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Thursday, 29th August 2019
A much cooler 18C as we leave Amiens.
Approximately 140 easy miles to our next stop, which is planned as Lac d'Orient, Mesnil-St-Pere, but, see below!
We arrive at Mesnil-St-Pere, about 20 miles East of Troyes, as we drive along the very attractive beach on the lake shore, it looks ominously busy.
We find Lac d'Orient, (N48 15'48" E4 20' 48"). As we thought, it does not look promising, there is a queue of five or six vans/caravans snaking out of the entrance. Sure enough, it is full, the first time in 12 years of roaming mainland Europe, with nothing booked, that we have been turned away!
The young lady in Reception gives us a slip of paper with several alternative sites (being full is clearly not unusual!).
We settle on Camping Les Rives du Lac, (N48 18"10' E4 20" 16") at Geraudot, about five miles along the lake shore. It is after 17:00 when we arrive there, fortunately, they have spaces available.
Friday, 30th August 2019
A glorious day, 25C, blue sky.
In our haste to find a pitch yesterday, we inadvertently chose the spot where all of the children on the site, gathered to feed the horses, in the adjacent field.
The children are no real problem, but, they can make a surprising amount of noise, plus, after a couple of falling down incidents, when Kathleen had to use her nursing skills on grazed knees, we decided it would be more restful to move!
This we duly did, this morning.
Yes, we are grumpy old gets, I agree!
Next task, since Sunday is approaching, find the Church.
We cycle along the excellent dedicated cycle route, into the vlllage (Geraudot). There is a church, but, no Mass this Sunday, but, we do find a notice board, with Masses listed at various nearby(?) villages.
We cycle on, still on an excellent tarmac dedicated cycle track (why can't we do things like this in UK?), around the Lac d'Orient. According to the signposting, the cycle track goes all the way to Troyes (30km away), at the 15km remaining point, we turn around and head back, to clock up just over 20 miles in total. We even find a sandwich shop, and, equally importantly, a bar.
After further household chores (ie clothes washing), without a single word of complaint, Kathleen relaxes with a Magnum Ice Cream.
Tuesday, 27th August 2019
A hot morning, after an equally hot and humid night.
Approximately 100 miles to Amiens.
The journey is not straight forward. There is a road closure (Route Barre), this of course sends the Sat-Nav into a cycle of "turn around when possible" and "recalculating route", as we attempt to follow the diversion signs.
What to do?
I call on my back-up navigator, but, "the voice" says "I have not got a clue where we are", not sure that one is in the Sat-Nav repetoire.
Les Parc des Cygnes (N49.921009, E2.2599) chosen after reading reviews. As always, necessary to remember everyone has different standards. This site has some good points, ie, close to Amiens Centre, with a bus (which is free on hot days, when they wish to discourage cars entering the city!), and, good cycling tracks. It's down side is, facilities are at the bottom end of the scale we consider acceptable, clean, but, basic, and, not adequate in quantity.
It is incredibly hot, 35C!
Given the heat, we lie about in the shade until late afternoon, then, we venture out on the bicycles, to Amiens and along the River Somme cycle route.
Overnight thunderstorm, very brief.
Wednesday, 28th August 2019
Last nights thunderstorm seems to have cooled thing down a little, a very pleasant morning, 22C.
We need some cash, we have been existing on the few Euro we had left over since last trip!
Cycle into Amiens, test out my Starling Bank Debit card, to make commission free withdrawals of Euros, it works, sadly, the exchange rate continues to fall (£1 = Euro1.10), it would appear the Money Markets are not as confident as Boris! Who to trust?
We do the inevitable Cathedral visit. There are many photographs in the Cathedral of the restoration works, after WW1.
We follow up with a very pleasant stroll around Amiens, with a sandwich and a beer for lunch.
How DO the French manage to make their towns/cities so pleasant?
Fortified, we cycle West along the banks of the Somme, according to Google, the excellent cycle track continues on to the Baie de Somme, but, we manage only 21 miles!
Wednesday, 21st August 2019 - Sunday 25th August 2019
Preparations begin.
To be honest, preparation did begin a little sooner, updating Maps in Sat-Nav, checking tyre pressures, checking gas bottles, converting our Tesco points to Tunnel Vouchers (£99 discount, not bad!), etc.
But, today, Wednesday, Kathleen begins "the packing". I am little or no help, since my attitude is "if we have forgotten something, we will either, do without it, or, buy one", after all, France is a civilised Country, with shops etc.
By Saturday, lawns are cut, weeding done, garden is tidy.
The "standard" before photographs of the garden are taken, ready for the judging, on our return, have the "kids" earned their inheritance?
A final cycle ride, this morning, around our regular Washington Circuit, before packing the bicycles in the Motorhome Garage. Hopefully, we are going to get many miles of pleasant cycling, in the coming weeks.
Monday, 26th August 2019
An early start, well, 09:00.
Three hundred and twenty miles, with minimal hold ups, for a sunny Bank Holiday.
A sticky 30C, not ideal for travelling.
A meal stop at Maidstone, then on to the Tunnel Terminal.
Our most slick crossing ever, we are offered an earlier crossing, for no charge (19:06 instead of 20:20), we are straight on the shuttle, in pole position, to be first off.
By 21:00 French time, we are parked in Cite Europe, N50 55' 57" E1 48'48", and drinking a cool beer!
Tuesday, 2nd July 2019
Sunny and 20C, just slightly cooler than yesterday.
Kathleen has declared a day of "taking it easy", no cycling marathons today.
