A biking battle of two Trafalgars

Matthew Larkins and Simon Neatham flew themselves and their bikes to Cape Trafalgar, the scene of Lord Nelson’s famous sea battle, on the south-western tip of Spain to tackle the 3,100km, 15-day ride back to London’s Trafalgar Square… in a summer heatwave. Fighting fatigue and thirst, the two Finsbury Park CC riders experienced many highs and some lows. Here’s Matthew’s report…

A biking battle of two TrafalgarsWORDS & PICTURES MATTHEW LARKINS

THIS IS A RIDE that will live in my memory forever… an epic two weeks in June 2019 which saw us ride across Spain, Andorra and France in strength-sapping heat.

The Trafalgar-Trafalgar is an Audax permanent, created by former AUK chairman, Mick Latimer in 1985 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the organisation. After months of routeplanning, hotel-booking and equipmentchoosing, we were looking forward to this adventure with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

Prologue – 88km, 423m elevation, 3h 10m riding

Simon and I met at Finsbury Park station with our bikes in cardboard boxes. We took the train to Gatwick for the flight to Jerez, Spain, where we rebuilt the bikes and rode the 88km to the start point at Cape Trafalgar. The ride was fairly easy, and a good way of checking the bikes. It also helped us acclimatise to the heat – and riding on the other side of the rode.

Cape Trafalgar-Gibraltar-Ronda – 218km, 3,078m elevation, 9h 47m riding

We bought some food the night before at a nearby shop and ate in our room before rolling out of the hotel at 7.30am. It felt great to finally get going. The first half of the day’s route was on quiet roads, nothing too challenging except for the rising heat.

Matthew Larkins and Simon Neatham are both members of Finsbury Park CC. Simon, aged 53, has been riding Audax events for many years, including two LELs, Mille Pennines, Mille Cymru and the West Highland 1,000km. He also regularly competes in time trials. Twenty-three year old Matthew completed his first Audax in 2014, building up to LEL in 2017, and joined Simon on the West Highlands 1,000km in 2018, which is where they found we made a good pair on the longer distances. Matthew’s last two events were the National 24 hour… and a 10 miler in fancy dress!

Simon riding through the middle of some seemingly never-ending exposed fields

Our first control was in Gibraltar and we got our brevet card stamped at the border. After crossing the border we had to wait for a few planes to take off – the road into the town goes right across the runway! We ended up in a Morrison’s supermarket for lunch – the last place I’d have expected, so close to Africa.

After some flat coastal roads we had our first big climb of the trip up in to the Andalusian Mountains. With the heat still rising and lots of climbing, we started to burn through our water and at one point Simon ran out – a wake-up call for us to make sure we used all opportunities to keep our bottles topped up.

The scenery was stunning on the approach to our overnight stop of Ronda. We arrived at the hotel around 8pm, the friendly receptionist checked us in, stamped our book and asked if we were mad.

Ronda-Málaga-Granada – 232km, 3,895m elevation, 11h 14m riding

The first 50km of the day was through rugged and beautiful scenery, quiet and smooth roads – one of the best stretches of the whole ride. As we hit the edges of Málaga at lunchtime, we soon wished we could have stayed riding around Ronda as the roads were busy and the temperature above 30 degrees again.

The one benefit of passing through cities was that I was more likely to find some vegan food, something I was keen to capitalise on before the inevitable deterioration of my diet as we reached the more rural areas.

We then had a simple 1,000m climb out of the city. Temperatures were now well over 35 degrees, but with hardly any wind it was a battle. By the top we’d only covered half the day’s distance and had more climbing to do. We both took the hills at our own pace, occasionally regrouping to check we were ok and take in some of the amazing views.

We reached Granada just after sunset. Two hot, long and hilly days down and we were already looking forward to the slightly cooler temperatures that France would offer us – or so we hoped...

Granada-Sierra Nevada-Jaen – 186km, 3,177m elevation, 9h 32m riding:

The day’s finish point was in Jaen, only 100km north of Granada. That sounds easy – except that our next control was in the opposite direction at the top of the Sierra Nevada, the highest paved road in Europe! That meant our morning was a 2,000m climb straight out of the hotel and then back down the same road for lunch in Granada.

