What have the Romans ever done for us....?

Well, yeah. Obviously the roads. I mean, the roads go without saying, don't they? But apart from the sanitation, the aqueduct, and the roads..........

Haven't been out on the bike for a few weeks, so the excuse this time is to have a ride around using only Roman roads or roads running close to the routes of them.

Planned a nice little 90 miles or so starting from Lindum Colonia (Lincoln) South along Ermine Street to Causennae (Ancaster) and turning South East onto King Street, past Sapperton and onto Bourne, turning North again along the A15 for a few miles, then turning onto Mareham Lane to Sleaford. Cut across to Newark on the A17 to pick up the Fosse Way, passing Crococolana (Brough) back to Lindum Colonia.

Started in Lindum Colonia just outside the North Gate - Newport Arch. Ermine Street runs North from here to Eboracum (York). Heading under the arch into Bailgate takes you into the area of the Forum and Basilica. If you park up just past the arch, there are more bits of Roman wall to be found along East Bight and West Bight, together with the Mint Wall and a well.

Continue along Bailgate, and opposite the Lion & Snake, in the road are a line of circular granite sets - these mark the positions of columns supporting the front of the forum.

Carrying on, turn left at the White Hart, and along Eastgate. The traffic lights at the crossroads next to the Eastgate Hotel are the site of the Roman East gate, the remains of which can be seen in the hotel car park!!! Head down Lindum Hill, and just before Pelham Bridge cut across to go past the Railway Station. The church next to the station - St Mary le Wigford - has a Roman tombstone on it's tower, re-used by the Saxons as a dedication stone. Go over the railway crossing and South on the High Street - follows the route of Ermine Street. At St Catherines rounabout at the South Common, the road forks. The Fosse Way continues Southwest to Newark, but Ermine Street goes South up the hill to Bracebridge Heath and then fork right again along the A607 heading for Waddington. Ermine Street heads south and is known as the High Dyke and is pretty much all green lane from the end of Waddington airfield to Bayards Leap near Cranwell. I've done this on the GS before - nothing difficult when dry, but not today as its wet and a bit boggy. I just stuck to the tarmac bits and the gravelly track behind Navenby and Welbourn today.

Joined the A17 at the top of Leadenham hill and went east to pick up Ermine Street again at Bayards Leap, and on to Causennae (Ancaster).

Still on Ermine Street, but just South of Causennae there's the junction with King Street at the turn off for the karting venue -the tank by the side of the road.

King Street looking SE just after junction with Ermine Street.
Stayed on King Street, crossed over the A52, and then deviated slightly West to Ropsley, then back towards Sapperton to pick up King Street again just west of the village.

King Street just west of Sapperton looking North - now a restricted byway. The other end of this section is Long Hollow near Braceby.

Onto King Street south through Hanby to Lenton as it follows the East Glen river. At Lenton the road tracks about 500 meters west of the route of King Street and thats it through to Bourne via Elsthorpe and Edenham

North out of Bourne on the A15, until the right turn signposted for Graby - now we're on Mareham Lane heading North for Sleaford

Ford on Mareham Lane

Through the ford, and a little deviation into Threekingham to see the whalebone arch - what the hell is a whalebone arch doing in deepest Lincolnshire? I don't know, but it's there and I took a picture.

Its then a steady run into Sleaford, weather turns wetter, then it's west on the A17 and a wet ride to Newark and the Fosse Way home to Lindum. Approx. a 95 mile round trip, small country roads with some interesting things to see on the way.

RBR 2009 - over and done with

Mission accomplished, aiming for a Gold award in this years Round Britain Rally and managed achieve it. 56 out of 90 landmarks visited and took around 3600 miles overall to do it.

Roll on next Easter and the start of RBR2010. Allrounder?

Way out West day 6 - Oct 8th, taking the long way home

Instead of the 260 miles back to Lincoln up the M5 etc, todays little jaunt took me across the Severn bridge into South Wales, over the Brecon Beacons, then pretty much following the welsh border country to Shrewsbury and then heading East home to Lincoln via the M42.

475 miles all in today and 8 RBR landmarks in the bag. Total for the whole trip was 1045 miles.

Weatherwise, blue skies and sunshine all the way!!First time I've been over the Brecon Beacons - went on a little B road from Ebbw Vale which went up and over, then it followed a canal into Brecon. The A40 from Brecon to Llandovery was next - very enjoyable and very litttle traffic - reminded me in places of what the A6 Bakewell to Buxton road used to be like in the 80's before everyone else discovered it. Had a big fried egg roll and a mug of coffee from a lay-by van just before Llandovery - bargain @£2:40 all in.

Stopped in Llandovery for a toilet break and this stainless steel statue was in the car park near the castle. 16 foot tall, brilliant looking memorial to Llywelyn Ap Gruffydd Fychan , a Welsh hero who was hung, drawn and quartered on the site (in the car park - ticket probably over ran). Not that I've heard of him but I read the english bit of the plaque nearby.



Another place I stopped at later in the day was Montgomery - another little border town on the side of a hill with a castle over it. Also it has a town hall and market square with georgian buildings all around it that seems out of all proportion to the towns size. Nice looking place.

Unfortunately the only picture I took of Montgomery was of the gents toilet which is at the rear of the town hall - you can guess why I stopped.

Way out West day 5, Oct 7th

Absolutely tipping it down with rain today, so we're off for a steam train ride on the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway. Plan is to get a return ticket to Kingswear Station, get on the passenger ferry over to Dartmouth, have a wander around, grab lunch in a pub and then get back over to Kingswear and get the train back.

