Summer 2011 Cycle Touring via WOMAD

I'd never been to a big music festival.

Only very small affairs in Norfolk when i was young. So i had no idea what to expect. I'd heard about WOMAD (World Of Music And Dance) last year on Radio 4's Food programme and was so impressed i convinced myself it was a good idea.

Trouble was until a couple of months ago I'd forgotten the name of it so the ticket i bought was a little over budget.

No matter i would save some money by taking advantage of the distance by doing some cycle touring and camping. This was an old dream of mine.

So i bought a pannier and together with my back pack and another bag, tied it to the back of my trusty Kalkhoff racer and sped off out of Dunstable. I planned on 40 miles a day. I'm no athlete and to me 40 miles is nearer my maximum than a reasonable distance.

I chose a route as direct as possible to Charlton Park (near Malmesbury).

My first route took me through Ivinghoe, Marsworth (over the pictured Grand Union Canal) then A41 into Aylesbury then continuing westwards on the A418 to Thame then A329 towards Abingdon just South West of Oxford. All went well until i reached the south of Oxford when i became lost. I'd lost my compass somewhere along the line so had no idea which direction i was heading. Finally came to a crossroads and determined the right road and after a short detour arrived at Bridge House camping site in Clifton Hampden near Abingdon.

It looked quite nice, secluded and a nice popular pub just a stones throw away. Reception was in a ram shackled old house at the far end of the park and an equally looking ram shackled lady refused to do business at the front door but from the kitchen window which was very strange. Her equally strange dog kept barking at me even though we'd made friends. She charged 12 pounds for pitching a tent for one night.

The ground was nice and soft and i quickly found a quiet spot underneath an old sycamore.

The weather that day started overcast then by lunchtime cleared a little with a few spots of sunshine creeping through now and then.

I pitched my tent, bunged everything inside, locked up my bike and headed to the Barley Mow pub. Had some lunch them returned and tried to take a nap. In the evening i ate again at the pub and had a fair nights sleep in the tent. At some god forsaken time of the morning i was awoken by the squawks of geese and ducks so took the opportunity to rise and pack up my things.
I then located the shower room. A single shower room with a plastic chair and a fixed head. Turn on hot and nothing, just a distant dribble. Turn on cold and full pelt. Turn on both and no warmth. Great!

So i set off feeling a little unclean and a bit hungry. The weather was overcast again but though the sky on several occasions threatened, it never rained.

I headed into Abingdon then along the A415. On the junction with the A420 i had some breakfast and tea.. OK one cup is never sufficient for me in the morning so two. Then back onto the road again and towards Faringdon.

By this time comfortable seating positions were difficult to find but i soldiered on. The festival continued until Sunday so i hoped the 2 days rest would be sufficient to restore my fatigue.

In Faringdon i found the central hall had a farmers market on and took advantage of it. I bought some Welsh cakes which were splendidly sweet and tasty and some rather too crumbly and moreish sausage rolls. I then got a cuppa and sat next to a wonderful old boy. We chatted about bikes. He remembered back to days before the motorcar, to times when cycle gears were just being introduced onto the market and how he missed the boneshaker.

After he left i too took to the road again, this time heading towards Highworth. The hills now began to undulate a lot more, the descents becoming a joy, the ascents becoming a walk!
Just before Highworth i heard children on the other side of the hedge. Their screams of delight puzzled me a little but i continued and reached the foot of the hill up to the town.

There i met a lovely husband and wife. The husband didn't say much but the wife mentioned they were off to pick wild plums in the hedges. So that was what the noise was!
We chatted a while about Plum wine, Elderflower champagne and jam making and then we departed and i continued up the hill.

After another short break i rode through Blunsden st Andrew just north of Swindon. My great grandfather was buried near but though i might have liked to visit his grave apparently it is very hard to find and i needed to get on with the journey so i continued on through to Purton.

Here i stopped a couple of people for directions and this time i trusted their every word. Eventually the long straight road arrived at Charlton and i arrived at Charlton Park, the venue for this years WOMAD festival.

Apparently its first venue was somewhere near Penzance in Cornwall and in later years near Reading. Only recently has it been in Wiltshire and apparently plans are afoot to return it to Reading again.

I eventually found the ticket exchange and got my weekend wristband. I pitched my tent and headed into the festival..

Festival.. hmm an interesting word but one which i would not use to describe the mockery that confronted me. A completely commercialised environment with 4 or five main stages, a 'Steam' fairground (which had little to do with steam apart from the antiquated designs of the rides) and 1001 food, beer, tat stalls.

By evening the place was heaving with adults and swarming with children. And these were not just ordinary children but entrepreneurs peering into bins, searching tables, and watching beer gut drinkers last sips whilst they collected the empty plastic beer glasses to return to the beer stalls and get 10p each for them.

So i paid 135 pounds of my hard earned cash to visit this place, and then to discover i had to buy my own programme and spend London prices for food and drink was a joke!

And the musicians in the programme? what of the music?
I recognised none of them. Apparently Joan Armatrading was playing but she was not in the programme.

OK i am getting old

I met a few people and found most solace and enjoyment attempting to meditate in the Sahaja Yoga tent.
It really wasn't my thing though and inevitably went to bed early both nights. On the Saturday afternoon i was in two minds about packing it in and cycling to Cheltenham to meet friends early but i didn't, i stayed on.

Instead i found a quite nice book stall and found a book called Twilight by William Gay. I thought I'd give it a go and it was only £2.99 so what the harm. I began reading about cartloads of human carcasses the barrow man brought the gravedigger.. OK not my cup of tea so i returned and swapped for Summoned by Bells, John Betjeman's first autobiography.

