In tandem with Sweetspot, organisers of the Tour of Britain, The Cycle Tourist Club (CTC) has launched The Countrywide Great Tour, a cycling circumnavigation of the glorious British coastline. Starting in Holyhead in Wales on July 4, the route has followed the coast north along quiet roads and paths heading up the west coasts of Wales, North-West England and on around the coast of mainland Scotland before heading down South.
The unique route is 6,800 km long and around 50 riders will complete every stage from July 4 to September 5. However, thousands more will ride one or more of the 64 sections and this month saw two local legs in this epic charity ride – Margate-Rye and Rye-Brighton. With Rye Wheelers taking part in both legs, the Wheelers were well represented with Jeff Gage taking part in the Margate-Rye leg and Ralph Sperring and Paul Simpson taking part in the Rye-Brighton leg.
Jeff’s leg finished with a hard ride against the marsh winds which made them too late to meet with Rye’s Mayor at the finish. Ralph and Paul’s ride took in some of the most testing climbs, including Battery Hill and finished with them marooned at Brighton Station because of Southern Railways’ new policy of only allowing fold up bicycles on trains leaving or entering Brighton between 16.00 and 19.00. That’s progress? Isn’t it?
Thank God for Ralph’s wife, Jenny, who drove out to pick them up. It took them almost as long to get home as to cycle there. Cheers, Southern Railways.
There will be regular updates on the stages of the Great Tour on their website and Facebook pages – www.thegreattour.co.uk/home.php and www.facebook.com/TheGreatTourUK
Countrywide Great Tour.