Not so heavenly was being desperate for a wee - who drinks a jumbo size mug of coffee immediately before a bike ride, I ask you - and proudly finding a secluded spot to squat, only to have my bum stung by stinging nettles.

More stupidity ensued later when I decided for no reason whatsoever, other than I was feeling cheerful, to chat at a woman with her young family who was passing by, whilst lurking in some bushes in order to let them through in a socially distanced kinda way.

I told her I was on the lookout for a castle ruins I'd spotted the other day. "Ooh really?" she replied politely, clearly not wanting to engage further. About five minutes later I'd ascended into the higher echelons of the grounds and was overjoyed to spy my castle in the distance and then realised, slowly and heartbreakingly, that it was not a castle at all but actually a large clump of trees. I passed this family once more upon my travels and couldn't even glance in their general direction, such was my shame.

I am loving bike riding again though!

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