A UK Tour With Poppy Baker!

Covid breakout….

The world has been in turmoil but in 2021 parts of it started to return, travel opened up with some precautions and many holidayed UK style.
We had a week to do a mini tour of our green land, hitting places we haven’t visited before.
Armed with the usual mobile tech, AirB&B and Booking.Com….my TomTom satnav updated, the usual overfilled dry bag, 2 panniers and a little excess squeezed into his half empty bags…..off we went, leaving at a luxurious 10am & heading from our home in Dorset towards Bath…purely as we know a good pub there for lunch.

Now we know touring can be hard and fast if you have to crunch those miles but what’s the point of missing life around you on the journey. Our aim was to ride until we were either pooped or found somewhere that took our fancy. Lunchtimes are always good to refresh, look at Google maps, see rough destination with an idea of miles/time etc. With all that considered you can suss where you’re going to end up that day and use the apps to get a room. It’s seriously easier than you think!
We plumped for a town called Ironbridge, riding across to Chepstow, Monmouth, Hereford avoiding all main roads and just having a blast in the countryside. It was roughly 170 miles & we lazily pulled into the recently booked pub at 4.30pm.
We like to stay at pubs as you have the choice to eat and drink at your location or wander, saying that this turned out the only one we used but was very good at £80pn B&B

Day 2: We’d chatted about going to the Lakes, something I did when I was a kiddie & considered stopping at Blackpool for a quick look around on route.
Even with my all things sussed, not everything goes to plan. We ended up having to hit main roads, joining society and English traffic. Even though this leg of the journey was similar miles, we avoided Blackpool as the day was moving too quickly and arrived in Dalton in Furness around tea time, found a lovely B&B on a hill, which completely lashes up my parking. Note: consider where you are leaving your beast! You can’t park down a hill, needs to be up and your stand naturally at the right angle. Sounds obvious but I can assure you even with my years of riding, I often miss this and the fella has to manoeuvre for me….very annoying!
We decided to stay 2 nights so we could explore the Lakes and having offloaded the bags, we could ride around the area with more ease. I’ll supply a photo at some stage as we are off to Italy in September, I resemble a pack mule but needs must!

Day 4: Leaving the Lakes we agreed to ride across country to Bridlington, 150 miles of exploration & the unknown. We stopped at a roadside cafe for lunch, chatting to anyone who vaguely looked in our direction but to be fair the higher up country, the friendlier they become. It’s amazing what people will tell you if you spend time to share, best places to get fuel, roads to avoid…..places you have to visit. Armed with some knowledge, next 2 nights accom just booked, we headed on.
Another point for satnav users, if like me you take off main roads and tolls be aware of where it will guide you. 1:4 gradients, hair pin bends, even the odd goat track…..I’m a total freak with heights and turn into a soppy girl, when confronted with hills & swearing doesn’t come close to what goes on in my world. However…….it’s amazing how you survive every time!
Once again we snaked into the seaside town, found our slightly aged hotel but had the biggest welcome from our chatty Yorkshire host. At £50pn with breaky it was another affordable stay.
The 2 nights there, let us explore Whitby and up to Oliver’s Mount, a race track which anyone can go on. I’ll let you check it out online as words don’t give it justice, other than it’s up high around a hill….stunning and fun.

Day 6: Thought best head back down south & as we have a penchant for canals we plumped for Towcester. Without too much detail we had to hit a couple of main roads but all to the good as towns and roadworks were in their masses. We covered around 180 miles and found a Boutique B&B with a back gate to the pub by the canal. It was agreed the last 2 nights we spend a little more on the accommodation and it was 100% worth it. Luxury hamper breakfast delivered, super dooper (totally get lost in it) king size bed…..you get the picture…it was blissful.
We didn’t venture far, just chilled at the pub reminiscing about the week so far.

Leaving to come home to Dorset is like any holiday ending, a deep sigh but the ride was cool. I made sure we avoided the motorways, hit country and enjoyed the glorious weather. Covered around 140 miles, stopped for lunch & rolled home before tea….just enough time to unload, clean the bikes, get the laundry in the machine and kick back in the evening, chatting about life. Happy days!