A Summer Across the Channel on The cyclist diary

Assessment

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 10:17:16 +0000

It’s time to take stock of this great adventure of summer 2022. Beyond the whole palette of emotions that the trip gave me, I must say that I’m relatively satisfied with the sporting performance itself.

I would have liked (but isn’t it always the case?) to go further, faster, pedal longer. I sometimes pushed my physical and mental limits, sometimes decided to take time, to rest, to visit.

In the perspective of the NorthCape4000, a great race connecting the north of Italy to the North Cape in Norway in which I want to participate, this training has been beneficial to me in many aspects. I now know where my limits are in terms of time spent on the saddle and comfort, especially when bivouacking.

From Roscoff to Fouesnant

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:12:44 +0000

These ferry crossings are a true pleasure, ever renewed. The beer isn’t very expensive, I love watching the coast recede, then approach the next day, you sleep well on them. Well, that’s if you booked a cabin. Me, I just have a reclining seat and a neighbour behind who’s a kickboxing champion.

So at 10pm, as I’m about to use my loudest voice to tell her to go see if I’m in Scotland, I notice the poor old lady seems a bit… disturbed. So I keep my bad mood to myself, grab my sleeping bag and go sleep in the corridor.

From Cork to Roscoff

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:52:10 +0000

As expected, the night was cold and damp. At 6am, I wake up freezing, a quick glance at my phone tells me the score: it’s 5°. I prefer to get up rather than continue fighting the cold in my little sleeping bag, which is only rated for 11° and anyway, is soaked.

Long hot shower and coffee in the kitchen, I warm up slowly. Around 7:30am, a French family I met yesterday comes to join me and we chat over breakfast until 9am.

Cork City

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 20:37:13 +0000

Today, visiting Cork on the programme. The night was restless, the wind blew terribly hard, lifting the tent and whipping my face. I managed to sleep, but less peacefully than usual and I was a bit cold.

Early rise, breakfast with lots of peanut butter (need to lighten the bags!). I walk down to Blarney to take the bus and thus avoid dragging my cumbersome bike around all day.

From Ardfield to Blarney

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 21:30:16 +0000

The weather lied! An incredible sun brings me out this morning (I couldn’t resist the little photo under the tent). I spread everything on the fence during my breakfast; tonight, I’ll sleep in a dry and comfortable tent, it’s a rare luxury. I cobble together a route that will take me to a campsite very near Cork.

From Durrus to Ardfield

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 21:26:17 +0000

What a joy to wake up -for the last time of the trip perhaps- under a brilliant sun. Last night, the heat even woke me from sleep, I removed some layers. I know the day will be short, I need to recover from yesterday’s effort and Cork is so close I can afford to laze around.

The Triptych of Death 💀

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 22:16:29 +0000

Thank you for all the end-of-route suggestions you gave me on the blog or privately. Nevertheless, none mention “go around all the local passes just like that for laughs because you never get enough”, too bad.

It was so beautiful yesterday that I don’t bother setting up the tent. I throw the mattress in the grass, the sleeping bag on top and it’ll be a night under the stars.

As I’m loading photos for the article (yesterday’s, still), I’m interrupted by the very friendly campsite owner. He asks about my trip and I end up telling him that Ireland is very beautiful, but really they don’t have the coasts of Wales and even less of the Lake District.

From Beara to Durrus

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 21:55:00 +0000

The alarm goes off, I look at the time: 6am, I turn it off, go back to sleep, then wake up 1h30 later. In the end, holidays don’t change me much from the office!

I chat a bit with old touring cyclists sleeping next to me. As I marvel at the fact that one of them sleeps sheltered by a simple bivy, his colleague replies, rolling his “r"s under his big beard, “don’t tell him he’s hardcore, you’re quite hardcore yourself”, pointing at my camp over my shoulder.

From Inch Beach to Beara

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 21:40:59 +0000

What a beautiful sight the sunrise over the dune this morning. From my perch, it’s a magnificent spectacle. I prepare quickly, this time it’s the perfect opportunity to make some kilometres.

I know my planned route doesn’t make a full loop of the next peninsula, so I can add quite a few miles if I feel up to it.

I had planned to treat myself to two or three slices of English cake, I eat the whole thing, plus a yoghurt and a fruit (tough, this morning appetite!). It’s already so mild that I leave in shorts and t-shirt, what a joy!

