Picture of Ken and Linda with their tandem

Title: End to End by Tandem. Ken & Linda Hardy

 Day 5: September 14 th , Nailsworth to Bridgenorth

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The day started with a look of rain about it and by the time we'd had breakfast and packed our bags it was drizzling quite heavily. We shrugged our shoulders and set off into the rain. Our route took us round Gloucester which proved to be perhaps the worst thing to do. Following the signs took us all round the outskirts of the city on a fast ring road and dual carriageways, adding unnecessarily to the mileage and not being too pleasant to cycle. It would most likely have been better to go straight through the centre. We'll know for next time!

Continuing towards Tewksbury the rain persisted with only short breaks. Back now on the A38 which was very quiet for such a major route (petrol crisis again?) we found bus shelters were ideal places to shelter for a breather and a drink and biscuit. Fortunately, this route had quite a number of bus shelters! Tewksbury was a good place to stop for our daily stocking up on supplies for lunch and snacks. Sent an e-mail from the mobile phone to update everyone at home on our progress.

Continuing on the A38 towards Worcester, still raining, we decided to go straight through the city this time. This did prove to be a good option except that in the centre we seemed to be directed all round the houses by the direction signs, designed to keep motor traffic under control but not ideal for cyclists! Leaving Worcester we were now heading a little west of north and into Shropshire. As we neared Holt Heath on the way towards Stourport a local cyclist rode with us for a while, chatting in a Brummy accent about this and that and as a result we missed our turn and had to retrace our steps for a short distance. The roads became progressively more minor and rural and definitely more undulating. Shropshire is a bit of a roller-coaster and certainly not flat.

After Bewdley we decided that we'd make for Bridgenorth and look for a B&B there. For some reason, even though it wasn't a great mileage, this road seemed interminable. "Bridgenorth must be over the next hill", but there always seemed to be another hill beyond. Got there in the end and found a friendly B&B from the list in the window of the Tourist Information Office. This was another long day, almost as long as yesterday. Nice picturesque town centre but our evening meal was spoiled by the waiter spilling a bottle of lager over Linda and then later trying to blame Ken for it!

Day 5 - Mileage: Day 74; Cumulative 317