Sunday, 24 April 2011
Nigel writes: It's been the hottest April on record, they say, and today was certainly the warmest Easter Sunday we've had for quite some time, with a strong turnout of thirteen riders for this afternoon's ride to Ickleton, including an encouraging proportion of new or relatively new faces. It was particularly nice to see riders who had tried us out for the first time a few weeks ago had decided to come back for more.
Daniel was our leader today, and he led us south-west out of Cambridge along the Barton Road cycleway to Barton.
At Barton we turned off south to Haslingfield, where we climbed Chapel Hill...
...before dropping back down again to Barrington.
At Barrington Daniel took the turn for Foxton, where we crossed the railway line (and the A10) to Fowlmere. We continued south and crossed the A505 to Chrishall Grange. Here we turned off onto the narrow and very quiet lane that climbs up gradually past Ickleton Granges to a summit which forms the border with Essex.
With about an hour left before out planned tea stop, Daniel decided to take us on a loop south through Elmdon to Wenden Lofts before taking us back north through Littlebury Green to Catmere End.
From Catmere End we dropped down along the Coploe Hill switchback to Ickleton, where we stopped for tea at the Riverside Cafe.
A large contingent from the club was already sitting outside the cafe by the lake. There was Jim and a large contingent from the all-day ride as well as George, Bob and Myrtle who had ridden there directly. We ordered coffee and cakes and sat outside in the sunshine enjoying the occasion. The staff were a little overhelmed by our numbers but managed to cope. This is a nice cafe in a very convenient location, and now that the current owners have extended the opening hours I think this cafe is becoming a club favourite.
Afterwards we all returned back to Cambridge. I left slightly before the others and rode back with a group of three via Hinxton, Duxford, Whittlesford and the Shelfords. A cool headwind reminded us that it was still only April. I was back home by about 6.40pm, after having cycled a modest but very pleasant
39 miles.
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