GRETNA to WORCESTER

This year, the five Grumpies headed back from Scotland towards Bristol but used a couple of trains (we were not doing it as a charity challenge). Still it was expected to be about 280 miles and turned out at about 300 miles over six days despite 11 miles by train in a boring bit of Lancashire and a planned 70 miles or so from Worcester.
However only three (see photo) of the five made it as far as Gretna by train. Virgin Trains failed to allow the booked cycle connection at Birmingham New Street and the hour long delay so caused meant that two of us had to be content with starting the trip in Carlisle (NOTE: fair compensation now - mid September - received and will be shared between all Grumpies, who may even smile!)

Grumpies survive Lowestoft to Bristol during heatwave

But only just ...

and any further donations to  http://www.justgiving.com/Michael-Duffy8 for our charity for this year the TEENAGE CANCER TRUST would help to make it all the more worthwhile - many thanks to those who have already been so generous.

Grumpies at  the Far east point of England

The trip was like a sociological dissection of England: Workaday (almost Northern feeling) Lowestoft to posh Southwold and polished Suffolk, through commuter and Airport Essex and then by river and canal cycle route right through London's East End, then Camden Market and Little Venice. We stopped for a swim in the rather murky Serpentine before taking the Thames route to hospitable Twickenham and next morning out past affluent Chertsey through to Windsor Great Park (now there's privilege!) bfore reaching cosmopolitan Reading and across the South of England by way of the Kennet (in which we swam)-Avon Canal. We short cut via the newly opened Sustrans Tunnels to bypass Bath and staggered home after 324 miles in five days to Bristol. Each day we did about the average of our different ages in miles!