Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Nigel writes: With midsummer only a month away, the sun was still high in the sky when six riders assembled at Brookside for this evening's ride. It was warm and sunny, but a strong southerly wind proved quite a challenge, especially to me as I was still riding on my straight-handlebars about-town bike.
We set off south-west out of Cambridge along the Barton Road cycleway.
When we reached Barton we turned onto the road to Haslingfield and struggled into the wind to Haslingfield.
At Haslingfield we climbed Chapel Hill before dropping back down to Barrington. This descent is usually fast and carefree but the wind kept the descent slow today.
In Barrington we turned left towards Foxton, and the level crossing by Foxton Station, where we were disappointed to find the gate by the crossing padlocked shut.
Fortunately the alternative via the road and a hundred yards along the A10 was only slightly longer.
We continued through Foxton to Fowlmere, where we turned south towards the A505 and Chrishall Grange. We were riding directly south again, and the headwind made this section something of a struggle.
On the approach to Chrishall Grange the road turned east and the high hedges on either side gave us a welcome respite from the wind.
At the T-junction in Chrishall Grange we paused to ponder our route options. Should we head south - into the wind - for an extra loop via Ickleton? Or should we turn left and ride directly - with the wind behind us - to Duxford? We agreed to take take the shorter route and soon were speeding along.
From Duxford we continued to Whittlesford and on to Little Shelford.
We arrived in Little Shelford slightly early at 8.20pm, so I suggested a short loop via the middle of the village before continuing to our planned pub stop in Great Shelford, but when we passed The Navigator pub I suggested we stop there instead.
After a pleasant half hour we returned back to Cambridge via Great Shelford and the DNA path to Addenbrookes. I was back home by about 9.15pm, after having cycled
26 miles.
Nigel Deakin. Photos 2 and 9-11 by
Julia.
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