From Carrigaholt to Inch Beach

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 22:29:31 +0000

“He adored Ireland. He idolized it all out of proportion…no, make that: he - he romanticized it all out of proportion. Yeah. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a country that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of the Dubliners.’ Uh, no let me start this over.” (Good luck finding where this comes from, which I’ve mangled once again).

I wake up grumpy this morning. My phone battery decided to die during the night and so it didn’t ring this morning. It’s not like the first days, with accumulated fatigue I no longer wake up at the first light of dawn.

From Inishmore to Carrigaholt

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 21:57:09 +0000

Finally an early wake-up! Actually, I mainly get up because everything, absolutely everything is soaked. The island is extremely humid this morning and the dew has well penetrated under the tent. The sleeping bag is soaked and drops tumble onto my face.

It’s a magnificent sun that welcomes me, as I crawl in the wet grass outside my shelter. I put on my sandals to go take some photos.

Taking advantage of the common room that opens early, I have breakfast in the warmth, only to discover, on leaving, that a thick mist has invaded the landscape. No more beaches, small fields bounded by stones, etc; I already struggle to find my tent.

From Achill Island to Inishmore

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 22:15:05 +0000

Burnt earth in the wind, stone moorlands, around the lakes, it’s for the living a bit of hell, Connemaraaaa […] You were all waiting for it a bit, weren’t you? Don’t thank me for putting it in your head, personally I hummed it all day.

Late departure, again, this time because I’m waiting for the owner to pay for the campsite. Big clouds have clung to the surrounding mountains, it’s cold and damp. I couldn’t secure the tent properly, lacking trees, so I took in water all night (yes, it rained, does that still surprise you?). I’ll dry the gear tonight, because my day promises to be very beautiful and sunny.

From Ballina to Achill Island

Sun, 07 Aug 2022 20:57:08 +0000

Here’s summer, I see the sun, the clouds fly and the sky clears […]. I’m barely exaggerating! The day looks promising, waking up under the big blue sky this morning.

Departure is still very late because I share my breakfast with a very friendly Belgian. He’s a piano tuner, former luthier, who has travelled the world by bike, an original. The conversation flows until 9am, when we decide it’s high time to start riding.

From Portnoo to Ballina

Sat, 06 Aug 2022 20:56:22 +0000

It’s incredibly cold at the Portnoo campsite. Fortunately thanks to my fantastic down jacket (thanks auntie) and my tent which isn’t so badly made, I sleep perfectly well.

At 3am, nevertheless, a violent squall wakes me. The wind is terrible and lifts the canvas from all sides, so much so that a bit of rain manages to penetrate the shelter and wet my face. Very fortunately, the sleeping bag is protected by the bivy.

From Letterkenny to Portnoo

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 20:31:52 +0000

The night is long and comfortable, in my real bed. Camping is a bit like the story of the madman who bangs his head against a wall: it feels so good when you stop!

I sleep a bit too much, unfortunately. Around 8am I finally emerge, I dash to breakfast. I chat briefly with the other guests before slipping away to get ready and leave as early as possible, I’m already very late.

From Larne to Letterkenny

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 22:40:11 +0000

2:30am, “are you taking the 4 am sir?”. I’m woken (yelled at) thus from my deep sleep on the metal benches of the P&O terminal. It’s already time to go to check-in, I’m the only foot passenger.

Quick glance at my ticket, no identity check, after all, we’re still in the UK. After still long minutes of waiting, I finally board a shuttle that takes me into the heart of the ship.

Oban 🚂 Cairnryan

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 20:37:43 +0000

Another waking up in the rain this morning. And this time it’s the big wet rain. I prepare my ever-present pita bread sandwich for breakfast.

It’s already late but my battery is once again charging at reception, which only opens at 8am. Once a coffee is downed, I pack up and retrieve my brick, a bit recharged.

I decide to go to Oban city centre, even if it’s a detour from Glasgow, because I want to know if the small ferry that used to cross from Campbeltown to Ballycastle still operates. At the tourist office, the verdict comes: it’s no.

From Inverness to Oban

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 21:36:50 +0000

At the Inverness campsite, it’s a bit of a sausage party. By which I mean that apart from me, there are only Germans.

While it’s public knowledge that I have certain affinities with our Teutonic neighbours, I fear I won’t much appreciate sharing the road with their large pearly-white Wohnwagens. So I decide to leave as early as possible to head along Loch Ness towards the southwest, with Oban as my objective, which will make a good stopping point before my descent to Glasgow.

