It was a short twenty minutes to the ferry terminal this morning then a lot of hanging around but finally at 2pm I landed back in the UK at Newhaven. I knew the route from here, I didn’t have to look at the map.
There are cycle tracks in the UK
There were few people on the beach in Seaford on this late June afternoon
This stretch on the National Cycle Network (No 2) is a bit rubbish but it does avoid a busy traffic road
It takes an hour and a half to get home from the ferry. This is the lane I live on
And this is my front door. Home at last.
A wonderful journey full of incident and beauty and a youthful dream realised. It will be good to have a rest and put my feet up for a couple of days.
I wonder where my next adventure will be..,,
A few statistics
61 days total, 7 non cycling days.
3500 kilometres (2,200 miles) which is twice the cycling distance from Lands End to John o Groats
The boulangerie was open in the town and I bought my customary croissant and a pain au raisin. Then is was onto a cycle track, an old disused railway line almost all the way the 57km to Dieppe. Moreover I was heading for the sea so it was slightly downhill a lot of the time and the wind was blowing from behind. I dawdled all the way, trying to make the day last.
Now this is definitely a classy chateau.
The villages go for pointed spires round here, some taller than others.
I suppose all spires are pointed but these strike me as extra sharp!
Maybe it’s all to do with the liking for steep roofs. Many houses have steep roofs and then have dormer windows. It doesn’t make much sense to me – but then things often don’t. These are often new houses. Surely doing this results in smaller rooms?
This one is very recent
Perhaps roof tiles are cheap round here? I haven’t seen many solar panels on my travels at all.
The countryside round here reminded me of South Shropshire- only with more sun.
On my travels I have been in search of the perfectly symmetrical cypress tree. These two were the best I found. This photo was taken in central France.
Today is my last cycling day in France. I better go and have a last French meal and a glass of Rosé. I have been surprised how many French drink Rosé. I have become a convert. Walking in Spain got me drinking black coffee. Maybe a taste for Rosé will be a legacy of this trip.
Dessert
Walking back to the campsite from the restaurant I realised I was on the Rue de Canadiens. An odd name I thought. I saw a Commonwealth War Graves Comission sign. 500 metres down the road was a Canadian Cemetery housing 955 predominantly Canadians who died in the Dieppe raid of 1942.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is a wonderful body. How well looked after is this cemetery. How well designed.
Each gravestone bears the name and rank of each soldier. These are very sombre places still cherished after 80 years. This was the first war cemetery I have encountered on this trip. These cemeteries are dotted all about Northern France in all sorts of odd places. A reminder of our shared history.
If you ever get the chance, visit the Canadian Cemetery at Arras.
Roger's Wanderings 