Day 3: Quantock Hills to Welsh Bricknor

Distance: 174.5km
Total: 515.6km
Time: 7hrs 43mins
Average: 22.5kph
Maximum: 59.7kph

So much flatter today riding into Somerset, leaving the hills of Devon and Cornwall behind me. I won't be returning around there by bike for a while! The flatter ground is reflected in the higher average speed but lower maximum speed I recorded today.

Distance was longer than I expected and my legs are starting to feel tired, but once I get into a good rhythm am still able to cover some good ground.

Grateful to a racer I met on the way into Bristol ("Steve the cyclist") for his route advice and for showing me the way to the Clifton suspension bridge. His assertion that the Wye valley was as "flat as a pan" turned out to be excellently true.

Was supposed to meet my sister in Bristol for lunch, but surprisingly my parents turned up as well with a picnic. Although three days on your own isn't long, when you're cycling solo you're always greatful for some company. And some good food.

After lunch I used some more of Steve's advice to take me over the old Severn bridge, thus cycling over two iconic bridges in one day.

The youth hostel was difficult to find and required quite a bit of climbing out of the Wye valley. Again, this hostel is not great for anyone on a racer as both routes to it are along mud and gravel tracks.

Met Ben in the evening, who drove down to the hostel. We headed in to Monmouth and after finding somewhere still serving food at half eight on a Sunday evening, I sat down to a huge plate of steak and chips. Some drama later as Ben almost ran out of petrol. Many thanks to Ben for popping by to visit me!

(Ben made it home OK by the way).