Finally i got up very early Sunday morning, had some muesli and a nice cup of tea then headed to the railway station at Kemble.


The weather was sunny which raised my spirits finally.

I arrived around 7:30 and found out the next train was at 10:12. So i took time out and went in search of blackberries. Found a few, ate a few, returned and bagged a few then began reading my book again.

Some way down the platform i noticed an old water tower. Its old iron tank high on steel stilts with its beautiful stained Victorian filigree curves.

I love this architecture and didn't hesitate to take a few snaps.

It is perhaps worth to mention that i am not such a keen photographer whilst riding a bike. I just refuse to give up momentum for a snap shot :(

Some teens from WOMAD arrived with their mother who noticed that the automated station sign said "THIS TRAIN TERMINATES HERE".

After half an hour of quibbling who was best to search the net on one phone and some seriously temper tantrums for all it was established that there was a replacement bus service to Stroud (the next stop).

Now a middle aged lady joined us on the seat and mentioned that if i couldn't get the bike on to the bus, that the cycle ride to Stroud was pretty much downhill all the way.

I had some reservations. I'd already bought a ticket to Cheltenham Spa and I knew that if i cycled to Stroud I'd want to go all the way to Cheltenham which would ultimately mean I'd be on the road for 3 days. I'd already felt the fatigue for two days and doubted I'd have the energy for three, let alone the resistance to posterior pain. So i settled on continuing my journey to C-Spa by public transport.

The Coach finally arrived but quite illogically on the other side of the platform. I cycled round to it and got on.
It drove us to Stroud and through some of the most beautiful countryside i had seen so far. And as far as i could fathom it was (as the lady suggested) all downhill.

If only I'd listened to the lady and cycled it!

But then i knew my back brakes were problematic. On the first day I'd gone over a pot hole and buckled the back wheel just a bit. This caused a constant rubbing against the back brake pads which gradually became incredibly annoying.

I arrived at Stroud around 10:30 only to discover the next train out was at 14:20!
There had been no indication of this in Kemble. In fact no sign had mentioned the replacement bus service. I had personally tracked every single sign on that platform.

Man.. someone up there was seriously telling me to get on my bike again!

Eventually though i arrived at Cheltenham Spa at 3pm and was greeted by my best friend David.
I spent a lovely evening with him and his partner Stephen talking about the meaning of life (quite literally) and the latest Torchwood's Miracle Day installment.

Monday morning began cloudy again but i arose at 5:30, took a shower, packed up my remaining things, had some breakfast and left by 6:30. I got halfway out of Cheltenham before i remembered I'd left my phone on charge!

Eventually i set off again and with phone securely in my day bag i reached the A40 which was to become my lone road almost all the way to the next camp site. The Cotswold's now loomed and the road ascended to mount the range. It was a struggle and due a little to the wind i walked a few steep hills. The early morning sunshine vanished and it became overcast. Soon it began to rain a little.

But as soon as i reached the summit the weather subsided and i met curvy flat roads. I continued for many miles before finally stopping for a break and a cup of tea at Burford. Looking at the map i realised i was over halfway. I continued to Witney and took time out at J Sainsbury to restore my energy levels with fruit, sandwiches and a cup of coffee.

I headed out again this time heading into Witney to catch the A415 roundabout. However it never appeared and before i knew it i was facing roads to west and north Witney. Eventually i found a gentlemen who gave me better directions. However he kept issuing different choices of routes. I eventually said my farewells and headed back down the road I'd just come along and found the A415 turn off.

I now headed towards Hardwick Park. A scenic shallow valley that carries the river Windrush.
By now i was feeling pretty exhausted. I could not find a single comfortable seating position that didn't give me pain so was limited to standing most of the time.

Eventually i found the Camp site, booked in and put up my tent for the final time.
The facilities at the Hardwick Camp site were fantastic. Good toilets and shower, on site washing machine facilities, 5 or 6 outside sinks for washing cutlery, a well stocked shop and a club house for cooked food and drink.

On Monday's the Hardwick Park's club house is shut :(

Since I'd arrived at lunchtime, i spent the rest of the day sitting outside the shop admiring the staffs new 8 week old Labrador puppy, walking round the lake, napping in the tent, listening to my mp3 player and reading my book.

By the evening i was getting peckish again. However it was about 7 and the shop had shut. There was a pub about a mile away but i was feeling a bit tired to make the trek so i resigned in missing dinner.
I went to bed at 8:30 and awoke again about 5:30.

The best nights sleep in a tent I'd ever had!

I then set off again finding the Eynsham and rejoining the A40 again. It was here that i thought of listening to my music again. And then i lost it. I must have dropped it at the campsite. I couldn't turn back now, I'd gone too far.

I continued on around the top of Oxford until eventually i headed directly east then finally reached the A418 to Thame and Stone.

Just before Stone i glimpsed the remains of the wonderful Dinton Castle 18th century Folly.

You can find more information here










I finally returned to Aylesbury, taking the shortcut Julie had guided me some months before. It really cut out alot of extra miles and took me back into the heart of this town.

I then easily found my route out again, down the A41 then turned off back through Marsworth, Pitstone, Ivinghoe and finally, finally, Dunstable again!

Oh the joy in finally arriving home after 170 miles of cycle touring across Britain!

A few boring Statistics
Total Distance       156 Miles
Average Speed        13.3 Mph
Maximum speed        42.2 Mph
Number of Punctures  0
Number of falls      0
Number of walks      6