Dover, Wiltshire and Bournemouth

Here I was again on English soil and familiar terrain as I remember that steep climb out of the Dover port. This time the riding weather was good as it can be for Dover but I'd been on the road for a few days back in France so I settled for a dry bed and breakfast treat and warm shower

Dover bed and breakfast

In 2013 I had already cycled from Dover along the Hampshire coast through iconic towns like Folkestone, Eastbourne, Brighton and Southampton so I caught the express train from Dover to Salisbury in Wiltshire. 

Express train to Wiltshire

In 2013 I had already visited Stonehenge so I headed south for the coast for an appointment with the world famous Bournemouth air show. Why would a cyclist be interested in such an event? My father was in the Australian Air Force and my first career was in Avionics.

There were a number of festivals on at the time so finding budget accomodation was not an option but I was setup for camping with a tent and eventually found a caravan park (holiday park in Europe/UK) just a few kms on the southern outskirts of Salisbury. I have used a lot of them over the years and have to say this has one of the best camp kitchens ever and even better than one I used on the Otago Rail Trail in southern New Zealand.

Here in the northern hemisphere the moon is to the south

 and the crest to your right

The holidays had just finished so I had the whole park to myself

Cycling the beautiful Wiltshire Downs

Your typical general store in the small village 'high street'

Mother and daughter out for a stroll

Idyllic scenery enroute to Bournemouth

Japanese Miso soup

I don't like the stodgy English cuisine and I'm mainly a vegetarian with the occasional fresh fish or chicken but found a vegetarian restaurant in Bournemouth and enjoyed a miso, bok choy and delicate Enoki mushroom soup.