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Thursday 20th September 2007
Berwick upon Tweed to York (by train)
and then onto Tollerton by bike
The final leg of this section of the journey. We spend a while in the local supermarket buying hankies and odds and ends - Christine has picked up a nasty cold from somewhere during the week. We also have a walk round the city walls, but it is soon time to catch the train which leaves Berwick just after 10am. As always we leave ourselves plenty of time and just as well, because when we reach the station we find that the normal access to the platform is via a long flight of steps. The second option is via the customer lift - but this turns out to be too small for the tandem to fit in. We notify the station staff that we are booked on the train and after several minutes a very helpful young man appears and directs us through various security gates and over the track on to the end of the platform. He shows some slight concern about fitting the bike onto the train (HST variant) which is different to the ones we have used before. Off he goes to seek advice. A few minutes later he returns with the boss who seems to think we shall not have a problem. He informs us that five bikes are booked on the train - we are booked as two - but there is no sign of the other three. (Because I had trouble booking the tickets I think I was probably double booked ie 4 bikes.) When the train arrives the bike if lifted on to the guards van by our helpful assistant and myself - there is nothing else in the van and there is plenty of room for it to lie on its side on the floor (the safest place!) and off we go.
Unlike the last time which only took just over the hour to do the return journey, the journey to York takes nearly 2 hours - more of sense of achievement this time. It is still strange to see the places that you have visited during the whole of the last week rush by every few minutes or so in the train. And so to York where a helpful guard assists me in lifting the bike off the train. Panniers reloaded we make our way into the city centre to buy sandwiches and ginger cake (from Thomas the Baker) - must be good!
And then it's off along the cycle track which follows the river in a north westerly direction out of the city. We arrive at the Tollerton B&B just after 2pm and then make our way home. That's the end of our cycling adventure for this year. Next year Scotland!
Mileage today 13.7 miles Total mileage so far 717.8 miles