June 13, 2016
Abermule to Plymouth
Bretagne in our sights.
Sometimes a little planning pays off. And so it proved to be for our train trip to from Abermule to Plymouth. Having read that UK trains limit the number of cycles carried to the ludicrously small number of three, I had, two months previously made a midnight call to British Rail to book our bikes. Despite time and distance, the booking went ahead easily and Ahmed at the other end sealed their end of the bargain.
We leave Abermule in the early morning and change for the Plymouth train at Birmingham. Here, two unbooked cyclists attempt to board the train and are refused. No amount of pleading on their part - “We’re on a charity ride!”- moves the stony heart of the controller. At this point they feverishly begin dismantling their cycles, at which point her resolve falters and the two Lycra clad travellers board with the pieces of their cycles.
Plymouth greets us with a heavy downpour which lasts only until we reach the city centre. This area is pleasant enough, if slightly tatty in parts. Here we lunch and take a leisurely cycle along the seafront to dry out, finding the spot where Sir Francis Drake supposedly played his pre Armada game of bowls. We look out to sea knowing that in the distance lies our goal- La Belle France.
Late afternoon we find the ferry terminal and work out where we queue for boarding and after a wait of a couple of hours, we are flagged forward into the bowels of Amorique. After tethering our stead’s securely we proceed to our cabin. The arrangement of the bunks, table, shower and toilet show what clever design can do with limited space and we immediately feel at home.
An early night follows our light meal in the cafeteria and we nod off to the beat of the ships engines bringing us ever closer to our goal.
Today's ride: 16 km (10 miles)
Total: 108 km (67 miles)
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