Week 6
Monday 9 to Sunday 15 July 2007 (Elgin to Leicester)
Day 37 - Monday 9/7/07 - Elgin to Stonehaven - Estimated miles: 85
The final week and to begin we face a genuine choice of routes but, unless I’m advised otherwise, I intend to take the A941 out of Elgin to beyond Cabrach; a small stint on the B9002 and A97; then the A944 into Aberdeen. To finish the day, and in an attempt to avoid the very fast looking A92, we’ll then head out on the B9077 and then south on the B979 into Stonehaven.
Day 38 - Tuesday 10/7/07 - Stonehaven to Kirkcaldy - Estimated miles: 95
It’s the A92 all the way past Montrose and Arbroath and into Dundee. At this point John W will say farewell before catching the train back south (before heading off to France the following week). So I finish the day by cycling over the Tay Bridge before working my way down the A919/91/916/915 to Kirkcaldy.
Day 39 - Wednesday 11/7/07 - Kirkcaldy to Wooler - Estimated miles: 90
It’s mainly the B9157 and a bit of the A921 to arrive at Inverkeithing. Then over the Forth Bridge and somehow into Scotland’s capital to say hello to the good Sams of Edinburgh. Once outside the Edinburgh ring road, I’ll be on the A68 to Carfraemill; then the A697 past the border at Coldstream and on to my night’s resting point in a place called Wooler.
Day 40 - Thursday 12/7/07 - Wooler to Hartlepool - Estimated miles: 85
Unless I think the road is too busy, I shall probably resume on the A697 until I am close to Ashington (the Northumbria branch) only using the minor roads to take me the last bit. From there I work my way to the A193 and head down the coast to Whitley Bay then across to the bike only version of the Tyne Tunnel (I lived in the North East for more than 10 years and didn’t realise there were three!). The A185 and A1018 take me down to Sunderland. I finish the day on roads running close to the A19 and I plan to rest up in Hartlepool. (Until fairly recently, there was a Sams branch here but it had to close due to lack of financial and volunteer support (a sign of the times I’m afraid). I hope many of the good volunteers of Hartlepool have been able to commute to neighbouring branches.)
Day 41 - Friday 13/7/07 - Hartlepool to Bridlington - Estimated miles: 80
The A178 will take me into Middlesbrough. Then it’s out on the A174 to one of my favourite places; Whitby. From there the A171 leads all the way in to Scarborough. Finally the A165 eventually should bring me to Bridlington.
Day 42 - Saturday 14/7/07 - Bridlington to Boston - Estimated miles: 100
The penultimate day, and a biggy at that. All being well though, I will be aided on route by a domestique. Actually, Jimmy (the partner of one of my work colleagues, Belinda) isn’t (quite) good enough to be a domestique in a Tour De France team; but he’s nonetheless very very good. What makes him singularly fantastic is that he seems to have the patience of a saint and has offered me some sound advice, as well as accompanying me on several rides (that must have been at snail’s pace for him) over the last year. Anyway, the route will take us down the A165 before a white road leads us to the centre of Hull. Careful research confirms that I can cross on the Humber Bridge; then it’s the A1077 and roads neighbouring the A180 into Grimsby. From there, it’s the A16 to Louth; the A153 to Horncastle and the B1183 all the way into Boston.
Day 43 - Sunday 15/7/07 - Boston to Leicester - Estimated miles: 72
The final day; and hopefully something of a celebration with people joining me for some or all of the route; hence the extra level of detail. On the one hand, I want to avoid any sort of busy road (given that there could be several people) but the first obstacle, quite literally, is the South Forty Foot Drain; for which there are very few crossing points, especially on minor roads. For those joining me for the whole day, we will start from the Boston branch and head out on the B1397 to Gosberton. I’ve tried it before and there are enough villages to keep it relatively cycle friendly. Then a right turn out towards Westthorpe. Staying on white roads we will then head over the SFFD to Sempringham and on through wonderfully named places; Billingborough, Folkingham, Pickworth, Sapperton, Ropsley and Old Somerby. A small stint on the B1176 and A52 (which is mercifully mainly downhill) into the Grantham branch. For prospective companions, the terrain for this 35 miles is incredibly easy. In fact, prior to Folkingham there isn’t even anything that could be described as a slope; and not much worse after that.
Hopefully some more recruits will join us from Grantham out on the B1174. After a short but steepish hill (unfortunately on what is certainly the busiest piece of road before Leicester) it’s a right turn onto a white road (which we will keep to through to near the final destination). This road takes us out towards Hungerton, Saltby, Sproxton. We intersect the B676 between Buckminster and Coston on our way to Wymondham. Then out westwards as though we are going to Burton Lazars but dropping down another road half way so that we arrive at Little Dalby. Then it’s Great Dalby, Ashby Folville, Barsby, South Croxton, Beeby and Scraptoft marks the outskirts of Leicester. Along the way (approximately 37 miles in total from Grantham to Leicester branch) there are definitely a few slopes; maybe even graduating to small sharp hills but nothing that a low-geared bike and a willing pair of legs can’t conquer. Into Scraptoft, we will head down Station Lane/Station Road; then across the A47 at the lights and into Thurnby. Then down Court Road/Stoughton Road/Thurnby Lane before taking a right up Stoughton Lane into Evington. Even to this stage we have been able to stick to quiet roads. The last bit is inevitably a bit more built up but Evington Lane provides a good cycle lane (straight over at Wakerley Road/Stoughton Drive) then left onto St Philip’s Road (opposite the Mosque), then Ashfield Road and finally Elmfield Avenue home of the Leicester branch and, well, just home!