Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Day 6 Welsh Bicknor to Clun
We awoke to find a mist had settled overnight but that burnt off very quickly as the sun poked through. We had breakfast at the hostel and we made enquiries about an alternative way out rather than to struggle up the track that we had descended the previous night. The CTC instructions mentioned an old railway bridge and it turned out that we could use a footpath and this bridge to get to the road – about a ten minute walk. Preferring this route we set off to walk. The bridge was a very rickety affair, stout enough, no doubt, but the walkway being much patched and having a distinct DIY air about it. Nevertheless, we were grateful to avoid the climb. On getting to the road side we saw the smallest of signs stating “Footpath to the Hostel” and wondered if we could have avoided the pain of the road route the night before.
We rode the short distance to Ross-on-Wye and there struck camp in the pretty town centre. We stocked up on sun cream as the sun was again blazing down on us, bought some pasta, sandwiches and drinks for lunch and set off on minor roads again. Much of the morning was spent on very quiet roads running close to the Wye. There were a few hills and we had lunch on one such hill close to Bodenham looking out over wonderful views across the Wye valley.
The journey resumed again mostly on minor roads as we rode towards Leominster eventually joining the A4110 and then the B4385 towards Clun. We rode down to Clun again enjoying the afternoon sun. I was a little behind the others and was aware of a car approaching from behind at the same time as a car coming towards me. There then followed a real screech of brakes as the car behind tried to stop and skidded along the road. I have no idea what happened but it was very unnerving. As the car going up passed, the car behind came around and the driver signalled to the other three that I was still Ok!
From there we found the hostel, which had to be one of the most pleasant that we had stayed in. The setting was wonderful and the accommodation equally good. After washing ourselves and clothes, we set off into the village and found the Sun Inn. The food was excellent but the pub also played host to a number of local folk music fans who came along and played together. Andrew recorded a chap playing the lute on his mobile phone. The recording was played back quite a few times over the next few days.
We rode the short distance to Ross-on-Wye and there struck camp in the pretty town centre. We stocked up on sun cream as the sun was again blazing down on us, bought some pasta, sandwiches and drinks for lunch and set off on minor roads again. Much of the morning was spent on very quiet roads running close to the Wye. There were a few hills and we had lunch on one such hill close to Bodenham looking out over wonderful views across the Wye valley.
The journey resumed again mostly on minor roads as we rode towards Leominster eventually joining the A4110 and then the B4385 towards Clun. We rode down to Clun again enjoying the afternoon sun. I was a little behind the others and was aware of a car approaching from behind at the same time as a car coming towards me. There then followed a real screech of brakes as the car behind tried to stop and skidded along the road. I have no idea what happened but it was very unnerving. As the car going up passed, the car behind came around and the driver signalled to the other three that I was still Ok!
From there we found the hostel, which had to be one of the most pleasant that we had stayed in. The setting was wonderful and the accommodation equally good. After washing ourselves and clothes, we set off into the village and found the Sun Inn. The food was excellent but the pub also played host to a number of local folk music fans who came along and played together. Andrew recorded a chap playing the lute on his mobile phone. The recording was played back quite a few times over the next few days.
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