The curtain has closed, we made it. 2750 km, 22, 550 vertical metres (2.5 times the height of Everest), four countries later we have returned to Benson, England.

The last 45 km or so we were joined by our friend John, who guided us home. His wife Val was waiting, camera in hand, champagne on offer.

I was teary. Happy, sad, thankful blurring together. To achieve this just 12 months after open heart surgery is truly incredible. Only Tony and my cardiac team really know and understand how hard that journey has been.

Big thanks to that team. Tony for having faith and patience with me as I recovered, supporting that process so that we could continue doing what we love doing.

To Val and John for hosting us and being our daily check in that we had arrived okay each destination. The love and hugs from Val and John are appreciated beyond words, love you guys!❣️

To Alan and Sue for hosting our two nights in Wales and seeing your local area, it was great renewing our friendship and sharing the way we did.

To Alison, Catherine, Graeme, Chris and Marion for taking time to catch up with us, thereby enriching our holiday. Kind thanks.

To family including Hannah and Kay for the regular updates and words of support and encouragement.

To the over 3,000 viewers of my blog, those that commented on Facebook or WordPress, thank you.

We have a full day today and do not leave London until later tomorrow. It will be a long few days, about 54 hours from waking up tomorrow to bed on Sunday night at home.

So, we did ride yesterday, about 85 km. Here are some photos.

We left our hosts in Thames Ditton after a great two nights staying on the island.

We rode maybe 20 plus kmh on the Thames pathway, predominantly dirt/gravel, sealed around the locks. We rode past many locks,

Our first port of call was Windsor Farm Shop, adjacent to the castle, owned and operated by the Royal Estate at Windsor.

To get there we took the road to Old Windsor, passing by Runnymede, the site being where King John ( brother of Richard the Lionheart, son of Eleanor of Aquitaine) was compelled to sign the Magna Carta.

In 2001 the the Duke of Edinburgh conceived the idea of selling produce from the Royal Estates and the shop opened later that year.

The Royal Farm at Windsor operates as a mixed farm including 200 jersey cows, Sussex beef herd, 149 breeding cows, 1500 hens, 1,000 acres of arable land, 2,000 acres of grassland mainly used to feed the livestock.

I noticed plants for sale that had been propagated by the estate, with a sign saying, from our garden to yours (ours is just over the wall).

As we left, this is one of the rear entrances to the castle grounds. I have always liked the gatekeeper cottage here.

Roundabout award for the day goes to the triple crowns, with Windsor Castle just behind.

The Long Walk to Windsor.

On the outskirts of Windsor along the Thames is this old plane.

We knew we would find John in the next 10 km as we had passed messages when we left the farm shop. Here he is, having just turned to join us.

As a trio we moved onto the town of Twyford, where John knew of a cycle cafe. Velolife is a great cafe with bike shop at the rear.

We followed John from here, and went home his preferred way through the Chilterns (1,700 sq km area of outstanding natural beauty).

In Stoke Row (a village) is the Maharajahs Well. In the mid 1800’s a little boy was beaten by his mother for drinking the last of the water in their house during a drought. The story was shared with the Maharajah of Benares who decided to fund the sinking of a well in the village of Stoke Row.

At last we were nearing Benson and our epic journey was coming to a close as we followed our dear friend John home.

We have started thinking about what is next. We like goals and having something to look forward to and keep our fitness levels up. After 28 days riding we are quite fit and strong and it does goes backwards a bit when you return and not keeping up the same level of activity.

We have been riding 6-8 hours a day for 28 days. Head home and it’s back to our desk based jobs, but I still manage 3 hours a day fitness activity as I prioritise it!

Thanks for joining us in this journey. Over 3,000 views so far. Kind thanks 😊❣️

Today we did a 95 km tour of London, but not before joining Tony (English Tony from our accomodation) who offered to take us around the island in his boat.

One side of the island is the original Thames river, and this side was dug out during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Hampton Court Palace is upstream by maybe 500 plus metres. The river near the palace was described as more of a broad and twisting stream, subject to the tidal influence still. The main channel was dug out and made straighter providing a grander entrance and providing some flood relief to the local village.

The island is great. Private access, brilliant views, and a lifestyle unknown to many city dwellers.

A broad outline of our cycle ride today. We covered a lot of ground. At times we were on busier roads, particularly in inner London. Often there were cycle lanes.

We mixed it with the famous London black cabs, red double decker buses and some super crazy food delivery people on bicycles.

We followed the Thames path on sealed and non sealed sections.

We rode through wonderful open spaces such as Richmond Park and Bushy Park.

Some photos of our day.

We arrived at Kensington Palace gardens. There are specific routes you can ride. Very popular spot.

We then scouted through Hyde Park and on towards Buckingham Palace and the Mall.

Riding down the Mall was great, quite traffic free, smooth. This road is so often seen in Royal ceremonies including the more recent coronation of King Charles, and funeral of Queen Elizabeth.

