Normandy. Friday 23 May. Leaving the Chateau

Normandy. Friday 23 May. French Railways Bike Carriage

Normandy. Thursday 22 May. Periers to Bricquebec
 
The day started bright and sunny with clouds building up later but staying dry. Temperatures reached 19C.
 
Phil and Mary left after breakfast to head straight back to Cherbourg for an earlier ferry home.
 
On Linda's group we headed up the cyclepath and stopped for elevenses at a sunny pavement café in the small town of La Haye du Puits. Richard decided to stay there and wait for Avryl's group. The rest of us headed out of town and then on the outskirts we heard a voice from above and saw Peter visible on the cyclepath embankment and the rest of their group looking for a way down.
 
We continued on pleasant lanes. As we cycled along a dog spotted us and did a mad dash towards us ending with a very loud bang as it collided with a solid wooden gate. We expect it ended up nursing some nasty bruising for its trouble.
 
We continued on more lanes with ups and downs and encountered another dog at a brief stop which just stared at us with a doleful expression.
 
We stopped for lunch at a town above the coast. While there Linda received a text from Phil telling her that strikes had closed down the Cherbourg port and stopped all ferries which gave us some worries for our return on Saturday.
 
In the afternoon we headed straight to Bricquebec, a medieval French town. Our accommodation was at L'Hostellerie du Chateau, one side of the courtyard of the towns central castle. This had luxurious rooms converted from the medieval building.
 
We arrived at 3.15 and went into town for tea and were joined by Avryl's group when they arrived.Avryl had managed another accident on a Normandy trip when a car passed much too close and the mirror hit her elbow. Luckily she escaped with minor bruising and grazing.
 
43 miles for the day.
 
Edwin
 

Normandy. Thursday 22 May. Hiding in the long grass

Normandy. Thursday 22 May. Friendly bystander

Thursday, 22 May 2008. Evening Ride - Arun Leisure Centre to Binsted

5 of us met for this ride - Julian, John, Ann, Val, and myself.

Very pleasant evening, sunny and warm.

We took the usual well worn trail out to the Black Horse at Binsted, via Yapton, Ford, and down into Tortington woods past the Madonna pond at Tortington priory where the tarmac runs out.

Breaking the cover of the woods at Binsted, we re-joined civilisation and the tarmac at Binsted, for an uneventful run to the Black Horse.

The route has always been quite challenging to cover in an hour or so, and with the new start at the ALC that bit further from the old start point, plus a slightly later start time, we just made it to the pub for about quarter to nine. Had there been any less experienced riders with us, the going would have been slower still.

The return route was via Hedgers Hill to Walberton, then back through Yapton to Felpham and home. 

My mileage was 18.5.

Graham

Normandy. Wednesday 21 May. Granville to Periers.
 
Today Gill was back in Linda's group having acquired in Granville new pedals to solve her foot problems.
 
The day was again clear blue skies with a NE wind. Temperatures reached 18C.
 
We headed out of town and were soon away from the busy traffic and onto quiet country lanes. There were views of many trees festooned with mistletoe. We stopped for elevenses at a bar in Couderville with outside tables in the sun and a patisserie next door which we raided for a collection of cakes including Tarte aux Pomme, Pan aux Raisin and chocolate eclairs. I had started a trend the others found hard to resist.
 
We continued on more lanes and stopped at one stage by a cattlemarket with local farmers selling calves.
 
As we were about to leave Avryl's group arrived and we gave them our chairs. After more lanes we had a long downhill to the Cathedral dominated town of Coutances for lunch. In town there was a very steep uphill to the Cathedral square. We had lunch in the square at a restaurant and then visited the Cathedral.
 
In the afternoon we followed a signed cycle route on lanes to the start of an old railway cycle path with a good surface and a slight downhill. We stopped at a village on the route to search for ice creams without success and continued on the path to Periers.
 
After parking bikes and luggage at the hotel we had our tea stop with ice creams across the road.
 
47 miles for the day.
 
Edwin
 

Normandy. Wednesday 21 May. Granville to Periers.

Today Gill was back in Linda's group having acquired in Granville new pedals to solve her foot problems.

The day was again clear blue skies with a NE wind. Temperatures reached 18C.

