The North Sea Cycle Route - 2011

I'll put a better picture here when I have one !

The North Sea Cycle Route at 6,000 kilometres (3,780 miles, as near as makes no difference) is the longest continuously waymarked cycle trail in the world. The longest I can accept, but the 'continuously warmarked' bit I will leave until I have ridden it. From experience of Sustrans trails in the UK I find that every now-and-then the waymarkers are missing. I am never sure if they have been taken for souvenirs or it is a way of making you buy the maps. The route (in my case) follows the east coast of England, the west (ish) coasts of Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway then crosses the North Sea to Scotland and back through England to my start-point. Or to anywhere you want to go.

Day 1. 12 June 2011. Woodhall Spa to Holbeach.

 

The Start of the Route

(In fact this picture is a bit of a cheat - it was taken at the start point two years after I started, I omitted to do it at the time!)



I chose to begin the route at Woodhall Spa as I was on my way back from a short trip to the North York Moors and it seemed generally in the right direction. My start point was just off the B1191 at Martin Dales and the route takes me alongside the river Witham for the 17-mile run to Boston. It is not long before I am fed-up with the flat, featureless landscape, not enough to wish for a hill but something to look at would be nice. There is some confusion at Langrick Bridge where the route has been changed to run alongside the river but I take the original road route (I make a note to use my glasses when I am map reading). Never mind, I rejoin the trail at Antons Gout - odd name, anyone know how it came about? Perhaps Anton was a village elder who became unwell. Whatever, it's a lovely spot to take a break by the river and enjoy a drink. It is a smooth trail from here to Boston and what an approach to the town it is. A mile and a half to go and Boston Stump (Saint Botolph's church) appears at the end of the trail. This part of the trail is named the 'Water Rail Trail' and some of the sign posts are imitation railway signals with the destinations shown on them.

Boston Stump

I had expected Boston to be a bit of a free-for-all, make-it-up-as-you-go-along town but given the high level of traffic that is always in the town it was surprisingly easy to travel through and I am soon out in the country again on the road to Frampton and Fosdyke Bridge. I only saw one car on this road but to judge by the amount of beer cans by the roadside it must see heavier traffic at some time. The only other thing I saw moving was a hare that took me on in a sprint, it won by a mile. I had intended to stop again at Fosdyke Bridge but with the promise of a mile and a half of poorly laid tarmac I could not resist carrying on. The route takes me on towards Holbeach St Marks and whilst still being flat does have a few things to look at.

Trail end for me to-day is Holbeach with just less than 41 miles of the NSCR completed. It is 3pm and time to head for Thurlby Youth Hostel and a bed for the night. Had the wind not  blown so strongly and I had arrived in Holbeach earlier I intended to ride on the 17 miles on to Wisbech, but that doubles the distance back to Thurlby so I give up on the idea.

Day 2. June 14 2011. Holbeach to Wisbech.

To-day I re-ride the roads back to Holbeach. A few years ago I remember fly-tippers taking the trouble to dump the rubbish off the road.

Holbeach has an interesting mosaic in the centre, giving a brief history of the town beginning with a Roman presence in 54AD and finishing with images of famous people from recent history who came from the area. I recognise Geoff Capes but as a cyclist should I recognise Les Fensom, 'The Fenland Flyer'? Perhaps an internet search is required.

From Holbeach the route takes in Fleet, Gedney, Tydd St Mary and Tydd St Giles before I miss a sign in Newton and go off for a ride all over the place. Oddly enough I find myself back on route so decide to turn round, retrace my route and eventually pick out the sign I had missed, hidden in a bush. No problem, the sun is shinning and the wind is now at my back. After 22 and a bit miles that should have been 17 I arrive in Wisbech market place and call it a day for the NSCR, all that is left is for me to get home.

Wisbech

When I do get home I have cycled almost 115 miles to-day - all for 22 miles of the North Sea Route !

63 and a bit miles covered so far, just 3,716 to go. It will be interesting to see if I ever get it finished.
Further note on 18 August - The only information I can find on Les Fensom is 'Racing Cyclist, holder of National Records'. Well, it's a bit more than I had before!

Day 3. 10 October 2011. Wisbech to Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk
After an early ride to the station, two train journeys and a 10-mile ride I am back in Wisbech to make a start on the next section. Wisbech is mentioned in the Domeday Book and during the 17th century local residents formed a group calling themselve the 'Fenland Tigers'. Their aim was to prevent the draining of the fens. They seem to have had as much luck as railway enthusiasts in the 1960's trying to prevent line closures after Doctor Beeching swung his axe. As a result of the draining Wisbech became very prosperous from agricultural production and the ability to ship the goods out using the river Nene - I suspect the do not use this method to-day.
As I ride out of the town I meet a local cyclist who is making his way home from work. We pass his house and he rides with me to guide me out of town. From here I hit the flat-lands of the fens. As I pass West Walton I wonder how long it is since the post office last sold a stamp.

