Berkeley to Evesham: 72km

We can highly recommend the Perrots House B&B, for cyclists; the rooms are off a courtyard where we kept our bikes, there is a lovely garden and we were served a hearty breakfast. The proprietor was very supportive of our ride, as her brother also completed the route. Her passion is competition horse riding. After leaving, we went just around the corner to the Berkeley Arms where U of B friends, Tony, Louise, Robin and his wife Meow, were waiting to say goodbye as well as to confirm that we were actually cycling!

It was a beautiful day and great to have “Team Twite” along. Following the path along the Sharpness and Gloucester Canal, we saw lots of narrow canal boats and rowers out practicing. At the very pretty village of Frampton on Severn, we found good coffee. The cafe was close to a village pond and green where the cricket pitch was being prepared. Back on the canal path, the trail, which deteriorated at times to a single or double narrow rutted track, eventually brought us to the Gloucester docks. Once a hub of the grain trade, the many warehouses now accommodate a number of shops and restaurants, one of which served us for lunch.

We cycled through the town, past Gloucester Cathedral, and on to Tewkesbury. We decided to take the A38 to avoid a long diversion on the NCN route, but, although the road was flat, a strong headwind prevented rapid progress. The Abbey in Tewkesbury, which Paul could remember seeing in the distance from the motorway, was impressive up close. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop and go inside, knowing we could be there for hours. We decided to remain on the main roads and took the busy A46 the rest of the way. With the increasing headwind and the noise of the traffic, we were relieved to arrive in Evesham.

We had arranged to meet Chris and Sally at the Horse and Groom in Broughton on the Hill, which we got to by taxi. Chris was a medical student with Paul in Birmingham and they live near Flaxley on the edge of the Forest of Dean. The evening was delightful. It was lovely to share experiences and ideas over great food.