Day 16 – Knipton to Woodhall Spa

Posted on July 25, 2018 • No Comments

...and finally to Woodhall Spa. The site of the old RAF Woodhall Spa, where on 26 July 1944 9 Mosquito Pathfinders took off. Cycling wise - today was an easy run up from Knipton to Woodhall Spa. I had intended to travel via RAF Syerston, which had been the base[...]

Day 15 – Maidwell to Knipton

Posted on July 24, 2018 • No Comments

The final run home The Crew of the Worry Bird I've headed north today closer and closer to Bomber County - Lincolnshire. But first, and really close to my bed for the night in Maidwell is the Carpetbaggers Museum in Harrington. A brisk 3-mile climb on the bike, while my[...]

Day 14 – Ampthill to Maidwell

Posted on July 23, 2018 • No Comments

To Maidwell Northampton The plan today was to leave Ampthill and spend some time at Bletchley Park. During the second world war, Bletchley Park was home to over 150 people, primarily engaged in trying to crack the enigma code. The first operational break into Enigma came around the 23 January[...]

Day 13 – Central London to Ampthill

Posted on July 22, 2018 • No Comments

Via the home of the Mosquito de Havilland Aircraft Museum At Last leaving London on the home stretch to Lincoln. I left Westminster and cycled the short distance to Kings Cross Station to RV with my daughter Katie to continue for the next two days. It's so much easier with[...]

Day 12 – Rochester to Central London

Posted on July 21, 2018 • No Comments

To WESTMINSTER GREEN PARK The weather was back to the sun I had enjoyed (sometimes too much) over the preceeding 10 days. I travelled from Rochester the land of Charles Dickens via the National Cycle Network Routes 1 and 4 right into the city of London. Congratulations to Sustrans for[...]

Day 11 – Folkestone to Rochester

Posted on July 21, 2018 • No Comments

FOLKESTONE TO ROCHESTER Detling Kent I thought today would be an easy ride north. I was wrong. I rode north from Folkestone latching onto the Pilgrims Way. The surface of this route was really hard going and the rain - the first in 54 days I was told - was[...]

Jour 10 – Day 10a – TOURNEHEM-SUR-LA-HEM to Folkestone UK

Posted on July 19, 2018 • No Comments

??France to UK??????? Handwritten Envelope From the private collection of the Christie Family Today I crossed the channel to the UK in the relative luxury of a car ferry from Dunkirk to Dover. Boarding was a systematic, unhurried and stressless proceedure. Once on board, people ate and drank, sun bathed[...]

Day 9 – English Channel to Tournehem-sur-la-Hem

Posted on July 18, 2018 • No Comments

ENGLISH CHANNEL TO TOURNEHEM-SUR-LA-HEM I was not surprised to find that the wind that had blown directly in my face all the way down the Canal de Somme continued today. Christie was the observer in a recognisance mission over Belguim when on 11th May 1940 he was shot down. His[...]

DAY 8 COURCELLES-SOUS-THOIX, PICARDY TO ENGLISH CHANNEL

Posted on July 17, 2018 • No Comments

COURCELLES-SOUS-THOIX, PICARDY TO ENGLISH CHANNEL Today marks my first day of my second week in the saddle – none of this ‘having a day off’ like in the Tour de France.Today I pass by Poix in Picardy – A place of great significance for FO Christie. The very man who[...]

Day 7 – Paris to Courcelles sous Thoux

Posted on July 16, 2018 • No Comments

Paris to Courcelles sous Thoux Beauvais Today I start to head for the coast and through the site of the Battle of France in the early stages of the war. Much of this area has great significance for Flying Officer Christie but first I need to get to Picardy. En[...]