Tuesday 12th October – (Day 43) –
126.3 miles, 1430m climbing, 7hrs 50mins. A bit longer today so we could stay in Saxmundham and visit family and friends as Matt is having a rest day tomorrow. A sunny start but lots of heavy showers along the way. Cycled from Sandringham to Ringstead, Brancaster, Burnham Market, Wells-next-the sea, Binham Priory, Cromer down to Great Yarmouth, Leiston, Minsmere down to the Lonely Farm campsite at Saxmundham.
Steve and I drove to Wells-next-the Sea. We've visited a few times from Walsingham but never had time to walk right along the footpath to the sea but yay we made it today. Unfortunately not enough time to get the steam train to Walsingham. We then drove on to Blakeney where Steve's parents used to love going on holiday.
Met Steve's brother-in-law John, partner Wendy and Wendy's Dad Fred for a very nice meal in a local pub tonight - lovely to catch up with them.
Wednesday 13th October – (Day 44) –
REST DAY! Lie in today which was nice, leisurely cooked breakfast then did a walk around the farm opposite where Steve grew up and went and put some flowers on his Mum and Dad’s grave at St Mary’s Church, Parham then drove over to Easton and spent a few hours with friends who we haven’t seen since before lockdown. We then drove over to Aldeburgh and had a walk along the beach so George could have a swim and walked back through the town. Weather was dry with sun and cloud.
Thursday 14th October – (Day 45) –
A dry and sunny day but with a head wind for the majority of the day. 98.2 miles, 829m climbing. Matt left Saxmundham campsite and cycled through Saxmundham town then on to Melton, Woodbridge, Trimby St Martin and down to the Felixstowe ferry at Languard Fort. He caught the 11.30 ferry which took 15 mins and cost £6. From Harwich he cycled to Great Oakley round to Holland-on-Sea, Clacton-on-Sea, Alresford, outskirts of Colchester through Old Heath, to Peldon, Goldhanger, Maldon then round to Battlesbridge campsite situated in a field at the far end of the antique centre – we were the only people there apart from the security guard who lives on site.
Steve and I drove along the A12 and A130 to Southend where we met friends on the seafront and had lunch in a restaurant called Rossi's before driving to Battlesbridge.
Friday 15th October – (Day 46) –
103.1 miles, 1160m climbing. Matt left Battlesbridge at 8.45 and cycled to Ashingdon, Westcliff-on-Sea, South Benfleet, Dunton Wayletts, Upminster then down to Woolwich where he caught the ferry across the Thames which took about 10 mins and was free. He then cycled along the Thames path to Erith, through Dartford, past Gravesend and down to Rochester, through Chatham, Upchurch, Howt Green, Bapchild, Faversham, past Graveney, Seasalter and on to Primrose Cottage campsite at Whitstable. Took about 7 hrs today as the traffic was really bad and the road surfaces awful in places but it was dry with cloud and some sun and not too windy.
Steve and I drove along the A130, A13, M25 over the Queen Elizabeth bridge at Dartford then joined the M2, A2 and A299 arriving nice and early today.
