Distance 171 kms Ascent 1,420 metres

The route today traversed the hills of North Devon & moved on to the flat landscape of the Somerset Levels.

It was raining when we woke this morning so a little lie in was called for. The rain eventually lifted a bit so off I went, but it rained off & on for the rest of the day.

It was very hilly for the first 50 kms either going up or down. One of the joys of climbing is the rush of the descent but with the narrow lanes it’s not possible as you need to be slow enough to stop for any oncoming traffic.

A lot of the route today consisted of canal paths & rail trails which as well as being traffic free, were very picturesque. The views from the lanes were pretty good too. But with the wet weather it made for a dirty ride too, even with the mudguards.