THE RAIL ALE TRAIL

Beretown is the name on the sign opposite the Old Plough, the most southerly pub on the Bere Alston Peninsula.  The easiest way to travel here is by train as the road from Plymouth was designed for horses and, except for adding tarmac, is not much better now.  The other way is by bike via a ford over Lopwell Dam.

 

I went here by train last week with my friend, Alice.  It took 2.5 hours to do our first mile.  When we arrived, we discovered two enthusiasts working on their historic trains at the rail station.  They had a buffet and heritage centre.  We found it so interesting that it took us an hour before we left the railway.

The Old Plough was just one mile and now it was time for lunch.  This had now become my slowest cycle ride ever.  Feeling guilty about going straight into the pub, we stopped to look at the River Tavy.  The view across the estuary was breathetaking.

There was some serious cycling after lunch where we covered 2 miles and crossed a hill only reach the River Tamar where we just had to stop again.  If the Tavy is breathetaking, the Tamar is magical.  We are in a SSSI where avocets come in winter.  It took another 6 miles and 1.5 hours to complete our loop back to Bere Ferrers station, such that we savoured our journey.  As the train came in, our host from this morning came up and asked we had enjoyed the day.  "Yes" we said in harmony, "we have had a great day". 

THE DARTMOOR WAY

What's happened in Devon lately?

I was almost zapped by a peregrin falcon. It swooped low over my head then rose up and perched on a branch in front of me. "Strummocks. Wildlife experiences like this don't come often."

The encounter was close to a new cycle route being checked out by three volunteers, including me, for Sustrans, the cycling charity. The plan is for a new south section to the Dartmoor Way.

Devon is about to benefit from the creation and improvement of several cycle routes by Sustrans. The Dartmoor Way is a medium to strenuous route and I am hoping it is to be one of many planned improvements.

DEVON'S C2C: THE STORY IN PICTURES

On 2 July 2011, six cyclists met in Plymouth with the aim to cycle 102 miles to Ilfracombe in one day. All were committed wildlife supporters and three had never completed 100 miles a day before. This is their story in pictures as they cycle across some of the finest scenery Devon has to offer.

We start at 6am in Plymouth.

It is now 6.30 and we stop to view birds nesting in Plymbridge Woods, an essential stop for wildlife enthusiasts.

At 7.15am, the riding gets tough where we leave Plymbridge Woods for Dartmoor.




Dartmoor offered spectacular cycling. At 9.30, we were riding across Mary Tavy Moor on route to Okehampton.

We left the moors at Okehampton and found ourselves on tiny lanes where traffic was minimal but wildlife can often be seen. Today, we had to make way for heavy horses and a trailer.

North Devon's coast is simply spectacular. There are not many places with views to die for like this.

It was 7.40pm when we pulled into Ilfracombe. Everyone had made it! a great achievement.

In case you noticed, two who were supremely fit rode ahead. We were all people who just love being out on our bikes in our very special countryside. Thank you to everyone who supported Devon Wildlife Trust

BRITTANY IN THE MIST

Brittany is renowned for its cycling. It also rivals our West Country for cider offering some good local brews. Unless visiting the coast, it has pleasant rolling hills, artichoke fields, good restaurants for lunches and there is a timeless feel about the area. Cyclists we met ranged from a manic enthusiast who cycles 250km a day to groups out on their mountain bikes. At Vannes, we stayed in a former nunnery still run by the church and the pictures below show a Gite d'Etaps, a local hostel that provides food and has a bar.

We travelled three days sadly in the rain and one day it was windy so the area did not look at its best. Mostly buildings are traditional but the new house below in the shape of a dome was inspired with its woodland location.

We discover that lots of English people have made their homes in the rural centre of Brittany. They do not seem to be wealthy Brits with second homes but are less well off people who have moved to the area permanently.

Brittany shares a common language with the Cornish, Welsh, Irish and Scots who speak Gaelic. The Bretagne language is near enough the same. We spend a pleasant evening at the Gite discussing cider, Bretagne language, cycling and fishing.

There is a timeless feel about this holiday group encountered on a long distance cycleway.

We reached Roscoff at 07.30 this morning to catch our ferry back to Plymouth. I have calculated that our distance was 754 miles and we had 13 cycling days. We had two afternoons off.

My best bits were the wildlife areas in the coastal plains and the Vendee forests. I did not like the traffic in Bilbao and on the French/Spanish border.

THE BRIDGE OVER THE LOIRE

We have arrived at St Brevin-Les-Pins and were stuck. There is a new huge bridge over the River Loire and we cannot get over it. It is true that it has a cycle lane but the locals are adament that it is too dangerous. The lane is narrow, the traffic is always heavy and the wind blows.

We search around. We spend a night here as we must catch the bike bus but this needs 24 hours notice and space must be booked. I am really surprised that a cycle friendly country does not provide a facility on this bridge.

The locals here go fishing in the Loire with nets and these can be seen from the bridge. Previously we saw more low level wildlife areas and had a fascinating ride on a cycle trail into St Brevin.

CYCLING WITH WILDLIFE, FRENCH STYLE

It is not just me that cycles to appreciate wildlife, there are signposted routes all over this part of France to show the delights of seeing wildlife on a bike. I am now in Longville-Sur-Mer, 58 bike miles north west of Rochefort.

We have now finished forest trails, albeit there was a final flourish for a few miles from Soulac to the ferry terminal at Pointe de Grave.

If I could describe the last two days, much of it was spent cycling with wildlife intersperced with rich farmland. It was all low lying much like the Somerset Levels in England. There were drainage ditches, called canals here everywhere. Where the ground was higher, it was crops and vegetables. Where lower, it was wild flower grassland grazed by charolais cattle. There are so many birds here. I am embarrased to only know a few names. Egrets are everywhere. Old nog, the heron, is almost as numerous. Swallows appear from nowhere in vast numbers. They enjoy the mudflats and natural landscape that exists.


Many people are out on their bikes. This gentleman is cycling around France. We spoke to a couple on a tandem who work for a company manufacturing wind and kite surfing equipment. Others are touring or shopping. Racing cyclists go past us as we are snails.

We had a happy evening exploring Rochefort, apparantly the first city in the world with a modern grid system. Although planned in 1671, or thereabouts, it happily accepts cars with its wide streets. It was the model for all american cities, the template having been taken there by Lafaytte, the intrepid French sailor who played a key role in developing North America.

Some other things that we found fascinating included the transporter bridge built in 1900 that now takes cyclists into Rochefort. I now know three transporter bridges. The others are in Middlesbrough, England and Hamburg, Germany.

An important industry here is mussel and oyster farming. It is quite atmospheric looking at the preserved wooden oyster shacks. Tomorrow we head north towards St Naziare.

SANTANDER TO SOULAC

We have now completed half of our cycle journey from Santander in Spain to Roscoff in Brittany. Our distance so far is 375 miles. From Biarritz going north we followed cycle paths through forests some of which were easy going and some where the trail dissappeared into sand and bad ground.

The coastline away from the towns is stunning with long sandy beaches, a surfer's paradise. I think that it will amazingly busy here during high summer but now it is quiet and easy going.

The sunset last night was outstanding at Soulac Sur Mer.

This part of France is ideal for cycling but further south, there was much heavy traffic. We spent a night in Biarritz and this came as a surprise. I imagined the faded glory from 40 years ago when it was a popular destination. Today, it has a bustling old town centre and excellent beaches. I was impressed.

We now head north towards La Rochelle.