Coast To Coast.... done and dusted!!

Well what a day, my earlier posts hinted of dark clouds rolling in and thunder and lightning forecast. Little did I know that after my lazy lunch all hell was going to break loose.


About 5 miles from Okehampton high winds and heavy down pours started to come in from the west. Within 5 miles I was soaked through. My breathable jacket was earning it,s keep but the rain was hitting me and running down my neck finding any way it could to soak me.

The lady at the granite way cycle hire centre looked at me in disbelief as I stopped for a drink, I was drowned and she sheepishly informed me that the forecast for Wednesday was even worse!

I decided to get down off the high ground quickly and head for Peter Tavy as my brother had recommended a camp site there.

Hoping the rain would be less intense at lower altitude (where did i come up with that homemade science), I raced off down the rest of the granite way until i popped out on the main Okehampton to Tavistock road.

I should have consulted my C2C guide book for the approved rural route, but this was already looking like paper machee so instead I joined the busy main road and spent the next 10 miles being sprayed by trucks and cars as they skimmed past me.

I eventually got to the camp site but the field looked boggy and swamped from the days torrential rain.

I was starting to feel the cold and only pedalling was keeping me warm, knowing from experience I can do 100 miles in a day I quickly hatched another idea.

So at 4.30 still soaked and no sign of the rain stopping I initiated my master plan!

Cycle hell for leather to Plymouth train station to get the last train home, dry out my kit, wait for a weather window and head down to the South Hams for a more relaxing cycle.

I headed off in a general Plymouth direction fighting with the traffic through Tavistock and eventually got back on the sustrans route at Yelverton.

The sun poked it,s head through the clouds a few times as I reached the Plym Valley trail and this final descent down off the moor was a real gem.

I was starting to fade badly as I hit the edge of Plymouth, it had been a long ride hauling loads of wet gear into a raging head wind and every bit of me ached, but I had warmed up!

I got to the train station at 8.00 and with waits and one change at Exeter our trusty train service got me home 4 hours later!

I was on the road for 12 hours today and awake for 20.5, at least 7 of it in torrential rain, nonetheless it was a great ride that I highly recommend, the scenery was just stunning, I just don't recommend packing it into one day, it deserves time to explore. I'll  be back to give it another attempt in the spring.

Today also proved to be a great test for touring in extreme conditions with a heavy load, the bike and it's setup worked flawlessly and it only took a few hours for me to gain confidence in the bikes handling.

Time for a nice long kip..

I'll put some photos up tomorrow.