Three counties ride and a famous Scotsman

Yesterday, (Sunday) myself and Lindsay opted for a local ride. My first ride since returning from the Alps and Lindsay's since his family holiday away, so we were both itching for a decent ride out, trying to avoid Shobden Cafe for a change.

Some of the best rides can often be spontaneous - the ones made up en-route so without a GPS I filled up with fuel and we headed out into Shropshire and took a right at Much Wenlock and onto Ironbridge. Not wishing to stop just yet we passed through Broseley and Jackfield and curled back toward Bridgnorth. Good, twisty road we rarely ride, sun shining and my GS feeling a lot lighter without panniers and luggage.

Flying Scotsman - Victoria Bridge nr Trimpley

On Saturday I had been out with my family to nearby Trimpley Reservoir to see the Flying Scotsman on the Severn Valley Railway line. This Great Steam Engine was visiting our heritage railway, and the last and only time I had ever seen it it was at the National Railway Museum in York with William when he was about ten years old. Unfortunately, back then it was in the engine shed being stripped for renovation and refurbishment. A bit disappointed back then (2006) so it was great seeing it steaming along between Arley, Bewdley stations and later on Victoria Bridge in all of it's splendour after it's £4.2 million refit.

 So, It just so happened on our ride we passed-by Bridgnorth station as steam was billowing above the platform, and it just so happened I had my camera with me and a copy of the timetable still stuffed inside my camera case. We couldn't resist stopping, parking the bikes on some wasteland and 'legging' up the station hill, paid the £2.00 each platform access fee to find the Scotsman surrounded by a mass of people taking photos. How great to see all of these people fascinated by this marvel of engineering. A living breathing icon from days gone by.

Surrounded Scotsman!

Queues for photos

Looks wonderful. £4.2 million well spent !!

'Magic !'

After our 'Scotsman' experience, dodging rain showers we headed up to Cleobury Mortimer for a small breakfast out the superb cafe there:

Cleobury Cafe

.. followed by a ride up Clee Hill, with a left turn down to Tenbury Wells and into Herefordshire and Bromyard, back into Worcestershire past Stanford Bridge and home via the Bewdley switchbacks. 

Excellent Sunday ride, back in time for Sunday lunch and a chance to see the Scotsman arrive back at Kidderminster station with Dad and William too. 

Back from the Alps ..

Arrived back 4pm on Sunday after a 429 mile ride from Sedan, mostly motorway all the way. Exhausted but with a huge smile on my face. Most enjoyable trip a good decision to go with a tour company for a ride around the Alps. Just uploading photos and videos over the next few days - see the 2016-Mountains:Alps tab to view them all along with the blog reports for each day..

Almost ready ...

My 'Cost a Fortune Mandatory Swiss Vignette'.
For the very few motorway miles I will be doing !! 

So, tomorrows the day I set off on my  next adventure. The Mountains:Alps tour with World of BMW Motorrad - riding through French and Swiss Alps for a week. I'm really looking forward to meeting Steve and the others on the tour in Folkestone and getting up high on the mountain passes next week.

I'm just trying to decide if I should go for the route to Folkestone Lindsay used on his Black Forest trip (looks good mate, thanks). It avoids the M25 race track and the windy M20 (as in windy miller not twisty !). I want to avoid any dodgy foot bridges too ! There's no rush to Folkestone so why not avoid that madness on the way down? Now I'm a National Trust member (thanks Dad), so maybe I will take a look around Bateman's (Rudyard Kiplings home) or even take in Bodiam Castle for lunch. Hmm, decisions, decisions - all depends on the weather I guess.

As is usual, with free wifi I will be blogging progress with pictures when I am able, See the 2016 - Mountains : Alps blog (tab above).