A short cycling holiday in Brittany.
St Malo to Dinan by bike.
good morning this is the grand depart it’s the first day of our holiday we’re just cycling down to the ferry coming along the half day path another 10 minutes till we get to the boat bit of a headwind but it’s okay on in France we’ll be going safe so yeah really loaded bikes which are heavy but manageable so yeah here we go back uh that’s where we just come in it’s the harbor windy get going to be tucking into something being a bit camera shy okay so here we are on the Little dard Ferry it’s a small vessel nice to get the bikes on and uh we’re going over to dinard we’ll pick up the greenway and head towards Dino very nice sky looks a little bit possibly some rain but we’ll see yeah so we’re uh heading across to Dina uh on the little boat so we got the bikes on and uh yeah it’s quite a nice little Crossing across the harbor here Sky yeah looks like it might be some rain later but we’ve got water BR so uh yeah we should be okay but uh yeah this is all be fun this is a a grand Adventure leaving s Maro behind that’s the W City beautiful I think it look so lovely lovely architecture came across on few V out to B French warship there came past us and some massive Palace coming in there as well so we are current the outside of dinard came across on the boat had a little bit of difficulty picking up the trail but we’re on it now this is like was it disu a disused railway so it was a railway that ran from dard to D so yeah we’re on it now the saav is saying we’re on the trail so yeah weather’s cleared up we had a blooming Cloud burst as we got off the boat at dinard so took shelter for 5 or 10 minutes till the worst of it past but sun’s out again now and we’re heading towards tunnel so yeah all good so continuing along the vo there the Green Way birds are singing the sun is shining we are all France it is really good really enjoying this very nice we’re running alongside the main road so you can hear the traffic but it doesn’t actually seem that busy but I suppose it is a bank holiday just came to a little shopping arcade thing and some of the shops were actually open I thought everything would be closed being a bank holay but uh no not everything so yeah continuing along heading south towards tunnel I’m just uh stopping for a lunch break stopped at the side of the road on the trail H the sandwich it’s just long straight Trail does go all the way to Ren apparently uh that’s probably a bit far but yeah we’ve done about 5 miles so far so nearly at the halfway point I think it’s about 13 and a bit miles all together so yeah looking good okay so it is day two it’s Tuesday uh weather’s not great today uh but we slept well last night legs are a bit tired from the cycling but we’re okay to the supermarket this morning and got some supplies and we’re walking along the river Ross towards the port to dino to get some lunch as you can see behind me Jor suit at tired in case it rains cuz it forast for some heavy rain but at the moment it’s not too bad we’re just walking along basically what was the toe path I guess of like it becomes the canal the but this is still the river at the moment but uh we’re just walking into the port too which is around the next couple of bends when there’s loads of like cafes and restaurants and it’s very touristy but it’s lovely so yeah looking forward to that but uh yeah and these two are in quite High Spirits okay here we are brought to dino just had lunch it’s bit of a miserable day it’s a bit uh gray drizzly but wonderful buuck there used to carry the railway across apparently it’s now the road and we just had lunch in the place just down here but no it really is lovely place to Port too very enjoyable indeed but it’s all pretty quiet it’s quite low season I guess a lot of places aren’t open yet a lot of places are still closed but yeah all good where we’re staying this is uh our mobile home bike’s locked up there it’s pretty miserable evening here it’s pretty windy and it’s been pretty gray and raining on and off it’s quite nice personing this morning but n not been a great day today but doesn’t matter we’ve still been out and had a nice lunch and and so on it’s been pretty good uh yeah so this is kind of where we are but we’re on our own up here there’s nobody else is a privately owned I think but there’s nobody else staying up here at the moment they got like bird feeders and satellite dishes so that tells me they’re owned by probably Jersy and gery people uh I was coming over here I was wondering looking at this mobile home I’ll show you in a sec which looks pretty bad I thought what Bloom Hells happened there and I realized this must be storm kieron cuz this Hedges a bit and there’s obviously a tree that’s been freshly cut there and you wonder what a tree would do falling over on a mobile home there’s your answer blur men out I really hope nobody was in there don’t think they would have been but that is just totally destroyed look at that absolutely smashed to matchwood by the storm that tree would have come down on that so that is an absolute right off whoever owned owned that I just hope they were insured but uh yeah absolutely mangled and the one here is gone as well but I presume that’s just an old one they’ve taken out and they’ll put a new one like the one we’re staying in we’ll go in there