Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Ray writes: Late notice of a change
to the start time did not diminish our numbers, with 14 joining the
afternoon ride today, 11 at Brookside and 3 en route. It was one of
the best cycling days of the year so far, sunny but not too hot with
very little wind. I asked for volunteers for a back marker and Greg
kindly stepped forward; a reliable back marker is a great help when
there are so many riders out.
We set off on a familiar route to the busway and DNA path, following
NCN 11 as far as Sawston. We paused to regroup after turning at the
crossroads towards Babraham, as we hadn't all made it through the
traffic lights. While we were stopped Mark noticed that his front tyre
had lost air, but with the loan of a spanner and inner tube and plenty
of helping hands we were underway again after a short delay.
Helping hands
Our route today took us over the footbridge to the Abingtons, then
undulating roads through the countryside to Linton, Bartlow and
Ashdon. Here we stopped to assess our progress and, worried that we
might be pushing it to get into Saffron Walden before the cafes closed
at 4pm, I decided to divert to Ashdon Museum for tea. They coped
adminably with the numbers despite our arriving unannounced. We were
soon enjoying tea and cakes outside on the patio and admiring their
knitted tea cosies.
Up onto the footbridge
After tea we retraced our steps a few metres to the Radwinter turn and
began the short climb out of Ashdon. Then it was a right turn onto the
quiet lane past New House Farm to Sewards End, a road I was first
introduced to on a CTC ride led by John Ferguson. We enjoyed
a fast descent into Saffron Walden, just skirting the centre, then
continued past Audley End house and on to ascend Chestnut Avenue. This was particularly enjoyable today with the sunlight streaming through the leaves.
Parting company with Greg
The ascent continued to Strethall and on to the top of Coploe Hill,
where we were rewarded with a fast descent into Ickleton. Here Greg
left us and Neil took over as back marker. I like to stick to quiet
lanes where possible, so while Greg made a bee line for home the rest
of us meandered through Hinxton and across the footbridge (avoiding
the ford!) to Duxford, then the familiar route through Whittlesford
and Shelford to return to Cambridge on the DNA path. The round trip
from Brookside today was
41 miles.
Ray Miller (photographs by Beverley Carpenter).