We headed our of town and were soon away from the busy traffic and onto quiet country lanes. There were views of many trees festooned with mistletoe. We stopped for elevenses at a bar in Couderville with outside tables in the sun and a patisserie next door which we raided for a collection of cakes including Tarte aux Pomme, Pan aux Raisin and chocolate eclairs. I had started a trend the others found hard to resist.

We continued on more lanes and stopped at one stage by a cattlemarked with local farmers selling calves.

As we were about to leave when Avryl's group arrived and we gave them our chairs. After more lanes we had a long downhill to the Cathedral dominated town of Coutances for lunch. In town there was a very steep uphill to the Cathedral square. We had lunch in the square at a restaurant and then visited the Cathedral.

In the afternoon we followed a signed cycle route on lanes to the start of an old railway cycle path with a good surface and a slight downhill. We stopped at a village on the route to search for ice creams without success and continued on the path to Periers.

After parking bikes and luggage at the hotel we had our tea stop with ice creams across the road.

47 miles for the day.

Edwin

Normandy. Wednesday 21 May. Steep climb to the Cathedral

Normandy. Wednesday 21 May. No Ice Cream

Normandy. Tuesday 20 May. St Jean le Thomas to Granville.

Today would be a very short ride going direct so Linda decided on a loop inland. We had a change in the groups with Gill joining the slower riders due to a sore foot and Richard changing to Linda's group for a faster pace.
 
Weather was again clear blue skies all day with temperatures up to 15C and a gentler NE wind.
 
We headed out up the climb along the coast with views across the bay to Mont St Michel in the far distance. We then headed inland on quiet country lanes to stop for elevenses at a bar in La Haye- Pesnel. I found a patisserie for a snack to take back to the bar.
 
We returned on more lanes intending to visit an Abbey but it had closed a few minutes before we arrived. We continued and joined the main route into Granville with a long downhill and tailwind. We arrived at the hotel just after the others who had reached town earlier and had elevenses first.
 
In the afternoon after lunch we split into groups with most visiting a bike shop and the old town on the promontory with views over the bay and harbour.
 
28 miles for the day.
 
Edwin 
 

Normandy. Tuesday 20 May. Riding up from the Abbey

Normandy. Monday 19 May. Pontorson to St Jean de Thomas.
 
Today's ride was first north to Mont St Michel, then east to Avranches and then north at the base of the Cherbourg peninsular to the small coastal town of St Jean de Thomas.
 
Weather was bright clear blue skies all day with temperatures of 14c and a strong NE wind.
 
Avryl's group were taking a more direct route while the faster group had an earlier start to give time for a brief visit to Mont St Michel. We had no preplanned meetings during the day.
 
There were some great views as we approached the Mont. Linda watched the bikes and gave us 30 minutes for a quick visit. I followed Phil and Mary on a fast route march to the top. We didn't pay to go into the abbey. I explored some of the rampart paths round the base of the Abbey with views across the sands of the bay.
 
We headed on turning east with more views of the Mont seemingly floating on a sea of grass. We went to visit a German cemetery and a few minutes after we arrived Avryl's group joined us having left the hotel 45 mins later and cycled direct to the Cemetery.
 
We continued on lanes taking a signed cycle route to Pontaubault for      elevenses in the sun on a pavement café. Avryl's group arrived to join us 20 minutes later, we couldn't shake them!!
 
After elevenses Avryl's group headed on direct along the coast while we headed inland into the hills on a loop via the village of St Loup.
 
We rode along a very good old railway cyclepath with a good dry surface. Then some ups and downs on lanes and a descent into the town of Avranches. We came down into the central square and found Avryl's group settled by a Patisserie. We joined them there for a picnic lunch on seats including large Baguettes and fruit flans.
 
After lunch we headed on byroads via Bacilly where Linda decided we were going to get there too fast and headed inland on a diversion into the hills and a stop for tea at Sartilly.
 
The hotel was in a small village spread between 3 buildings. There was a sun terrace and pool and Phil and Anne braved the cold waters for a swim.
 
44 miles for the day.
 
Edwin
 

Normandy. Monday 19 May. Leaving Mont St Michel

Normandy. Monday 19 May. Cows grazing by Mont St Michel

Sunday 18 May. Ride to Rowlands Castle.