It is also a road on Zwift’s London course, with a reverse sprint section here, but I did not sprint 🤣

Then we arrive at Trafalgar Square, and it is fairly busy from here around to the Tower of London, predominantly on roads and cycle lanes. We walk at roundabouts crossing at lights where possible for safety.

At the Tower of London we cross Tower Bridge. It is super busy here on the bridge between vehicles and tourists crossing.

We then headed north to cross the Thames again and head to Westminster.

We then headed up through more parks, gardens including Battersea.

Past the Trek shop, popped in, popped out.

Onto Wimbledon, and we thought about having lunch in the cafe there, but the security guard insisted the bikes not be within our visual sight and out of sight around the corner. We moved on.

In the neighbouring Wimbledon village, up a hill, we found a nice pub with outdoor seating, next to our bikes, and had a lovely lunch. As I ate, this is the sign I could see that made me smile.

Through Wimbledon common area and heading to Richmond Park.

Richmond Park is one of eight Royal Parks in London. It is around 2,500 acres in size with over 600 free roaming deer. It is an extraordinary oasis in a big city where you can walk and ride.

Popular with cyclists doing very large blocks, there is a speed limit of 20 mph, but many capable cyclists ignore that using it as a training, racing circuit. I was climbing one hill and had a guy straight line the bend towards me and he was moving more like 70 kmh plus.

The park will be closed this Sunday for a duathlon. Great location and many thousands are competing including our friend Chris.

Some view of the park.

Hampton Court Palace was next, famous as a residence of King Henry VIII having ‘acquired’ it it in his usual style from Cardinal Wolsey.

Back onto the Thames River beside the palace grounds.

Onto Bushy Park another Royal park in London. About half the size of Richmond it is still extensive and provides amazing walking and cycling for locals, and also the deer that breed well. Signs were up re the annual cull.

Dinner with Chris and Marion completed another wonderful day.

I’ve know Chris through cycling (Zwift), when we were both with the same club and would do the same events.

We enjoyed our dinner together, lots of laughs and grateful for the opportunity to meet friends face to face.

Some closer up maps of our route.

One more day left riding.

Thanks for reading 😊❣️

We were heading to London today, outer London near Hampton Court, but first had a far more important engagement with a man of Sussex fame!

It was maybe 45 minute cycle ride to Ditchling to meet Graeme of Sussex. Far more relevant Sussex than those ‘other two’. He also does not whinge and has a far greater sense of humour.

Few photos on route to Ditchling.

Ditchling is famous for a few reasons. It is where Graeme of Sussex’s favourite tea room is. It is where Queen Camilla went to primary school as she grew up nearby. Dame Vera Lynn lived here for many years until her passing a few years ago at the age of 103.

Her public funeral procession started in Ditchling and included an airforce flyover. The town was decorated with poppies and her famous war time song “We’ll meet again” was played across the English Channel.

The church over the road, St Margaret’s was founded in the 11th century, with the current exterior 13th century.

It was lovely to catch up with Graeme. We first met him in 2015 when we rode from Calais to Narbonne and up to Carcassonne. I remember we him in the ferry crossing from Dover when we were introducing ourselves, and he stated his Graeme was spelt the posh way.

Graeme lives about an hour cycle ride from this cafe and we were treated to coffee and tea cake here during our catch up.

We had caught up with him in 2016 and had dinner together, so it was quite a few years, but we just picked up where we had left off.

Graeme lives in Henfield, on our route today so we cycled together for an hour to reach his house, going through his favourite areas and laneways. It was great to ride his favourite routes, as the local cyclists always have a better idea of where to go.

At his lovely 17th century home we sat outside in the garden, chatted, shared soup and got to meet Sandra his partner. Long heard of, but never met, it was delightful to meet her.

Graeme has done many cycle tours with their daughter Matilda, and we enjoyed looking over the photographic memories. Wonderful memories for both.

Sadly we needed to bid the nicer Sussex chap farewell and continue on our merry way.

Some busier roads initially, but we did turn onto quieter lanes for much of the ride towards London. Many forests and commons, a few lakes and quirky churches.

The roundabout of the day award goes to this one.

There was a road closure on our route with no quick and easy way around ( this was near the top of a hill climb, and I do hate descending and climbing another hill to detour).

So around we go, and we were able to get through but tight squeeze at the other end.

Down the road a car stopped and asked us if we had come through. yes we said. He then said ‘what do you think will happen tomorrow when the workers are back.’ I replied ‘no idea, but we will be long gone’ 🤣

Not sure if he was an annoyed local, or just enquiring as he wanted to get through too.

Thames Ditton Island was to be our home for two nights. You access it via a footbridge and code at the locked gate.

The island is 320 metres in length and has 48 homes with gardens and moorings.

We are in an Air BNB cottage here and love the area.

We went for dinner at the pub Ye Olde Swan just across the footbridge. It was a former 13th century hunting lodge that King Henry VIII stayed at (close proximity to Hampton Court Palace). Great food and location.

So here we are, another day done and dusted, two more left on the road. 95 km today and a lumpy 939 vertical metres climbing.

What a journey we have had, and a few great days ahead too.

Thanks for reading 😊❣️