Michael G. Ormerod
Reigate to Eschweiler 2006
“There is only one twin room booked in the name of Ormerod”. Four of us, Mike Ayliffe, Graham Haysom, David Hilder and myself, had cycled 90 miles to Dover and crossed to Calais to find that two twin rooms had not been reserved. Fortunately, the Le George V Hotel just down the road had rooms, a garage for our bicycles and an excellent restaurant.
The following day we set off along a small road on the bank of the St Omer Canal which took us out of Calais into open country, flat and criss-crossed with canals and polders; ideal cycling country as long as the wind is on your back. Keeping to the minor roads, at some point, we crossed the (unmarked) border into Belgium to arrive for lunch in Poperinge. From here we took a cycle path paralleling the main road to Ieper (Ypres) and through the famous gateway to Menin. It started to rain heavily just as we made acquaintance with the long distance cycle path (Lang Fiets Route), LF6. The path would have taken us along a canal bank to the centre of Kortrijk (Coutrai) except that it was blocked by works to a bridge just outside the city and we were diverted onto the ring road, with cycle track but lacking signs to the centre. Eventually we found our way into the old town and our hotel.
Here the rooms were reserved (I had dealt directly with the hotel rather than go through an agent). Four Englishman, rain dripping off them onto the polished floor, could not have found a warmer welcome. We were even offered free use of the fitness suite. Having just cycled 85 miles, we declined and opted instead for a beer. The hotel restaurant was expensive so we ate in a bistro in a back street off the main square.
Robbie McEwan’s local
Next day LF6 led us out of town along a canal bank. This was the last of the flat countryside as the route took up us up the Kreuzberg (well known to followers of the cycle race, the Tour of Flanders) and along a variety of country lanes. At midday, it started raining. We were passing a small restaurant that looked deserted. Mike Ayliffe decided to check it out. The
Poperinge
door was locked but after ringing the bell twice a woman answered and welcomed us in. The first sight was a large tank full of live trout. We were consuming large bowls of soup while out trout were cooked when Mike spotted a framed cycling jersey on the wall. It belonged to the famous Australian sprinter, Robbie McEwan, who lives nearby; we were in his local bar.
After lunch, cycling in the rain, we lost our way. Either a vital LF6 sign was missing or we had failed to spot it. We could see a small town nearby so we headed that way and reached a bus shelter on the outskirts just as a deluge hit us. While sheltering, we were joined by a woman who directed us to the next town on our route. We decided to stay on the major roads (all with good cycle tracks) through Halle, where the rain stopped, and on to Leuven without further incident.
Rendezvous
We stopped in a B&B in the old town centre which supplied an excellent breakfast to see us on our way. A brisk ride to Tongeren for lunch followed by a slower ride (with a couple problems finding the route) through to Gulpen in Holland, where we met a group of cyclists from the Eschweiler SG Radsport. After a celebratory beer, we completed the last 20 miles together to Eschweiler.
Rund Dom und Rathaus
That evening, we watched the Aachen ‘Rund Dom und Rathaus’ criterium (80 laps of a 1 km course around the cobbled streets). Fifty riders at speeds up to 30 mph on cobbled streets with several sharp bends make an exciting spectacle.
On Sunday, we were given cycling jerseys and enrolled as honorary members of Eschweiler SG Radsport before we took part in a 70 km Radtouristikfahrt (a ride over a marked route) through the Eifel.
At the finish, we were given an award with a small plaque. It is the first time in my life that I have won anything cycling and I had to go to Germany to get it; I have yet to discover what we had won! In the evening, we all met for dinner in the Restaurant Haus Lersch, reputedly the oldest Gasthaus in Eschweiler.
To start our journey home, we were given a lift to Eupen in south Belgium where we took the train to the Belgian coast. The ride from there to Calais is described by Mike Ayliffe (here). The ferry to Dover and a train ride home completed our journey. The ride from Reigate to Eschweiler was about 350 miles; in the six days we completed nearly 500 miles.
From left to right, me, Graham, Hermann, Mike. Hans and David