School classrooms are hot places to sit in a summer heatwave and last summer it was the hottest summer ever for England. So as often as possible I packed the panniers, oiled the chains and took off to the sea with offspring in tow. Here are the pictures of one short jaunt I went on with Molly (11), Daisy (8) and Jack (4). Following the mostly off-road Salterns Way we cycled around Bosham Harbour, crammed ourselves on the small Itchenor ferry and rode to the Witterings and on to Bracklesham Bay, Pagham Harbour and Chichester.

Daisy poised for action Bosham Harbour.

Waiting for the Itchenor passenger ferry .

All aboard. We are the only passengers.

Fresh off the ferry and hoping the bikes (or the young’uns) don’t fall off the pitching pontoon.

Ready to catch Jack. And that’s Daisy’s finger top right!

In full cycling swing.

This may look like a lovely shimmering lake but it’s actually a field full of plastic.

Taking a breather west of Shipton Green with not a car in sight.

Daisy’s going this way, Jack’s going that way and I’m trying to go the right way.

When life on the road becomes too much at least there is always the trailer for flopping into.

Though these days it’s a bit of a tight squeeze.

Bracklesham Bay.

A misty Pagham Harbour.

A bit bumpy this part but at least I’ve got some helium balloons on board to act as stabilizers.

The unwieldy bike-train.

This is the life. Chichester Harbour.

Sunset. Lights on. Time to head for home.