This is the continuation of a route I began in 2011 - see separate blog for the details, also go to www.northseacycleroute.com to view the full route.
Day 5 - Friday 4 May. Ellingham to Dallinghoo.
Back at Ellingham, the point at which I ended last year. The route takes me to Beccles and on through flat countryside to the town of Halesworth, given more time this seems an interesting place to visit. It is market day, there must be all of six stalls.
Onward through Peashill and to the small village of Bruisyard. This place marks the parting of the ways (or the meeting if you are travelling in the opposite direction). Straight ahead takes the 'winter' route to Framlingham, turn right for the 'summer' route through Blaxhall and on to Felixstowe. As it is May it must be spring, so I take the winter route.
Despite nationwide drought warnings and hose pipe bans in Eastern England the roads are flooded in many parts, I am often pedalling with my feet under water. Onward through more pleasant villages and almost traffic-free lanes. My route for the day ends at the quaintly named village of Dallinghoo - I wonder what the origins of this one are? Is it an over-statement to say it is a quiet place? There is a notice pinned in the telephone box, the local doctors practise is advertising a 'Flu Jab Day' - on 6 October 2009 - missed it by two and a half years!
From here I head for Blaxhall and the youth hostel. Close to Wicken Market I encounter another flooded road, but I can see higher ground ahead. As the water reaches my knees I decide to stop on the high ground and look around. Ahead the road dips, the bottom rail of the fence vanishes below water at the point at which the flooded river crosses the road. It looks deeper and is fast flowing, I give it up and head back to take another route.
Day 6 - Saturday 7 may. Dallinghoo to Elmstead market.
From the 'Flu Jab Day' notice I head for Woodbridge, another interesting town and one I often stayed in many years ago when in the area on business, it is nice to be able to look around without the pressure of the next appointment pushing me on.
From here to Ipswich. The map indicates a route around the outside of the town, the waymarkers take me to the centre where I meet my old friend 'Route 51' again.
Out of Ipswich to Bramford and Hadleigh, at which point an 'all-day breakfast' calls me into a local cafe. Here the route offers two options, one seems to be a 'rail trail' and given the recent wet weather I take the on-road option to Colchester.
After Colchester the route heads along the 'Wivenhoe Trail' through the local park but as this is under an indefinite depth of water I take the on-road option. In the park I have a spectator as I read my map.
Once I reach the trail it is a pleasant ride alongside the river Colne. I think originally the track was rolled stone but repairs have been made using various grades of stones, this is about as exciting as I want my off-road riding to get. The reward is arrival at the small fishing town of Wivenhoe with it's steep and narrow streets. It is then a short ride to Elmstead Market, which I call the end of the route for to-day.
In a break with the youth hostel tradition I stay at the Premier Inn at Colchester for the night.
The advantage of staying at the Premier Inn
Day 7 - part 1. Sunday 6 May. Elmstead Market to Harwich.
I did not make such an early start to-day as I had wanted and decided to stop at the first garage and buy oil to free-up parts of the bike that were suffering from immersion in the floods of the previous few days.
With a headwind it soon became obvious that I was not going to make the 10.15am ferry at Harwich so with the oil having done it's job I settled back to enjoy the ride through flat Essex countryside to the end of the route in Harwich. I had expected a more glorious finish - and more activity at the port.
Next stop Holland? Not quite on this trip!
To Harwich I have covered a total of 328.48 miles since I started in Woodhall Spa.
As mentioned earlier there are two routes to Harwich, a winter and a summer option. Having arrived via the winter route I intend to make my way back to Bruisyard using the summer option.
From the port the return is through Harwich to Halfpenny Pier, from which point a ferry is needed to Folkstone. The time is 11.15; the ferry departs at 12.15, giving time for an all-day breakfast at ‘The Café on the Pier’. After this, on a floating pier in the rain and wind I have visions of my bike and/or luggage vanishing beneath the waves but both them and myself are safely loaded for the 15-minute journey to Languard Fort and a landing on the shingle beach. The ferry, being part of the route has a Sustrans route number on the cab. I take my hat off to the hardly souls of Folkstone, the rain and wind are blowing in off the sea but they are walking along eating fish and chips, some even sitting outside cafes.
Three miles on I arrive at the Felixstowe Ferry which will take me across the mouth of the river Deben. To summon the boat it is necessary to wave a table tennis-type bat.
After landing at Bawdsey the route turns in-land to Butley (to avoid another ferry) and then to the coast again at Orton before once more turning east through Blaxhall, where I pass the youth hostel, my bed for the night and on to Bruisyard, the point at which the winter and summer routes split (in this case, join) to complete the journey.
This section is a ride of 43 and a quarter miles, giving a grand total of 371.73 since Woodhall Spa. Now the next section really is Holland.
Blaxhall Youth Hostel
After The Flood – The Journey Home.
Monday 7 May and I am pointing in the direction of Cambridge. Passing through Wicken Market for the third time on this journey I pass a converted mill over the river. On the first visit the water level was over the arches on the bridge, the second visit it had fallen to expose the arches and to-day, to the inexperienced eye, the water level seems normal so perhaps the floods are on their way out.
Monday 7 May and I am pointing in the direction of Cambridge. Passing through Wicken Market for the third time on this journey I pass a converted mill over the river. On the first visit the water level was over the arches on the bridge, the second visit it had fallen to expose the arches and to-day, to the inexperienced eye, the water level seems normal so perhaps the floods are on their way out.
Before Market Needham I take a route which indicates a three-mile traffic free path to avoid two main roads into the town, unfortunately two of the miles are along farm tracks, which makes for ‘steady‘ progress.
Shortly after this I miss a right-hand turn and have to make a detour through Glemsford to get back on course. Here I pass a building named ‘The Old Horse-Hair Factory’. It has been converted to housing so maybe the bottom has fallen out of the market for old horse hair or perhaps horses are not living that long these days?
More quiet country lanes take me to Fulbourn from where the road is generally downhill towards Cambridge, I take full advantage of this and onwards to the youth hostel for the night
Next morning I join the rush-hour cycle ride through Cambridge, over the M11 motorway and along quiet roads to Gamlingay and Everton where I enjoy a steep downhill ride. This is normally a 40mph-plus decent but today with a loaded bike and heavier than usual traffic going up the hill I manage only 36 due to the tight bend at the bottom. Shortly after this a ride by the river Great Ouse takes me home for 12-noon, having covered 397.29 miles since leaving – perhaps I should have ridden up and down the road a few times to make 400!
AMAZING a man of your age can do this, I am jealous LOL.
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