Day 30 - Colyton

Following The Hill on Friday, my thigh muscles were in need of a little down time yesterday. Also, there was a Tiger Tank spectacular occurring at Bovington camp which meant that a rest day was certainly on the cards. So this Easter Sunday morning, the first day of British Summer Time, I stepped out into the early sun to conclude my first month of cycling. I was keen to mark this day with a route that would highlight the improvement in my fitness, which meant securing another village trophy, Colyton. I'm thinking I should be adding stars or something to my bike frame for each village I 'conquer', like a fighter pilot marks his kills on the side of his plane!

Colyton Station

So, the route to Colyton took me out along Harepath Road and up Gully Shoot, a long climb past the prestigious Colyton Grammar School. Pausing for a moment at the summit and the beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Axe valley, I then descended into Colyford's narrow picturesque lanes, where a few weeks back, the high walls had redesigned one of my car's wing mirrors! Colyton has a number of interesting attractions which I had to visit: golden stone buildings, grand gates, bridges, quirky roundabout and of course the terminus to the Seaton Tramway.

"Vehicles left at owners' risk"

After the detour to view the station, all closed up on this Easter Sunday, I returned to the main road and Colyford down Crownhayne Lane, a road not for the fainthearted as there are few passing places for even a bike should one meet a car coming the other way. It is also a road which this winter has spent most of its time submerged as it crosses the Axe River flood plain.

Colyton Roundabout!

Cycling back up hill into Colyford, past the old garage museum, I turned in down Seaton Road for the country ride back to the sea. Entering Seaton, the sun was so warm that I felt had to visit the beach. This put me on the road to Castle Hill, which is so steep, that I have yet to climb in one go. Today, however, it was taken with relative ease; what a difference a month makes! This was the perfect circuit and weather to conclude my first full month on two wheels, a summary of which I'll add later.

Stats: 7.32 mi, 48m 25s, Avg 9.1 mph, max 23 mph, 546 kcal