Jim's Holidays

I bump into Simon en route to St Pancras meeting Pete at Stratford and Alan at Dover station. With us all together we cycle to Dover port for the usual shenanigans finding the truckers check-in and security trying to find the x-ray machine operator. Easy crossing to Dunkirk and we take a good route out of the port, with just one slidey mishap, and along the canal onto our gite at Bergues arriving just as the sun is setting along the canal. We are all in the same room but spacious enough. We dine at a good restaurant in town and following another mishap and after a mini pool competition drinking strong Trappist beer we turn in. Thursday we are up for breakfast and soon out on the road. It's a chilly wind but we soon warm up. Look around Bergues ramparts and towers, another mishap involving chain and bird poo, then into the countryside going through small towns and villages so an enjoyable days riding. We head for the Trappist cafe at de Vrede where we have another mishap and where we sample the beer and get some bottles in for later. Apparently only a few places can be called Trappist breweries. Then into Ypres (or Ieper) for lunch next to the Menin Gate which is unfortunately covered by scaffolding and sheets. After seeing the water filled crater created by WWI allied miners tunneling under a German held hilltop then blowing the top off, locals told us that all the ponds round here were bomb craters, we drop down to the rive. It's a long way along the river Leie - La Lys past Wevelgem and then drop down to Bellegem where we make ourselves at home in our lovely house although we have to ask the owner to bring sheets and towels. We dine at a local restaurant where I stock up on pasta and after a vigorous evening discussion back home over Trappist beers we turn in to sleep well after the 63 miles cycled.

Friday is race day! Although Alan declines and reclines on the sofa instead, So Simon, Pete and myself head into Harelbeke to catch the atmosphere at the start line but we are an hour early due to my UK / Belgian time confusion. Anyway it's good to spend a bit of time here seeing the team presentations and the hordes of spectator. And I get interviewed by the local largest selling Flemish newspaper. Soon enough the riders are off for the E3 Saxo spring classic race which our reason for coming. Then we race to the race by taking the canal to Russeignies then up the hill towards Kwaremont. It's a steep hill and we hop off towards the top where the crowds are stood at the side of the road to take our place. The excitement builds then the riders come past in a few groups. Then with the hordes we go to the top of the hill and hang around the pub drinking beer, eating frites and watching the race on the big screens. There's a sprinkling of rain but we have been lucky so far. As the race approaches again we go down to stand right on the cobbled road to await a more strung out race. Both physically and mentally by the looks on some faces. We then descend down the pave for what must be a mile until we reach the smooth tarmac of the main road and glide down to meet the river again. By this time it's raining with the wind driving it into our faces. Soon enough we're home to dry our clothes, shower and eat the delicious meal that Alan's cooked up for us. It's our last day and we're on the road by 9 into a cold and very windy ride so it's tough going. We stop off to see the medieval bridge towers at Kortrijk then on to Passchendaele. The wind is worse (later I see it's about 20 mph all day) and of course into our faces so Alan and Pete decide to get the train from Ypres especially as heavy rain is forecast. Simon and I head into the wind again and at times struggled to keep going but we helped each other out taking the lead when the other was flagging badly. Although spots made me put my rain jacket on a few times the anticipated rain never came although we did get hailed on which having a bite to eat next to a closed church. Eventually we get to Bergues and then it's the final slog to the ferry at Loon-Plage. Unfortunately trains have let Pete and Alan down so they miss the scheduled one which Simon and I board to drink the last strong beers whilst leaving the continent. We have a few tucked away to remind us of our trip when back in London. Another quiet and easy crossing and at Dover catch our train to Waterloo. Then head south where we part just before Brixton. We do keep tabs on the others who have got the ferry home too. So all in all a great trip and Simon pops round the next day to wish me happy birthday and to recount a few of our anecdotes.

One of many canals

Dover bike check-in - with the truckers so damn slow - and always difficult to find

Amusing ourselves waiting for the ferry at Dover

The 1st mishap of many

Sunset coming into Bergues

Gite du Chene in Bierne

Spot the bird droppings competition

Bierne towers

At the Trappist Monastery cafe

Probably Kemmelberg in the distance

Ypres

Crate from WWI sappers blowing up German occupied hilltop

Team presentations

And they're off!

Kluisberg hill in the distance

Canal view

Climbing up the Kluisberg

Rolling up

Beer and frites and classic on the screen

Coming over the top of the Oude Kwaremont cobbled ride

Sunflowers - thought appropriate in Flanders fields

Leaving Bellegem

Kortrijk Broel Towers

On our way home

Thursday late afternoon with a heavy bike I meet Pete at Waterloo and we get a quiet train to Portsmouth where we meet Simon and Jules at the ferry check-in. After a couple of drinks we head for our two cabins and an uneventful crossing to Cherbourg. Woken by tortuous muzak for breakfast we disembark to a damp Friday morning which is OK really as we have those steep hills out of Cherbourg to tackle. Heading south east we then coast down to the coast just as the weather dries and warms up. At Utah Beach we go for a dip in the warm choppy sea and then head inland past WW2 memorabilia including the Statue of Liberty which of course was given to the Americans by France and seemingly now returned,. We lunch with me having my standard fare of salad and frites washed down with cider We reach Carentan to visit the pharmacy and meet a guy who wants to take a few photos of us posing outside the Hotel de Ville and an action shot as we leave the town. By now it's hot and humid but we meander along the back roads ending up down a muddy country lane. After a mishap that has bent Jule's back wheel out of true we hit the straight road to Coutances where as we are about to descend into we find a kindly bike shop owner who trues the wheel for free. Down into Coutances we bump into our photographer ("incroyable") then it's the steep hill out of the town with great views of the cathedral and the straight up and down road where I get a fair bit of speed up before the turn to Contrieres. Beers and a fabulous dinner courtesy of Jules I shower, chill out and crash out. A good days ride of 75 miles and two big bits of climbing.

