New Forest National Park, Salisbury and Stonehenge

I'd gone as far west as I desired and now it as time to head north from Southampton for Salisbury with the infamous Stonehenge not far north from there. I'd finally found a national park that was a national park as we know them in Australia and had a wonderfully quiet night camped in the New Forest National Park complete with full moon, owls and wild horses (we call them brumbies in Australia) feeding nearby. Most of the 'parks' along the south coast are urban centres and villages with large areas of pastoral land but not much forest and you cannot camp in these. They're more like collective rural heritage zones where you can walk or cycle through.

Now that I am a fully paid up member of the Camping and Caravan Club UK I can enjoy the benefits of backpacker rates at their own camping sites for around 5-6 pounds per night will all facilities.
Salisbury has a camping ground conveniently close to the centre so I was able to park the bike and walk to wander around the village and admire the old architecture while sipping on my coffee for the morning cruise and a Cornish pastie for lunch.

Like the ten European countries I have travelled through over the last three months, I have started to recognise brands when looking for shops and services - allowing me to get my domestics and daily tasks done much quicker so I have more time to do what I came here for.

A lot of the cycling shops in UK and Europe appear to cater for people that spend a lot less on equipment and bicycles than we do in Austalia. It's not uncommon for a cash happy professional in Australia to spend several thousand on the latest cycling technology and 'give away' the old 'ride' to a family member or friend. It's a totally different market.

Having clocked up 6200km it was time to change the brake pads for the disc brakes. The NZ trip contributed 1500km to this total and I can tell you the confidence disc brakes give you while sailing down a mountainous road slope at 50-60km per hour is self-explanatory. I need good brakes to slow down the 50 kilo load but also enjoy the 'weeeee' factor as I sail down the slope I worked so hard to earn as I rode up the other side.

YouTube is such an asset - I even found a clip that showed me how to change the disc pads on both wheels - and 30 mins later all done. Very satisfying but decided to have the system bled for air the next day at a local bike store just to be sure the brakes were fully operational.

Well, now it was time to head north for the Salisbury Plain and of course one of the worlds best known monuments, Stonehenge. There is also a Woodhenge and as I joked in an email recently. that one hoped no one burns it down otherwise it will be called Nohenge.
The mystery around Stonehenge's purpose of this ring of standing stones still remains but it's age and relationship to the Summer and Winter Solstice placement of the sun is well know. Stonehenge apparently means 'hanging stones', Around 4000-5000 years ago this stone structure was built. - in fact around the same time as the ancient Pyramids of Gezer. What were the pagan rituals conducted here for? - is there a practical element for it to track seasons of the year for agriculture?

As you walk around the site of prehistoric Britain you have to wonder about the sheer workforce and time required to transport the stones or raw structures from Wales and other areas to fabricate and erect on the site. Not all of the original stones remain due to previous century vandalism or tokens for personal collections. Not something you could just put in your pocket and sneak away.

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UK welcomes me, pebble beaches and utes for British blokes

Just so I didn't acquire a false sense of security England decided to present me with all the worst weather and environmental scenarios possible when I arrived in Dover on the ferry from Calais.

Folkstone is only 16 km from Dover but when you add rain, head winds, steepe hills and only one major traffic road to ride on your 16km starts to look more like 30km. No time to think about it - just do it. One consolation is knowing there was a warm and dry hotel room waiting for me so I cocooned myself inside the rain jacket and pressed on up the hill as I sighted the white cliffs of Dover for the first time. I instinctively moved to the left side of the road which surprised me after riding on the right side in Europe for three months.

Unlike Germany and the Netherlands, France and the UK are not the most cycle friendly country as there are very few dedicated cycle paths through the country areas and only the occasional shared pedestrian/cycling path in the larger towns.

I'm already conditioned for this though, having ridden on Australian roads for over 40 years - another not so cycle-friendly country as most people drive due to the greater distances travelled. New Zealand is also a member of the family of not so cycle-friendly countries but has much less traffic and it's easier to find quieter regional roads

This part of England has seen so much and been through so much for many centuries, defending its shores from foes or welcoming friends. Along the coast of this part of England are a number of round fort-like structures that were built for the impending threat of Napoleon's fleet which never arrived.

There are also WWII bits of infrastructure built for England's defence which were targets of the German Luftwaffe, especially Portsmouth, an important shipping centre.

People in this region speak with a very distinct South eastern accent (felt like I was on the set of The Bill or Eastenders) but right from day one being English language made it a lot easier for me to manage daily tasks and organise things.

Even after all the years of watching UK television and films I never had a real appreciation of British culture and life until now. In the towns along the south east coast I have listened to the conversations of people, observed how they go about their business and tried local cuisine. It's a very busy space to be in, especially in August during their Summer holidays.

Gardens are well kept here and there are the typical quintessential labels to establishments like Inn, Arms, Manor, High Street and Lane. For walking there are small signs with Public Footpath which allow you to walk from one village to another along beautiful meadows and along farm boundaries.

And would you believe it? The dual cab Aussie-style ute is alive and thriving here in the UK. Yes, I spotted a Toyota Hilux in the iconic seaside city of Brighton of all places. in Australia a cattle dog might be riding in the back. Maybe a sheepdog in the UK?

there are plenty of campsites in the UK and most of them suitable for tents (called pitches in Europe) but I have occasionally spoilt myself and stayed in beachside guest houses in Eastbourne and Brighton.

During my recent stay in a YMCA camp near Portsmouth Rose, Dan, Phil and Floyd made me feel very welcome, as I learnt about the local drama society, soccer and StarTrek; and given some good travel guide tips for the journey north and east.

 

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Paris, the Eiffel Tower and Monet

Paris is not a space you would avoid when one has come all the way from the Southern Pacific Ocean. I knew this would be a feature of my time in France if not Europe. Like Salzburg, Vienna and Amsterdam, this city has such many iconic locations to visit and has its own unique character and long history in culture and its society to bring it to where it is now. The romantic in me will always have a soft spot for a city built on sentimentale and depth of spirit. You don't have to even understand the language - just listen to Edith Piaf or the gymnopédies Piano Works by Erik Satie and you have your indelible impression.

I wanted at least three nights/four days to visit all the iconic sites, Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe and out of Paris, Monet's Garden and home. Getting myself and the bicycle from the Paris central station to and Eastern suburb via the metro was a challenge. A good thing I've had plenty of practice with the other European cities as Paris was the most complicated and unbikefriendly of the lot.

Some of you will ask why I did not park myself in the centre of Paris? - try a hotel search and you'll see that Paris can be quite expensive.
You are not allowed to take your bike on the metro and to get to the outer suburbs of Paris you have to take the RER network which means you have to ride from one of the major regional network stations to one of the 'hub' stations close by to catch in my case the RER E. The fare is incredibly cheap - only a couple of Euros as the bike free if your happy to deal with the lack of lifts in some stations.
It was only a short 20 min trip to my hotel which was practically new with kitchenette and even allowed to park the bike inside the room. It was close to a huge shopping centre so I could grab my four days worth of food for cooking and lunches. So with the bike parked and out of mind I was free to travel lighter and wander around the centre of Paris. The weather was perfect and as I love walking I then planned the route for mentionable places - the first being Arc de Triomphe. Very difficult walking in a straight line with the masses of tourists so you spend equal time viewing the scenery and trying not to walk into the wall of people.

When I reached the Eiffel Tower I was amazed at the massive footprint of this skeletal structure. just extraordinary engineering for its time. The tower, built by Eiffel was actually built for the 1889 World Exhibition and only intended to last about 20 years. Eiffel supported the work of a French telecommunications experimenter and so the tower became an important relay structure for future telecommunications - even to this day it is used for broadcasting and telecoms networks. I walked the stairs up to the second platform to get a great view of Paris.
Another must for me was to see the Mona Lisa with my own eyes. To get to it I had to visit the Louvre further along the Rhine River and a real shame I had to stop for crepes and coffee online the way. The queue for the Louvre was long but it moved very quickly so within 10 min I was in my an amazing space as I walked thought the huge halls of the Louvre and works of art everywhere. Classic sculptures, paintings from centuries ago and contemporary works.