We stopped for a coffee in the only place open before continuing up the mountain until the tarmac ran out. It was another beautiful morning with amazing scenery looking across the mountain range with much cooler temperatures at altitude.

After the lovely descent we stopped for lunch then pushed on to Jaen. The terrain was much flatter with a few gentle climbs, though the heat had increased. I registered 44 degrees at one point. We reached Jaen and headed for some tapas in a local bar.

Jaen-Ciudad Real – 206km, 3,038m elevation, 9h 36m riding:

Heading north towards Madrid – and Simon’s bike was slipping gears, so we found a bike shop in Andujar which was

Simon heading through the Andalusian mountains approaching Ronda Matthew outside the lighthouse at Cape Trafalgar the evening before the ride started

Stunning view over the Andalusian mountains

❝The heat of the afternoon was really on us now but we luckily passed a lone house with a tap on the drive and the owner signalled it was safe to drink ❞

able to change his cassette and chain while we had a coffee.

Later on we entered the Sierra de Andujar national park, which could be described as cycling heaven – completely empty roads, perfect surfaces, nothing but us and wildlife for miles around. It was one of the many highlights of the trip.

With the remoteness came the challenge of sourcing water. We noticed a small village on the map and planned to refill there, however it was completely deserted, and all the taps were labelled unsafe for drinking. The heat of the afternoon was really on us now but we luckily passed a lone house with a tap on the drive and the owner signalled it was safe to drink.

A while later I developed my first and only puncture of the trip. Soon after fixing it I ran out of water, which felt horrible. Simon had gone ahead when, also out of water, passed a building next to a reservoir. He knocked on the door and thankfully a worker let us fill our bottles up – a massive relief.

Ciudad Real-ConsuegraToledo-Aranjuez – 192km, 1,269m elevation, 7h 07m riding:

We were relieved to reach day five and see a weather forecast of overcast skies and slightly cooler temperatures. It was a shorter and flatter day, even better we would have a nice tailwind.

In places the terrain was as close to the Fens as we’d seen in Spain and with the wind in the right direction we were cruising. We passed the famous windmills of Consuegra and the historic town of Toledo. We had a couple of relaxed stops with no time pressure at all and still arrived at our hotel quite early, though had a bit of a hassle demanding the twin room we booked rather than the double they offered us.

Aranjuez-Madrid-Siguenza – 211km, 1,947m elevation, 8h 53m riding:

We hoped to get through the bulk of Madrid before the afternoon heat arrived. There was an amazing cycle path for about 10 miles in to the middle of the city, until our route diverged from it and spat us out

Simon, on the Sierra de Andujar National Park, shortly before we ran out of water and got lucky at the reservoir

❝Two hot, long and hilly days down and we were already looking forward to the slightly cooler temperatures that France would offer us – or so we hoped... ❞

into the traffic. A train station in central Madrid was a control point and we managed to get a stamp from one of the ticket offices. Madrid seemed like it was never going to finish as we hit one suburb after another.

We were starting to get a bit fed up with the day, but 50km from our hotel in Siguenza we turned off a main road on to a lane and from that point on probably saw two cars for the rest of the day. The scenery changed very quickly, amazing hills and views and made the rest of the day seem worth it. We struggled to find our hotel in Siguenza, it was hidden away down a side street in a centuries-old building, but the room itself was nice and fresh.

Siguenza-Calatayud-Zaragoza – 231km, 1,967m elevation, 9h 06m riding:

We both thought today was going to be a transitional day, quite a bit over 200km but not too much climbing so probably a slog across some fairly uninteresting terrain, but we were very wrong. Straight out of the town we found ourselves on quiet roads in the northern Spanish countryside. Then a rock face gradually rose up on either side of the road and we found ourselves riding alongside the river Mesa and down a beautiful valley that went on and on. The road surface was smooth and I don’t think we saw any cars for at least an hour during this part of the ride. It was quite possibly my favourite stretch of the entire trip and I would love to ride there again one day.