A walk to the village shop, to replenish essentials, followed by a very pleasant four mile ramble through the surrounding countryside.
A lazy afternoon of reading, followed by dinner at The Swan Inn.
Wednesday, 3rd July 2019
Sunny and warm 23C, with barely any breeze.
A gentle cycle ride to Upton-on-Severn, a mere 5 miles or so each way, nothing when compared to our recent exploits.
Kathleen again visits the Hospice Charity shop, they will be giving her a loyalty card if she goes much more often. All of the waistcoats appear to have been sold, it must have been those visiting the Jazz Festival, at the weekend.
Refreshments, at one of the pubs on the river bank, before returning to Hanley Swan.
We while away the afternoon cooking steaks and eating in the sunshine,
Thursday, 4th July 2019
Another beautiful morning, it is 21C at 09:00 as I pack away final outdoor "things".
An easy journey home, M5-M42-M1-M18-A1M, only one hold-up!
Home by 15:30.
Sunday, 30th June 2019
What is it with us Brits? We get one hot day, and, we are all begging for a bit of "cool" weather! Today obliges, it is only 22C, with a gentle breeze.
After yesterday's 30 miles of cycling, we have a more sedate walk through the fields, surrounding Hanley Swan, followed by a pint in the Swan Inn, by the village pond.
Monday, 1st July 2019
Sunny with cloud and 21C, a bit breezy.
We cycle to Worcester.
19 miles, there and back. Not as far as Tewkesbury, but, more "undulating"!
Worcester is an attractive place, magnificent Cathedral, and a City Centre which appears to be thriving.
One omission appears to be any shops selling actual food!, there are dozens of cafes and restaurants, plus of course shops selling clothes, shoes, phones etc etc, but, we could not find a simple Tesco Metro or similar. I was beginning to fear we would have no bread, for my planned bacon sandwiches!, but, the day was saved by a small convenience store on the way back to the site, in a village called "Callow End".
Friday, 28th June 2019
Weather looking good again, can this be true, two warm (24C), sunny days in a row?
We are torn between cycling to Great Malvern, or, Worcester. Great Malvern is nearer at just over four miles, while Worcester is about 9 miles away.
In the end, I choose Great Malvern.
Yesterday, I think I finally convinced Kathleen I can find my way, using an OS Map! But, perhaps, today, I should have paid more attention to the contour lines on the map. Great Malvern is nearer, than Worcester, but, it is also up a rather big hill (called appropriately enough, The Malvern Hills! ).
But, we manage the eleven mile round trip, without complaint.
Great Malvern is rather genteel, but, it has a Wetherspoons!
Having said that, it is the poshest Wetherspoons I have seen todate!
After a ringing endorsement, from a local resident, who began chatting to us, as we studied the offerings of "The Red Lion" (which did not appear to be open), we had a remarkably good and reasonably priced lunch in Wetherspoons. It included the largest glass of red wine I have ever been served in a UK pub!
After the uphill ride here, it was a case of freewheeling (almost) all of the way back to the site.
An evening stroll to Hanley Swan, and a relax by, what was once, presumably, the village pond, to round off the day.
Saturday, 29th June 2019
Bright and sunny, 30C is forecast!
Today, we decide to cycle to Tewkesbury. It is a little ambitious, the plan is to take the smaller country roads. The temperature is forecast at 30C, in the event, it reaches 31C.
According to Google, the distance (via the shortest route) is a little over ten miles, quite "doable".
Sure enough, we take the "scenic" and quieter route, but, that turns out to be almost 19 miles THERE.
Discussions during our lunch break, mean a change of plan, we will take a chance and return via the shortest route. According to the OS Map, it is part of National Cycle Route 45 (on-road), it is also the A38!
But, the fact I am typing this means, we lived to tell the tail. Thirty miles in 31C, not bad for two 72 year olds!
As a "reward" we call in at Upton-on-Severn, and, Kathleen buys (well, I actually pay, so, I suppose, technically, that should read "Ken buys yet another waistcoat for Kathleen"), yet another waistcoat
Wednesday, 26th June 2019
A reasonable journey of approximately 240 miles, to Malvern Hills CAMC Site (N52.09674, W2.27805), Guarlford, near Worcester.
The usual miles and miles of "roadworks", and contraflows, with 50, 40 and even 30mph speed limits on several sections of motorway, with no visible signs of any work being done, the joys of travelling in the UK!
Despite the promising weather forecast, a journey of grey skies and occasional rain, amazingly for June, only 12C as we travelled down the East side of the country, rising to a more promising 19C when we had crossed to the West side.
Thursday, 27th June 2019
Hurray! The sun is out! Warm, bright, dry, fantastic, or, in other words, as it should be in June.
A cycle ride to Upton-on-Severn, roughly 11 miles, on quiet lanes and shared cycle tracks. Upton-on-Severn, appears to be a sleepy little place, but, with a bit of "busyness" as preparations for a Jazz Festival at the weekend are in full swing.
Kathleen has a fun time trying on Waistcoats at a Hospice Charity Shop, and, ends up with a "bargain" at £5!, followed by a pleasant lunch.
We get back to the van, to find Kathleen has lost her "favourite" hat. It so happens, our (caravan) neighbours, who have also cycled to Upton-on-Severn and had spotted her hat, on the cycle track, but, not knowing it was Kathleen's, had left it there. So, they volunteered to give us a lift back to collect it. Nice people, from the North East of course (Tanfield)!.
So, Kathleen is happy, re-united with her favourite hat, and, a bargain waistcoat!
