Around the edge in 80 days — cycling the coastline of Britain

I'd been waiting for this day for years and it had finally arrived. I had visioned starting off in sunshine but the reality was endless drizzle and grey sky. The day started with my usual Tuesday sea swim with friends in Brighton next to the West Pier. This had been part of my routine for the past two… read more

After a big breakfast I was waved off and headed towards Southampton. I soon arrived at a bright pink ferry shelter in Warsash and it was not long until 'The Pink Ferry' pulled up to sail me across the River Hamble.



After passing through the quaint village and sailing mecca of Hamble-le-Rice there was… read more

Today was my first full stage of rolling hills with steep gradients so I knew I was in for a long day.



After breakfast on Swanage seafront I set off with Alice towards Corfe Castle, which was bustling with cars and tourists. We discovered that the road running through Lulworth Range was closed due to… read more

I felt relieved knowing that today was a relatively short distance, but I knew I was in for some serious hills. Dorset’s Jurassic coastline is certainly better for hiking than cycling, as once again, I spent the first ten miles on fairly uninteresting inland roads and even got caught in a traffic jam… read more

The day began with a welcome descent into Exmouth where I cycled along the long curved traffic-free esplanade to the marina. I waited for the ferry which would take me across the mouth of the River Exe to Starcross. Other ferry passengers began to arrive including a friendly woman who asked if I was… read more

I set off mid-morning after my usual black coffees and shortly arrived in Brixham, a quirky fishing town with colourful houses surrounding the harbour bowl. In keeping with my self-imposed rule of following the coastline at all times where possible, I found myself at Berry Head, a nature reserve headland… read more

I had a long, hilly day ahead of me so I set off at sunrise around 5am. Instead of taking the direct road to Plymouth, I weaved around the large peninsulas carved by the rivers Erne and Yealm, passing through the villages of Newton Ferrers and Wembury.



Eventually I reached the City of Plymouth and snaked… read more

I began the day on the steep coastal road out of Mevagissey which provided great views of the pretty harbourside village with its pastel coloured houses at varying heights from the waters edge. As I made my way around the coastline, the landscape consisted of small tucked away sandy beaches and lush… read more

I woke up early after a relatively good night's sleep in my bivvy bag, although it had become soaked with condensation overnight. The sun was just starting to rise as I set off across the Lizard Peninsula. The sky was a beautiful pink colour which contrasted perfectly with the long green grass either… read more

After a leisurely breakfast with my Auntie I set off from Carbis Bay, passing through Lelant, Hayle and Portreath. This coastline is dotted with huge sandy beaches with clear sea water and is a popular region for surfers.



Just after the village of St Agnes I found myself whizzing down a steep scenic… read more

After a short cycle from the hotel I arrived in Padstow, a popular, charming fishing town famous for Rick Stein’s highly rated seafood restaurant. I cycled through the busy High Street to the harbour where I caught a ferry over to Rock across the clear blue waters of the Camel Estuary.



After a series… read more

After a long spell of sunny weather I woke up to drizzly rain. I set off early and headed northwards across the border to Devon. Completing Cornwall felt like an important milestone. Along with Argyllshire, it is the county with the longest stretch of coastline to cycle.



I entered a particularly remote… read more

I made my way out of Ilfracombe via a quick detour around the harbour to look at the Damian Hirst sculpture, Verity. It is a giant stainless steel and bronze construction of a pregnant woman holding a sword while carrying the scales of justice and standing on a pile of law books.



I took the main road… read more

I woke up feeling a huge sense of achievement that the hilliest section of my trip was over. I knew that Devon and Cornwall would be the toughest part of the journey and I now felt more confident about my 80 day target.



I headed east towards Bridgwater where I was diverted inland around the River Parratt… read more

From Leigh Woods I dropped down onto the cycle path which ran next to the River Avon. I cycled under the impressive Clifton Suspension Bridge, which looked so high up from water level. I came off the cycle path at Pill, joining a shared path along the M5 and over the River Avon to the industrial port… read more

I cycled into Cardiff and headed to Cardiff Bay, a vibrant regenerated area on the waterfront with excellent cycling infrastructure. I shortly arrived at Penarth, an elegant coastal suburb of south Cardiff with a Victorian Pier and Art Deco Pavilion. I stopped at the pier to fill my fork mounted bottles… read more

The day started with a lovely traffic-free cycle along Swansea Bay to Mumbles, known as the 'Mumbles Mile'. I edged around the undulating Gower Peninsula admiring the beautiful sandy beaches dotted below the cliff edges.



Today two friends were joining me for three days of cycling. I met them in Llanelli… read more

We started the day by cycling around another estuary off Carmarthen Bay, where the River Taf meets the sea. We stopped for coffee at the charming town of Laugharne, set on the river with castle ruins.



Finally at Pendine we were reunited with the coastline. It boasted a huge 7 mile sandy beach called… read more

After a short cycle out of Castlemartin we were greeted by a beautiful rugged sandy beach at Freshwater West. The skinny road weaved through wild grassy dunes collecting fine sand at the edges. In contrast, just around the corner was Pembroke Oil Refinery based on the edge of Rhoscrowther. There was… read more

After a series of unpredictable rain showers, we set off along narrow country lanes, occasionally hitting quiet rugged coastal coves. We approached Goodwick and Fishguard, twin towns wrapped around Fishguard Bay. Access between each town involved some steep climbs, so we were ready for a decent lunch… read more