The railway do a train & ferry deal - not surprising as they're operated by the same company, so hopefully teh timetables for boats and trains co-incide.

Got to Paignton an hour or so before the train left so had a wander around and coffee and buns on the seafront.
I guess the weather on the day didn't exactly do it justice, but English Riviera? - what were they thinking? - more like Worksop on Sea and every bit as tacky as Skeggy.

Hercules is pulling the train today - what about the 'great' picture I took as well?

Rain still coming down when we get to Dartmouth so it's straight to the pub - I'd been to the Seven Stars before about 18 years ago and managed to find it no bother.

The outside of the Seven Stars, and me & Terry inside the Seven Stars getting around the outside of a pint or two.

Amazing what's on offer in dartmouth these days (I wish).

Way out West day 4, Oct 6th

Going as far West as you can nearly get as it's a 250 mile round trip in the rain to Penzance on the cards today. Time to get the overgloves out - one hand had a 20 year old Rukka on it, the other had a brand new Rainoff overglove on it. Finally get to do the overglove road test!!!!.
Chucking it down and misty with it - couldn't see nothing but 50 yards in front. By the time I got to Bodmin Moor the Rukka was back in the top box - the mitten design made it feel clumsy and water was running down into it as the elasticated opening wasn't tight enough. The Rainoffs on the other hand were brilliant, wore them all day and no problems whatsoever. Gloves stayed dry, the windproof qualities kept hands warm, plenty of feel and control with them on. Visited a RBR landmark on Bodmin Moor, but the mist and drizzle was so low that I couldn't see it from a distance and had to virtually bump into it before I found it. One thing, must be a fantastic view from it on a clear day.( can't say where it was exactly until end of October - rules of the rally. It was big though - nearly as big as a cathedral!!??)

Meandering route from Cheriton Bishop to Tavistock via the Lydford Gorge, across to Liskeard, St Austell, Truro, Helston and ended up in Penzance. At St Michaels Mount, watched the kite surfers for a while and then headed back the quick way along the A30 all the way.

Way out West day 3, Oct 6, Lynmouth

Headed for the north coast via exmoor and spent a few hours in Lynmouth.

Had ride on the cliff railway - damn clever the Victorians, it works by draining a water tank slung under the cars when they are at the bottom, and gravity does the rest as the top car drops down the slope pulling the bottom car up via a cable and pulley.

Bumped into the Predator in Lynmouth high street - times must be hard as it seems the only job he can get is as doorman outside this gift shop

Then it was off to the pub for a pint - Rising Sun - and very nice it was too. Lunch was a pasty from the local bakers.

Headed over to Porlock, down the infamous 1 in 4 hill on the A39, but came back via Worthy Combe toll road from Porlock Weir, which certainly doesn't seem to get the toll money spent on it!! Pot holed, cracked and a right mess from all the recent rain washing mud, stones, twigs etc onto it. Charming little gated entrance and you put the toll in an honesty box through a slot in a nearby door! Sign on the door said only knock if you want some change!!

West Beer Farm

Couple of pics of the'cottage'. It's actually a converted milking parlour and calf pens, done about 2 years ago to a very high standard. Would certainly consider coming back. You've got about two miles of single track sunken Devon lanes to navigate to get there.

Plymouth part 2

Here I am, going through the Mayflower Arch, looking like I'm on my way to the states. As it happens, the pilgrims actually left from Immingham on the Humber bank, called in at Boston and eventually ended up in Plymouth, where history records the sailing of the Mayflower to America. There was a memorial erected at the site in 1924, but this area subsequently got surrounded by the refineries and Immingham dock (which is right next to where I work) , so the memorial was moved to near St Andrews church in Immingham where it can be seen today. Apparently a lot of street names in the area have Pilgrim connections.

Way out West day 2, 4th Oct

Went to Plymouth today via Dartmoor. Stopped at Princetown to have a gawp at the notorious prison. What a grim place that is. Snatched a quick pic of the main entrance as we didn't want to linger.

As you can see, Mr&Mrs Drake were at home.

Hippies made welcome? The cakes in the window of this cafe are all knitted woollen things - even some small ones the size of your thumb.
Terry kept shouting 'green army' , but didn't manage to get his head kicked in.

Way out West day 1 3rd Oct

Down in the west country for six days. Hired a cottage and jannettes driven down with terry & debbie. I came down on GS and did a load of RBR landmarks on the way.
365 miles from Lincoln via Coventry, Brum, moreton in the marsh, stow, Shepton mallet, Yeovil, castle Carey, and various other out of the way places in the Cotswolds and mendips.
Went past an airfield near Kemble- it had a number of commercial jets and 3 jumbo jets with plain paint schemes. Didn't know this place existed- they must have flown all these planes in at some time or other. Apparently it's Cotswold Airport!!! Must be an old RAF base.
Going through Shepton Mallet, the aroma from the Gaymers cider brewery was unmistakeable - is brewery the right term for a cider making plant?
The place we're staying at is about 4 miles north of Cheriton Bishop near Exeter, right on the edge of dartmoor, and it's a cracking little property.
Terry & me went out to get some fuel for Terrys car- nearest petrol station is in Crediton about 5 miles away. Well if you've ever been to this part of Devon you'll know all about single track sunken lanes and won't be surprised to hear that it took us nearly 45 minutes to get there-it was dark and we hadn't a clue!! Didn't take us as long coming back as we took more notice of Terry's sat nav(with Julian Clary voice). Saw a bit of wildlife on the way - owls and a jaywalking badger.