So as we’d lost an hour crossing the Channel, we were an hour behind ourselves getting up 🙄. And we hadn’t booked hotel breakfast because we wanted to try for a café. So that’s what we did and what a choice of pastries. We wandered further until we admired the World Heritage Belfry and town hall (1925). As Canterbury Cathedral is also a World Heritage site, that’s two in two days! How exciting is that 🤗.
We set off late at 10:30 along EuroVelo 5 cycle route. It’s been upgraded with EU funds 🇪🇺💶. We know that as it says so on the signposts 👏🏻. So swift progress on wide traffic free tarmac routes along canals and across fields. Weeeeee 🚴♂️🚴♀️🚴🏻.
Until we got to Ardres when the EV5 mysteriously went in the wrong direction 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️.
It is Sunday 12:30 and all the shops are closed and the place is deserted. Except….. there is a Boulangerie and Patisserie open. So what choice is that 🤤🥮🧁🥖?
So we stopped for lunch in a bus shelter (the only bench in the main square) and ate a baguette sandwich and a luscious pastry each.
Given that the signposted cycle route was going the wrong way, we followed the “right” direction - but it was no longer signposted 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ and Anna was deeply suspicious that we were going the wrong way 🚳🤦♂️.
But we weren’t - though it was very hot. A refreshing citron syrop at Watten before a final stage along the Aa Canal (as in “Say Aaaagh”). The tow path started out as tarmac and weeeee 🚴♂️🚴♂️, but then suddenly became a narrow grassy footpath 😣 which was not fun.
We gave this up at the next bridge to switch to the other side with a road when we spotted that the tarmac started again so we didn’t change sides. Pleasant final ride to the cathedral square and our Ibis hotel. Now for a beer 🍺 🍻 and supper 🍽