The man in the next tent gave me a donation before we left the campsite at 8.45. We had to in through the ford to get out getting wet feet again! It had rained in the night but was dry to start. Within about a 1/4 mile it had started raining (getting boring now). We went back up the 2 miles we had to backtrack yesterday and stopped in Church Stretton for breakfast. It had stopped raining by the time we got out. Have arranged to meet Pam the other side of Shrewsbury and she will ride with us to Whitchurch. Easy cycling there. Went past some fields where they were harvesting onions. Very pungent - made your nose run. Top marks to Shrewsbury for cycle routes through town. Well signposted. Stopped in a layby to wait for Pam and suddenly, out of the blue (literally), the wind got up and the rain poured down. We sheltered under a tree for 5 minutes. It suddenly all stopped and the sun came out, so we carried on to Albrighton (texted Pam). We met up and cycled off together while Glenn drove the car on to Wem. We took a slightly different route to our original route to meet him there as it was a quieter road. Pam and Glenn got out chairs and food from the car and we had a sumptuous picnic at the end of a farm track by a roundabout! Whilst there a cyclist went past, turned round when he saw up and came to join us for a chat. He said he thought he was missing something - he was, we'd just finished the food! Anyway, we had an interesting chat then he (Adrian from Huddersfield) went his way and we went ours. Very blustery winds, coming at us from the front or the side. Every time we went past a gap in the hedge, we got blown out sideways. Pam, Peter and I carried on to the outskirts of Whitchurch, met up with Glenn again and off they went back to Colwyn Bay (replenished our supplies with teabags and mars bars :-)). Peter and I continued into Whitchurch (Peter has mentioned we're only 80 miles from home - I don't THINK he wants to go home yet!). A dearth of B&Bs in Whitchurch. Finally got a room in The Wheatsheaf pub (no breakfast). Can't recommend it. Went to the Anchor for a meal - food good. (They will be offering accomm. next year!)
Thanks very much Pam and Glenn for the company and food.
Arrival time: 3.30
Our mileage: 37.88 miles; Pam's mileage approx 17 m
Height now: 314 ft; Total ascent: 1,476 ft; Max height: 731 ft
Good going - Shrewsbury always feels like you've made progress when travelling up North from the deepest South. Great that Pam & Glenn were able to meet you. The choice of picnic location is right up there with the quarry in Dorset, from the look of things. I'll take the opportunity to say 'Happy Birthday' for tomorrow, Pam. Anyway, as the song says 'Keep right on to the end of the road' (even though it's rather a long one!).
ReplyDeleteCheers from
Al & Liz