We discovered that Guildford is in fact not that close to the sea, and a direct journey to the sea is roughly 40 miles. However, We felt that by doing 80 miles, which is the maximum distance we'll have to go in one day, we would be more confident that Land's End to John O' Groats is achievable.
We set off at 7am, and got together at Newland's Corner quarter of an hour later. From there it was straightforward cycling through lots of villages and small towns. Although on occassion we took a slightly different route to the one we'd planned, we managed not to get lost, and made quick progress seawards.
The biggest obstactle in the cycle was one hill, close to the end, which went from Coldwaltham to Bury. It came unexpected and was a long and steep ascent. After we reached the top, we couldn't wait to get to the sea and have lunch.
Getting to the sea took a lot out of us, but we were doing well for time, meaning we could have a long lunch break and relax on the way back. After Box Hill, we made sure there was no shortage of food, and this definitely paid off later. James found a broken spade, but there was no icecream in any shape or form. The closest part of the sea was unfortunately in the middle of nowhere.
Disappointed, we made our way back. The hill was just as difficult to climb the second time round, but at the top we found icecream in a cafe. Our trip had finally been rewarded, and we also knew with the hill conquered, we could take it easy for the next 30 miles.
Between the hill and Cranleigh, Charles got a puncture. We all saw this as good practise, although we're hoping with better tyres it won't be such an issue - we've consistently had punctures on all training rides.
When we arrived at Cranleigh we decided to take the more scenic route, the North Downs Way. The North Downs Way is a bridleway that goes from Guildford right down to the sea, uninterrupted. The last 10 miles went very quickly, although we were exhausted by the time we got into town. Looking at our cycling computers we realised we'd done 80 miles, giving us enough motivation to do the last couple of miles back home.
Here are the stats from my cycle computer
Distance: 85.66m
Ride Time: 7:32
Average: 11.4mph
Max: 32.3mph
As I type this I'm beginning to feel the aftermath of what has been a very long day. Muscles are fairly sore and sitting down is interesting. However, MapMyRide (the website that does the map below) tells me that I've burnt 3500 calories, so I think I'm safe to eat a hearty dinner!
