This was a longer day and was the first day when I did not stick to the schedule suggested by the guide. Stage 5 is supposed to stop at Dulverton but I carried on to Taunton to get closer to Bath where we were going to stay wih Marcus and Tricia.

The day started with a jolly good breakfast in the hotel in Barnstaple and then I set off in search of National Route 3 and was distracted by a bike shop and thought I should go and get some rain covers for my panniers (I had bought one in Bodmin but needed another) I made the silly mistake of asking where the route went. I have a route guide and a GPS but I thought that a little local knowledge could be helpful. The chap took on the challenge and started to Google for answers and I didn’t have the courage to admit to my GPS and guide so the silly question wasted a good 10 minutes and reminded me that I shouldn’t ask for directions – it’s better to work it out for yourself. I got through Tesco’s car park and under the underpass and up the dead end in Primrose Avenue, threw a double six and was finally out of Barnstaple.

I had to take a layer off after about 5 minutes, change the batteries in my GPS, have a drink and suddenly 45 minutes were gone and I had travelled about 2 miles. The route up to the top of Exmoor was very hilly – the guide and the man in the bike shop had both warned me about this and I was all ready for it and dealing with it manfully when I encountered a chap who was also pedalling furiously. He said that he was doing the ride in memory of his friend who had died of a heart attack when cycling up this very hill. We had a bit of a chat about this and exchanged other life (and death) stories and then I made my excuses and carried on alone before I became too depressed.

Exmoor is another exposed and wild place and not one that you would necessarily choose to have a heart attack on alone so I pressed on  to get down to the safety of the nearest town which is called Dulverton where I had lunch.

After lunch I set off to cycle to Taunton which is in Somerset – my second county for the day. Taunton is another 32 miles on and allegedly, all downhill. The day was consistently overcast with rain threatening but fortunately not happening and the countryside was green and massive. As you cycle around Britain, and see fields and hills as far as the eye can see – endlessly, you become very aware how big it is although in world terms it is very small.

I did eventually arrive in Taunton where Marcus was patiently waiting to take me and my bike back to Bath to stay for the night.

The distance was 65 miles with 4,500 feet of climbing and took about  7 hours of cycling.