Sunday, 21 April 2013
Ian writes: Today's afternoon ride was to St Laurence's church in Wicken. The wind was forecast for about 12 miles an hour, but it wasn't a cold wind. Sun and blue skies were the order of the day, allowing to be my first ride this year in short sleeves. Six other riders joined me at Brookside.
We made our way out of town via Cherry Hinton Road and to Fulbourn, the idea being to join NCR51 for the way out, joining NCR11 as late as possible since that was to be our route home. We took a left in Fulbourn to take us through the Wilbrahams and some very spring-looking countryside in between.
We crossed the A1303 and made our way to Bottisham where, instead of carrying on to Lode we took a right turn at Swaffham Bullbeck to Swaffham Prior, where we stopped briefly to take a picture of the twin churches. These,
according to Wikipedia, were once in different parishes.
We took a left at Swaffham Prior to join up with NCR 11, along the tracks to Wicken Fen.
At Wicken High Street we made a right turn and continued to the end of the village for tea at the church. We met up with the day ride in the village, giving at least 18 at tea with a good selection of home-made cakes at reasonable cost.
After tea we took a more direct route home on NCR 11 via the Lodes way joining up with NCR 51 again at Stow cum Quy. The wind was now far more in our faces with little shelter in the fenland parts. Progress was notably slower, but the sun continued to shine. I got home to my South Cambridgeshire village with
53 miles on the clock.
Ian Driver