DAY EIGHTEEN: London to Aushcwitz in Bohutin, Sumperk, Czechia
Left my lovely hotel and had a good first 20km or so, all only gently rising. The hills were expected in the afternoon so I stopped for lunch in Letohrad in a cake shop - no hot or savoury food. Thought I'd stop again a little later but kind of forgot until late afternoon when I had another coffee and cake. Blood sugars fared well, though.
Much of the morning I'd been riding alongside either a river, a railway, or a road, generally on a wonderful bike path. I took a picture for Jonny, who recently retired as a railway signalman, of an unprotected level crossing.
For a long time I was in very pretty valleys with beautiful scenery (see below), but I did meet an impossible barrier (see below!).
I trudged up four long hills after lunch, not steep but slow, and booked my accommodation late in the afternoon, just 12km up the road. Except that there are several Bohutins in Czechia, and my hotel was in the one three hours away! I doubt I'll get a refund, but it was only £45, and the correct Bohutin had a bar/penzione for much the same price.
Good progress at 97km for the day. Two more long days to go.
Especially for Jonny - read on
Chocen market square
Hmm. Looks a bit deep this, the rest of this 3km lane was being reconstructed but was reasonably ridable. I didn't want wet feet, so I climbed up the bank and lugged the bike across two railway lines. Look away now Jonny! Made it safely somehow but there was a tense moment or two, and my feet are still dry.
A beautiful quiet glade followed, with beautiful homes, some 100m or more from the road. It's a beautifully quiet, out of the way spot, until they finish that road. Near Orliche Podhuri.
More of the same - no obvious vehicular access to these places, though.
It was a bit of a climb to get out of the valley, but a highlight of the whole ride.
Love a coffee shop where you can watch your bike from the window.
Not sure about these cakes! But some of the village names I passed through were Horni Roven, Horni Jeleni, Horni Houzovec and Horni Dobrouc so maybe it had something to do with that...
I'd heard the Czechs drink as much tea as coffee. This was my first, and a lovely change, jasmine.
The tea brews and then the jug can be placed on top of the beaker which opens a valve in the bottom of the teapot to automatically fill the beaker. Ingenious!
Another bus shelter. If you zoom in on the chocolate bar on my barbag you'll see what I really wanted at this point.
Some of the churches are in poor repair but this one has had a fresh lick of paint. This is Vyprachtice.
I got a much better reception from Tadeáš at this showroom than in Prague. He was just locking up for the day when he saw me peering in through the window. He was happy to let me in to take a couple of pictures. His English was excellent, but he didn't want his picture to be shown.