In tandem with Sweetspot, organisers of the Tour of Britain, CTC has launched The Countrywide Great Tour, a circumnavigation of the glorious British coastline.

Starting in Holyhead on 4 July, the route has followed the coast along quiet roads and paths heading up the west coasts of Wales, North-West England and on round the coast of mainland Scotland before heading down South.

The unique route is 6,800 km long and around 50 riders will complete every stage from 4 July to 5 September. However, thousands more will ride one or more of the 64 sections.

This week saw two local legs in this epic Charity Ride; Margate-Rye and Rye-Brighton. With Rye Wheelers taking part in both legs the Wheelers were well represented. Jeff Gage took part in the Margate-Rye leg on Monday, Ralph Sperring and Paul Simpson taking part in the Rye-Brighton leg.

Jeffs ride finished with a hard ride against the marsh winds which made them too late to meet with Rye’s Mayor at the finish. Ralph’s and Paul’s ride took in some of the most testing climbs including Battery Hill and finished with them marooned at Brighton Station because of Southern Railways new policy of only allowing fold up bicycles on trains leaving or entering Brighton between 16.00 and 19.00. That’s progress isn’t it, thank god for Ralph’s wife Jenny who drove out to pick us up. It took us almost as long to get home as cycle there, cheers Southern Railways.

There will be regular updates on the stages of the Great Tour on their website and facebook pages;

www.thegreattour.co.uk/home.php

www.facebook.com/TheGreatTourUK

But here are some pictures of our local legs;

Jeff Gage amongst the Start Line-up at Margate.

Some pics of Jeff’s ride.

Jeff at the Finish, Strand Quay, Rye.

Paul Simpson photo bombing the Mayor and Town Cryer at the start, Ralph Sperring a little more subtle.

Some pics of Paul and Ralph’s ride.

Ride leader, having already done 39 legs with another 25 to go!!

Pucker bloke, also done all stages so far and aims to complete all 64.

Our section leader also aims to complete all 64 legs.

Paul and Ralphs bikes marooned at Brighton Station and Southern Railways go ahead new policy relating to Cycles. Well done chaps.

All in all a great honour to be part of and a lesson in how to complete rides with people of varying levels of ability and not lose any one. Whilst making everyone feel they have done something really special. Here’s to the next time and more Wheelers taking part. But wake up Southern Railways.