Page:Burke, W.S. - Cycling in Bengal (1898).djvu/26



The distance between Calcutta and Burdwan by road, taking Government House as the starting point, is exactly seventy-five miles, and in the cold weather it is as interesting a section of the Grand Trunk Road as can be found between the metropolis and Allahabad. The road is generally in good repair, at least seven-eighths of the journey being over capital soorkey-dressed surface such as may be found round and about Ballygunge and Alipore. There is abundant shade, long avenues of peepul and banyan trees being a distinctive feature of the road. Many interesting places are passed. There are scores of picturesque bits for the camera; the stations are so frequent that in case of a complete breakdown, the tourist is hardly ever more than a mile from one, and there is abundant shelter and commissariat all through, though in a single day's run the latter are not very important considerations.

An early start should be made, the earlier the better, the best plan being always to "break the neck of the journey" before the long mid-day halt. Besides, it is an advantage to get through Howrah and the bazaars