So Day 1 got underway and we completed just over 50 miles in the day which felt like a steady warm up for what is to come. Here we are leaving the hotel. We hope for a similar photo on return in 9 weeks time.

Andy had mapped a route following 3 rivers over the day so generally flat along river banks and off the main roads. It felt good to get going at last and see some Swiss pastoral countryside though a lot of suburban miles too.

We can report that there is still plenty of money in Switzerland with building of housing and new factories everywhere along todays paths.

After picnic lunch in Brugge the weather went wet and we arrived a bit damp at the campsite. The beer is ok though. This is Aarburg with castle.

Some reading this will know that i tend to pick up tunes in my head most days sometimes from my own listening choices and sometimes what I hear in a random way during the day. So track of the day is reintroduced for this trip:
The day travelling to Zurich was Its Alright by The Impressions when I was working hard to stay calm on a fraught journey. Day 2 was our day in Zurich which gets Silver and Gold by Fat Freddys Drop because i have never seen so many Bentley cars in one day and because of a lovely Dutch painting I saw in the gallery by Pieter Clausz (spelling check when i get home )of silver and gold jewellery in a still life picture, you could almost feel them the detail was so good.

Today and despite trying not to I have succumbed to Dolly Parton as her face has been on several posters for a forthcoming concert. Good memories of watching her on tv at glastonbury if unfortunate title Here you come again, the song has stuck in my head so hope it clears off soon.