8/05/10-11/05/10

We set off from Hornsea on a cold blustery morning at 9 am, we were very excited that the day had finally arrived.

Having had our card stamped at the start and waved goodbye to our familys we headed off destination Stockport.

Our first hiccup came around aintree, we lost the sign and got a bit lost, called into a golf course for directions and toilets! Back on track, we had an interesting time in and around housing estates on the outskists of Liverpool.(People in pjs on the streets in the afternoon!)

We had a picnic break in a little park, chilly but nice.

Chris fancied taking us over a lovely bridge over the Mersey, wrong way though!! Sense of direction not good.

Eventually we approached the outskirts of Stockport, just down to me to find the hotel (no pressure there!) We ended up at the bus station (no good for bikes) asked directions (ignored them!) At 7pm we arrived at the Premier inn,tired but in one piece 69 miles cycled!!

After a long soak and a good feed it was time for an early night we couldnt keep our eyes open.

Day 2. 9/5/10

We left Stockport at 8am on a lovely sunny morning.

After just 6 miles we got terribly lost, we wasted an hour and a few miles, we went up and down the same hill 3 times!! Turned out the sign was missing, just what we needed. I lost my sun glasses too, but I wasnt going back for them! We got quite hot that morning cycling along in our bright pink t shirts. This day was very tough we seemed to be climbing most of the time.

Suddenly the weather changed and it became cold and windy, which made it even tougher, spirits were quite low climbing the highest peaks, they were impossible to ride, too steep and uneven.

The down hill free wheel into Dunford Bridge was a nice rest! We had a little rest and snack stop there, more malt loaf or was it snickers?? We certainley grazed to keep energy levels up.

We thought we might have some support as we approached oxspring which really helped us along and it was great to see everybody, there was another crowd of friends and family at Worsborough too. We cycled on to Old Moor at Brampton arriving at 5pm, just in time to get our cards stamped.

We went home for the night, a long soak in the bath, wash the kit and re fuel!!

Day 3, 10/05/10

Dad and Stuart dropped us back at Old Moor, 8.30am ready to set off to Howden, it was a cold damp morning, coldest of the trip so far. By Bently my fingers were really cold and wet, I resorted to rubber gloves under cycling gloves(which did warm them up) Todays ride was a lot flatter than the previous days, but our tired legs really felt every incline. We took shelter at Snaith Cricket pavillion to eat our lunch out of the rain. We made good progress and at Selby stopped off to visit the Abbey, and our auntie, that was nice, but her house was lovely and warm and after a cup of tea and warming up it was hard to tear ourselves away. We made our way on a pretty part of the track, through farms and lanes heading towards Howden with our afternoon chocolate stop to look forward to.

We arrived at The Wellington Hotel in Howden at 5. We had 2  lovely rooms and the food was lovely, we met some nice people in the bar who donated money to our charity too.

Day 4, 11/05/10

We left the hotel at 8.30, stopping off at a lovely sandwhich stop to buy lunch. It was a lovely sunny day but cold.

We were on a high as it was the last day and the shortest so easy, no one warned us about the yorkshire wolds though, boy did our thighs feel that, nothing compared to the pennines but our legs were shot by this time!

The approach to the Humber bridge was spectacular, we would have liked to cycle over it, but it would have been hard to get up to from the trail.

We had read that the trail is hard to follow through Hull and so were quite anxious that we would get lost, we sailed through although I'm not sure riding straight through a building site was exactly right! We got some funny looks.

Lunch break was in a park in a very rough suburb of Hull, we didn't hang around long, and then the rain came, it was very heavy and we were cold and miserable. We stopped off at tourist information, got our cards stamped then headed off to a coffee shop to shelter!! Fortunately it did stop a bit when we set off again, and the final few miles were dry and pleasant. As we appproached Hornsea we were told by folk passing that our families were waiting for us, which again spurred us on.

Turning the corner onto the promenade and seeing the sea mast and our families waiting was a very emotional moment, we'd done it, the three of us girls, no punctures , no falls, no problems.

We threw our pebbles into the north sea which we'd carried from the irish sea, then it was time for champagne, followed by fish and chips!!(we had earned them!)

We cycled 220 miles in 4 days.

We've raised £2951 between us, we are really pleased and extremely grateful to every one who has supported us.

Thank you all so much.

Helen, Jo and Chris.

xxx