Cyling Belgium & Northern France (Day 8)
St Omer to Calais the final push
The last leg was the hardest. Rain lashed down relentlessly, jackets soaked through. Yesterday’s showers had felt cleansing; today’s storm felt punishing. We pressed on, no coffee stops, just heads down and pedals turning.
Most of the journey was along canal routes that was very pleasant. As we neared Calais, thunder rolled overhead. Normally it's straight off the motorway and into the port, however our route took us through the centre of Calais and it was a lot better than I expected.
The cycle into the port was circuitous, but fortune favoured us as we allowed to board an earlier ferry. A welcome mercy from the rain.
We sheltered in duty free until boarding, then crossed the Channel and climbed back up to Dover Priory station. And here, in true “welcome home” style, we met the only jobsworth of the trip: a security guard refusing to let us board an earlier train, despite us being cold, soaked, and exhausted. I bit my tongue, bought another ticket, and made a mental note: always book open tickets.
The final four miles from Maidstone station felt surreal. In that short distance, we encountered more traffic than in the whole of Belgium and northern France combined.
Back in England at last, we were tired, hungry, and dripping wet, yet already nostalgic.
A take away from our favourite Chinese was the perfect meal to complete our amazing adventure.
The trip had been a journey of remembrance, history, cycling, and friendship. Northern France and Belgium left us humbled and inspired. One thing’s for certain: we’ll be back.
Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six | Day Seven | Day Eight | Reflection
