Packed and left site by 5:35 a.m. Down the track and back on to the hill, which had 
flattened out overnight (mind, a check with the map showed I'd climbed over 230m in about 6K). I was soon on the undulating "plateau": the B4228 through English Bicknor to Coleford, where I took the B4432 and then the B4232 to Ross on Wye. A nice downhill to Symonds Yat then back to undulating. At Ross-on-Wye I found a greasy spoon and had a Full English (£3 20), followed by a visit to a café for another coffee and a chocolate brownie (£3 95!). This definitely was going to be a slow day, aiming for Ludlow. I liked Ross on Wye and spent a while wandering round.
At 4:30 this morning there was a bit of a mist over the trees, although there were very high clouds and patches of blue, too. The sun came out while I was wandering round Ross and it started to get quite hot.
I went slightly wrong on the exit from Ross on Wye but soon got back on my route initially beside the Wye, through How Caple, Fownhope, Mordiford and Withington; a short section of the A417 then on minor roads through Stockton and Little Hereford until I crossed the A49 and entered Ludlow along the river. It was country lanes, often very narrow; lots of ups and downs but excellent cycling on quiet roads. Farms and a few isolated houses. It reminded me of the Sussex countryside, where I spent my childhood (apart from the llamas).
A couple, overtaking me on fairly decent road bikes, kept pace for a while and we had a bit of a chat. Just after they’d pulled away from me a car overtook but instead of pulling in between me and the now accelerating road bikes it continued overtaking even though it was cresting the brow of a hill. A lorry coming up the hill slammed on his brakes and the car somehow managed to swerve in front of the lead bike and miss both the bike and the lorry by what can only have been inches. Cyclists and the lorry driver all shook heads in disbelief. First idiot-driving I had seen so far.
Arrived at Ludlow soon after 2:30 p.m. but a little longer to get to the campsite, which was over the bridge and up a hill in the “wrong” direction. A 100m climb and the campsite was further up than on the map. If I had realised this in advance I’d probably have gone to the next campsit
e which I knew to be on the flat beyond Ludlow. Glad I didn’t because Ludlow turned out to be a good place to stop, especially as I'd arrived quite early.
The campsite turned out to be a riding school (previously a farm); a nice field on a bit of a slope (but with some flat pitches) which had a few tents and motor caravans. Field overlooked Ludlow. Fairly basic facilities with only one shower for men, but it was available when I needed it; and a single separate WC (which I did have to queue for).
Put up the tent, washed clothes which I knew would dry in the sun. At about 4:30 I walked into town vi
a another bridge on a more direct route. Nice walk through the woods. Coffee at Costas. Decided I was due a meal out but as the next day was Sunday thought I should buy some food for breakfast, which I did at Tesco's.
I went for the meal at the Olive Branch: smoked salmon, oatcakes and chive/cheese; followed by Herb crusted hake, new potatoes, vegetables and two salads; all washed down with a bottle of wine. Superb. Excellent food and excellent
service.
Walked back to the campsite and was in bed by 10.
This had been a really good days cycling. Before I'd left home there'd been a post on the CTC forum about why do LEJOG; sev
eral made the point that it was for the challenge because if they just wanted to tour they'd choose somewhere better than the UK. I kind of agreed having mainly toured in mainland Europe. Today through Hereford and Shropshire, though, had been good cycle touring through excellent countryside on very pleasant roads
Campsite: Whitcliffe Camp Site, North farm, Whitcliffe, Ludlow, Shropshire SY82HD. Excellent location. Basic facilities, but reasonable. £5.
Statistics
Distance 102 .25 km (63.5 miles)
Time 6 hours: 32 minutes: 45 seconds
Average Speed 15.6 km/hour
Maximum Speed 508.4 km/hour
Distance from Lands End 509.36 km
Total Time cycling 31:58
flattened out overnight (mind, a check with the map showed I'd climbed over 230m in about 6K). I was soon on the undulating "plateau": the B4228 through English Bicknor to Coleford, where I took the B4432 and then the B4232 to Ross on Wye. A nice downhill to Symonds Yat then back to undulating. At Ross-on-Wye I found a greasy spoon and had a Full English (£3 20), followed by a visit to a café for another coffee and a chocolate brownie (£3 95!). This definitely was going to be a slow day, aiming for Ludlow. I liked Ross on Wye and spent a while wandering round.At 4:30 this morning there was a bit of a mist over the trees, although there were very high clouds and patches of blue, too. The sun came out while I was wandering round Ross and it started to get quite hot.
I went slightly wrong on the exit from Ross on Wye but soon got back on my route initially beside the Wye, through How Caple, Fownhope, Mordiford and Withington; a short section of the A417 then on minor roads through Stockton and Little Hereford until I crossed the A49 and entered Ludlow along the river. It was country lanes, often very narrow; lots of ups and downs but excellent cycling on quiet roads. Farms and a few isolated houses. It reminded me of the Sussex countryside, where I spent my childhood (apart from the llamas).
A couple, overtaking me on fairly decent road bikes, kept pace for a while and we had a bit of a chat. Just after they’d pulled away from me a car overtook but instead of pulling in between me and the now accelerating road bikes it continued overtaking even though it was cresting the brow of a hill. A lorry coming up the hill slammed on his brakes and the car somehow managed to swerve in front of the lead bike and miss both the bike and the lorry by what can only have been inches. Cyclists and the lorry driver all shook heads in disbelief. First idiot-driving I had seen so far.
Arrived at Ludlow soon after 2:30 p.m. but a little longer to get to the campsite, which was over the bridge and up a hill in the “wrong” direction. A 100m climb and the campsite was further up than on the map. If I had realised this in advance I’d probably have gone to the next campsit
e which I knew to be on the flat beyond Ludlow. Glad I didn’t because Ludlow turned out to be a good place to stop, especially as I'd arrived quite early.The campsite turned out to be a riding school (previously a farm); a nice field on a bit of a slope (but with some flat pitches) which had a few tents and motor caravans. Field overlooked Ludlow. Fairly basic facilities with only one shower for men, but it was available when I needed it; and a single separate WC (which I did have to queue for).
Put up the tent, washed clothes which I knew would dry in the sun. At about 4:30 I walked into town vi
a another bridge on a more direct route. Nice walk through the woods. Coffee at Costas. Decided I was due a meal out but as the next day was Sunday thought I should buy some food for breakfast, which I did at Tesco's.I went for the meal at the Olive Branch: smoked salmon, oatcakes and chive/cheese; followed by Herb crusted hake, new potatoes, vegetables and two salads; all washed down with a bottle of wine. Superb. Excellent food and excellent
service.Walked back to the campsite and was in bed by 10.
This had been a really good days cycling. Before I'd left home there'd been a post on the CTC forum about why do LEJOG; sev
eral made the point that it was for the challenge because if they just wanted to tour they'd choose somewhere better than the UK. I kind of agreed having mainly toured in mainland Europe. Today through Hereford and Shropshire, though, had been good cycle touring through excellent countryside on very pleasant roads
Campsite: Whitcliffe Camp Site, North farm, Whitcliffe, Ludlow, Shropshire SY82HD. Excellent location. Basic facilities, but reasonable. £5.
Statistics
Distance 102 .25 km (63.5 miles)
Time 6 hours: 32 minutes: 45 seconds
Average Speed 15.6 km/hour
Maximum Speed 508.4 km/hour
Distance from Lands End 509.36 km
Total Time cycling 31:58
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