Cherbourg

Simon hidden by Pete

Reached the coast

Along the coast - brightening up

Liberty!

Standard fare - salad water cider (in a tea cup)

Photographer guy

Beautiful country lane

Muddy country lane

We'll just loosen your brakes that will sort you out...

Saturday we cycle to the beach where we swim in the sea. It's hot and sunny so whilst the others sunbathe I wander around looking at the small catamarans. We lunch with my usual finished off with calvados which is my treat for having cheap vegan meals. A beautiful river swim on our way back after a bit of scything it's my turn to cook home grown potatoes with roast veg and salad with help from Jules. A wander to see the horses in the long wet grass then us boys then play darts to the early hours having a few drinks to make the game last longer than it should have. Sunday Pete takes his leave before the disappointing England loss to Spain in the Women's World Cup Final then us three cycle to a car boot aka vide grenier at Heugueville-sur-Sienne. It's really hot out today and after frites and cider we stop off for another swim in the Sienne before arriving home for another delicious Jules meal of chilli. A wander along the lanes to scrump plums before an earlier night.

Hauteville-sur-Mer Plage

Last of the axe handles

Au revoir Pete

Swimming in Sienne

Chilli sans carne

Sunset in Contrieres

Monday Simon and I breakfast on porridge and plums and say our goodbyes to Jules as we're off on our camping trip. It's a very sunny day with a nip in the air but soon enough it heats up enough for my liking. Cycling through the Normandy villages is lovely and much like the west country of England with all the farms and apple and pear orchards. Indeed we're on the "route of the pears". Soon we reach the hills of the Suisse Normande (the clue is in the name) and it's a long day of wishing I had lower gears going up and less luggage on the back going down. Exhilarating. We spend a few hours going through villages that have no cafes open and eventually we find somewhere for lunch which for me is double salad and processed brown sliced bread and red beer. The place is crawling with English and we press on up and down until stopping off at the waterfalls at Mortain where we sit under the cascade in the pleasantly freezing water. Lots of tourists here and in some ways it's nice to mingle with local tourists. The last 15 miles are apparently descending but it doesn't feel like that as quite a few steep hills to climb along a straight road which has sapped my legs for which I blame the heat which by now is at it's peak. We come into our destination of Domfront and thankfully the Camping Municipal is on the road bypassing the town as the centre itself is up a serious climb. A shame to not see the town but I really couldn't even walk up there after today. Not such a long day at 63 miles but a lot of climbing at 4,660 feet. Simon graciously goes to the local supermarket for supplies and we feast and drink like kings. A quiet site and our neighbour is a Brit called Pete. So we've lost one and gained one. I sleep well broken only by weird animal noises near us which I think are birds.

Au revoir Jules

The hills in the distance...

Church with sunlight through the stained glass

Freezing bliss

Hills are closer...

Camping Municipal Domfront

Up early and cloudy but the tents are dry as it's warm out. After porridge, tea and coffee we set off along the rolling hills that slowly turn into more serious climbs as we go through the national park. At Bagnoles-de-l'Orne Simon finds a quiet road going through the forest which follows a narrow gauge railway and then turns into a track along a disused railway which of course is lovely and flat. At La Ferte-Mace we decide to detour down to a lake and when wondering how to get there we meet the very helpful Marie-Anne who cycles with us to the lake. Which seems to be a big detour but pleasant enough chatting to a local. We swim and lunch at the lake we cycle round it then back onto the railway line track up to Briouze where it ends and we hit the steeper hills again. Weighing up our options we head for Pont d'Ouilly via Breel which has a few shortish leg busing climbs and a few long speedy descents as we're losing altitude fast. It's a pleasant little place with Camping Municipal right in the centre. As our last night together we eat out me on beer, a big salad, a carafe of red wine and fruit sorbet finished with a glass of the local pear digestif. Very nice. We toast 42 years of travelling in France and camping together although back then we were squashed into the one tent sans fly sheet. We turn in as the dew is settling which makes for wet tents int he morning.

Old style road sign to be read carefully

A maizing view

Entering the forest trail

The lake

Camping Municipal Pont d'Ouilly

I wake early for some reason and wander into the centre to look at the bigger river and weir. Back at camp it's the usual porridge and coffee then we're off straight into 6 miles of a few fairly brutal climbs before descending into Clecy where we hit another disused railway which runs along the Orne passing through magnificent bluffs and across impressive viaducts. We stop for coffee and supplies on the river near Thury-Harcourt then a few miles later we part company as Simon heads off back home with a much tougher ride than I have in store. From here on in for me it's flat and slightly downhill as this track goes all the way to Caen and it's a flat 10 miles along the river to the ferry at Ouistreham. With a ferry at 11 pm I have time to pootle along picking blackberries and having a very leisurely lunch by the river where I go for a dip, which is apparently illegal I find out afterwards. It was very pleasant though with the river to myself bar hovering damselflies. Once I reach the by now roasting coast, the railway line had a lot of shady trees, I cycle north and go swimming at a thronged beach and then back to the port for a couple of beers reading in the last of the sun. I east my provisions before boarding the ferry with the luxury of my own cabin and don't venture out until morning. It's a damp morning in Portsmouth but not raining and I disembark to catch the 7.18 train to Waterloo so I'm back home by 9.30. A great trip and thanks to my cycling buddies. Let's plan another trip for 2024...