Precariously placing all my bodyweight on my right toes against a tiny indent in the rock face, I leapt up in a bid to reach a section of rock which may or may not provide a nice grip for my right hand. It turned out to be the latter. My toes slipped during the dynamic... Continue Reading →
'Come on trained killer,' my new coach yelled at me, as we raced around the reservoir. My coach was peddling a hand bike extremely fast, while I was chasing after him. My nick name (trained killer) came from a game of two truths and a lie the night before. As an introductory ice-breaker, we went... Continue Reading →
Whizzing down the hills, green country fields flashed past. A breeze flowed through my hair. My heart rate was returning to normal. I was cycling the route 27 back to Barnstaple from the sleepy beach town Ilfracombe. Knowing what was in store having done the journey in reverse, I left Ocean Backpackers hostel at 8... Continue Reading →
Keen to make the most of my day in Devon I ventured out bright and early to embark on a hike. I decided to follow the South West Coastal Route from Ilfracombe (where I am staying) to Woolacombe. Approximately 8 miles. The trail began behind Ilfracombe's village museum and theatre. From there it was extremely... Continue Reading →
As I stood waiting for my train at London Paddington Station, I had a light bulb moment. Instead of taking the bus for an hour from Barnstaple Station to my hostel, why not cycle? I quickly googled bike rentals in Barnstable and phoned the first one. A gentleman picked up and told me he had... Continue Reading →
'Look at that impressive Manor house,' the lady sitting opposite me announced as she pointed out the train window. I was fortunate enough to be sitting with an elderly couple from New Zealand. The three of us enjoyed spotting out landmarks as the train journeyed from London to Edinburgh. We passed through York Station and... Continue Reading →
Sheets of rain cascaded from the ominous grey sky into the fast flowing river. We had found shelter in the lovely Riverside Vegetaria restaurant. Tucking into a chef specials platter we watched the world go by. A group huddled in an open air boat battling with their umbrellas. The small motor chugged on sending them... Continue Reading →
Fuelling up on porridge we were ready for our final day of cycling. We left Jenny's air b n b bright and early, just after 8 am. The cycle began by crossing the river on a picturesque bridge. We proceeded to follow a path along the waterway, ignoring the first 72 sign as it told... Continue Reading →
Setting off early, we were ecstatic to see that the 72 National Cycle-way led us down a hill to the right of our Hostel and not along the busy uphill road we had arrived on. While the downhill didn't last overly long, the ascents were much more manageable than the ones we faced the day... Continue Reading →
