Thursday, 26 October 2017
Sheila writes: There were nine of us at Brookside for the start of the ride this morning with four more joining us en-route before coffee. The coffee stop was Woodside Farm in Gamlingay which we reached by climbing Chapel Hill in Haslingfield, negotiating the crowds of runners and spectators through Wimpole Hall, into Croydon and through the Hatleys.
Chapel Hill
Fortunately we had made good time as Woodside Farm was virtually full. We succeeded in securing enough chairs to join the half dozen cyclists already there and it was some 45 minutes later eight of us continued on to Thurleigh with the remainder returning home.
Morning coffee at Woodside Farm
After Sandy we picked up the cycle path where, for a large section of the way, we cycled parallel to the River Ouse. Being a cycle route it limited progress but the scenery was delightful. Following a fiddly section of cycle paths through housing and with a north headwind along a four mile straight, we cycled the final stretch to Thurleigh arriving just five minutes later than estimated.
Leaving Gamlingay
After our first experience at
Scald End Farm we were unsure how this stop would work out but we weren't disappointed. The food was good, except for one burnt sausage, and excellent value for money. I had a baguette filled with a generous portion of thickly sliced, locally sourced ham garnished with salad and crisps for £3.55p. I certainly recommend this venue for future lunch stops.
Lunch at Scald End Farm, Thurleigh
We left looking forward to a tailwind and sped along the road to St Neots. It was how it should always be - flat, with the sun shining and the scenery at its best. After circulating a roundabout two, maybe three, times due to unclear instructions from David T we made our way to Abbotsley, Gt Gransden and Bourn.
During the ride back my fellow cyclists had been branching off to take direct routes home and so I found myself riding solo from Bourn back to Cambridge. We'd enjoyed lovely sunshine all day, albeit with a stiff north wind, but typical for the season there was a sudden, sharp drop in temperature as I rode into Cambridge.
My Garmin didn't record my ride due to pilot error but it was about
68.5 miles at an average speed of 12.5mph.
Sheila George
Download
this route (GPX).