A classic ride for any British cyclist, one that’s undertaken by hundreds of people every year, and one that I felt was a milestone in cycle touring. I was to be riding it again with my fellow riders from the first trip, yet this time we were to be covering many more miles and camping for most of the journey. Another excellent tour filled with amazing scenery, friendly and interesting people and some really memorable moments. Cycling up the west coast towards Bude was full of amazing roads that which dipped down towards the towns and then rose steeply back up to the level of the cliffs again, certainly a really challenging section to be cycling. We were also very kindly given accommodation by my brothers friend’s along the way, especially as they always went out of their way and made us feel completely at home, something which we cherished largely due to the endless rain we cycled through for most of the trip.

England and Scotland are both amazing countries to travel through, even if they are a little busy with traffic on the roads! Through two weeks we saw how both countries change in terrain, from flat sections to mountain passes, and the highlands of Scotland. We also saw the change in farming techniques and the change in industry especially from the south to the north. We were shown amazing generosity and friendliness from random strangers, especially fellow cyclists. When we’d finished the trip all I could think about was starting the next one, and making it a really big one this time!