Sunday, 20 July 2014
Nigel writes: The current hot spell continues, and the temperature was 25C when I arrived at Brookside to lead this afternoon's ride to Ashdon. My companions on the ride were Bev, Alison, Rob, John and John. We set off south from Brookside, along Trumpington Road and through some expensive back streets to Long Road where we turned onto the busway,
Joining the busway
It was a hot, sultry and overcast day. There was a forecast of heavy rain but it remained dry until we were almost back in Cambridge at the end of the ride. After a short distance we turned east onto the spur that leads over the railway bridge to Addenbrooke's.
On the busway, approaching Addenbrooke's
We joined the DNA path to Great Shelford and continued south through Little Shelford and Whittlesford to Duxford. We were making good progress so we made a diversion to Hinxton to ride over the ford.
Hinxton Ford
After a pleasant pause on the bridge to chat to someone who was collecting sticklebacks in a net we carried on to Ickleton. We climbed Coploe Hill and Catmere End before dropping down along Chestnut Avenue to Audley End House. We continued into Saffron Walden and out the other side on the road to Ashdon.
The hills of Essex were taking their toll and we arrived at the Ashdon Museum slightly late, at 4.15pm. The all-day ride was already there, allowing the two rides to meet and chat for a while with cakes and pots of tea before they set off back to Cambridge.
A short while later our group set off for home as well. I chose a gentle, flat route which took us through Bartlow, across the A1307 to Linton and along Back Road to Hildesham, where we paused once more to admire the ford and for some of us to splash through it several times for fun.
Hildesham Ford
Hildesham Ford
From Hildesham we crossed the A1307 again into Abington and continued past Granta Park onto the cycle path that leads west along the A505 towards Pampisford and Sawston.
Cycle path along the A505
We didn't go all the way to Pampisford, though. Instead we took the turn towards Babraham which allowed us to enjoy the short but pleasant cycleway from there to Sawston.
Cycle path from Babraham to Sawston
At Shelford we joined the cycle path to Stapleford and Great Shelford.
When we reached Great Shelford we joined the DNA path towards Addenbrooke's. The sky ahead of us was dark and we could see lightning over Cambridge. The wind picked up, and it gradually started to rain. We paused under the Addenbrooke's Road overbridge to regroup, put on waterproofs, and for Bev to discover a puncture. Fortunately this was a clean, dry place to make repairs. The tube was replaced and Nigel inflated the tyre, only to hear a loud bang as the tube burst. A second replacement was fitted, successfully inflated, and we continued on our way into Cambridge. I arrived home at 7.15pm, having cycled
42 miles.
View this GPS track on a larger map. Download GPS track (GPX).
2 comments from old website
Monday 21st Jul 2014 at 1.42am
Great ride today in spite of exploding inner tubes! - thanks all! ;)
Tuesday 22nd Jul 2014 at 7.30pm
Looks like a nice ride! Sorry not to hang about and chat at Ashdon, but I wanted to get home before the thunderstorms. (By the way, it's Hildersham, not Hildesham.)