Sunday, 24 August 2014
John writes: I was joined by Alison, John E, Neil, Peter, Simon on a perfect afternoon for the short cycle ride to Wicken. St Lawrence's is unusually sited for a village church being at the Eastern extremity rather than the middle: it also lies on the trafficky A1123.
We followed the familiar route to Stourbridge Common, Fen Ditton, Quy, Bottisham, the Swaffhams and into the delightful village of Reach. Sadly its pub, the Dyke's End, no longer brews its own beer: it used to be excellent and very reasonably priced. We winkled our way through the straggly village of Burwell from where Little Fen Road led us on to the Lode Cycle Way a short footpath from which brought us onto the A1123 half a mile from the church reached at 3.45 p.m.
Here the anticipated excellent tea with its variety of scrumptious cakes did not disappoint. Peter bought some damsons. Several other cyclists where there or arrived shortly afterwards who had been on the day ride or had arrived independently.
After tea John E led us on to the Lower Road through Wicken avoiding much of the A1123. Here we encountered only walkers, dogs, other cyclists and an early blackberry picker. To the North West there was a splendid view of Ely Cathedral. From the Western end of the village we cycled to Upware, Lode and Bottisham across quiet fen roads. A combine was felling the last of the wheat harvest and ploughing had begun to reveal the black soil. My GPS recorded
33 miles.
John Ferguson