Tuesday started early with the morning routine. Shower and repacking the panniers. A bonus though today as I had booked breakfast at the IBIS. So I was downstairs at 0630. A bowl of bran flakes and then one of those great moments in life. I was just going to take some hash browns when the waiter brought some hot ones. Bliss!!
By 7:00 I was back in the room and by 7:15 outside the door making my call home. Then lights on, devices switched on and I set off through the deserted streets around Digbeth. I rejoined the canal where I had left it and was soon pedalling out of the city. I knew that the towpath was passable for about 8 miles and so other than slowing for the steep bridges and making way for oncoming commuters it was a gentle start to the day.
When planning the route, I was always concerned about the possible condition of the towpath once I passed out by Catherine de Barnes (who was she?) and so I had planned a road route from the bridge before. The route from there was planned on RWGPS and so once I joined the road I switched on the navigation.
The next stage of the ride was on quiet roads although I had an interesting experience. There was a ford in the road with a raised path to one side. It was evident that the ford was in flood from the recent rain but as I crossed the path, a Transit van approached very quickly from the other side. Fortunately he had good brakes and managed to stop just before the ford where I think he would have had major problems!
I continued on the road and made my way through the town of Knowle where again I got caught up in the school run and was certainly going faster than much of the traffic. At one roundabout RWGPS had another funny “turn” confusing right and left but I eventually passed out of the town and into open country. I passed through the grounds of Packwood House, a National Trust property and was quite happy following the directions and enjoying the warming weather although the sky was still overcast with no sign of the sun.
As ever pride comes before a fall or more accurately before me jumping to conclusions. I emerged at a road junction next to a canal bridge. Looking over the wall I saw that the towpath was in good condition and so descended the steps and set off along the bank ignoring RWGPS telling me I was off course. After a couple of miles I cam to a junction and met two workers / volunteers from the Canal and River Trust. I asked them what the condition of the towpath was and they assured me that it was OK until the next junction and then gave me instructions as to how to avoid the muddy section by coming of the canal “at the pub car park”. This I did and followed their instructions heading out of a village called Hockey Heath. After however continuing for about another mile or so I got the suspicion that something was very wrong. Looking finally at the map on my screen I was shocked to find that I appeared to be heading back towards Solihull. I turned, retraced my way to the pub car park and then took a different route. After another three or four miles on the road I realised that I was back at the spot where I had joined the canal. Looking at the map I realised that I had mistakenly followed the Stratford on Avon Canal in completely the wrong direction. I consoled myself that had the sun been visible I would have realised sooner but I had still added 6 or so miles to what was already probably going to be my longest day.
Resolving to be more careful I started to follow RWGPS instead of my “intuition” and although on busy roads made my way to Hatton Locks. Here I was very fortunate as I saw a chap on a drive jet-washing a car. Somewhat cheekily I asked him if he would clean Shirley and he was happy to oblige. He was actually a freelance valet with regular customers and had also cycled from Lands End to John O’Groats when younger and so was quite impressed with my challenge.
With a very clean bicycle I crossed the canal and rode up to the tearoom. Time for a second breakfast. When I checked my phone. I realised that I had several urgent messages from Sue. It appears that having started my tracker it had switched off when I put the phone in my back pocket and she was convinced that something had happened to me and had been increasingly concerned about my lack of contact. I was able to reassure her that I was indeed OK if somewhat lost but again it showed the value of checking things. I later realised that the other consequence of the switch off was that the first section of my ride (8 miles) was not recorded as I had only started RWGPS when I came off the canal. It was still relatively early and so I enjoyed a leisurely cup of tea with a veggie sausage bap and chatted with a few passers-by. Before setting off, I spoke to another couple of volunteers who assured me that the towpath was passable all the way through Warwick and beyond Leamington Spa.
And so it proved. Although there were puddles and some muddy bits there was nothing too treacherous and I spend a relatively easy hour or so alongside the canal. I discover two things however. The first is that while riding the towpath it is not easy to take in the scenery as you have to concentrate largely on not falling in and therefore have to keep an eye on the path in front. The second was that on the canal it is easy to lose track of where you are. I was convinced that I was nearly through Leamington Spa when I came to a sign for the town centre! But all in all it was quite a relaxing session and I was pleased with my progress and once again I left the towns behind.
So it was obviously time for another mistake! This time, to use the film title it was a Bridge Too Far. I had programmed to leave the canal at the junction with the Fosse Way but seeing that it was quite a busy road I stayed on the towpath. Bad decision. I soon ran out of path and then even ran out of grassy track. The surface was a combination of mud and tree roots and I had to try to avoid eye-level branches. Then the inevitable happened. The back wheel slid and I started to fall. I’d like to think I made a conscious decision to fall into the bush rather than the canal but to be honest it was well beyond my control. I did however end up in the bush so nothing injured other than my pride. I remounted and pressed on to the next bridge and took to the minor road. Looking at the map I then realised that I would have to head in completely the wrong direction for about two miles to join the Fosse Way. To add insult to injury it was not only in the wrong direction, it was uphill and took me through the middle of the HS2 works with accompanying heavy vehicles and mud! Today was getting a bit tedious but I had no option but to persevere.