While we were getting used to the heat by now, it didn’t make it easier and the afternoon was another tough one with the extra distance. We reached our hotel in Zaragoza and didn’t fancy a walk to find some food, so we managed to get some burgers delivered to our room.

Zaragoza-Lleida-Balaguer – 173km, 1,220m elevation, 7h 10m riding:

Today was the shortest stage before we headed through the Pyrenees and up to Andorra tomorrow. But any hopes of an easy day were soon lost as from early on we had a persistent headwind and the temperature climbed again. All we could do was just keep the pedals turning and take a few turns on the front for each other.

We arrived in our night stop of Balaguer and were greeted by random loud bangs on the streets – some kind of fiesta. It was a very pokey hotel, and the banging carried on until late at night, accompanied by loud music, so wasn’t the best night’s sleep of the trip.

Balaguer-Andorra-Ax Les Thermes – 188km, 3,030m elevation, 8h 11m riding:

Today was uphill for 145km into the Pyrenees, then a long descent to the hotel. We expected it to be a long, slow slog up to Andorra on a busy road but it was far more pleasant than that.

We reached the Andorran border, got a stamp for our cards and it felt very familiar again as Simon and I had been on a trip here the previous year. We had some lunch and pressed on up the big climb of the day, the Port d’Envalira. We were able to enjoy yet more stunning views and had made good time so were able to really enjoy this part of the day. The extra altitude also took the edge of the heat.

We crossed our second border of the day into France and soon began the long descent. Just a couple of miles before the hotel we hit a traffic jam, the result of a nasty car collision.

Ax Les Thermes-Carcassonne-Albi – 218km, 2,523m elevation, 8h 50m riding:

We had a 700m climb straight out of the hotel to warm ourselves up. It was quiet, scenic and much greener than most of the landscapes we’d covered in Spain. The morning was also probably the coolest I’d felt since leaving the UK, sheltered from the sun in the high peaks of the Pyrenees.

Our next control and lunch stop was in Carcassonne. We ate in a nice restaurant with great vegan options, though we looked out of place wearing Lycra.

It felt hotter as we stepped back outside, now in the high 30s again. We had a longer climb after Carcassonne followed by a descent and then rolling roads to Albi. In Spain we’d had about three close passes all trip but we had some busy roads in this part that weren’t at all pleasant so we managed to find an alternative road that didn’t add too much distance.

A pleasantly cool morning after the climb and descent with plenty of mist still in the Pyrenees foothills

We arrived in Albi and it was full of Tour de France signage, being a host town in a couple of weeks’ time. We went to a supermarket to get food for dinner and breakfast and planned for a much earlier start the next day to avoid some of the heat.

Albi-Rodez-Aurillac-Mauriac – 232km, 4,176m elevation, 11h 37m riding:

This was it. The day that could make or break the ride… or us. We’d pass through the eye of the heatwave, well over 40 degrees – the most climbing of any day and one of the longest. The day of hell, as I called it.

We set off just before 6am and already the temperature at 20 degrees. This stage would see us climb through valley after valley with hardly any flat. We passed through Tanus before dropping into a stunning valley with a huge viaduct overhead.

By the afternoon the heat was relentless and reached 45 degrees for a few hours. We were taking frequent stops to refill and cool off in any air-conditioning we could find. Thankfully there were plenty of villages compared to that hot day in rural Spain. We got baked alive on the climbs and the descents also felt genuinely like a hot hairdryer. In case we didn’t already know, it was hot. In places the roads had started melting and I remember one descent where it felt like we had our brakes on as the tarmac stuck to our tyres.

At one point in the afternoon, in a haze and running low on water, we asked an old couple in their garden if they’d fill our bottles. They’re probably still talking about us today.

We arrived in Mauriac after 8pm, covered in sweat salt but relieved we’d survived. We walked around looking for food but the only place still open was a kebab shop. Burger and chips for Simon, chips for me. No food for our planned early morning start. Would this derail our ride?

