Bikepacking Missions: 255 Mile Welsh Cake Raid

My mission, cycle from England to Wales, visit the Welsh Cake Hut, secure the goods and make it back across the border.

A chance to spend some extra time on the bike and have a mini adventure from the front door.

Sun, wind, rain, hills, dodgy Komoot routes – it had a bit of everything.

Not all cycling has to be focused on an organised event, you can make your own one up!

Hopefully this will inspire you to set your own challenge or mission.

Any thoughts for my next mission? Let me know in the comments…

00:00 Intro
03:30 Wiltshire
07:30 Gloucestershire
10:58 Wales
13:54 Welsh Cakes!
16:12 Border Dash
19:08 Final Push

#cycling #bikepacking #adventure #4k

oh that Bridge Crossing was awful welcome to Wales front Mech has just run out of battery oh this could be a classic kot porridge PL I brought that in the morning it has exploded I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel so here we go a 250 Mi round trip to visit the Welsh cake cut in South Wales the co cats from Morocco are back and they’re still covered in some of that Moroccan dust but these will let me be a little bit more comfortable during the trip and take some pressure off my hands the first part of this route I’m heading north out of the New Forest up to Salsbury K stoud Gloucester loads of Roads I’ve probably never ridden before once I get Beyond Salsbury a route that I planned on commo so goodness knows where it’s actually going to take me hello horsey hopefully no hideous little foot paaths and hopefully or mostly all paved once I get to Gloucester it’s a little push West and then South again to the Ponty pool area to where I’m going to stay tonight in the luxury of a premier in when I plan this ride a few weeks ago I was hoping for some glorious spring sunshine and warmth but it’s pretty chilly and it feels like we’ve regressed to winter so the thought of sleeping Outdoors was a no and I’ll take that warm luxurious Premier in any day here’s some prime New Forest r Road surface right here probably the worst bit in the whole area first little mini climb coming up near foring bridge in the New Forest got to remember to try and keep it easy cuz there’s still about 140 mies to go today I don’t actually really know what sort of climbing I’m going to be doing bit of a classic probably pushed a bit harder than I should have on that climb and about 20 minutes in and I already need a Wii you go before you go out and then shortly after you need another one Sandy balls oh i’ just gone down a road that says it’s shut which isn’t ideal hopefully they’ll let me through at the bottom hopefully they let me through and I’m already running about an hour behind schedule so I’m slightly worried I’m not going to get there before it gets dark so why am I doing this ride well it’s a chance to get out and spend a bit more time on the bike a mini multi-day trip try and refine some things on my new bike test out some kit test out some eating and enjoy some New Roads thought it’s probably my next long event which is solest Sprint in June which is 1,000 km this little trip is about 400 but I’ll probably be cycling a lot less today than I plan to in that race and by riding it this way as opposed to two Loops one day after the next from home I get to take in some new roads have a little bit of an adventure which in itself brings a nice bit of motivation and excitement so who knows what this route has in store I always have a real sense of urgency when I start a ride at Leist just have to settle into it remember I’ve got all day to get there it’s not a rush taking the scenery not push too hard and just enjoy it we’re underway on the harrybo just had the first silly little Kimo detour going into Salsbury little pointless almost out and back bit to avoid a bit of Road onto the drag into Salsbury this is going to be an interesting bit to see where K’s taking me now we’re into Salsbury proper Salsbury Cathedral oh yes it’s first bit of gravel bit of cycle PA it wanted to take me down is shut it’s been resurfaced so back into Solsbury area trying to find a route through to get back to that path and again sort getting out SB is now turning into a bit of a challenge this is more like it through Salsbury time to make a start on the peanut butter onto some lesser ridden roads now and I think this one is part of the king Alf way that was aim spree more red lights more stop start coming through these busier areas adding a lot more time to my trip Beyond any roads that I know now into the unknown the adventure begins in Wiltshire just over 2 hours in 35 mil done 25% maybe another 6 to 7 hours we’ll be in pontile tanks crossing my bike feels a bit like a tank today with a tail on the back although I’m not carrying a huge amount of stuff still has a noticeable amount of weight especially when you’re going uphill so that was a quick little lunch in up Avon chicken wrap some more water and now about 100 miles to the premier in not quite sure where I am now but it’s been quite a few miles of these lovely quiet country lanes looks like there could be some hills coming up in the distance on to yet another closed Road hopefully or BDS get through this one looks like a new water pipe on this one rather than just the old tar and chip a smile can get you far the lads at the uh road closure just wave me through which is very kind cuz I have no idea where would I’ve gone if I had to divert around that perhaps had heard about the Welsh cake Mission now just passing through the Metropolis of K the old Kut routs taking me a bit of a weird way kind of just missed out the hole of the Town Center appear to have entered the realm of the short sharp climb that’s a good one done POS in my cousin just text me to ask why