Thursday, 31 March 2011
Edward writes: Today seven riders met at Greta's house in Hauxton in conditions that were overcast, but warm and fairly humid. This was another difficult decision day as far as choice of clothing was concerned. Although overcast in the morning the forecast was sunny in the afternoon with and increasing wind. We set off and made our way through Little Shelford and then on to Whittlesford where we turned left on the track which leads up to the Church and then on to the newly laid cycle way to Sawston. For those who remember the old track through here this is such a good improvement, especially with the elimination of the little bridge about halfway across. This brought us to the Sawston by-pass and then through Sawston itself and on to the equally fine cycleway leading to Babraham.
We turned right at the end of the cycle way and made for the A505 which we had to negotiate over the hill and down to the Pampisford turning and then the road to Abington and down to the A1307 where we crossed into Hildersham. The wind had gathered strength by now and we were lucky enough to spend most of our time with it on our backs. After Hildersham it was the two mile climb up to Balsham. It was through Balsham towards West Wickham, but before reaching this village we turned right towards Streetly End and then on to Horseheath where we had coffee and cake. This was at the Old Red Lion Inn, always a pleasant place to stop: splendid coffee and cake for a pound - what a bargain!
After our break, with the sun now shining, we went to West Wickham, Carlton and Brinkley, with the added advantage of the wind on our backs this was all free-wheeling (nearly anyway). From Brinkley it was downhill to Dullingham and then on to the Horseracing Museum in Newmarket, which was our lunch stop. This is another good value place to eat.
We left Newmarket at 2pm and went out of town to take the road to Dullingham and as we expected the wind was now not in our favour. At Dullingham we turned right and took the Brinkley road and battled against the wind and turned right to go to Six Mile Bottom, over the railway and up to Great Wilbraham. Luckily the wind, although still strong, was not quite in our faces. From Gt. Wilbraham it was on to Fulbourn along the cycle way to Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith's Way, onto the hospital cycleway, Great Shelford and leaving Greta to cycle back to Hauxton.
As always thanks to Greta for being our leader.
Mileage 54.
Edward Elmer.
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