Check my progress on this map.
View a few photos in this album.
Trip notes:
Updated 20/8
18/8, 111km
Train from The Hague to Brussels wound up on time and easy (the end of the journey of the Prague/Brussels sleeper train)
I quickly escape the unattractive surroundings of Brussels-Midi station
Head to a rather peculiar temporary Lidl housed in a kind of rugged marquee, although nevertheless it still does include a bakery
Soon leave the city along the Brussels-Charleroi canal. An easy warm-up ride
Head past a long boat lift, the Ronquieres incline
Leave the canal to join one of several old railway lines; part of Belgium's extensive "RAVeL" network
Sun is coming out by lunch as I make it to Chapelle-lez-Herlaimont. Giving priority to the right at numerous unmarked junctions takes a little getting used to
Reach Beaumont after managing a decent pace all day. Fill up on water. Supermarket visit, meeting some Swedish cyclists who have been riding in stages from Stockholm to Paris, doing a few days each year
Finally head to the "bivakzone," a free camping spot. Great stars out tonight
19/8 83km
Hilly little roads here right at the edge of Belgium. The sun soon starts warming things up
Cross into France and the village of Eppe-Sauvage. Find the bakery but a sign announces a "fermeture definitive!" I then take a wrong turn and climb an unnecessary hill...
French roads have markedly better surfaces than their Belgian counterparts
Slice briefly back through Belgium via Momignies, then back into France and towards Hirson to definitively break the Belgian elastic
Join Eurovelo 3 which I will basically follow along the River Oise and to Paris
Through Hirson Forest, where some minor roads have been closed to create cycle trails
My planned stop for water on leaving Hirson didn't work out, but the trick of finding a tap at the nearest cemetery worked perfectly
The River Oise is slowly growing
Made it to the campsite in Guise for 1600. Rather hot this afternoon, although it does then cloud over as evening approaches
Take a stroll through town, past the Familistere (a 19th century development with a similar idea to Port Sunlight in the UK. Here it's for the Godin stove company)
20/8 105km
Out of Guise, head straight over the hill rather than following the river as it takes a lazy loop North. Good views, although a bit grey this morning
Then down and back onto more cycle path
A little light rain approaching Ribemont. Stop at a bakery and then to the canal which I follow for much of the day
Most of the day's interest was from a chap riding a tall bike along the canal. He seemed to also be on a tour, which seemed a brave choice. The surface also became smoother
I picked up a bit of a tailwind as the route turned South beyond Noyon
Then along quiet cycle paths through forest towards Compiegne
Fair amount of rain through the evening, glad to be staying indoors here in Compiegne