at some point this whole site’s changing lows at the moment they’re putting all loads of new things in so it’s been totally brought into the 21st century which is great so but yeah we’re very happy it’s a it’s a nice place and uh the bikes are locked up there taking the bags off obviously but uh yeah just hope for some better weather good morning it is Wednesday and we are cycling East along the Ross just come through the port of Dino port to Dino and we are heading towards l where I believe the river becomes the canal or the canal starts sure so yeah weather seems all right at the moment it’s forecast for rain later so we got the waterproofs with us but uh yeah it’s looking quite nice at the moment it’s a nice track it’s very smooth just poing along at about 10 m hour yeah really really nice not really been up here before so uh yeah enjoyable so here we have L de the lock so this is I believe where the river goes goes that way and this is the canal we’re coming up to now L is just about to reach just negotiate oh nearly coming off the bike go yes that’s the lock do Cottage and I think yeah now the canal d r I believe so it’s actually along the river assume it’s some kind a church or Monastery or something Village of L so it’s coming up right ahead here actually that’s the bridge believe we got to cross over the river here so uh yeah very pretty very nice indeed lots of people out and about this morning of joggers Walkers some other cyclists those people making the best of the weather forecast is for rain later so no this is really nice really enjoying this I was watching a YouTube video recently this American couple who like cycled all over Europe and the guy like saying that this is nothing better than cycling along in France on a nice day just listening to the sounds of the birds and the wildlife and he’s absolutely right it’s absolutely I just love this this is so nice so relaxing sun shining hear loads of different types of birds we just like a along L the river that’s what I love about France as well the cycling infrastructure is just superb even when we came out of the port too we went Bridge which is one way and so rather than having to go up and round like all the cars do the signs there’s no entry sof Veo meaning except bikes so we able just to cross straight over and it was the same with the bridge there in L where it’s priority over the cars and yeah this this cycle track this goes all the way all the way to Ren it’s just brilliant really is another thing that we see this part of France those things in the trees which from the distance you think are they like nests or something it’s not it’s mistletoe it’s like an invasive species and it grows in the trees in clubs like that see loads of it sometimes a farming fields on the river behind me I can hear liby moaning I think get safe to say she hasn’t or isn’t enjoying this cycling as much as we are but I was hoping she’d get more into it but if it doesn’t involve lying on a bed with an iPad playing games then she’s not really interested so oh well so I’m just just stop for a quick break along the trail it’s really nice it’s so peaceful just the sounds of the birds just riding alongside the water is lovely really is very much enjoying this come past another lock and Cottage so there’s all these Rusty sort of metal sculptures the costage next to the lock there I think it said something about Metal working yeah there it says very unusual I’ve noticed about these locks that we’ve been passing is how well kept they are grass is cut there’s like shrubs they’re really nice these locks very nice indeed all right there was a guy at one further back who’s actually mowing the lawn as it was just riding along the trail a tarmacked bit at the moment which is really nice cuz the rest of it kind of like asphalt sort of it’s quite compact but it’s been raining recently so it’s quite wet so the bikes are absolutely filthy and there’s loads of mud under the mud go Ys that’s robbing and stuff but hey not a problem mistletoe going in the trees and we are approaching evall which was our kind of destination for today uh there’s a really nice place to eat there but uh unfortunately it’s closed on Wednesday so have to see if we can find somewhere else but this is a lovely stretch here the sun’s out peaceful quiet no litter anywhere it’s just really clean and really nice not many boats though I hoping to see some kind of boats on the canal but it’s very very quiet so that’s the sign so Ren that’s this cycle way and AAL and it’s got a Bass to lisio which is like a Inland Beach that they do in front and on sort of a lake they dump loads of sand on the side of it and kind of make it into a little seaside resort a cafe and loads of people swimming and Stu the outskirts of every more so we have been here before many years ago but in the car so uh they’re actually cycled here so it’s been really nice coming along the River on the canal yeah this is l i remember at this bridge and there’s a little Park the other side I think Libby playing in there when she was little and then uh yeah a big church up on the right another lock it’s more and more frequent the locks actually as we get to a he there’s a place called he we’re not going to get there today but that’s got a flight of 11 locks along long the clu so uh yes here we are we have arrived in