The way to Nottingham

Just as I left Dronfield by my very own tradition I took a wrong road and found myself cycling through the forest path. Fortunately I haven't cycle too far when I noticed it and soon I eventually found the road going to Chesterfield.

Soon I reached Chesterfield. Check out the shape!

Not very interesting city....

From Chesterfield I had two options where to go. Nottingham or Darby. I heard about Robin-Hood from Nottingham forest and never heard about Darby. So I chosed Nottingham.

The problem was I had to find quite road for cycling. Everywhere I was cycling roads were taking me to motorways  or dual-carriage ways where cyclists not welcomed.

 Sometimes I was taking wrong roads and end up somewhere at the middle of nowhere....

I was trying to find a cycle route that can lead me thru Mansfield to Nottingham and some time and couple of extra miles later I found the one

The cycle road was going along beautiful  Grassmoor country park

It was raining all day and I started filling tired so I stopped for lunch 

I made hot coffee

and had my pasta meal

Some time later I continued my journey

I was cycling along the cycle paths without any clear idea where I am..

Soon I noticed that I lost again. For the past two hours I was going wrong direction back to Chesterfield

I was soaked, tired and lost. I done 45miles and at least 15 miles of them I was cycling at the wrong direction.

I also lost my only map I had
And now was using my mobile phone as a map.Using mobile as navigator drained my battery very quick. I had no much time to find the way to Nottingham. To get there I had to go back to Mansfield and from there take a road to Nottingham.

The time was nearly 8pm. I was cycling all day and still was to fair from Nottingham.

Soon I found cycle route N6 that goes strait to the Nottingham. My mood was a bit better.

But not for very long. Soon I lost my cycle route again:( Also it started heavy raining. I had no clue how far I was from Nottingham.

  
I was cycling along the road when I noticed caravan park. I was very happy that I don't need to stay camping at the forest alone. I paid £5 to the caravan park owner for permit to set my tent on his land. At first he wanted £7 but I ask him for a little discount. I set my tent under the rain. Water was pouring inside the tent. All my bags and everything inside were soaked. Inside tent it was cold, wet, filling lonely and slightly depressed. Then soddenly someone knock to my tent. It was a man from the caravan near by. He offered me coffee and introduced me to his family who stayed with him at caravans.

These very nice people helped me a lot. They helped me got back motivation and next day I was ready to continue my journey.

  

My new plan was to cycle past Nottingham and by the end of the day get to Leicester.
I cycled just one mile away from the caravan park when I suddenly found my lost cycle route:)

It is very easy to loose the route when you are cycling at unknown place because most of the signs are small stickers with a direction arrow at the lamp posts.

Road was going along the residential areas

Rail bridge

Canal

Tunnels

and parks

Soon I was at the centre of Nottingham

I saw a pub next to the canal and decided to stop for breakfast and also to recharge my phone battery.
I also checked my emails, couchsurfing account and noticed that the person who offered me a place to stay in Leicester still hasn't replied on my last message and I didn't have his address. Because of that I decided to stay for one day at Nottingham and next day cycle to Oxford.
I contacted couchsurfer Peter who kindly offered me a place to stay.

 

So I had a time to discover Nottingham:)

I noticed that famous Robin Hood way is a much shorter than my Olivetrip way.

Robin Hood looks like a girl.

Police officer on bicycle was tired cycling uphill:)

I had couple of hours waiting for Peter coming from work so I made a little walk around Nottingham.

walkers monument?

Later at the evening I met Peter which appears to be very interesting person. I was grateful for his hospitality and pleased to stay at his place because it would be to hard for me to stay another night in the tent at the such nasty weather.