Taunton to Bristol - Day Ten - Bristol to Cornwall round trip

Last night in the pub Mick made a confession. When we had been somewhere between South Molton and Bampton he had reached into his pocket for some gum and had found in there the key to the room in the Bideford B&B. He had forgotten to leave it on the table as instructed. He checked I wasn't looking and then threw it in a bush. Somehow, I did not think we would be returning to Bideford for a while.

Comfort Stop!

On leaving Taunton we found our way down the back of an industrial estate and onto the canal towpath to Bridgewater, not the quickest, but the most pleasant route and lovely and quiet. We stopped for a break in Bridgewater but saw no reason to stay long. The only way out of the town is on the A39 which we took as far Woolavington. This section of the A39 is used by motorists going to and from the nearby M5, and many drivers are still in full zoom mode. Being an ex-Roman road, it is also pretty straight which also encourage speeding. I was in front (for a change) and at the top of a hill I stopped to wait for Mick so that he didn't sail past the left turn coming up. I waited so long that I was convinced he had disappeared under the wheels of an articulated lorry. Eventually he appeared around the corner. "Bloody chain fell off again," he said when he had caught me up.

As always the Somerset Levels provided a welcome antidote to the A39 and we had a pleasant ride through East Harptree, Mark and Wedmore before arriving at Cheddar where we had - what else? - a Cheddar ploughmans.

We started up the Strawberry Line but then switched to the A38 to make up time. It was a fast road and we were soon speeding past the airport. Mick was craning his neck to watch a plane just coming in to land. "It's a Fokker!" he exclaimed. (Mick loves airplanes, he behaves like a small boy every time we come past here, jumping up and down and getting all excited - whereas I find planes incredibly boring unless I am boarding one to go on holiday.)
"No need for that sort of language," I smirked.

From here it wasn't long until we were coasting into Bristol, the A38 had improved our eta considerably although it is not the most relaxing of routes. Just over four hundred miles and only one day of rain and one accident (falling out of the bunk bed on day two).  All in all it was a most successful venture. 

Miles cycled today: 55
Total miles: 424

Our route is  here