England 1988

In Spring 1988 the now defunct ferry from Hamburg to Harwich had an irresistible return trip offer for less than 50 DM. So, I cycled around London for a week by myself. It was a bit grey and cold, I seem to remember. There was one morning with ice on the road. In Kent you could still see the storm damage from the previous year. I stayed in B&Bs, most of them were actually shut as it was distinctly off-season. But they took mercy on a mad German cyclist and I found somewhere to stay every might. I do remember taking a ferry in Gravesend to cross the Thames. The trip from Oxford to Cambridge was done in one day. Towards Cambridge I remember a very straight Roman road going over hill, which was rather tiring at the end of a long trip. There was also somewhere a 25% gradient where I had push my bike. After arriving in Bury St. Edmunds I phoned the ferry company and was able to change my ticket to an earlier return date. After a week and a half I had enough of cycling in the cold. Still quite an experience, if only to find out how boring and lonely cycling by yourself can be. (Approximately 400m/640km)

Pictures

About to board the ship in Hamburg

English countryside in March 1988

Hastings

Hastings Pier

Oxford Engineering department

Carfax tower in Oxford

The Ashmoleum

Ely cathedral

Route

29 February Hamburg 0km

A very uneventful crossing on the now defunct ferry link between Hamburg and Harwich using the luxury couchettes.

1 March Harwich – Colchester 30km

A very hilly 30 km following the minor roads to Colchester in fading daylight.

2 March Colchester – Gravesend 75km

As most of the other days a very grey and cold day. The landscape was very flat. I remember being relieved to find that the ferry took bicycles, this was not very clear from the information I could gather beforehand.

3 March Gravesend – Hastings 90km

The previous day had been flat, this day was hilly. I wasn’t prepared for English hills and their short steep slopes. At one point whilst going across the M20 and M26 there was a 25% hill that forced to get off and push the bike up the hill. Later on Tonbridge I was amazed by the straightness of the railway line that continued to either side as far as the eye could see. After a small detour to Battle attempting to find the battle of Hastings I arrived in Hastings.

4 March Hastings – Billingshurst 100km

That morning it was very cold, there had been frost overnight and some of the puddles along the road were frozen over. In Billingshurst I found space in a B&B that took pity on a mad German cyclist and gave me a room despite being closed.

5 March Billingshurst – Henley-on-Thames 75km

The only thing I remember of this part is cycling past Ascot racecourse. If I’d known I’d end living close by later in my life I probably would have paid more attention and even would have visited pretty Reading. I arrived in Henley after sunset and in the dark I phoned several B&Bs from the telephone box before I finally found one that was open.

6 March Henley-on-Thames – Oxford 40km

Another cold day but I found a B&B quickly to warm up.

7 March Oxford

Sightseeing in Oxford: I remember going to the Ashmolean, but not much else. I walked around the city centre, had a look at the Engineering department and the park.

8 March Oxford – Cambridge 120km

This turned out to be an easier trip than I anticipated. There were no major hills, apart from one close to Cambridge. Just outside Cambridge I stopped to admire the One mile radio telescope.

9 – 10 March Cambridge

I had a good look around Cambridge and its bookshops.

11 March Cambridge – Ely – Bury St. Edmunds 70km

A very cold ride to Bury St. Edmunds along very straight roads.

12 March Bury St. Edmunds

Sightseeing in Bury St. Edmunds and I also phoned the ferry company to bring my return journey forward by two days.

13 March Bury St. Edmunds – Harwich 65km

A short trip to Harwich, made more exciting by hills and flat tyre thanks to a thorn from a hedge. But I made it to the ferry in time.

14 March Hamburg

In Hamburg I cycled to Altona station and took the train back to Kiel.

Total: 665km

Conclusion

I was surprised how few B&Bs were open in March, this made finding a place to stay overnight quite exciting every evening and also you had to stop early just in case you couldn’t find a B&B in the next town. Cycling in March is cold but possible.

Map

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