DAY ONE: Harwich to Geldeston

I had travelled on the overnight ferry from Holland and disembarked at Harwich at 6.30am. As I had opted to go via Felixstowe (therefore cutting out the less attractive route via Colchester and Ipswich) had time to kill before the ferry across to Felixstowe departed at 9.10am. Time to devour an enormous breakfast. This I duly did at the Station Cafe (190 High St.) which opened at 8am. A vast menu of unhealthy fare but good for a cyclist with 65 miles ahead of him that day. 
Breakfast







The ferry left on time and the sea was choppy across the Stour and Orwell Estuary but an impressive crossing passing withing spitting distance of the huge container ships. A word of warning: on the 9.10am, which only runs if booked, there is a minimum (total) fare of £20... so if there is only one passenger...


15 minutes later the ferry pulled up at the stony and steep Felixstowe beach and bike and I were offloaded. The promenade being a 100 yards climb up the beach.

Felixstowe Beach





The proper start to my Harwich to Hull cycle.







After some 5 miles I arrived at Felixstowe Ferry, where there is a foot and cycle ferry across the River Deben to Bawdsey. Boarding the ferry requires strong arms as I had to lift the bike and baggage from the jetty over the side of the boat. Unloading on the opposite side of the river is also quite tricky. 











The route went through some lovely Suffolk countryside and after some time I arrived at Snape where 200 yards off my route is the Maltings Concert Hall, now a complex with visitors centre, tea rooms, gift shops and the like.




From Felixstowe this had been NCN Route 51 and at Bruisyard met NCN Route 1 which I would follow all the way to Hull.


UK National Cycle Routes are in theory signposted all the way but in practice I would not try to cycle without satellite navigation. The signs are mostly there, but sometimes obscured by bushes, badly placed or simply missing. It is easier, and saves a lot of time just to follow the navigation system than constantly keep the lookout for small signs.





The route meandered northwards and through the pleasant market town of Beccles before heading west to my overnight stop in Geldeston. Today the route was nearly all on quiet country roads with very little on dedicated cycle paths.






Stats. Day One
Distance: 104.6km (65.4miles)
Average speed: 17.9 km/h (11.2mph)
Max. speed: 35km/h (21.9mph)
Trip time:7h:38m
Riding time: 5h:51m
Kcal: 1985
Average temp: 19.8


Link to route: http://www.brytonsport.com/mapTrackView/2?id=9298600

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I am sorry, links to the route do not work any more.