Wednesday, 20 April 2016
Nigel writes: At this time of year the evenings are getting longer at a thrilling pace, and with sunset at 8.07pm I knew we would be able to complete the main part of tonight's ride (from Brookside to the pub) in daylight for just about the first time this year. The weather was clear and sunny, so I was slightly surprised that only three members turned up at the start point at Brookside: Gareth, Neil and me.
Before we set off we had a brief discussion about possible routes, and agreed to ride what is probably my favourite short loop from Cambridge: an excursion to the east that I refer to as an "anticlockwise Dullingham".
As the name suggests, this was an anticlockwise loop with Dullingham as the furthest point. We left Cambridge along Hills Road and turned left onto Wort's Causeway, climbing up over The Gogs before dropping back down to Fulbourn for the relatively dull drag through Great and Little Wilbraham to Six Mile Bottom.
We reached Six Mile Bottom at about 7.25pm. Gareth suggested there was time for an extra loop via Chilly Hill past the wind turbines before turning west along Balsham Lane to Dullingham. As we rode along Gareth identifies pheasants and grouse running across the fields.
Gareth and Neil with the turbines of Wadlow Wind Farm behind
At Dullingham we turned north-west towards Swaffham Bulbeck. That extra loop had meant we were running behind schedule, and I started to worry that we would be late at the pub. However I had forgotten that Dullingham to Swaffham Bulbeck, after the initial climb past the station, is essentially downhill and we made rapid progress to Swaffham Bulbeck and from there to Bottisham and Quy, which we reached at about 8.35pm.
We stopped for drinks and bowls of chips in the White Swan and then after a pleasant half hour in the pub returned back to Cambridge via Fen Ditton and Ditton Meadows. I arrived home at 9.45pm, having cycled
34 miles.
Download
GPS track (GPX).