The Old Farts have crossed the border into England.

The boys and girls who have taken up the challenge of cycling from Cardiff to Torquay swept across the old Severn Bridge and Aust for their first stop.

The first section from Roath Park Rec and across the River Severn took around three hours or more. Nick and Paul, though, made it in two and a half!

They were joined at Severn View Services by support vehicles, although the first ‘England’ stop had been switched to the Boar’s Head, Aust.

Thankfully, that was only a couple of miles away and the whole group gathered in the pub car park.

OF’s riders rested up, took on refreshments and had tired legs rubbed as they prepared for the next stage into Congresbury. Paul Ring was first on the treatment table, set up in the car park, and given a deep massage.

The riders stuck largely together into Newport, but gradually the fitter, faster riders started to pull away.

Everybody made it safely across the bridge and then set off on the next stage, from Aust to the Cadbury Garden Centre, Congresbury.

Nick and Paul were again first in – and they almost found an even quicker route.

They were following a support vehicle, found themselves heading don the slip road towards the motorway – and were escorted back to a far less busy road by kind motorway police!

A group including Lee Beames was next in at Congresbury and the numbers steadily grew.

Costa Coffee in the garden centre did good business as the riders arrived – and geared up for the third stage to the Admiral’s Table, Bridgwater. Another step towards the day one destination in Taunton.

The task for more than 40 riders on the two-day trip is to cycle from Cardiff to Torquay – a journey of 173 miles. So far so good.