 

We arrived, Alan and Liz, at Chichester Cross with only Harvey waiting. Weather was sunny and cold with a NE wind.

 

We set off on the cyclepath to Fishbourne and across to the Waterfront café at Bosham. Not many people were about and the tide was coming in.

 

We left the café and continued on lanes to Woodmancote where a charity ride was in progress. We continued via Westbourne and when almost at Rowlands Castle saw Arthur, Lynn, Vernon and Adrian coming towards us. The café was closed so we all proceeded to Stansted House Café for lunch.

 

In the afternoon we set off for Fishbourne for tea via Aldsworth, Woodmancote and Clay Lane. After tea we all went our separate ways.

 

Return distance from Chichester was 26 miles

 

Alan

Normandy. Sunday 18 May. St Malo to Pontorson
Today's ride was from St Malo to Pontorson to the east. Weather was generally cloudy with some sunny spells and also some very heavy showers.
 
After a breakfast buffet at the hotel we discussed the problem of a wide range of ability in the group. The decision was to split into 2 groups, a faster group led by Linda and a slower group led by Avryl and try to meet up during the day.
 
The initial split was Avryl, Mike, Richard, Jim, Irene and Peter in the slower group and Linda, Gill, Phil, Mary, Anne, Christine and myself in the faster group. It was notable that the ladies outnumbered the men by 5 to 2 in the faster group.
 
We took different routes and met up for elevenses at the seaside town of Cancale. We spotted Avryl's group a mile outside town and quietly caught up and followed them for another mile before anybody noticed. During elevenses on the seafront a heavy shower moved through and we waited for it to pass before moving on.
 
We followed the coast with views back to Cancale. At one point we got the wind behind us and maintained a steady 17mph for several miles on the flat road.
 
Lunch was at the medieval town of Dol-de-Bretagne with a cathedral near the central square. We waited by the Cathedral for Avryl's group. Some lunched at a bar and others bought baguettes. Just as we were about to leave heavy dark clouds gathered and a lot of us with bikes piled into the cover of a complex of public phones much to the consternation of a Frenchman wanting to make a call.
 
In the faster group we headed out of town on a hilly route. After a few miles the dark clouds gathered again and we all piled in to a handily located bus shelter. As the weather dried out we continued to our overnight stay at the town of Ponderson and a Logis de France where the Proprietor provided us with tea.
 
39 miles for the day.
 
Edwin
 

Normandy. Sunday 18 May. Shower shelter.

France. Friday 16 May and Saturday 17 May. Dinan
 
At 5.00 p.m. I met up at Chichester Cross with Phil, Mary, Avryl, Richard and Gill to cycle over to Portsmouth for the ferry to St Malo. The rest of the group, Mike, Linda, Peter, Christine, Jim and Eileen met us at the ferry port.
 
Weather stayed dry and we had a tail wind for the ride over on back roads and cyclepaths. We were directed on the ferry first and settled in our cabins after an 8.30 pm sailing and supper.
 
23 miles for the day
 
Saturday morning we arrived at 8.15 am and cycled off the ferry first. Linda and Avryl were doing all the organising and I could relax as Linda led our group of 13 through the urban streets to the Hotel. We able to leave the luggage there for the day and had breakfast at a nearby Bar.
 
Then it was an out and back ride down the long estuary of the River Rance to Dinan. There were great views as we rode over the Barrage. We diverted from the road to a cyclepath along an old railway. This was a nice route but heavy rain the previous night and many parts under trees meant a lot of muddy patches and splattered bikes and persons.
 
We stopped at a village Bar near the route. We continued and eventually came into Dinan on a pretty route beside the river. We had lunch a a restaurant by the river and stayed there for a while while a heavy shower came over.
 
After lunch we headed up a very steep cobbled street between medieval houses to the Town centre. Most walked up while Phil, Mary and I rode part way to shouts of Allez! From the locals. We stopped and sheltered from more heavy rain and regrouped near the central square.
 
Then it was back on the opposite bank with more views of the estuary  and some periods of sunshine. We were late getting back and with no restaurants near the hotel we cycled straight to a restaurant  in town before returning to the hotel.
 
49 miles for the day
 
Edwin 
 

Normandy. Friday 16 May and Saturday 17 May