Friday, 18 February 2011
Edward writes: Although we were met by a sunless, overcast day, twelve riders assembled at Haslingfield Church for our ride to Gamlingay. We quickly warmed up with the climb up Chapel Hill and down into Barrington before heading through Shepreth and Meldreth. Although it was overcast, conditions were good for cycling; it wasn't too cold and, perhaps most importantly, barely any wind.
After Meldreth, we crossed the A1198 and continued through Bassingbourn, Littlington, Steeple Morden to Ashwell where we stopped for coffee. Some of us made for the old tree with the bench around it only to be accompanied by the sludge-gulper clearing out the drains; others stayed in the main street. Our numbers swelled to fifteen, including David and Joan who were recently back from their winter break in Singapore, Thailand, etc.
Once we got going again we made for Hinxworth before making a detour through Dunton, where Greta wanted to check if the March Hare pub would be able to accommodate us on future trips.
We made our way to Gamlingay via Sutton and Potton. It was good to see so much hedge planting in this area, not only along the roadside but also, in one or two instances, across the fields. It will be nice to have the protection these hedges will provide once they have matured. The sun did make one or two half-hearted attempts to break through but the overcast conditions prevailed.
At lunch at The Cock in Gamlingay our numbers grew again with twenty-one members - a good lunch-time trade for the pub.
When it was time to go we split up to go our separate ways home. However, before going David showed us a salmon he had caught. Actually, not caught but found on the roadside in Potton, wrapped in newspaper and already gutted. Cycling trips in distant lands must be good for one's self-sufficiency!
I rode back with Mike, Jim, Averil, Eva and Joan through Longstowe, Bourn, the Eversdens, Harlton and on to Haslingfield. Mike, Averil and I then went back via Harston, Newton and Whittlesford and Shelford, leaving Averil with the trip into Cambridge. As always our thanks are due to Greta for all her hard work in organising our weekly trip. I did
55 miles.
Edward ElmerView this route on a larger map