Day  5 /16          Friday.   Aug 25.

Clifton to Hereford

Distance:        87 (Km) 

Time:      5:44

Average Speed:          15.1. (Km/ hr) 

Ascent:               1031. (m). 

Heart Rate:          102 (beats / min). 

Cumulative Distance:           448 (km) 

Cumulative Ascent :           4977 (m) 

Punctures so far : 0

Left Clifton early this morning but not before a full cooked breakfast served at 7am. Off at 7:30.

Set out passing through this old established area and then up into Clifton Down Park already busy with joggers and dog walkers. Out of here it was a tricky course sometimes through built-up areas before emerging onto lanes/ cycle paths all leading towards the Severn.

Passed under yesterday’s buddy, the M5, for the last time and crossed over the M4 as it led traffic towards the new Severn Bridge (Prince of Wales Bridge opened on 1998). That bridge marks the border between the Severn river and the Bristol Channel.

Faced with apparent road closures again; went through anyway and later discovered that cyclists and walkers exempted.

From here looking back was the new bridge and looking upstream the older version. So now I was cycling over this bridge for the third time.

 The first time was 51 years ago on an 8 day cycling trip across England and Wales. I bought a bike in London for £15 and sold it in Fishguard for £10 before getting on the ferry. Good value for a fiver.

This original Severn Bridge (tolled till 2018) was opened in 1966, is 47m above water and is 1 mile long. Now there is a rubber casing on the cables to protect them  against further corrosion. The western part of the bridge flys over the Wye River which joins the Severn just downstream.

When I stopped to savour the moment I was taken by the strong vibration from the traffic. Also the water was flowing strongly upstream with the tide coming in, due to the fact that the Severn has a tidal surge of 15m, the second highest in the world.

Once across the bridge I was in Wales, all signs appearing in both languages. I was taken on a secluded path into town with busy morning traffic.

Directly out of town a long slow climb of 122m began. Not as punishing as the Cornwall variety. Passed by Chepstow Racecourse, the leading racetrack in Wales and looking all ready for the meeting next Monday.

Just over the top of that ascent and it was a free spin down to Tintern Abbey founded in 1131 and reputed to have had around 400 monks there at its zenith in 1300. It declined with the Dissolution of Henry 8.

The quiet road along by the winding Wye added to the  great peaceful atmosphere of the morning. Weather had been most accommodating for the duration of the cycle. Never got too warm and although some rain had been forecast for the afternoon, nothing arrived till well after I had checked into Hereford. But didn’t come to much.

Just about 7km past Tintern I crossed back into England at a bridge on the Wye. Back to single language signs. Another 6 km and I was back in Wales (without crossing the river) and straight into Monmouth (the town on the Monnaw river). It was in the nearby Rockfield Studios, I believe that Queen recorded much of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Just outside town a climb of 180m started and went on for 4 km in steps. At the crest (with no marking) I was back in England again. So, two short periods in Wales. Another next Sunday.

Great views over the countryside up here. Just 25 km to go.

I joined the traffic on the A49 for a period (not too busy) and enjoyed a lively descent for a few kms.

I turned left on a side-road to pick up a nice cycle track leading me straight to my accommodation, The Holly Tree. It was nice to be in at 2pm…time to relax and recover. Had a great refreshing cycle.

After freshening up I had a short stroll up town to visit Hereford Cathedral, very imposing both outside and inside. A busy city of 53 thousand souls but still in 2017 it was named as Britain’s second slowest city with average speed of 14.09 m/h.

Resorted to The Black Lion with locals there getting their Bank Holiday off to a good start. And justifiably I enjoyed a juicy steak…..Hereford, probably.

Already looking forward to another adventure tomorrow.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.