Fortunately after a spell negotiating new roundabouts I found myself on a very quiet road and then a cycle path into the village of Long Itchington. I decided at this point to stay on the roads as much as possible – I think RWGPS was relieved. I also felt it would help me make up time. The next few miles (past Southam and Napton) were uneventful and mercifully flat. I had a short section on a main road but then more quiet lanes towards Braunston where the Oxford canal and the Grand Union joined.. And then RWGPS has it’s revenge. Or at least, to be fair, I found a fault in my route planning.
Just before a road junction it sent me right through a farm and then along an unmade track. I climbed slowly between barren fields grateful for the small chainring and big rear sprockets. After just over a mile I came to a bridge over the canal. The only problem was that there was no way down to the towpath. And the towpath itself looked as though it had not been walked for years. Fortunately there was a track beyond the bridge and Having looked on OutdoorActive I saw that it eventually led to the main road near Braunstone. I started to follow it and emerging near a farm building I met a couple coming the other way. I was somewhat startled to see that he was carrying a shotgun. My initial worries were allayed as he gave me clear directions to follow and even offered, jokingly, to assist my speed by shooting rock salt at me!! Smiling, I followed the concrete track down the hill, through a gate and emerged onto the A45. Looking at the map, I saw that I could have avoided all the off-road sections by coming down this road. But as I stood at the side of the road and watched an endless stream of traffic I wasn’t sure that it would have been any fun.
I cycled a short distance back and forwards along the road trying to find the actual canal junction. Finally I went down through a boat yard and was able to take a pic of where the two canals merged. Looking at the canal side it was clear that trying to cycle the towpath would be very difficult, even if I could find it. I had a choice. The very busy A45 to Daventry or a very steep hill into the village itself and then follow the road for Welton and the junction at Thrupp where the two parts of the Grand Union merge. I slowly pedalled up the hill thinking that I should stop and get something to eat and was delighted to find a community cafe. I ordered a lemonade, coffee and beans on toast. It was 2:00 o’clock and I still had 30 miles to go to Towcester where I was booked into the Travelodge. Time to head on!
The next section, towards Long Buckby included a couple of hills. With all the weight on the bike, the first climb was long and slow, followed by a descent and I crossed some open land to reach a bridge over the last part of the western arm of the canal. As I approached I was disheartened by the site of the steep hill the other side of the bridge. I decided not to stop at the actual bridge in case I could get get started again and slowly, slowly started to climb. Little chainring, biggest sproket and 2.5 miles an hour!! But I managed and breathing heavily reached the road at the top and turned towards Long Bucky. I was at the northern most part of the Grand Union. A slight descent, across the A5 (an adventure in itself) and down the hill to Long Bucky wharf. I had planned at this point to follow the towpath until Weedon Bec but after about three miles it again became very overgrown and muddy. So I made my way up an unmade lane and emerged onto the main A5.
The next mile was really scary as there was no pavement and the traffic going past was obviously going its maximum speed. And it was mainly heavy transport and so rather than continue down the main road I turned off to the east onto a narrow lane. I passed over the motorway and then out across a fairly flat landscape. It was a relief again to be away from the traffic. I enjoyed the next few miles through the villages away from the main roads although was aware that it was now getting quite late in the day. And I began to realise how tired I was getting when I had to climb a hill between Bugbrooke and Gayton – looking at the map afterwards it did not look like a hill but it just seemed endless as I laboured up. Then after Gayton, I crossed over the A43 and descended into the village of Blisworth where I found the canal and followed it to the mouth of the tunnel. I had to climb some very steep steps and at the top a couple waited while I struggled to push Shirley up the final part. It turned out to be very fortunate as the man advised me that I should not try to follow the footpath as it was very muddy and so I came to the road. And here was another reminder of the nature of this country. The road was clearly a “rat-run” into Northampton and I had to wait at the side of the road for about 30 vehicles (cars and light vans) to pass before I could turn and cycle onwards. A steady climb for about a mile and then a right turn. I was relieved to see a sign for Towcester in 4 miles. But those miles seemed to take forever.
I finally emerged onto the A5 and as I did so I clocked up 80 miles for the day and also Susan rang with directions for how I would find the Travelodge. It was the other side of the town on the main A43. Eventually I was able to cross the constant streams of traffic and descend into the town centre before the final drag to the hotel. As I approached, I was very glad that I had avoided the A43 – there were six lanes to cross with endless lights in both directions. I was relieved that there were pedestrian lights and I finally arrived at the hotel and was able to check into a ground floor room.
I decided that I was not going to be going out and so visited the M&S store at the services and stocked up with food and drink including two milk drinks that disappeared almost immediately. I than slept and although I did wake up later and do some planning for the following day I was asleep before 9:30. Physically I felt OK if very tired and so aided by a couple of paracetamol, I was soon asleep.
[smartslider3 slider=”5″]
| Day Miles | 81 |
| Overall Miles | 198 |
| Day Time | 8 hours 6 minutes |
| Overall Time | 19 hours |