La Balade des Vieux Clous - Part 2
- Andy Marks
- Jun 2
- 10 min read
Day 4 - Sunday
85 miles
Berck to Bailleul
Another good night's sleep, these beds are very comfy! I wake up to the sound of a bike being started, I know we need to be away slightly quicker this morning but surely we haven't overslept by that much! I grab my phone to check the time and breath again when I see it's only 8:15 - I look out the window to see our neighbour bringing his bike over to his cabin to load up.
I'm awake now so head straight in for breakfast, a small one again before coming back to our room to pack. It's all pretty easy on this bike, part of the Norton's transformation into my touring bike was a big set of hardcase panniers which make loading and unloading very easy.
Last job before we leave here is to buy a souvenir for Leigh's girls, I've noticed a stuffed toy in the shop that looks perfect but I've left it until last minute so I don't have to carry it, and to reduce the chances of it getting oily and mucky strapped onto the Norton! We are on the road by 9:30.
This morning starts with the full 'French motorcyclist experience'. We do two laps of a roundabout trying to read the signs; a lap of a supermarket carpark trying to work out how to get into the petrol station; and we ignore a ROUTE BARRÉE sign - it's Sunday so we manage to get through without too much trouble. This is all in the first five miles so we're off to a good start.
Back out in the countryside I'm struck again by the huge scale of the farming in this part of France. Last time I was here was in September, the crops are all a lot smaller now and the irrigation is in full flow (pun intended). We pass miles of wheat fields and potato trenches, we also see a trailer full of cows half in the ditch and two very flustered farmers dashing about trying to get them out - it's only after I pass that I realise my camera wasn't running at the time!
The verges are consistently well maintained in the towns and the wild flowers are coming out beautifully in the countryside. The wild roses are early this year and add a dash of colour to the greenery. What I particularly love is that there isn't a KFC bag or Costa cup in sight, our verges in the UK are disgusting. It never ceases to amaze me that people think it's OK to toss their rubbish out the window the minute they've finished with it. Another reason I love riding in France.
It takes us an hour to cover 14 miles before the roads open up and we start travelling quicker, the only downside to this - it's bloody cold on the bike today. Unlike my Honda, the Norton doesn't have a screen or heated grips so I feel it a lot more!
We probably do two hours before stopping for a hot drink, I was ready to get off and we are all cold so sit inside with our hot chocolates. It take's a while to drag ourselves back out and onto the bikes for the final stint to todays lunch stop.
Another cold stint follows and by the time we arrive at the lunch stop at 1pm I'm very happy to be getting off the bike, I'm hardly ever happy to be getting off of a bike! We've done 78 miles this morning, the route sheet says it should have been 67 - we've been lost a few times again.
You wouldn't believe what we have for lunch today, more bloody stew - it's not that hot either and if ever we needed a hot meal, today is the day! I'm just about warming up when it's time to head back outside. This meal marks the end of la Balade. The British contingent all have another night but our French friends will be going home from here, so we mill around and say our goodbyes and thankyous. It's gone 3:30 by the time we get back on our bikes.
Fortunately tonight's hotel, The Belle in Bailleul, is less than 10 miles away. We talked about stopping for fuel on the way in but I'm leading and I'm still not warm, so I ride past the petrol station and I'm soon in my room. Straight into the shower and by the time I get out I'm properly warm again for the first time since about 10 this morning. This is one of the perks of leading!
After my shower I leave my Dad in our room and go for a walk in Bailleul. We've spent the last night here on every Balade I've ever done, but I've never really had a look round so take some time before just heading into the bar.
I must have walked past the spectacular town hall dozens of times in the past, it's impressive but I've never really stopped to take it in - I'm getting better at slowing down and taking these things in more. I find out it's a listed historic monument and the Belfry itself is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO!
Just behind the town hall is Église catholique Saint-Vaast à Bailleul (Saint-Vaast Catholic Church in Bailleul) which is equally impressive and I sit on a bench outside wondering why I've left it this long to come and see it all. This is when I spot Ron and Frank walking into a Belgian bar (we're only a few miles from the border) and decide it's time for a drink.
We move from the Belgian bar to the L’Excelsior lounge, an Italian restaurant, for dinner. A quick look at the menu and I know we need to be a bit careful in here, the weakest beer on the menu is Stella at 5% - I can't stand the stuff so end up with a 'weak' Belgian beer at about 6%. I don't want many of them!
The pizza is lovely and the final evening of our trip is spent talking about the weekend, although we've all been on the same trip everyone seems to have different stories to tell. We soon move onto upcoming trips, other bikes, projects and I almost convince a couple of the benefits of camping on trips, I still don't think they'll be trying it anytime soon though.
We stay for a drink after dinner and I don't get to bed until gone midnight - I'm shattered again, but I've also had another great day and now that I'm warm again I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike tomorrow. The forecast looks warmer and I'll be back in my own bed tomorrow night.
Day 5 - Monday
128 miles + Ferry crossing
Bailleul (France) to Hailsham (UK)
After a quick breakfast I walk back into Bailleul and find a pâtisserie to buy a small dessert for Leigh that she's asked me to keep an eye out for. Back in my room I pack my panniers for the last time and manage to get the dessert in without squashing it. I'd love to be staying longer but I'll also be glad not to have to load up again tomorrow morning.