I’m cycling to Wales to get a cake I can’t work out if she’s asking me why or she’s saying why on Earth are you CCL into Wales nice bit of manure all across this road there’s the M4 feels slightly significant and that that is the road to Wales this is looking a bit more coutti said it was a dead end a minute ago some prime commuting and to Mark what it’s about about the halfway point 50% of today’s riding done 70 M left to go about 4 hours 20 minutes to get where I am now just a little bit of gravel we’re back onto the TAC again te Bri into these very small little wooded Lanes not quite sure where I am I’m guessing it might be the coxwoods who knows so we’re out of wilsh here and now into to glester share travs about 6 miles away then after that on to Gloucester been going up this really long drag for the last few miles think might be nearly at the top of it going to be heading onto a bit of a busier road but some lovely views down in South Valley and all around looks like got a big dipper coming up in Scout now it’s pretty much a traffic CH so we’re out the traffic jam well not really actually it’s coming up again and straight into a big climb nearly at the top of this lump but it’s been the smoothest bit of road I think I’ve had all ride hopefully the way down will be like this that probably just be some horrible little gravel path I can’t get any speed up so yeah The Descent a dirty grally pot old field Lane which is a bit disappointing after that slog up that hill I think I’ll drop down there’s a little bit of flattish and then there’s another big climb as we head towards Gloucester the M5 the M5 not quite sure where I am now guess it could be the outskirts of Gloucester might have to stop in a minute to get a bit more water maybe a cheeky b a Coke oh londis so that was a little mini re Bill londis classic petrol station snacking off the main road going down this canal path heading north and into gler well some places on there I’ve been before when I’ve been in and out of Wales on the pan Celtic closing in On the Border somewhere but that’s 100 m a ton 6 was 23 hopefully about another 40 m left I’ve got another big climb coming up and I guess it could be that monster there what’s looming in the distance that’s about 75% of the distance today on the Quest for the Welsh cake another K classic took me off his Lovely Fast descent just around this little diversion on a small little lane which was then a really Rocky grv potle Lane it was really steep couldn’t get any speed on it so I’m going to try and stay on this big road for a bit I think this is another tough climb hopefully almost at the top of it now this has got to be a kute special I think we’re just cresting that hill and looks like we could have a descent on maybe some good roads oh you can see the big mountains in the distance but not visiting them on this trip hopefully if I do I probably made a bit of a routing error oh oh [Music] yeah guessing this could be the Y Valley that was a really good scent actually got some good speed up regained a little bit of average speed definitely being a change in scenery big green Rolling Hills lovely Scenic bit now down the side of a drw carriageway it’s got more Scenic straight down the drill carriageway now welcome to Wales on the Dr carriageway back off the Dr carriageway Now it only a few years ago I used to come here and racing the Dr carriageway slightly further down and I think we go through Ragan which is where some of those TTS went but it got me a nice 30 m hour for a few miles which can’t be sniffed at coming through mouth now if there’s a theme for this ride it’s Clos Road for this bit of Road might not actually be a new bit for me I think this is a reverse of a 50 m time travel course so I had a slight little miscount rather be about 7 miles from here to the premere think it’s about 13 slightly annoying I guess not too bad in the grand scheme of things uh we’re now coming into us this is where my rout splits and one bit goes off to Ponzi pool for the night the other bit is the way home tomorrow so I just got to get get this bit right otherwise it be a bad night onto these lovely quiet Welsh Country Roads again hopefully this is the final medium moderate size hill before we reach Ponty pool or actually I think it’s qumar where we will find the premiere wouldn’t want to be bivy in there oh that wasn’t the uh biggest climb of the trip think is about 150 M but with my legs feeling it that was pretty tough just having a little moment only a couple of miles to go but think got behind waiting having a little Refuel on this 1 in six climb weirdly if it had have been 140 Mi like I originally thought I think I might have just about made it there without that little moment oh and there it is the Oasis Premier in and there it is luxury of the Premier in oh glad I’m not Bing out tonight it’s was pretty chilly but annoyingly porridge pot I brought to have in the morning it has exploded in my bag and going everywhere everything’s now covered in porridge dust anyway time to shower get some food see you tomorrow day two and it’s raining chilly and bit like winter again I’m just going to ride down to where I think I can get these Welsh cakes from and then head home managed to salvage some of my porridge pot by pouring out the dust and porridge from my tail fins I’ve had that for breakfast but my rain jacket is covered in milk powder so with this bit of rain I’m not quite sure what state I’m going to end up Ino but it is chilly very chilly this is the uh shopping center somewhere down here got to find the entrance and hopefully it’ll let me in on my bike think that could be it over there you’re right how you do not bad made it here and got my Welsh cakes and I’m be riding home so that is the