In a bit of a daze at a café stop at the hottest part of the day and more than 45 degrees

Mauriac-Bourg Lastic-MontluconSt Amand Montrond – 231km, 3,014m elevation, 10h 56m riding:

After the chips for dinner last night, no food for breakfast and another 40 degree plus day ahead – I actually had thoughts about whether we’d be able to complete. We found a bakery on the edge of town that opened at 6am, so that was our chance. For me, a plain baguette and a bottle of coke on a bench and the air still hot from the day before.

There was a little less climbing today compared to yesterday, but still hilly. We benefited from the biggest climb coming early in the day. The terrain became more rolling, with sections of exposed roads in between some tree cover. We were amazed by how much the scenery had varied through this trip, even on some individual days, feeling like we were riding in different parts of the world.

We had a flat 50km to end the day which was a welcome relief after the relentless hills of the last two days. We stocked up on food at a supermarket to eat at the hotel for dinner and breakfast so we wouldn’t have a repeat of last night.

It turned out we had been riding through the hottest-ever temperatures recorded in France in June. I couldn’t believe how we’d coped so well and not suffered with any heat or hydration issues. With the worst of the heatwave behind us we were feeling good.

St Amand Montrond-BourgesSully Sur Loire-Milly La Floret – 226km, 1,179m elevation, 9h 17m riding:

We were glad to see a forecast below 40 degrees today, and a flatter route. The first 50km to Bourges was along a dead straight, boring road. We had coffee in Bourges that helped kick some life back in to the legs. We then entered yet another type of landscape, with open fields intertwined with wooded areas that offered us periods of shade.

We’d made good time so when we reached Milly La Floret we could enjoy some food and ice cream in the town before heading to our hotel. Unfortunately we realised the nice hotel we’d booked as a treat didn’t have air-conditioning, so were in for a stuffy night’s sleep before the longest day of the ride.

Milly La Floret-Paris-Les Andelys-Dieppe – 252km, 1,347m elevation, 10h 25m riding:

We’d booked ourselves on to the midnight ferry from Dieppe so had more than enough time. We made another early start in the hope of clearing Paris before lunchtime.

It was a flat run in to the city but on busy roads. The Gare de Lyon was our control in Paris but we couldn’t find anywhere with a stamp, and with a huge queue for the ticket office we relied on a good old-fashioned receipt. We passed many sights of Paris – the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Arc de Triomphe – but honestly we were glad to be on the way out.

Melting roads in the afternoon… It felt like we were riding in to the sun

❝It turned out we had been riding through the hottest temperatures ever recorded in France in June ❞

Matthew and Simon at the finish in Trafalgar Square

We reached Dieppe around 8pm and this was the first time we let ourselves think we had made it. We picked up some food for the long wait at the ferry terminal. The ferry was four hours and we had booked a cabin hoping for a short sleep.

Newhaven-EdenbridgeTrafalgar Square – 101km, 1,210m elevation, 4h 26m riding:

The 3.30am alarm in our cabin after a couple of hours sleep was nothing but horrible. For the last time of the ride we packed up our amazingly small amount of stuff and waited until we were allowed down to our bikes.

We got our cards stamped at the border and on our way out of the terminal spotted two people waiting on bikes. It was Bob Macnaughton and Denis Belyaev, club mates from Finsbury Park CC. We headed to the 24 hour McDonalds for some coffee and warm food before setting off again. The four of us agreed that only Simon or I would ride on the front if we were in a group so that we had no assistance, but in reality we hardly rode together as Simon and I were going so slowly.

Our last intermediate control was at Edenbridge, and soon after came our last climb of the trip, Titsey Hill, before we got a glimpse of the London skyline and began a mostly downhill roll in to London.

Before we knew it we had crossed the Thames, past the Houses of Parliament on to Whitehall and then Trafalgar Square appeared ahead of us.

I can’t really describe the next few minutes, just a completely surreal feeling to have finished our adventure, now in a very familiar place. We spent a while in a daze taking it all in. It was immediately clear that Trafalgar Square will always have a different meaning to me from this point onwards.

All that was left now was the 25km ride home and I was happy to take full advantage of Bob’s wheel. Simon turned off for home in Barnet, followed by Bob, and then I was on my own for the final few kilometres of the journey.