Alveston to Bridgwater Cath 35 miles, Brian c.50

This morning we diverted to Portishead after a grim crossing of the Avon parallel to the M5 (more headwinds) following a rain-lashed visit to many large distribution warehouses at Avonmouth. Sustrans have established a solid route from the Avon viaduct to Portishead along the disused railway in several stretches but there are also zigzags around the perimeter of those prairies of new Toyotas, Peugeots and others, including a hitherto previously unencountered push-me-pull-you light truck cabin back-to-back via a stub chassis with its Siamese twin. Presumably this is a compact way is transporting new vehicles before they are rent asunder to be pimped with bespoke bodies. We had lunch with Cath's delightful chum Ursula, whose house looks out over the Estuary/Bristol Channel. Bracing and steep. Railway due to reopen next year. Hurrah!

A challenging day, not only for distance but there were high winds for much of it and driving rain on a couple of occasions. Cath decided mid-afternoon to get the train from Yatton to Bridgwater and then cycle to North Petherton, where we are staying with the charming Kate Doig, an artist and stained glass specialist.

After seeing Cath off at Yatton, I battled on in glorious sunshine and too much wind along the Strawberry Line, a single track former rail line and then the A road into Weston with the hope of picking up the cycle route near the railway station, as we older folks tend to say. No dice and no map (Cath needed it) and I was supposed to manage fine with Garmin GPS but no, that tile is missing and I failed to charge my phone overnight. All round lash up and out on NCR 3 from Bridgwater. No! Heads for Zoylandy places out west, had to turn back into the wind. Ghasters. Back down the A38 to North Petherton to meet Cath and Kate, then a pint of Butcombe Golden Ale and an outstanding, if pricy, curry at the dark brown Spice Gallery. And so, after tales of Macchu Pichu from Kate, to bed.

Cath cycled 35 miles, me probably about 50.