Friday, 14 October 2011
Edward writes: This Thursday another large body of cyclists assembled at Greta's house in Hauxton. The weather looked promising, although overcast the dreaded wind which has plagued so many rides this summer was not showing its hand today. Anybody out cycling the previous Tuesday would appreciate would appreciate that. Today we welcomed Beverley who was joining us for the first time and hope that she enjoyed the ride and will come along again.
We started on our familiar route via Little Shelford and up to Whittlesford where we took the turning at the church to join the now newish cycle route to Sawston and again from Sawston to Babraham. In Babraham we joined the farm track which leads to the foot/cycle bridge over the A11 to Gt. Abington. Sadly the giraffe has been removed so we were unable to make our regular visit to him so we pressed on through the village, over the A1307 and the back roads past Hildersham and Linton, bringing us back to the A1307. We now entered hilly territory, going through Bartlow followed by the turning to Shudy Camps and then on to Haverhill for our coffee and cake break.
It was midday by the time we had finished coffee so Greta modified the route so as get us to our lunch stop in Kedington by about 1 pm. In fact we took the road to Kedington and then across the A143 to Great Wratting where we turned right and arrived further along the A143 which we crossed and did a loop which took in Barnardiston and back along the A143 before turning back to Kedington for our lunch stop.
Waiting for lunch required a good deal of patience and lengthy conversations before we finally got under way again at 2.40pm. As we had lost so much time it was decided we should take the shortest route home; thus we went through Great Wratting again, the Thurlows, Great Bradley and on to Brinkley. From here it was all downhill as we sped to Six Mile Bottom, over the railway, the A11 and on to Fulbourn before going over the Gog Magog Hills and into the hospital site, the DNA path to Great Shelford and finally to Hauxton having covered
54 miles. Thanks to Greta for organising another good ride.
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