Not really sorry to leave Herefordshire,  with its poor roads and not so dramatic landscape. Shropshire has been stunning since we crossed its border. So many sheep and happy lambs.

The first 35 miles were hilly, with a couple of almost vertical climbs.

I confess to having a very nice walk in two places, one just before and one just after this photo. We cycled on, turned a corner at Pentre Hodre farm and up we went, beyond where we had already come.

It was a glorious view at the top, and we fortunately had a bit of cycling along before our descent.

Shropshire remained picturesque, with the pretty constant voices of sheep and lambs as a backdrop. We had another long uphill followed by a really perfect descent, not too steep so not too many braking moments.

We had lunch in Shrewsbury, by the Severn River next to the Quantum Leap sculpture, honouring Charles Darwin, born in Shrewsbury, to our surprise.

After lunch was feeling really sleepy, but given the choice between lying down for a nice nap and cycling another 30 miles, I chose the latter.

The cycling from Shrewsbury was mostly flat, through more lovely villages. Loppington was a favourite, with Loppington Hall

selling jams, marmalades, and pickled onions outside the gate. If we hadn’t been on bicycles, I would have stocked up.

Through Bettisfield, where we found that we had crossed back into Wales, the clue being the signs in English and Welsh. We crossed a canal, now called the Llangollen Canal (another clue) and continued on until crossing back into England into Cheshire.

So far Cheshire is very pretty, but not much of a feeling for it yet. The roads we have been on have been quiet and lined with high hedges. Looking for footballers’ mansions but none so far.

We cycled 76.5 miles today. Husband says we can round it up to 77. It is as close to doing a hundred mile day as I will ever get. I felt good at the end, and it was a relatively easy day after the first 35 miles. But it is still 77 miles!