except for the church clock, chimed every hour all through the night.

My Bus shelter! shelter near Segre, four star rating.

I had covered 111 miles.

Day 8 Bus Shelter to Argentan

Up at 07.00 nothing much to pack away. Promised myself 2 things, hot food and a hotel room for the night.

This proved to be a very hilly day, I was either going up or down, then came another detour which took me 20 miles off course. I ended up going via Craon, where I stopped for breakfast, 2 rhubarb yoghurts and a ham sandwich. T here was little pleasure in eating anymore.

The countryside was beautiful, in a part of France that wouldn’t be on any tourist route, I found Mayenne a lovely area.

My pannier was causing problems again and required some more cobbling together. I started to worry for the first time my repair wouldn’t last. It was a combination of the weight I was carrying and a cheap rack.

I planned to cycle as far as was possible today to leave me a fairly soft last day in France.

As I entered Argentan I realised that this was the place to stop, I was tired, it was getting late and drizzling.

I found the hotel Marseille, 30 Euros a night and a fair mix of foreign migrant workers as guests. I chose one of their upmarket suites with TV. Spent the night watching the Aresenal Barcelona match, and counting the number of times the one toilet for our floor flushed.

I had covered 108 miles.

Day 9. Argentan to Ouistreham

Woke at 6.30 watched French breakfast TV. Felt good, had a shower and went for what passes as a breakfast in France!

The beautiful Loire Valley near St Florent Le Vieil.

Found the route out of town easily past a car on fire and into the Normandy countryside, stopped at St Pierre Sur Dives, a pretty old village for coffee. Because I knew this was the last day in France somehow the cycling seemed easier. For the first time I wasn’t in a rush, and I felt as if I was touring not racing.

I arrived at Ouistreham at 4pm, bought my return ferry ticket, then set off on a lovely cycle track to Caen. I stopped for coffee at the Café Gondree at Pegasus Bridge, where a nice Dutch chap took my photo.

Cafe Gondree at Pegasus Bridge, Caen, liberated by British paratroops 6th June 1944.

Out of Caen I cut north toward Arromanches, and came back to Ouistreham via the Normandy beaches, passed the half submerged Mulberry Harbours, and vast cemeteries. I hung around the ferry port for a few hours before being loaded onto the ferry in the pouring rain.

I had covered 101 miles.

Day 10 Portsmouth to Evesham

It was a choppy crossing, slept in a lounge on the floor. Off the boat at 07.15. for the last lap. Weather quite awful in Portsmouth, within 20 miles I was having problems with my pannier rack again. Managed to get it to Winchester were a local bike shop carried out a repair for a few pennies in the tea fund. Set off safe in the knowledge I would get home. I t was blustery and cold sheltered in Hungerford away from a storm that came through.

Overall not bad trip back. Had my usual stops on the Ridgeway and at Burford.

I arrived home at 5.45pm, tired a little damp, but with a fantastic sense of achievement

I had covered 130 miles.

Total Miles 1037