Mendip Way

On my way out from Uphill.

 Right then, an actual walk, in England even, it has been a long time.  I wasn't planning on doing such a thing given it is September, but it still seems to be plenty warm enough so why not.  The plan is to do the Mendip Way, or more accurately the West Mendip Way and then the East Mendip Way.  The Mendips being a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol, running from the Bristol Channel to the Frome valley, so not long, in fact the route is a mere 50 miles, and its not a national trail so no acorn signs, still I have my reasons for doing it.

I start at Uphill, and manage to find the sign marking the start of the route hidden behind some bushes by the tidal gate at the entrance to Uphill marina.  The sign explains that the West Mendip Way was laid out by the local rotary club, and opened to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's silver jubilee back in 1977.  From here I walk a way through the Somerset levels, with a nice view of Brean Down, the aforementioned marina, the river Axe, Severn estuary, and indeed Wales in the distance.  It's a nice afternoon for an easy walk, there is a brief climb up Purn Hill but it is hardly strenous, and then down again to Bleadon where as it happens my parents now live.  This is of course the main reason for choosing this route, this first night I get to have home-cooked food and sleep in a bed.  And, I have walked three whole miles!

Trig point!  With Cheddar Reservoir in the background.

Day two, it is cloudy but dry, fine weather for walking in fact.  Off I walk over hills, there are more views, Brent Knoll is not far away at all, and Glastonbury Tor is visible to the south.  Lots of woods today, they are a bit damp but not cold, it sure is nice to be doing this in England again.  It is not long to Cheddar, tonight's stop, just 8 miles by road in fact, but the trail takes a much longer route, partly to pack in many hills of course, but also so that it can approach the town along one edge of the famous gorge, it is most scenic.  I check into an English campsite - haven't done that for a while - good to see it is still open in mid-September.  For dinner I cook up a couple of burgers in the tent, and why not.

Bishop's residence at Wells.

It's raining when I wake up, this is also nostalgic, but it's not a lot fun to pack up the wet tent.  In the event it rains for most of the day, a shame as this is a good route, there are hills of course, without much of a view in this weather, and plenty of nice footpaths through forest.  I descend through another gorge, Ebbor, not as dramatic as Cheddar but pleasantly wooded, from here the route passes through Wookey Hole, I never realised it was a village as well as just a tourist attraction.  Just one more hill, then down on a footpath turned into a rushing stream by the rain, and I'm in Wells, a lovely little place I must say.  England's smallest city I gather, it of course has a cathedral, but also an impressive castle complete with moat, apparently this was the bishop's residence for many centuries.  I did plan to keep going a little further on the way and trying to find a random spot to camp in the woods, but honestly with the rain I am not fancying it, I haven't seen much in the way of suitable camp spots anyway.  A quick search locates a compact and bijou campsite a little south of the 'city' - the castle is bordered directly by fields.  A whole nine pounds gets me a pitch, and it even stops raining so I can walk back to Wells and a pub...

My tent lives!

Last day, and a beautiful sunny morning, although I don't have time to wait for the tent to dry.  Twenty miles today to the endpoint at Frome, this will be the East Mendip Way, a later addition to the trail, and perhaps without as many notable features, nonetheless I of course start by climbing a hill.  Pleasant grassy walking at the top, although many of the fields have cows and I need to be careful where I'm putting my feet - I fear I am not always careful enough.  The weather holds up, I climb down to Shepton Mallet and its impressive viaduct, then up onto more hills, sometimes more grassy fields, sometimes fine walking through woods.  Seems like a lot of these paths are well trodden, but maybe not the route as a whole - a few times I have to struggle through a section overgrown with weeds.  It gets a bit muddy at times too, unsurprising after the downpour yesterday - at one point I slip over, I can cope though, although I am starting to see why growing up in this country I thought proper boots were needed for walking.  Well, my walking shoes keep going, a pleasant last few miles along a woodland stream and I'm into Frome.  Time to take a train to Bristol and a proper bed!

A close as I could find to something marking the end of the route.

Thai cycling - Nakhon Sawan back to Sikhio.

At the resort in Takhli.

I ride south from Nakhon Sawan, through pretty mountainous country, but the route I've planned manages to be flat enough.  I do pick up a puncture, it is only a slow though so I opt for pumping up the tire whenever I stop to take on water, which is often of course.  Not a terribly long day, only 70km or so, I reach my destination, Takhli, early enough.  Time to fix that puncture, and a good thing it was only a slow as I struggle to remove the wheel, it is a quick release of course but I can't budge the lever, looking around the (charming) resort I find a piece of metal rebar which lets me apply some extra leverage, sorted.  More difficulties though, riding off to a bar I arrive to find it shut, and then rain starts to pour down, no choice but to wait around for half an hour.  Then the second bar I try is shut too, these are all several km apart on a busy road, good thing I am on the bike.  Well, the third bar is thankfully open, it also provides me with a fantastic fish curry.

Day six of the trip, another 70km or so, today I follow a railway line for a while, then a nice road along a substantial canal, built for irrigation purposes I guess.  Only problem is that as this isn't a natural watercourse, it doesn't really pass through any towns making it hard to find water, in the end I have to detour away.  I enter yet another province, Lopburi, and follow the canal to my destination, the provincial capital which is of course also named Lopburi.  Again it is a bit hard to find a bar, the route google suggests I take to one involves a road that doesn't exist in reality, so I have to backtrack along a road with many barking dogs.  Then it turns out the bar doesn't exist either, a victim of Covid I imagine, well, I eventually find a place where I am, of course, the only customer.

Pasak Chonlasit reservoir.

A long day from Lopburi, I am now heading east back towards home, but at least for most of the morning I'm going downhill and make good time, the low point being the impressive Pasak Chonlasit reservoir.  I did plan to ride along the dam, but the road is closed, well the minor road below the dam is very pleasant.  From here, the cycling remains flat for a while, then mid afternoon I am a bit disconcerted to see a sign saying it is still 69km to my destination, Pak Chong.  Fortunately it seems that was for a route staying on major roads, well, the route I've planned is only 25km and actually the roads are fine, if rather hilly now, I do have to push the bike a bit.  Seems this is popular cycling country, I see a few others about on my way into town.  Pak Chong is a very popular tourist destination, close to Khao Yai national park, so no problem finding a familiar bar with a proper band playing.

Lovely mountain scenery in Khao Yai.

Last day, good thing too, I feel a bit broken.  Not sure about the handlebar grip design on this bike, both of my hands have gone kind of numb, also I have a few patches of sunburn, well it will heal.  The day is a hard one of course, 90km or so and I am going through that national park - the only alternative being to ride on what is essentially a motorway back to Sikhio.  Well, it certainly makes for very pretty riding, and in fact for much of the morning I am going downhill, southeast rather than directly east towards home.  I can however see a line of steep hills to my left, at some point my route will turn and cross them, well, hopefully there really is a road there.  In the event, yes, there is a very, very steep road - at times I can barely push the bike uphill, let alone pedal.  There is at least a nice view on the way up, and when I finally reach the top, some fun freewheeling down the other side.  Not too far now, more pleasant countryside, including another reservoir, Sap Bradu, on my way back to Sikhio.  And that is that, well, all good fun of course, and I am sure feeling will return to my little fingers at some point.  I shall have to see about a route to the south or east of here at some point.