Lands End - Moushole: LEM

We considered a new blog for this post-JOGLE leg of the journey, but weren't really sure it constitutes a tour in its own right. On leaving Lands End we cycled about 10 miles along the coast to our inn for the night (the Ship Inn) in Mousehole. We arrived at about half 5, checked in and had a nice amble round Mousehole, making a dinner reservation (or two) on our way. 

We found ourselves a boat for sale in the harbour; pondered buying it and rowing across the channel with our bikes to continue the journey, but decided a little rest and clean clothes might be nice first.

After showers we headed out for a lovely seafood meal by the seafront at 2 Fore Street.

We had local scallops as well as squid, crab, smoked salmon, samphire, skate, and prawns - washed down with local Cornish ales. Fantastic.

Truro - Lands End!!

We stocked up on calories for our final day of pedalling with another full English breakfast at the B and B and were then on our way into an ominously grey morning sky. We were delighted to be following a garmin route to lands end, kindly constructed by my dad to see us through the last day after a tough time with the roads of Cornwall the previous day. Just on our way through Truro centre it started to piss down TORRENTIALLY and we stopped to waterproof up (having very optimistically eschewed them as we left the B and B).

We cycled through road-rivers and felt like salmon heading upstream on several occasions, but got the miles in very efficiently as we thankfully didn't have to keep stopping to map read in the rain!

On reaching Redruth we ducked into a nice dry bakery and made their floor wet whilst scoffing pasties before continuing on towards Hayle. Between Hayle and Penzance we joined the A30, though where it was non-dual carriageway and has a pavement alongside that you can cycle along - a great tip off and a good compromise for less hilly cycling without worrying so much about death-by-traffic. We stopped in Penzance for a wee stop in Tescos and to wring out our gloves. Happily it had stopped raining at this point and as we left Penzance we de-waterproofed!

The A30 from Penzance to Lands End was much, much quieter and quite a pleasant road but we couldn't remotely see where we were going as it was thick with fog! This should have been the first real views of the Cornish sea but we were struggling to see the road ahead. 

As we were following a garmin route we knew exactly how many miles we had left and excitement carried us through the final miles under the Flame Rouge to lands end.

Arriving at the Lands End retail opportunity and mini theme park was surreal. We were desperately searching for the finishing post, what we felt was the definitive end of the land, but had to pass through shops, cafes, and restaurants full of people who'd just driven there.

On finding the post we had the obligatory  photo opportunity (official prints to follow :p) and then ducked into a bar for lunch and a celebratory half:

(N.b. the views were much the same as at JOG. Very white.)

In the restaurant we watched the sun come out and the fog clear up. Maybe we should have waited for our photos but its well representative of our morning's journey there!

Launceston - Truro

As much as we could have stayed in the B & B's loft suite for some time, we had to leave and progress further onto lands end. With a B and B booked up in St Day, near Redruth we set off into the grey cloudy morning (a little late having lingered over our lovely breakfast).

The day was undeniably hilly and we had a bit of a nightmare trying to avoid the A30 but avoid very hilly lanes. The biggest problem with the lanes we were on was that with the showery weather, stopping to map check every few turns was particularly tedious and time consuming.

After stopping for a bite to eat in Camelford we started to realise how far Redruth still was and started to wonder whether we could make it there without more night cycling (we've had enough for the time being).

We thought the unclassified roads along the A30 would be lovely and quiet but were proved wrong as one turned out to be completely terrifying (i think we found the beast of bodmin!) so we rerouted a again, turning off as soon as possible. This lead us up towards Treviscoe tin mines and heading in the direction of St Austell. We realised at this point that the B and B in St Day was too far to reach before dark and made an SOS call to cycle touring central (my mum) who did a fantastic job of sorting us out with a lovely B and B in Truro for the night. 

From Treviscoe we found a fairly straightforwards route of A, B and more A roads to launch us in the direction of Truro. It was starting to get dark and we were glad to find that the route wa a fantastic gradual downhill and time trialled our way into Truro, finding that our B and B was on the road in, perfect for tired legs after 60 hilly miles!

We were welcomed into the B and B, quickly showered and then headed out for a Thai meal before getting an early night in preparation for our final day of cycling!

Done

Done.

Chapeau to Hannah for another brilliant day's cycling.

Thanks to Andy for today's route. Thanks to Sally for booking last night's b&b.

Exeter - Launceston

This morning saw a slow start as we booked up accomodation for the next few nights (which look like they'll be rainy!) and booked our trains home(!) for Friday. Once we'd escaped the m5 travel lodge we unfortunately had the task of getting in one side and out the other side of Exeter. No mean feat it would seem. It took us the best part of an hour to find our way out, including some traumatic roundabout navigation which saw us ending up on different sides of the roundabout!

After a slow, hilly and very mizzly/foggy morning we stopped for lunch at Finch Foundery in sticklepath - jacket potatoes all round!

We then passed through Okehampton, a little place with just a few shops and carried on into Cornwall, our final county!

From here our B and B for this rainy night was just up the road and we arrived miraculously dry (and just before it pissed down) at about half 5 where we were greeted with tea and shortbread. We're staying in their 'loft suite' which is rather luxurious as we have plenty of space - our own sitting room!

We dug into the emergency rations for food instead of going out in the rain and have even been able to watch the bake off this evening. Luxury indeed!

Street - Exeter

After a good nights sleep at the youth hostel we consumed a whole box of weetabix for breakfast and hit the road to Exeter before 9. 

We made good progress taking fairly quiet roads and found some fantastic quiet farm tracks. We stumbled upon the 'burrowbridge parish library' in a red telephone box which was pretty cool.

We stopped for lunch in Taunton which on first glance seemed unpromising but found a fantastic deli where we had homity pie and salads. We also bought bread and cheese for our second lunch on the road.

As we left Taunton I was really feeling low on energy so we stopped off and stockpiled sweets to keep energy up.

We took a B road into Exeter which wended its way back and forth over the m5 until we arrived at our room for the night at the m5 travelodge. We had sainsburys salads for dinner and enjoyed our car park view(!) . Onwards to Launceston tomorrow, rolling ever closer!

Early lunch in Taunton

Homily pie and salads at a lovely deli! Got some miles to get in today (24 down, 36 to go)