New Zealand, a spectacular place to adventure 🚴

Lazy day in Puerto Natales, getting everything organised for the W Trek in Torres del Paine, Chile

No WiFi on the trek = don't panic I will update details soon 🥾🥾

And so the next adventure begins...

London to Santiago, which was all fun and games until our luggage decided to have a stop over in Atlanta.

We bought some PJ's and as Santiago was 30° we spent the day seeing the sights in our pyjama shorts 🤣🤣🤣

Statistics

Cycling
3520 km or 2187 miles

46,975 m or 154,117 ft ascent

The 3 Peaks hiking
Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon
51.1 km or 31.75 miles

3544 m or 11,627 ft

Map of route to follow later

Completed the final stage to my home town via an old Roman road and then I stopped pedaling 🚵‍♀️

Until the next adventure...

And so the last day begins and I didn't rush to pack up. Rained overnight but woke to sunshine and humidity.
Rode the back lanes through countryside I had grown up in and it was nice to appreciate the local area from a different perspective.

Then I just reverted to part Sustran 25 and part make it up as I went  along 🤣🤣

The sun was shining and quiet backroads made a great day cycling and camping in a closed for the season campsite as the owners felt sorry for me 😭

I planned to follow the Stour Valley way as much as I could so I set off to Stourhead to find the source of the river Stour and there it was, a spring at St Peter's Pump.

I tried to follow a footpath on a bike but no way, so I just followed the river as close as I could by road

The Sustran 25 goes right through Longleat, luckily not the wildlife park itself 🤣🤣🤣 and with no other camping options I opted for a lovely country pub in Zeals with a chicken and leek pie for tea.

Started the day with a trip to Stonehenge and then the lesser known Woodhenge, no woods left with concrete pillars give you part of the effect.
Cross country to the Sustran 24 then 25. So campsites seem to close after August and the 2 options twarted which meant I kept on riding.

I diverted to the White Horse and while chatting to local gravel riders they suggested the Imber Range trail and a wild camping spot. Found the area to camp but then a load of Gurkha's jogged past so decided to give that a miss 🤣

Onto the Kennet and Avon canal with it's bumpy and often narrow tow path to the Cael Hill locks. Incredible way to climb the hill on water.

Popped in Devizes then cross country back to the Sustrans. Google route was interesting as it turned from rough to muddy trail.

Both of these routes are part of the Sustran 4 so brain in neutral for navigation.

Arrived in Bradford on Avon later in the afternoon and thought it was such a pretty place I decided to stay. Once I was set up I went for an evening walk to explore

Late start after a lovely catch up with family 🥰
Into Bristol centre then onto the Bristol to Bath old railway form, lovely ride and easy as just followed the signs. Once in Bath I hopped onto the Kennett and Avon canal and stayed on that for the rest of the day.

After getting lost I had a quick look around Chepstow and then the big event of the day, cycling over the Severn bridge.

Once I got to the other side I really didn't know what I was going to do so I just kept cycling and ended up on the Avon cycleway to Bristol.

I had a short misty ride into Monmouth and then down the Wye valley, beautiful. First part of my ride was on a fairly main road so I put my foot down until I found the Offa dyke bridle way. There was a extremely high spring tide but luckily I missed the highest water.

I stayed on the canal until just after Abergavenny then headed across towards Monmouth on my own route.

Change of weather and change of pace, pockets of sunshine and only a splatter of rain.

Quick trip into Brecon and then I jumped onto the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal, absolutely beautiful ride and flat 🤣

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Another change of plans, a train to Cardiff and north to Merthyr Tydfil, back on Sustran 8. The ride was on the Taff Trail which was superb riding, mostly forestry type tracks and very varied in scenery and terrain , I loved it even in the wet. Camp in a field with sheep.

Carmarthen, said to be the oldest town in Wales so I spent the day wandering around, drinking coffee and relaxing.

Camping on a cliff next to the sea meant thick mizzle so a leisurely coffee before I packed up in rain. It rained all morning, I was soaked, add the hills and I wasn't the chirpiest 🤣The afternoon cleared to beautiful scenery and decided to get 4 walls and a roof in Carmarthen

I stopped early today as didn't want to make yesterday's mistake and it gave me time to check over the bike and tighten all the nuts and bolts. Then a small walk on the Welsh coastal path, beautiful

Another BRUTAL day on the legs, but so beautiful.
Meandered slowly along country lanes, especially on the uphills and then hit the coast again with the expansive tidal beaches.

Tenby was extremely busy on the bank holiday but such a cute place.

Pembrokeshire coastal hills... BRUTAL, seriously BRUTAL 🤣
The scenery is beautiful with rolling hills, except there is always a steep dip into a valley hidden from view and then a 20% climb followed by a long steady climb that never ends... Well until then next down ... Repeat

Great cycling though ❤️
It was on and off drizzle all afternoon which probably made the hills feel worse and the only campsite I could find was sooooo busy but it sold cider so I celebrated🎉

The day started as it meant to go on, instantaneous deluge just as I packed up the tent, everything soaked 🤣 That happened numerous times, luckily it wasn't cold.
Better after lunch with beautiful country roads and more hills 😭
Hit the coast first time since North Wales

Afon Teifi

Today was a proper rest day, no climbing mountains or long walks. I took a bus into Cardigan & a boat trip on the Afon Teifi, very civilised. I wandered around town, visited the remains of Cardigan castle and had a stroll through the Teifi marshes.

The day started with perfect undulating country lanes but Wales threw the short sharp leg cooking ascents into the mix. My legs are stronger and cycled all of them, no walking, but still shattered so decided on a rest day in Cenarth next to the river Teifi
perfect cycling🥰