everyon so we’ve arrived in everyon I have arrived in everyon these two are lagging a bit so here they come there Li is probably know that moing so we are by the side of the canal at eal just going to have some lunch yeah it’s lovely here of boats M up just above the lock church we just been to a little shuch stroke Bakery type place and just got some bagets for our lunch so yeah pretty Pleasant cycle here yeah we came here years and years ago I remember Libby playing in this little Park when she was small about five some swings over there and things yeah it’s lovely obviously we could carry on down the track towards Ren we’re not going that far so we’ done about over 10 miles to get here so we obviously do it in reverse but uh yeah I’m hoping after lunch May might cheer up once she’s got some food inside her so whilst sitting eating our lunch I noticed this by the side of the canal which is really good I never seen this before this absolutely superb bike repair station thing so you got pump there your tires and there’s various tools that you can use that are on cable so no one can Nick them so there’s like yeah Allen Keys Tire levers you can even like hang the bike up on here if you need to make repairs that’s absolutely brilliant idea I’ve never seen that I’ve never seen that anywhere else good morning it is day three I think it’s Thursday today we’re right for another cycle along the river going the other way this time so we’re going towards lais and some Samson s r so the river’s widening out quite a bit here and if memory serves when we get up towards the I think there’s a barrage and then after that the river’s tidal so uh yeah obious see the widening out as we get towards the est3 so yeah it’s a nice day it’s not too bad it’s uh rained a bit in the night last night but uh it’s been dry so far this morning and Sun’s just coming out it’s to uh showers later this afternoon maybe in the wind getting up but we shall see so yeah we’re going along the river the other way this morning Gina’s just making friends with some ducks few B some more up here sky looks a little bit threatening over there but Hing that’ll miss us as we carry on along the river so this is the marina latis so that’s the cycle path doesn’t go any further north of this you have to cut in land and then get back up the hill and on the track back to deard which what we’ll do tomorrow on the way back to come as far as we can go here without having to actually go on the roads there’s a little restaurant place back here I think opens the 12 it’s half hour now so hang around for half an hour and get a coffee just looking at the uh tourist information map see I’ve been given the wrong information his is on the other side I think further over this is actually Port so Marina and everything here is l i just reading about the history there that how was all completely tired all the way up to Doo until they built this this is later the original barage and stuff and lock 1830s but this is more modern 1970 the swing bridge and lock apparently so yeah so we just a mooch around here a little restaurant bar over there that supposedly opens at 12 so it’s about qu 2 now so we’re just waiting and then hoping we get a coffee sky looks a bit shower possibly but hopefully if it does come we’ll be indoors so yeah hopefully riding along the river there was quite a few boats moed up at the side there and a lot of them looked like they were in pretty bad Nick almost like they’ve been abandoned some of them looked like they had been cleaned for a long long time you s of wonder if they’ve just just been left there some of them weren’t in too bad condition but there was a lot that looked like they’ve been there left open to the elements for a number of years one in particular with the m down just looks like it seemed better days it’s a shame really so Shea struggling up the hill there’s two cyclists coming up behind what re on E bikes for the speed they’re going all Ren 4 going up the hill just stopped halfway looking at this field it’s quite a big field and these are all broad beans I’m pretty sure they’re broad beans when I’ve them at home they look like broadbean plants so yeah huge huge field this is tle Village next to where we’re staying very pictures very quiet let’s go along towards manir apologies for the shaky video it’s uh cobbles here kind of like yeah so the bikes are a bit muddy off the trail but we come up into tanel town got a library there and UK registered car probably a second home and very prob cycle tourist he’s got all the gear on that bike by me makes us look very lightweight in comparison although we haven’t got our panas on obviously cuz using those till tomorrow so yeah we are at bar de manir having think Cheers Cheers a well earned beer blonde lunchtime P why not so we are all packed up pretty much bed tonight last night in the mobile home we got our bags ready to go as uh my panas and my Fork bags pretty much still got a few things to put in tomorrow morning then we put everything on the bikes we’re not obviously putting stuff on the bikes tonight cuz if it rains we I me they’re waterproof but we don’t want everything out in the cold overnight so uh the bikes are outside so we’ll put the bags on tomorrow morning yep those are M here we’ve got uh some more paneers ready to go on the bikes uh waterproof jackets