The UK has thousands of miles of cycle paths, and one of its longest, National Cycle Route 4, runs from the centre of London to the shores of west Wales, following old railway lines across flat plains, country lanes up steep valley walls, and main roads through urban settlements over many hundreds of miles. In late August last year, I set off on a cycle ride that lasted for almost two days, with about 20 hours of my life spent peddling over a distance of 100 miles. While my original goal was to ride from my home in South Wales to the city of London, I reached my limits just as I was approaching the city of Bath in Somerset. It was perhaps the most trying experience of my life, and yet one of the most rewarding, and is one that come next summer I am eager to repeat and exceed. Naturally, I took plenty of snaps to share with you as I relay the trials and triumphs of my time on the trail.

When a person sees the need to cross a body of water, most likely they would consider a solid crossing of some kind, supported either by suspension or stilts to allow safe passage. But when the banks of said body of water are too low to build a bridge without a very long approach ramp, or if you simply like to think outside the box, what do you do? Well, allow me to introduce you to the Newport Transporter Bridge! Designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin (along with half of the eighteen known transporter bridges in the world), the transporter bridge was opened in 1906, and is the largest such bridge still in use, being 236m (774ft) long and allowing for the crossing of people and vehicles. It is currently out of use for refurbishment (meaning that on my route I had to go over a conventional bridge somewhere else in the city of Newport), but it was a delight to take a break beside it and enjoy its magnificence.

Hope you enjoy!