A couple of other cyclists were getting off the boat when we disembarked. Gareth took the lead, the other two went next, and I was last. Unfortunately, I had to readjust my panniers. By the time I took off, the others were in the distance and setting a cracking pace. There are a lot of long boring straight roads, ending in roundabouts, to get out of Dunkirk. These were badly signposted and full of huge trucks. I took a wrong turn at one of these roundabouts and for once my innate sense of direction deserted me.  By the time Gareth and I made contact we were quite a few kms in opposite directions. We arranged to meet in a small town called Bergues. I cycled along some lovely quiet country roads. I expected Gareth to be waiting for me in Bergues, but I arrived about 30 minutes before him. Once he arrived we had a quick bite to eat and a coffee in the town square and set off for Westvleteren. Somewhere along the way we crossed the border between France and Belgium - country #3 in Europe.

First sign of Westvleteren was a queue of cars. The beers from the Westvleteren Trappist brewery are described as some of the best in the world. In theory, you cannot buy the beer from shops. The locals ring up the brewery, place their order and organise a time to pick up their beers. This was the queue of cars we saw. Fortunately, the other way to experience the beers is to visit the nearby, In De Vrede café. This is a big, modern, airy café in the middle of the countryside. We spent a couple of happy hours here sampling and resampling the three Westvleteren beers.