The story begins

Saturday 6th September

Corinne and Jimmy arrived n Bristol @ Maggie and Tim’s 10 minutes before Maggie left to pick John, Tina and Joan at the airport. A warm welcome was provided by our delightful hosts, an Indian takeaway washed down with a few glasses of wine. Also lots of fun with a TENS machine (don’t ask!!)

Sunday 7th September

After a long lie (for some!) we set off for the Eden Project arriving shortly before lunch. A lovely day was had by all and after realising that all the shops appeared to stop trading before 6pm we decided to check in to our hostel at Land’s End and then we went out to what turned out to be a scrumptious meal with true “West Country” hospitality. Not sure about the strange bedfellows!

Monday 8th September

After fumbling around in the dark in the bedroom of the Youth Hostel, desperately trying not to wake anyone but of course waking everyone, we checked out and motored down to the Lands End emporium for a picture by the signpost (John O’Groats 894 miles). After much faffing (affixing maps; putting on and taking off tops, waterproofs; checking bikes were in working order), we were off! (After being photographed by Russian tourists led by a leader with a sporran that he purchased from Callender in the Trossachs!)

Our first town that we encountered was Hayle which had an estuary with many bird spotters – Corinne only saw seagulls, but I’m sure there were other exotic creatures there! Cycled on to our first sighting of the lesser spotted “LIDLs” (John’s fav shop). We found ourselves without a map at a place called Loggans and asked a local where it was and they told us in best Cornish “this be Loggans”!!

We then took the hilly coastal road to Portreath and had a coffee at the Hells Mouth Cafe (bit like the Bridge of Brown cafe). We also had our first casualty – Tina did a spectacular keel on the bike whilst attempting to move off, hurting her arm and grazing knee. The trouper was soon back in the saddle and motoring on.

We stopped for a late lunch near a place called Goonhavern – Jimmy boy had bought up half of LIDLs for our delight – cheese, ham, salami, rolls, yoghurts, hot x buns, crisps etc. Unfortunately there was a strong smell of manure from adjoining fields and the super duper picnic table bought by Jimmy on a whim collapsed under the considerable weight of Corinne and Joan!!

Journey from here on in was undertaken on the A30 during the rush hour.....!! Bit hairy with Tesco lorries nearly blowing us off the road, but we survived to tell the tale. Arrived at Sue and Alvin’s (parents of Joan’s work colleague Andrew) about 6.30pm. They had a very warm welcome for us together with the rest of their family, Corby, Tristan and Corby’s partner, Chris. There was much merry banter over a lovely meal of roast chicken and salad and sweet with clotted cream