From Tongue to John o' Groats then 🚌 to Inverness

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:37:06 +0000

This morning, no more battery. I get up with the sun, around 5am and prepare a good breakfast with coffee. At 7:30am the campsite laundry room reopens and I can retrieve my battery that I left charging there.

I make sure to be ready so that, when the time comes, I can leave directly. Around 7:40am, that’s done and I head off.

I quickly arrive on the famous North Coast 500, a road that winds through the highlands, very popular with motorcyclists and cyclists of all kinds. The road is indeed magnificent, following the cliff line. I discover golden sand beaches and as my surfer cousin would say, “it’s tubing”!

From Inverness to Tongue

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 20:24:31 +0000

Today, the goal is to reach Tongue, on the north coast of Scotland. The day promises to be radiant, but cold! Upon waking, the mercury timidly reaches 9°.

During my preparation, I planned clothing down to 7° minimum, I won’t last long below that. Breakfast is therefore, as often, quickly dispatched. I try not to wake my biker neighbours, who snore as loudly as their machines rev (not surprising given the number of beers consumed the previous evening).

From Edinburgh to almost Inverness

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 20:30:59 +0000

As often, waking up is hard. I couldn’t set up the tent properly for lack of a tall enough pole. With the rain, the fabric loosened and delicately stuck to my back, allowing me to feel the gentle massage of the big falling droplets.

I get changed and have breakfast in a rental tent nearby, just to be dry. I take the opportunity to make myself one of my famous instant coffees, because anyway, I know I have to deal with my punctured tyre.

From Carlisle to Edinburgh

Sat, 30 Jul 2022 07:08:39 +0000

The day starts with a disappointing discovery. A wrestling match apparently took place between my phone and me during the night. The screen is in a thousand pieces, I suppose we can say I won.

Anyway, it’s 5:30am, the ideal time to do nothing and sleep in. For me, it’s time to get up painfully and go lock myself in a container that serves as a shower to put on my wet cycling clothes.

From Kettelwell to Carlisle

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 21:04:29 +0000

This morning, there’s no rush. I have to wait for the village shop to open to withdraw cash to leave at the campsite reception (as planned yesterday, for those following). Small disappointment: this morning, it’s raining. It’s always less pleasant to get up in the dampness. Luckily, this feeling is quickly eased by my very friendly neighbour who comes to offer me fresh coffee (filtered with a french press, you can’t make this up). We chat a bit, he’s a cyclist too. No sooner has he left than a Scotsman, this time, comes up to me and starts asking about my route. He points me towards the best way to get to Ireland; that’s always something.

From Chesterfield to Kettelwell

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 20:17:18 +0000

This morning no jokes, from 5am, not only does the sun rise, but I hear the first hikers in the park. They’re mad these English! So I quickly clear out, after vaguely trying to dry (wring out) tent and clothes. The lake humidity rose during the night and the dew finished soaking everything.

Craven Arms - Chesterfield

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 22:48:16 +0000

Apparently invigorated by my famous evening yesterday, I decided this morning to take all my time before starting to pedal (it’s holidays, isn’t it?). Except leaving at 8:30am to do 200 km… that doesn’t work, elementary my dear Béthus.

I try to enjoy the “little” elevation of this stage to make up for my slight delay from previous days.

From Tintern to Craven Arms

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 20:13:36 +0000

Woke up shortly after 5am this morning. The air is mild but damp, the tent too. The little one held up! Although I felt a few drops trickle on my neck during the night… a stop at some outdoor shop will sort this out.

Despite everything, I slept and slept long! Around 9pm, unable to hold on any longer, I fell into a rather restless Morpheus’ arms, who woke me many times with wrestling matches from an UNID (Unidentified Nighttime Animal) and headaches.

From Portsmouth to Wales

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 19:25:36 +0000

The night was short and uncomfortable on the Normandie. Large coffees kept me company throughout the day but unfortunately the fatigue remained until the end.

In these conditions, finishing the stage was very difficult; numerous sugary oat bars helped, to some extent.

When the time came to cross the bridge linking England to Wales, a little tear was shed. This day was definitely one of the hardest of my short cycling life.

Preparation and Departure for Caen

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 20:03:00 +0000

Departure (too) early this morning from Bordeaux, heading to Caen by train.

After many hours tossed around in a TGV then a TER, liberation at last. Reassembling the bike that was snugly wrapped in its bag, then departure for Ouistreham along the canal, ending with a long afternoon of sightseeing, including a nice exhibition in the town and numerous coffees.