SOMERSET

Friday 27th July, 2018.

After we had been admitted into the country at Harwich International Port last Friday, we rode to the nearby railway station for the train ride to Colchester, where we spent the night in an airb&b.

On Saturday morning we walked to the rental car yard, collected our little white van,

returned to the airb&b, loaded the bikes and bags into the van and began the long, hot and tedious drive across country via the M25, the M4 and the M5.

The welcome from Marion and Mike was a warm one and in the cool of the late afternoon we sat in the garden, taking up where we left off 3 years ago.  Marion had prepared a lovely meal which was demolished with great enthusiasm, and we were delighted by a brief visit from Sally, her good friend who, with Marion, visited us down under some years ago.

Mike M. had booked a table at the White Horse Inn in Washford for Sunday lunch and we all chose the roast beef, an excellent choice.  Ice creams at Watchett and a walk along the quay

completed a splendid, enjoyable day out.

Mike and I drove into Bridgwater on Monday to do a little shopping, had a light lunch with Marion there and afterwards went for a drive through the Quantock Hills,

managing to get lost as to us all the narrow lanes look the same, but eventually we found familiar territory in the form of the Plough Inn in Holford, so called in for refreshments.  We returned 'home' to a superb meal cooked by Mike M., which we ate with gusto.  We are truly spoiled.

In the last few days, we have undertaken three rides : on Tuesday we drove to Hilperton in order to ride along the Kennet/Avon Canal

to the Caen Steps,

consisting of sixteen locks leading up to Devizes.

The locks are impressive, however, we didn't think much of the cycle path which was mostly rough and narrow with few exceptions.

Wednesday's ride was along the Bridgwater/Taunton canal, a much smoother path and a very pleasant ride,

although without power as we forgot to take the batteries with us!  Doh!  Because we still had a few aches and pains from the previous day's rough ride, after we'd had a sandwich and coffee lunch at the cafe at Maunsel lock, about two thirds of the way to Taunton, we returned to Bridgwater.

Thursday's ride was a gentle one along country lanes, managing to get lost again but enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside.  In the late afternoon Mike sat in the garden and cleaned the bikes which were covered in dust and grime from the paths we have ridden.  A little later we strolled down to the Greyhound Inn, known locally as "The Dog", for a simple but delicious meal and a pint or two.
This morning, the Mikes put the bikes to bed in Mike M.'s shed

where they will hibernate until we return next year for another European bike ride, destination yet to be decided.

This is the final odo reading for the entire trip.