clairedavieswriter

I promised some reflections on the ride, so for those of you still checking in, here goes, in no particular order:

Cycling makes me Happy
There’s a brilliantly purposeful simplicity to climbing on a bike in the morning, with all my stuff, and setting off into the unknown, in the knowledge that by the end of the day I’ll be somewhere new, entirely as a result of my own effort. On the whole, I wasn’t thinking great thoughts, in fact my head was often completely empty. I just kept pedalling, watching the scenery, conscious of my legs and lungs and the miles that were passing. Every pedal stroke took me closer to my destination, so no effort was wasted. As a news junkie, I appreciated the break from 24 hour doom, and the chance to notice things that you often miss in faster forms of transport: tiny caterpillars in the road, funny signs, a nice downhill.

There is at least one benefit to being a middle-aged woman
Namely that, if you’re on a bike, you’re about as unthreatening as it comes. Which may explain why my experience of people I met along the way was entirely positive. Or perhaps it was because I was just smiling more. Whatever the reason, I found people were open and friendly – more so than if I’d arrived by car, or in company. Many were surprised I was travelling alone – “You’re brave!”.

Personal Safety
In all honesty, the only time I felt physically uneasy was in the middle of Glasgow at night – probably unjustifiably, but for all the reasons that have been rehearsed in the media of late. Out on the road, in the middle of nowhere, I occasionally wondered what I would do if I had a puncture or other technical problem I couldn’t fix, but I never felt concerned for my safety. On the contrary, I was pretty sure I’d be well looked after.

Touring Alone vs In Company
They’re different and each has its merits. I enjoyed the company of my various domestiques and casual companions, who in their different ways entertained, educated and encouraged me. But I also thoroughly enjoyed both the challenges and the advantages of solo travel: in particular, knowing that any problems would be mine alone to fix, and engaging more readily with strangers than I generally would when travelling as a pair.

Cornwall and Devon are as hard as they say
But don’t underestimate Cumbria, or the highlands and north coast of Scotland.

Eat Enough Food
Always set off with something to eat and don’t get to the end of 1,185 miles before you remember the small bags of dates and cashew nuts you’d packed as emergency rations.

The Weather was Kind
I wore my heavy waterproof jacket for part of two days in Cornwall and Devon, and then it stayed in my bag until the Highlands of Scotland. I never needed my waterproof trousers or overshoes at all. And the wind was only a real problem twice – on the way to Carlisle and from Lairg to Tongue.

The Bigger Picture
I’ve been asked if the ride has changed my perceptions of the country. I couldn’t claim to have made any profound discoveries, not least because my experience of each place was so fleeting. So I’ll stick to two observations, with the caveat that they are inevitably superficial and based purely on what I saw or heard.

The first is that I don’t envy the job of politicians and policy makers: even a passing cyclist can see some of the many challenges they face, from shuttered high streets and health inequalities to the huge number of homes and vehicles that need to switch away from fossil fuels if we’re to meet our net carbon targets.

The second is that wherever I went, people were friendly and helpful, and there was a lot of laughter, despite – or sometimes because of – evident challenges. To echo the late MP Jo Cox, perhaps we Brits are more alike than we realise.

This Country is far from Wild
I observed the passing landscape through different eyes having read Isabella Tree’s book, and realised that from one end of the country to the other, Man has dominion over virtually every inch. Even the vast and largely empty Flow Country of the north of Scotland is fenced, threaded with roads and tracks, and dotted with wind farms.

Warmshowers is Brilliant
Terrible brand name, fantastic organisation, through which cyclists or bike-friendly people host touring cyclists – either giving them a bed in their house or a space to put up a tent in the garden – for free. A great way to meet interesting people and to encourage a spirit of adventure. I would encourage anyone to sign up, whether as a guest or a host.

National Cycle Network is Brilliant too
A wonderful way to travel through the country – and through many of our big cities. It took me along canal tow paths, beside rivers, as well as through industrial estates and supermarket car parks, but always on quieter routes, avoiding main roads, and safely negotiating them when needed. It’s maintained by Sustrans: do support them if you can.

Baked beans and Scones
…are the perfect cycling fuel. Sadly I only discovered the beauty that is beans for breakfast on my last morning, but scones were a staple that saw me through from Cornwall to Caithness – whether eaten jam or cream first.

Final word from a poster in a loo in Bettyhill: