Day 6: Churchill to Wadebridge

It was great to spend a night at home and to see Kathy and 2/3 of the kids. Despite a couple of people warning that it might be difficult to get going again after a stay at home, this wasn't the case at all, I was itching to get going, as this 5.30 am video suggests.
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I was constantly having to remind myself that I wasn't nearly there, even though it was beginning to feel like that. Whilst there was only 306 km to go, it involved more than 3,100 m of climbing. Devon and Cornwall are hilly places, and as far as the end-to-end route is concerned, Cornwall is considerably hillier than Scotland. 

The goal for the day was Camelford. After getting through the Mendips it would be flat through the Somerset Levels (the clue's in the name) and then the hills would begin in earnest, somewhere between Taunton and Tiverton. 

Kathy had taped up my Achilles, but they were both pretty sore and I was concerned that it would be a slow couple of days. As I rode through Taunton I saw this mural on the side of a building, and I thought I was imagining things. 


I parked my bike outside and looked up at the sign, The Foot and Gait Clinic, I couldn't believe my luck! After a quick conversation with a receptionist who seemed slightly bemused by my appearance, I had an appointment. The appointment wasn't with a physiotherapist this time, but with Zoe, a podiatrist, who was equally qualified to help. She expertly taped up both my Achilles and I was off again in half an hour, feeling more supported and keen to make it to Camelford. 

Next stop was brunch at Costa in Wellington, and more bottle refilling, and judging from my photos, 40 minutes on I was crossing the border into Devon. Two countries to go. 

Somewhere near Bickleigh the hills really started, as this shot of my Wahoo shows. 

By the time I got to Camelford at about 7.30 pm, I was knackered. As I was sitting outside the Co-op having a rest, three separate people or couples stopped to ask if I was ok. I must have looked absolutely wrecked!

 

That was another 195 km done, and 2,317 m of climbing, but I wanted to hit the magic 200 km, so pushed on to Wadebridge. 


I should have stopped somewhere in a field on the way into Wadebridge, but kept thinking I'd find a better bivvy spot, so in the end I stopped on the edge of the grounds of Wadebridge School. It did the job. Only another 94 km to go. I fell asleep trying to figure out if I could leave early enough to get to Land's End before 7.00 am and so make it within six days, which I think I knew was ridiculous, but I was thinking it all the same. 




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