Cornwall to Sweden - day 9

Antwerp, Belgium to Arnham, The Netherlands

If I dreamed up what the perfect world would be like; it would be the The Netherlands. Seriously, it's like something out of a dream. Perfect roads, loads of greenery, nice towns, clean & tidy, beautiful friendly people, amazing cycle tracks - the place is something else. I mean where else could I cycle 128 miles in a day!

For a start, it's completely flat which means you just don't seem to get tired - I could have kept pedalling further had I not run out of daylight! But most of all is the fact that cyclists are treated like kings - they have priority over everyone; pedestrians included.Cycle lanes are perfectly tarmacked paths that are wide enough to fit two cars side by side, with their own detailed sets of signs and traffic lights. Houses are all unique and stylish, everyone cycles youg and old, gardens are perfectly manicured as if taken from a Hollywood movie. Even the dustbins are totally different. I love it. Best day of the trip so far.

Route map

Cornwall to Sweden - day 8

Tournai, Belgium to Antwerp, Belgium

I must admit, a couple of days ago when cycling in the hot heat, through boring scenery, getting in late and tired, I wondered why I was doing this. Yesterday was the reason.

I barely left a cycle path in all 80 odd miles. Nearly every single road has a path beside it, separated by either white lines or bushes. Bikes take priority at every junction and roundabout. In fact as I found out, you get beeped at if you ride on the road! 

The first half of the day was spent on a great path along the River Schelde, 45 miles with perfect surface and no cars. 

I stopped in Ghent for lunch -  Bradley Wiggins birthplace and a Mecca for cyclists. It was only meant to be a quick food stop, but it was their annual city festival and I was so taken with the place that I ended up staying all afternoon! Musicians and entertainment everywhere, interesting buildings and a buzzing atmosphere. 

All this made me very late for the second half of the day, and I didn't find my hostel in Antwerp til gone 10pm! But to get into the city meant crossing the Schelde, a huge river crossed only by tunnels. The first one didn't say 'no bikes' so I took a chance and went for it, pedalling flat out down the ramp. Within 100m everyone started beeping. OK, so not for bikes then! I squeezed back up the narrow footpath, breathed out, and eventually found the cycle tunnel.

Belgium is brilliant. I never thought I'd say that, but it is. And Ghent, now one of my favourite places. 

Route map (pictures soon)

Cornwall to Sweden, day 7

Amiens, France to Tournai, Belgium

The weather was all over the place on my 84m ride yesterday, with cloud, sun, rain, thunder and heavy hail! I've never been so pleased to cycle in the rain, very refreshing.

I'd been riding through the Somme region where many WWI battles happened, past four large British war cemeteries on the road I was on alone. It was an eye opening sight, the thousands of identical headstones. Brings home the sacrifices they made, and was good to see how well looked after it all was. 

Apart from that all I've really seen is field after field of corn and potatoes, with windfarms scattered between. The French know how to do them properly, unlike the poxy windmills often littered around Britain now!

Got into Belgium late in the afternoon, everything instantly looked and felt different, as if I'd gone a thousand miles over the border, rather than one. And the horse steak I mentioned previously? I can see why they got away with calling it cheap beef!

Today's route (first part before phone overheated)

Tournai, Belgium