As we pull out of Bailleul at 10am a roadside thermometer tells me it's 19°C, that's better! We pull into a petrol station on the outskirts and it just seems to take forever. Something else I prefer about travelling on my own is the lack of waiting around in places like this, it's nobody's fault, there are a few people in front of us and only two working pumps that seem very slow to work with our cards.
Back on the road and it's lovely and warm as we head towards Cassel. We've been here plenty of times before but as Rick and Julie are on their first Balade it would be a shame to miss it. Cassel is located on top of a hill which can be seen from miles. We turn off of the D916 onto the cobbled climb to the town itself. These cobbles make the ones in Montreuil feel like a billiard table! I wonder what state Leigh's dessert will be in by the time I get it home...
Cassel's location on top of the hill has led to it being a key location in many wars. There are some buildings dating back to the early 17th century but much of the town was destroyed during a fierce battle in WW2 and had to be rebuilt in subsequent years. This has lead to a real mix of architecture along the street, but somehow it all works together.
The house martins are very active diving in and out of their nests in the eaves of some of the older buildings, the sun is shining and once again, nobody is in any rush to move on as we sit outside another café.
When I order drinks for the five of us I get a very funny look from the waiter and Dad laughs at me before pointing out I've just ordered in Italian. I spent three weeks in Italy over the winter but I'd have thought I'd got back into French by day 5, I must be tired!
With all credit going to the waiter, we somehow all get what we wanted and sit in the sun chatting about the weekend so far - this is the part of travelling in a group that I probably miss the most when I'm on my own!
We make plans to meet Mick and the rest of his group for lunch in a restaurant he knows near Gravelines before climbing the last part of the hill to get the full views from the very top of Mont Cassel. It's a bit murky today but the views are still impressive and I haven't been up here for several years so this is a nice add on for all of us.
Back on the bikes and we coast down the hill, a quick check of the map at the bottom and we pull onto the D11 to head towards lunch. Well... Four of us do. We only get a couple of hundred yards before realising Rick hasn't pulled away from the last junction with us.
We go back and find him trying to start his Matchless, it conked out just as the rest of us were pulling away. This isn't a technical article so I wont bore you with it all, but a new spark plug doesn't make any difference so we end up stripping the carburettor. We get it going again but we've probably spent nearly an hour on the side of the road getting it going - it doesn't matter, the sun is shining and we are in beautiful surroundings.
However, we aren't going to make it to the restaurant for lunch, I'm just about to ring Mick and say we'll see him on the boat when he rings me to see where we are. We've got the bike going now so it's a quick conversation before we get back on the road with the intention of heading straight to Calais and finding some lunch near there.
I'm not sure what happen on the way to Calais, we end up in the outskirts of Dunkirk, then on the motorway to Calais. I'm not happy about this! We're doing 40mph and I'm at the back of the line feeling very vulnerable with lorries steaming up behind me. I assume Ian hadn't planned to lead us onto the motorway so sit tight, if he goes past the next junction and doesn't leave, I'll overtake and get us off at the next one. This isn't safe.
Fortunately it's a short lived thing and we all leave the motorway safely. Ian soon pulls over and says he's not sure on the way into Calais. I have it on my satnav so once again take the lead. It's not long before I see a pâtisserie on the other side of the road so we stop for another coffee, I'm not sure how long check in will take on this side.
Five minutes after leaving the pâtisserie we are pulling up to passport control at the docks. I'm sure there are more checks on this side than in Dover, but it all goes smoothly and we are on the dockside with loads of time to spare. Mick and co. are not far behind us and the rest of the group heading back to the UK are all soon queuing up behind us.
This is a busy ferry, it's heaving with coach loads of kids and is very, very noisy! We move to another part of the ferry which is marginally quieter but it's not as relaxing a crossing as the one on Friday. Fortunately it is smooth and pretty quick. We say goodbye to everyone as the boat is pulling in and head down to the bikes.
I notice a Trackhouse Aprilia artic pulling of in front of me and realise it must be the MotoGP at Silverstone next weekend. The group of five I have been riding in all weekend have agreed to ride back home together and take the scenic route. I think I can remember it so I offer to take the lead. Fortunately we are all on the same part of the ferry so are able to gather there and just get going when we disembark.
Other than the sun being low in the sky and in our eyes all the way home, it's a lovely ride. We stop only twice to say goodbye, first to Rick and Julie and then to Ian. Dad and I pull back into the drive at about 8pm.
We've done 450 miles, measured on a 74yr old mechanical speedo so it could be more, or less. It's been a fantastic weekend, the waterproofs have stayed in the bag and the bike hasn't missed a beat. I've done a lot of work on this bike to get it how I want it and I'm delighted with how well it's ridden this weekend.
A slice of cheese on toast is all I need for dinner and I'm showered and in bed by 10. It's been a fantastic weekend and I'm already thinking about my next trip across the channel, I don't have anything planned yet but that's going to have to change very, very soon.
That's all for this trip - I hope you have enjoyed what you have read. Why not subscribe so I can let you know about future posts as soon as they go live?
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