The world famous Louvre

I was told I would be lucky to get a glimpse of the young Mona from seven or eight deep crowds but I planned the visit later in the afternoon which meant I got a front row view at the security rope of course. She is protected by a glass box but bigger than people had suggested - in fact she's perfect in every way.

It was a full day so I headed home to the hotel for a quick papa nap to refresh for the evening's activities. For many years I have kept the inspirational books of Monet's garden and his works of art on my coffee table - knowing that one day I would see his garden and well known lily ponds.
To get to Giverny which is approximately 70km north west of Paris you catch the regional train to Vernon and then catch the shuttle bus for 4km or just do the day trip by car. Again the weather was a perfect sunny day which one has to be thankful for a once in a lifetime event, especially given how far I travelled.

Again the crowds were very light so I had plenty of time to peruse the stunning summer garden, the lily pond Monet is famous for in his paintings and walk through his home that still has the external pink stucco walls that perfectly compliments the beautiful green framed windows and doors.

I felt quite at home on the steps of his kitchen entrance, gazed upon his inspiring alley gardens, opened my thermos and made a cup of tea to go with the jam and croissants. My time in France was almost complete - just one more enjoyable farm stay in Northern France, ride through Agincourt where Henry V fought the French (saw the film with Kenneth Branaugh playing King Henry V) and then ride on to Calais for the Dover ferry.

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Tour de France, Lyon and the Canal di Midi

Tour de France, Lyon and the Canal di Midi

My initial aim for coming to Europe was to catch a couple of stages in the Tour de France and ride through the numerous villages and countryside on bicycle paths. Despite France owning what is probably the most important cycling event of the year it sadly lacks infrastructure for cycling off the main roads. Odd when you think about what the Tour represents. Germany and the Netherlands are way ahead in this important aspect for cycling in the country and cities.

Victory in Lyon - in spirit at least

 

I headed for Lyon to catch two stages - one in ending in Lyon and another starting the next day in Givors only 25k away. I stayed in the youth hostel up on the hill with great views of Lyon, close to the centre and as it happened was also the weekend of the French national holiday 14 July - Bastille Day. Nice timing.

Your typical European 'minor' road - nothing for cyclists

 

Lyon is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. The population is second to Paris.

The city is known historically as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and now has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France. It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to the important invention of the cinematographe by Auguste and Louis Lumière. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol.

Having attended two Tour de France stages I can now tick this off my ever growing bucket list. I attended the Tour Down Under Cycling race in South Australia in January this year so I have seen the spectacle and a lot of the riders here compete in Australia as well. Andre Greipel has one many stages and the tour itself recently. But it is rather special to be here in the country where it all started 100 years ago. Yes, this year is the 100th anniversary.

Some local cycling tourists asked if I'd heard of the Canal du Midi ride in Southern France? it's a 240 km long canal in Southern France. I said I was aware of the EuroVelo path running up the west coast but not this one. The track along the canal is 240km long if you take the route from Sete on the Mediterranean coast and ride west and north to Toulouse.

it was either this trek or the EuroVelo so picked this one so I could get some warm weather riding and experience southern France cuisine and culture.

Petit Pear tarte with delightful packaging

 

I actually rode from Montpellier 45km further north of Sete and found the path at Beziers. It took four days to ride as this is really a poorly maintained 'goat track' and unsuitable for normal road bikes or a mountain bike fully laden with panniers. Still, it did provide some free camping spots and plenty of water - for washing only.

If you like wine growing regions head for this part of France. It's wasted on me as I don't drink alcohol but more than happy to sit in the shade of a summer vine growing on a pergola and eat the grapes with some fine cheeses. Dark seedless please with some blue vein fromage and German rye bread.

 

 

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