we might well need those tomorrow the forecast looks all right in the morning but potentially showers so yeah we might we need those and then various bits and pieces lat to go we get packed up tomorrow helmets another bag to go on the bike another a front bag that goes on the front rack but yeah this is where we’ve been staying it’s very comfortable right our home it’s very nice it’s got a microwave Kettle pretty much everything we needed uh H uh fridge under there and around here you got some of the bedroom there where lippy’s been staying a shower room toilet over there and a double bedroom there so it’s been a really good little place to stay actually wasn’t expensive I know it’s low season but it wasn’t expensive but uh yeah it’s been pretty good so we’ve been very comfortable here and we’re heading out in the morning so yeah been a great trip good morning it is the last day we are heading home we are all packed up ready to go the bikes all loaded it’s going to be quite strange cycling with panas on the last couple of days we’ve been riding really light and it’s been lovely and now we’re all fully loaded and yeah the bike’s got full paniers on Fork bags yeah so uh we’re just going to go down to the reception now and check out and get our breakfast which we’ve ordered some quasons and Pano sha and then we’re heading out to dinard so uh yeah here we go it’s one of the few times I’ve ever seen a train on that track we cross that Railway so many times it’s a bit of a gray morning cloud looks a little bit threatening but uh it’s dry at the moment so but we’ got Lads of boost and everything so yeah we right to get on the trail now we cross that Railway which is like I suppose the new one then we’ll get on the old track and that’ll take us all the way up to dinard so yeah saying goodbye to tannel and uh the hall it’s been a great week and uh yeah here we go home with B so we’re just uh on the trail now this will take us all the way to dinard so uh we just done 2.6 miles so far and we’ve just stopped for breakfast we’ve got quasons and we’ve got Pano shakas so doing everything the frenchway before we crack on so we actually passed this on the way down some an old station there’s the signs for the various cycle tracks that way there for the ve Mariam which is Euro Val 4 that runs from like rosoff all the way up to the Netherlands and Beyond I think and a very short stretch of the original railway track that’s left there really like that so we are just outside of dinard it’s been a really good ride uh seem from about the halfway point I think we’re gradually coming downhill and we had a nice Tailwind as well so it’s a really easy cycle and we are now at a shopping center kind of arcade place on Arcade you know what I mean a sort of shopping area uh liby’s tired she’s not been very well uh bikes held out really well it’s really good and do know is in so what well we’ taking B we come out with we can’t possibly carry on the bikes so L has said a washing basket I’ve said some Martin craftling or possibly a new laundry basket and we won’t actually be able to carry but I did remind her before she went in so don’t buy anything we can’t carry there’s loads of shops here so uh have a little M around we got quite a lot of time now before the boat we don’t need to be in the boat till about half us 4 so yeah and here we have the evidence so what have we got what are you doing we got socks we’ got a chopping board Min chopping board coloring pens suppose it’s not as bad as a laundry basket but okay oh dear right let’s see if we can find Space to put all this so they’ve now gone into action to have a look I think it kind of settles everything we discovered this this chain of stores in France last year and near PA when we were staying last August and it kind of sells pretty much anything in everything it’s a bit bizarre they like to have a look around at it but uh the bike bags are a little bit heavier now we have to put the purchases from GIF in why did she buy a chopping board oh well see what she comes out with next so what we got here from action we’ve got a ball of wool some sweets or something and some Cates so that’s pretty random what okay it’s for Mom this is the end of the cycle really I was some Maro over there there’s an enormous quite a big cruise ship and get up in the bay and we got to take our bikes right down there when we came in we were right up here obviously there’s a massive tidal range here and so when we came in on the boat from samalo we were over over there but now obviously cuz the Tide’s low we have to go all way down there so yeah pretty much the end of the cycle go over to S Maro where we all have some lunch I think and then pretty much wait for the Condor boat to take us back to Jersey it’s been brilliant and hasn’t really rain that much which has been great the weather’s been really good today as well so Happy Days so we’re just outside the wall City just had lunch which is very nice and we got a couple of hours to to kill now before the ferry back to Jersey so we a good ride back across the harbor on the little Corsair Ferry it’s a little bit choppy it’s quite Breezy today but uh yeah loads of people around really busy there so many places to eat in somala it’s amazing how almost every other place is a cafe kind of restaurant so all in all it’s been great now you