Well the last day of cycling has come round all too quick; it’s going to be a long day! A 5am wakeup call as we have to be in Dunkirk by 10:30 as we are part of the 70th Anniversary memorial.
It was cold at 5am but the roads were flat and straight and our journey was never going to be as bad as the BEF’s in the Second World War.
As the guide book says “Hills in Flanders are rare so it would be foolish not to take the opportunity to ride up one when you see it!” Would have been less foolish to ride round it – grr! But the hill as made famous by the Grand Old Duke of York and his 10,000 men! The village of Cassel is at the top of cobbles where my chain locked and I almost fell off - Iain to the rescue and we continued to journey on the footpath – road bikes and cobbles are not a good idea!
And the view at the top made it worthwhile, a guide at the top pointed to Dunkirk and the straight road to it – needless to say we didn’t go on the straight road!! We flew down the hill (me still not taking my hands of the brakes) and a few miles later had to stop again to get a photo of my bike hitting 1000 miles!
The road then wound its way to Dunkirk and to the beaches were so many were left behind but so many more were evacuated by the Little Ships. We re grouped at Brays Dunes and slowly rode along the seafront to the ceremony, looking out to sea it was hard to understand what these men must have gone through – the area is now so quiet and full of cafes and bars.
The ceremony took place before more wreath laying and our last lunch. The BBC tells the story better than me: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10188650.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8707657.stm
We then had a coffee on the front before heading into town for a march past. We then jumped back on our last 10 miles – that were really 16! The weather had turned and we rode into the worst head wind of the ride and finally we got to a ferry port and a hangar. Here we awaiting our own evacuation, the Royal Marine Commando’s landing craft gave us a lift to RFA Largs Bay – our home for the night. The last of us got on board by 10:30 to be welcome by 3 high bunks and 30 to a room. A taste of being in the Navy!!
It was cold at 5am but the roads were flat and straight and our journey was never going to be as bad as the BEF’s in the Second World War.
As the guide book says “Hills in Flanders are rare so it would be foolish not to take the opportunity to ride up one when you see it!” Would have been less foolish to ride round it – grr! But the hill as made famous by the Grand Old Duke of York and his 10,000 men! The village of Cassel is at the top of cobbles where my chain locked and I almost fell off - Iain to the rescue and we continued to journey on the footpath – road bikes and cobbles are not a good idea!
And the view at the top made it worthwhile, a guide at the top pointed to Dunkirk and the straight road to it – needless to say we didn’t go on the straight road!! We flew down the hill (me still not taking my hands of the brakes) and a few miles later had to stop again to get a photo of my bike hitting 1000 miles!
The road then wound its way to Dunkirk and to the beaches were so many were left behind but so many more were evacuated by the Little Ships. We re grouped at Brays Dunes and slowly rode along the seafront to the ceremony, looking out to sea it was hard to understand what these men must have gone through – the area is now so quiet and full of cafes and bars.
The ceremony took place before more wreath laying and our last lunch. The BBC tells the story better than me: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10188650.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8707657.stm
We then had a coffee on the front before heading into town for a march past. We then jumped back on our last 10 miles – that were really 16! The weather had turned and we rode into the worst head wind of the ride and finally we got to a ferry port and a hangar. Here we awaiting our own evacuation, the Royal Marine Commando’s landing craft gave us a lift to RFA Largs Bay – our home for the night. The last of us got on board by 10:30 to be welcome by 3 high bunks and 30 to a room. A taste of being in the Navy!!
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