Wednesday 1st September
Once again we had acracking camping spot last night; and it was nothing like the hound of the Baskervilles! Following the banquet we had at the Brandworthy Arms we sat around the burners drinking coffee and waxing lyrical and celebrating Glen’s last night.
Dale
A massive thank you to Glen it was a great pleasure riding with you mate, a really strong rider with a personality to match, always welcome on any Tour. He’s the lovely gentleman from Blean. Now, sod all this being nice stuff!
Back to the riding. We climbed over the top of the Bodmin Moor. A lovely spectacular ride besides being tracked by jet fighters – it was just like the Clash song “Rock the Casbah“.
Then down to the Snail Trail cafe before we hit the Camel trail into Bodmin.
Dale mentions a huge building here: not sure, it could be the Borough Arms which was a former station for the China Clay quarry. The Camel Trail of course IS the old railway track down to Padstow.
Ed
Then it’s down to Bodmin for final goodbyes to Glen (he’ll get the train home) and meet up with Conor and Mark (who arrived by train last night).
After that we carried on riding the up and down rolling hills of Cornwall and stopped at the Red Lion in Saint Columb Major for lunch. It was a lovely meal and the landlady was friendly too! Took the opportunity for a full strip bodywash in the restrooms.
At some point Conor & Mark seem to have shot off ahead. I think they may actually have detoured via Padstow. Anyway the two groups did not meet again, but will attempt a rendezvous tomorrow.
Ed
Off we go again heading for Newquay. Sadly we ended up on the main road which was not great riding for a few miles but hey ho eventually we got off the main road and were heading back on the tracks to Redruth past the remains of the tin mining industry at Wheal Peevor mines.
Nice meal at Robartes Arms in Illogan. We never did catch up wuth Mark & Conor but we’ll attemp to re-connect tomorrow.