goods secured oops I appeared to be going up a oneway street so now we ride back up to the hotel area and then we commence the escape from Wales back over those few short sharp climbs that we came over last night and then back to us and after that I think we go up a pretty big climb before heading towards the Seven Bridge winter gloves G back on cuz it’s chilly and we’re straight into this steep climb out of the Ponty pool area which we came down last night W what warm up that’s was like 20% climb the route today is 108 Mi back home my feet are now soak so they’re freezing cold and it’s a farmy 5° just coming up to one of the first big climbs of the day I think is about 200 M elevation gain drops down a bit climbs again then I think we roll down to the Seven Bridge woohoo this climb looks scar really steep oh it’s not very often enough to get off and push on the road bike but this hill is Mega steep slippy can’t get any traction God look at that basically vertical oh this could be a classic cot it’s actually a struggle to walk in cleats up here oh dear I was looking forward to a nice fast descent after that but it’s taking me down this sort of half destroyed grally Road we’re rolling again and this is some proper Welsh weather on and off rain we still reasonably highish I guess so maybe a bit closer to those clouds I thought we were done with winter but it’s now 4° in raining I’m going down thehill and I’m freezing Seven Bridge looming interview in the misty Cloud as we dash for the Border oh it’s blow up here I just realized it’s not the actually the Seven Bridge is the old Seven Bridge cuz the other one’s down there slightly different way how I thought I was coming back in England oh that Bridge Crossing was awful England Welsh cakes got across the border we’re now working my way down to Bristol still raining still cold I got bit Destiny’s Child on the radio one which just getting me pumped back in the urban Bradley stoke wherever that is weaving my way around these housing Estates cool cats are taking a bit of a battering in this rain oh that was a very frustrating last stretch lots of stopping and starting weaving through houses couple of wrong turns but now we’re on that dis Railway line between brist and bar hopefully we can crack out a few miles to stop too much on that this rway line it’s going all right a little bit stop start because of people and other bikes dogs Etc it’s nice and flat and it’s got slightly warmer we’re up to 8° so kind of doubled in temperature since it’s start silence is temporary out on my feet and maybe pouring out slightly now down by the Bristol bath Canal now now in bath in the old raway tunnel which saves us going up a massive Hill second tunnel I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel just over halfway now very first still barath I think the next stop to Warminster taking about 4 hours a bit of a slow average speed but I put that down to those Hills in Wales at the start and that Grim weather that sort of start of the day cold wet and windy now it’s cold and windy front Mech has just run out of battery which is an interesting development which isn’t great considering there’s still a few big Hills to come mysterious bit of commuting and I just smashed down five Welsh cakes Warminster come through the little village of Wy onto some lesser ridden but familiar roads so it sort of feels like I’m getting back towards home now Wilton time for a couple of pretty well moderate Siz Hills compared to whales but big for around here battery switched out and in the low gear first climb is out of Wilton it’s not a super long climb it’s just really Steep and if anyone did the pan Celtic they might remember it from this so let’s get our head down and get to the top might be able to see the wall coming up in the distance and that’s the top of the hill out Wilton and we’re now approaching my favorite set of trees which looks even more impressive when it’s got leaves on it but at the moment it’s still looking pretty wintry the theme of the day we go broad chalk the last proper climb of the ride it’s kind of a free parter it starts off steep levels out and it gets steep again at the end there’s normally some lovely views from the top and I came down there the other week when I did my video at motivation it’s one of my favorite climbs but maybe not as good today CU my legs are feeling tight that’s the top of broad chalk the last big climb of the ride so now I’ve got very fast downhill then it’s kind of rolling back to the New Forest not going to bother changing my front Mech again so it’s going to be a case just rolling down this hill probably spinning out at the bottom oh we’re almost there though we’re almost there those last two Hills weren’t actually that bad they were really put into perspective by those Hills in Wales and the cot wols we’re rolling now though 21 mph spinning hopefully only don’t know another 10 mil or so and we’ll be home say 100 Mil for the day bit slower 6 hours 40 but there was a very slow start including walking up that hill so I’ve kind of pulled the average speed back a little bit more 15 M an hour average soer that’s me back in the New Forest be about 255 miles that I’ve done yesterday and today a really good little Adventure even though this morning the first couple of hours were absolutely awful probably some of the worst riding I’ve done all winter even though we’re well into spring still got a few Welsh cakes left I can really recommend the Welsh cake cut they were lovely hopefully this has inspired you to get out there and have a little Adventure but for now heads down get home get clean oh and of course it has to Chuck it down the last couple of miles before home but there you go that’s cycling and that’s adventuring