Cycling and Gardening, the opium of the retired

The weather has improved enough to do a bit of gardening.

Nothing too strenuous, a little bit of tidying up, plus cutting down a conifer, which had grown too tall, in the front garden. I now have a neat pile of logs for Geoff and his wood burning stove.

Having allowed my cycling activities to fall by the wayside, I have shaken off the lethargy after christmas and got myself back on track. Got to do something to work off the extra pounds.

On Tuesday there is usually a group cycle ride beginning from Marsden Grotto at 13:00 (I think).

The normal pattern is to drive to the meeting point, then use one of the groups bikes. But today I did not have use of the car because Kathleen had to drive Claire to hospital for a "quickie" one day operation.

Not to be beaten I cycled there, through Colliery Wood, to East Boldon, along Mill Lane to Cleadon, then to Whitburn and along the coast to Marsden. Not the shortest route, but the one with the least traffic, an important consideration when you are on a bicycle! But when I arrived there (having already cycled six miles), there was no sign of anyone else, have I got the time wrong?

It was a beautiful day, as you can see from the photograph. Bright and sunny, but with a stiff (and cold) breeze blowing from the North East.

We have a beautiful and mostly unspoiled coast here, but that wind ensures it will never be a tourist trap!

I even managed to get a small Container Ship in the shot as it made it's way from the Tyne. Not too many ships visiting the Tyne these days, nothing like it's heyday.

I continued along the coast to South Shields, then along the river to Tyne Dock, not very scenic on this stretch. Followed the disused railway line from Tyne Dock to Biddick Hall, then took the Linnet Way to Brockley Whins metro station and home.

Eighteen miles, not bad.