From here I travel on high roads with a water channel on either side. With a tail wind progress is fast and easy almost all the way to Kings Lynn. Before I reach Kings Lynn I pass through Wiggenhall St Germans and make my second crossing to-day of the river Great Ouse. The first was shortly after 7 o'clock this morning less than half-a-mile from home. If I had thrown a stick in the water would I have been able to see it again here? Shortly after this my map tells me to follow the river path and enter Kings Lynn through the power station. I think this is a bit odd in to-days climate of safety and security, in fact the path follows the boundary fence.

If anyone tells you Norfolk is a flat county, do not believe them! As I enter the Sandringham estate I encounter my first hill, not long but sharp enough to slow my progress (even more). This type of terrain continues for the the rest of to-day and tomorrow. Cycling through the royal estate of Sandringham I keep my eyes open for sight of a reigning monarch, in fact it is such a nice day I see no rain at all. After a lunch break in the park I ride with a couple on a tandem as far as Snettisham, where I catch a glimpse of the sea. I think the tide must have been going out as I never saw it again for the rest of the day.

On through Ringstead, Burnham Market and then Burnham Thorpe, the birthplace of Lord Nelson. Predictably the village pub is called 'The Lord Nelson' but apart from his name on the village sign I see no other celebration of the man, perhaps they will erect the column here when London have finished with it. Next is a turn into Holkham Park. The gates at this entrance are closed to public traffic, only walkers and cyclists can get in 'via the front door' and this gives me a beautiful view of the house and gardens as I approach through the deer park. I am not looking forward to the next bit along part of the North Norfolk Coastal Path. I walked it last year and know it is a mixture of sand, Norfolk flint and tree roots, I make steady progress. Due to silting-up of the navigational channel Wells harbour is now a mile from the sea but this gives me a chance to ride a very pleasant entry to the town.

Following waymarkers I make my way into and out of Wells, finding myself on a  green lane which soon turns into a flint track. I have never been a fan of this type of surface and as I suspected I would, I puncture the back tyre. This road goes on for about another three miles before I hit tarmac again for the two-miles ride back to Wells and the youth hostel for the night. After a shower and a meal I decide to mend the inner tube, only to find the glue tube is damaged and all the adhesive has dried out. I have two more spare tubes, I cannot afford three punctures.

Just over 63 and a half miles on the route covered to-day.

Day 4. 11 October 2011. Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk - Ellingham, Suffolk.

I'm glad I got the rough track out of the way last night, it means I do not have to do it this morning. The route takes me south through the very pretty and religiously inclined Walshingham. On a country lane after the village I pass seven vicars walking along and am tempted to stop and ask them why the Almighty is so upset he has send this terrible windy weather to us, but they all seem deep in thought, perhaps they are pondering the same question.

I ride through Fakenham and pass the Museum of Gass - how do they display it? In bottles or sealed glass display cabinets? Can you take the top off for a sniff? How do they get supplies of old gass?

Shortly after I stop in the village of Great Ryburgh for a snack and to change maps. So far I have been using map NN1A, Hull to Fakenham, I must now use NN1B Fakenham to Harwich. I will need NN1A again if I ever get the route completed, to get me from Hull back to Woodhall Spa. As I put the map back in its envelope I wonder how long it will be, if ever, until it sees the light of day again.

Before Norwich I should use the Marriotts Way, which a note on my map tells me is 'an attractive route although the surface is variable, poor in parts. Some cyclist may prefer to use an alternative route'. I vote for the last option and find myself criss-crossing the Marriotts Way several times, although some of the surface looks quite good rolled stone, some is definitely 'poor'.

I pick up the correct route again as I enter Norwich and find I am on a really nice ride through the city and on via a country park to ride by the river Yare. After a short climb along a private road I get a good view of the sewage works, and a large area it covers, perhaps it is all the mustard they eat. Shortly after I make a little detour to avoid another green lane.

On through quite roads passing Loddon and on to the end of the route for now, at Ellingham. I have seen no signs for the County of Suffolk along the way, but I have to take it I am in the county. I seem to have chosen a very odd place to finish my ride, a sign post on the A143, but from here the route goes east and I need to go west to get home.

From here I have several options to get home, all involve a ride into a strong headwind. I choose the 25-mile ride to Attleborough, then the train to Cambridge for an overnight stay at the youth hostel and a final ride home tomorrow morning.

Over the two days I have covered just short of 134 and three quarter miles on the NSCR, a total of 198.33 from day one - not much is it!

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