FA+
Shop
570 submissions
A-vale-ing myself of a view - Daicycle to London Day 1
Three weeks ago, I began on a journey of self-discovery and self-inflicted agony that would take me across the United Kingdom, from my hometown to the nation's capital. After four days of near-constant peddling, I completed a challenge I set for myself several years ago, and naturally I had to take some snaps along the way to share with you. ^__^
The first day began bang on schedule, and with several rings of my little bell a set out from my front door on course for Cardiff, on a route of exactly 50 miles. For the first 10 of those miles, I actually had some company! Churchfuzz (not on FA) lives nearby and agreed to accompany me for some of the first leg of the trip. He would have come the whole way were it not for a rail strike declared two weeks before, but c'est la vie.
From my house we cycled to join National Cycle Route 4, which took us up through the heights of Margam Park along a gravel track, and then down into the town of Pyle before heading east towards Bridgend. Churchfuzz and I parted ways at a memorial to the Park Slip Colliery disaster (which I have photographed before - https://www.furaffinity.net/view/42261220/ ), and while he cycled back west with the wind at his back, I pushed on to Bridgend for my first long break. I was running ahead of schedule, and so took a bit longer to snarf down some sandwiches and juice.
The next leg would be the longest of the day, going from Bridgend to Cardiff Airport through the Vale of Glamorgan, a mostly rural, agricultural part of South Wales that, while hilly, is considerably flatter than the Valleys to the north. Turning off National Cycle Route 4 to follow NCR 88, I headed south into the Vale and along narrow hedge-rowed country roads to the village of Wick (where this photo was taken). From there, it was mostly downhill to the east toward Llantwit Major, and then up and down a few short, sharp hills as I approached the airport. The narrow roads were mostly empty, which made life good for me, though I did have to pull over a couple of times to let Range Rovers and Mercedes drive past me: the driver of one such vehicle had cycles mounted to the top, and wished me well on my way after I told him where I intended my final destination to be. The landside part of Cardiff Airport is mostly under construction at the moment, but there is a branded bakery that rhymes with Freggs there, from which I liberated more sandwiches and juice.
After a bit of plane-spotting at Cardiff Airport - including an A340 being used by a touring band and an inbound Embraer from Amsterdam - I continued east towards Barry, then joined Millennium Way to Cadoxton, and then turned north along the coast towards Penarth. After a gentle climb to the top of the cliffs through the town, one comes down a very fun winding cycle path down almost to sea level, where I crossed the Cardiff Bay barrage that separates the fresh water of Cardiff Bay from the seawater in the Bristol Channel. Allowing myself a celebratory whoop outside my workplace, I peddled into the city centre, checked into my hotel, and enjoyed a nice, long, relaxing bath! ^^
So, capital city of Wales reached! In three days I would hopefully do the same for another capital. Today was just the warm-up day, and heading to bed, I knew there were many, many more miles to go...
Hope you enjoy!
The first day began bang on schedule, and with several rings of my little bell a set out from my front door on course for Cardiff, on a route of exactly 50 miles. For the first 10 of those miles, I actually had some company! Churchfuzz (not on FA) lives nearby and agreed to accompany me for some of the first leg of the trip. He would have come the whole way were it not for a rail strike declared two weeks before, but c'est la vie.
From my house we cycled to join National Cycle Route 4, which took us up through the heights of Margam Park along a gravel track, and then down into the town of Pyle before heading east towards Bridgend. Churchfuzz and I parted ways at a memorial to the Park Slip Colliery disaster (which I have photographed before - https://www.furaffinity.net/view/42261220/ ), and while he cycled back west with the wind at his back, I pushed on to Bridgend for my first long break. I was running ahead of schedule, and so took a bit longer to snarf down some sandwiches and juice.
The next leg would be the longest of the day, going from Bridgend to Cardiff Airport through the Vale of Glamorgan, a mostly rural, agricultural part of South Wales that, while hilly, is considerably flatter than the Valleys to the north. Turning off National Cycle Route 4 to follow NCR 88, I headed south into the Vale and along narrow hedge-rowed country roads to the village of Wick (where this photo was taken). From there, it was mostly downhill to the east toward Llantwit Major, and then up and down a few short, sharp hills as I approached the airport. The narrow roads were mostly empty, which made life good for me, though I did have to pull over a couple of times to let Range Rovers and Mercedes drive past me: the driver of one such vehicle had cycles mounted to the top, and wished me well on my way after I told him where I intended my final destination to be. The landside part of Cardiff Airport is mostly under construction at the moment, but there is a branded bakery that rhymes with Freggs there, from which I liberated more sandwiches and juice.
After a bit of plane-spotting at Cardiff Airport - including an A340 being used by a touring band and an inbound Embraer from Amsterdam - I continued east towards Barry, then joined Millennium Way to Cadoxton, and then turned north along the coast towards Penarth. After a gentle climb to the top of the cliffs through the town, one comes down a very fun winding cycle path down almost to sea level, where I crossed the Cardiff Bay barrage that separates the fresh water of Cardiff Bay from the seawater in the Bristol Channel. Allowing myself a celebratory whoop outside my workplace, I peddled into the city centre, checked into my hotel, and enjoyed a nice, long, relaxing bath! ^^
So, capital city of Wales reached! In three days I would hopefully do the same for another capital. Today was just the warm-up day, and heading to bed, I knew there were many, many more miles to go...
Hope you enjoy!
Category Photography / Scenery
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 2217 x 1662px
File Size 1.39 MB
Listed in Folders
If there's a bustle in your hedgerow,
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen...--Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven
I do see hedgerows around here, but they usually grow up around generations-old stone walls. Reminds me of a 5th Grade play we performed: "We're going to build a high wall around the field so the birds can't eat the crops!"
Don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May queen...--Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven
I do see hedgerows around here, but they usually grow up around generations-old stone walls. Reminds me of a 5th Grade play we performed: "We're going to build a high wall around the field so the birds can't eat the crops!"
Comments