Cycling – Page 25 – Travelling reflections

OE Day 1 Paris to Provins 107k

A day in three parts. A cycle tour around some of the honey spots; the exit road out of Paris; the D231 to Provins. Here’s our Route

Riding as a convoy to navigate the deserted Sunday morning Paris streets went as smoothly as the cobbles allowed. Going past the Pompidou centre (again), stopping at Notre Dame cathedral (no sign of Quasimodo) and a few other places en route to the compulsory start photo. The Eiffel Tower is magnificent. A few bolts to that mechanno set.

After the Arc De Triumph (a glorified roundabout) we peddle down the Champ d’Ellyse. A lot of empty seating being erected. Not for us, for faster cyclists me thinks. Then head out of town. Stopping at every red light every 50m or so. Roads and cycle lanes good though and drivers tolerant. It took an age.

The final third was on a quiet main road. Straight, baking running through corn fields, sunflowers. Not many places to stop before we arrive at delightful Provins and it’s 12 and 13c buildings.

Lovely start, and a few names are sticking.

Cycling, Orient Express

Orient Express

A preamble. Or rather a straight copy of the blurb from the TDA website. It omits the sampling of different cakes, beers and wines. The laundry line of cycling shorts. Mastering people’s names before the end of the ride. The evening cry of “what’s the wifi code?” or “can any one help me with my Garmin”. Or (comments to me) the “I’m sorry, can you repeat that please, I don’t understand your accent”. All good fun, especially the different knowledge and approach each person brings in a friendly mashing of nations and characters – mostly from ex-colonies of course just to get the pecking order sorted!

“It was in 1889 that the original Orient Express train completed the Paris to Istanbul route for the first time. Our cycling version of the Orient Express has been setting off from Paris since 2005, and is still going strong. Cycle past fields of sunflowers, along hundreds of kilometers of the Danube Cycleway, up into the Carpathian mountains in Romania. Be amazed by lesser cycled Bulgaria, and all the way to the Bosphorus at Istanbul.

The adventure will begin in Paris, and a brief stop at some of its most famous sites before we head into the countryside. The route through France passes through medieval towns and across increasingly lush, hilly and forested terrain, before a thrilling descent down to Munster, near the French-German border.

Inside Germany we soon reach Donaueschingen, the start of the Danube Cycleway, which we follow off and on all the way to Budapest. It snakes across picturesque Bavaria through Ulm to Linz and then to Vienna, with its monumental palaces dating to the Hapsburg Empire. After a day of inspirational classical music and architecture we are off to Bratislava, the cosmopolitan capital of Slovakia.

We continue on to Budapest and its iconic spot alongside the now wide and mighty Danube River. We take a short rest in Budapest, before we head for the Carpathians and the Romania region of Transylvania. Steeped in folklore this region also boasts some spectacular mountain scenery. Then on to Bucharest, before we cross into Bulgaria and cycle along a series of secondary roads to Veliko Tarnovo – a gorgeous town dating back 5,000 years.

Then it’s on to the border town of Malko Tarnovo before we head into Turkey. We will have a few days getting to know the welcoming near-east culture before we arrive at our final destination, exotic Istanbul. There we will gather together one last time for a celebratory dinner, and reflect on the epic journey just ended”.

667, Wales

667-12 Llantwit Major to Swansea

Circle complete, so returning to the start with the same rant. Wrexham a City? Fine scruffy wee town it may be: it had some things going for it when I went there regularly with work, but City no. Chester, very nearby, is what you call a proper City. And it’s not until the Jubilee so 667 is correct, leaving space for future tours. (As an aside, Wrexham does have a Catholic Cathedral).

A nice tailish wind speed us through the leafy lanes of the Vale. To the outskirts of Bridgend and through Pyle towards Port Talbot. Familiar territory all this, nicely framed be the ever impressive scale of the steel works. The tide is in in Aberavon which alters the feel of the usually bustling sea front.

Neath Canal, and home. Been a lovely wee trip, time for the shed fairy to wave the washing wand.

667, Cycling, Wales

667-11 Caerleon to Llantwit Major

Cities 6 Cathedrals 6 and a few more castles

Today’s musings. Llan once meant meeting place. So Llantwit Major? We’ve entered the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Heritage as distinct from non heritage coast? Who ever thinks up these definitions needs a good talking too.

The same can be said of whoever is responsible for the current mess that is Newport City centre. We’d reached there via a lovely cycle route along the Usk. Perhaps it was reaching traffic after so long which tempers views. Glassworks cottages: a clue to a former factory? Our last major puncture saga was in Newport, close to the spot today where a cyclist was mending his saying “careful glass”.

Newport City and St Woolos Cathedral, the latter at the top of a fine steep hill which must have killed a few horses drawing hearses in their day, then onto the Gwent levels. Here we stick to the minor road which weaves its way along the old Roman ditches. All too soon Cardiff.

The City Halls are those befitting a city, the civic buildings in Cathays a joy. The Llandaff Cathedral isn’t bad either. We follow the Taf for a bit though newish housing, cross the River Ely to go through Penarth. A fifteenth different county don’t you know: the Vale of Glamorgan.

Barry is interesting. The statue of David Davies reminds you it was the world’s largest coal exporting docks in 1913. 11.5million tons of coal. Yet more fascinating is its small ruined Norman castle just sitting there at the side of the road.

Llantwit Major (we can’t find the Minor) is our final stop on this mini tour. Wales’ oldest church (St Illtyd) watches over proceedings. Tomorrow the homeward leg.

667, Cycling, Wales

667-10 Talgarth to Caerleon

Cities 4 Cathedrals 4 (Brecon)

Leaving the Wye Valley we enter the Usk Valley via Brecon. The cafe is closed and we discover an excellent one in St Mary’s Church. A good use the building, coffee with a prayer.

Following the Usk you can see why the Brecon canal is kept going (I think it’s the most heavily subsidised canal in the UK). It’s a beautiful valley. The road undulations work up an appetite for the excesses of Crickhowell.

We’d been on many of these roads before. The route down to Caerleon via Usk is new territory. Carefully avoiding the faster route via the new Heads of Valley extension, the quite roads are a delight. Even a windmill makes a surprise appearance.

Doing our best to get lost in Usk, a new song there, we’re left wondering about its association with Alfred Russell Wallace. Surely he’s Neath’s claim to fame? Need to investigate.

Tonight Roman Caerleon. Tomorrow starts with Newport. We do like contrasts.