Sandown to Stornoway Cycle Ride......at last. By Mike Coleran: 09/13/12

Day Three

Thursday September 13th 2012

Malmesbury to Ledbury

Mileage today - 67

Total mileage so far - 206

I could call today's ride 'The Three Counties Ride'. I crossed the border from Wiltshire into Gloucestershire soon after leaving Malmesbury, then on through Gloucestershire into Herefordshire. I was well set up for a good day''s cycling having enjoyed a great meal of roast duck followed by homemade apple pie and custard, all for just £5! That was last night, not breakfast - that was a delicious full English, my first! After ten or so miles I was in Prince Charles country, Tetbury, and well and truly into the Cotswolds with it's beautiful yellow stone buildings everywhere. A fairly busy B road took me to Avening where I went cross-country on very minor, winding lanes through some very pretty villages. Route finding was challenging on these lanes, but I was soon back to reality on arrival in Stroud, or should it be Shroud? Apologies to anyone from that town, but it didn't do a lot for me. I was soon in beautiful country agin heading up the Slad valley and to the stunningly pretty town of Painswick. Heading out of Painswick on the B road to Gloucester, there is one long drag of a hill to get over. I was fortunate in having a police escort on that stretch! A very friendly local cyclist by the name of Gerry McGrath rode with me all the way to the outskirts of Gloucester, which made the hill much more bearable. I must have appeared to be going at a snails pace, as Gerry was riding a full carbon, Italian beauty of a bike, AND, he was a national police time trial champion! thanks for slowing down for me Gerry! Into Gloucester and time for a spot of lunch. I had set off from Malmesbury at 8am and had got the bulk, and hilliest, of my miles in for the day by lunchtime. It was sunny when I started but a little cool. Now it was sunny and very warm, lovely to sit out and eat lunch. A leisurely wander around the cathedral grounds, and a look at Gloucester docks (yes, they are England's most inland docks, 16 miles from the sea). There are good cycle tracks in and out of Gloucester and the one that I took followed the river for a few miles before heading north west and into Herefordshire. The architecture has changed to black and white now, and more lovely villages to ride through. One thing I didn't expect was riding through a vineyard! But I did divert a little to look at the 'Three Choirs' vineyard, not far out of Ledbury. In the warm sunshine it was like being back cycling in France! Arrived at b&b to find nobody around. I was earlier than I said I would be so it was no problem sitting in the orchard sunning myself for an hour! Off into town now to find something to eat.