Day three: Bridgwater to Hereford (nearly)

Sunshine!
It's funny how such little things can made you so unreasonably happy, but the sun breaking through just as we came through Bristol today was a real lift! We started the day outside Bridgewater and cycled up through the Somerset Levels through to Weston-super-Mare. I'd never been before so we went all the way to the seafront to see the newly rebuilt pier - a splendid sight (Shame about the idiot in Lycra getting in the way all the time....)


We then headed across and up to Bristol, along the Portway, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge...



... and then up to the 'old' Severn Bridge at Aust.
Up until this point it had been pan-flat (in marked contrast to the two previous days) and crossing the bridge was the our highest point of the day up to that point. By that time the sun was out and although it was pretty breezy, the crossing was fantastic -you could see for miles down the estuary.

After Chepstow we wound our way up the Wye valley - easily the best riding of the trip so far. Fantastic views, dappled shade through the trees, a great road surface (they've recently resurfaced most of it by the looks of it) and a brilliant long decent into the valley - I clocked 62kph at one point!  

we passed Tinturn Abbey,

met Mary for a cake and coffee stop

and headed up through Monmouth. Longest climb of the day was about 5 miles climbing all the way out of Monmouth but we had another sharp one just when we thought we were nearly home! B&B is a nice little place on top of a ridge just above Hereford, so should be a nice downhill start for tomorrow.

Route tomorrow is through Ludlow, Much Wenlock and Telford before getting back to John & Mary's at Eccleshall. Here's the route: