Wednesday, 06 April 2016
Nigel writes: I arrived at Brookside about ten minutes early for this evening's ride and sat down on our bench to wait for other people to arrive. First of all Sven rode up, and a few minutes later we were joined by Matthew, trying our evening rides for the first time. Then my mobile phone pinged with a text message from Yasmin, asking to arrange an edge-of-town rendezvous. I replied, saying that we would be heading west, and Yasmin suggested we meet on the Coton path.
6.30pm arrived and I set off with Matthew and Sven, into the city centre and then west towards the Coton path. The weather this evening was fine and clear, and with sunset still over an hour away the sun was still shining brightly. There was, however, a strong (and rather cold) westerly wind which we would be riding directly into for the first hour of the ride.
We arrived at the bridge over the M11 and paused to wait for Yasmin. She appeared almost immediately, and moments later the four of us set off again. My route this evening involved riding west to Coton, up Madingley Hill to Hardwick and then along the old St Neot's Road as far as the turn for Bourn.
At the turn for Bourn
We rode south for about a mile, enjoying the respite from the strong wind for a few minutes before turning west again towards Caxton. Somewhere beyond Caxton and Great Gransden we watched the sun set as we rode along, and when we reached the windmill at Little Gransden we stopped for a brief rest and to turn on our lights. It was now about 7.45pm and we were running a little late, though I knew that we would soon be turning east and would enjoy a tailwind for the return towards Cambridge.
We duly turned and rode back along the B1046 (very quiet at this time of day) through Longstowe, Bourn, Toft and Comberton to Barton, enjoying the wind on our back all the way. We stopped at The White Horse in Barton at about 8.45pm, which was just in time for me to order four large plates of chips.
Already at the pub was Gareth, who had just missed us at the start. After a pleasant half hour or so we returned back to Cambridge along the Barton Road cycleway. I arrived home at 9.50pm, having cycled
32 miles.
In The White Horse, Barton
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GPS track (GPX).