Grantchester Meadows...stage 2...Hamstall Ridware to Cambridge

Met Office reckoned on a steady easterly down in my neck of the woods today: Met Office was not incorrect, worse luck. Managed to lose my cue-sheet giving me directions and distances (lovingly crafted over a pint of Pedigree last night too) after about five miles too...d'oh!

Can't I just stay here...would anyone mind at all?

The cue-sheet would have been invaluable today because of the ridiculous number of twists and turns involved in staying away from main roads and yet still managing to keep me headed in the right direction. Plan B involves using Google Maps on the mobile but this means so many stops that you wouldn't believe.

Cycling. It's a broad church.

One of my LEJOG mates offered to meet me at about the 50 mile-mark. Initially we reckoned on about 1130am for the RV: I kept messaging him and putting it back, such was the glacial nature of my progress. Think Solheim cup multiplied by Bryson DeChambeau (have I got that right, Hazel?).

Anyway, we did hook-up and Clive was a diamond, staying with me until the county boundary with Cambridgeshire. Although on reflection that might have been to make sure that I vacated his native Northants, hah-hah!

Superb place names.

Tragical History Tour!

Fear not- the gardening midget fella not involved.

Clive was ace at the navigation because it's his local patch: he also steered us through some beautiful villages...you'll have to take this on trust because I inadvertently knocked the setting on my camera which means all those lovely village churches and gardens are just memories! Ah well...

Even gave me money for a pint later on. Sainthood beckons, surely!

St Ives, I think. It'll do, I suppose.

I pressed on and eventually found the cycle path that parallels the certain-death experience that is the A14 into Cambridge. Planet Bizarro though: they have buses running beside it, train-style. Was tempted to see if they'd take the bike, hah-hah!

Dunno what Jack, Stan & Blakey would make of it all...

Done-in as I was, it was great not to have to worry about cars on the run-in to Cambridge. Thankfully Dave was up for a quick visit: great to say hello, even if was brief as I had to check-in to my guest house and then get myself sorted.

Evening Sir!

That's about as much as I know about today: gonna sleep well...and so will you if you've read this, hah-hah!

Grim.

Only a couple of miles away!