I’ve been getting a bit better at the cycling these last few weeks. So today I took the opportunity of unfurling the Brompton from the back of the car and heading off from Carlisle along the Hadrian’s Wall Cycle Way – towards Brampton. The heat was ferocious – the Roman soldiers would have felt quite at home – and the tar was melting. Alas – while I had brought the episcopal padded cycling shorts with me, I forgot to put them on under my everyday shorts. But I did about ten miles each way with a restorative pint at the mid point. Encouraging to see how many other people were cycling too – nice country lanes with plenty of shade.