Friday, 19 July 2019
Edward writes: Gone was the sunshine of recent days to be replaced by a light persistent drizzle to greet the nine riders who came out to Haslingfield for the ride to Reed and Much Hadham; back at Brookside ten riders started.
Our leader today was Mia who had decided that as this was a relatively hilly route it would be best to start as we meant to go on. Yes, a climb over Chapel Hill into Barrington. Incidentally it stopped raining as we started. Wisely, Richard and Mike CC started a little earlier and were able to set their own pace.
This was followed by the road to Shepreth with its dreadful surface and it's difficult to understand why it hasn't been scheduled for resurfacing. The A10 didn't prove too difficult to cross and we soon reached Fowlmere, up to Flint Cross where the A505 was more busy. Eventually everyone made it across and this led to the climb up to Barley where we saw a hare running around in the fields; what a sight.
We skipped a bit of the A1368 by turning off in Barley and rejoining it just before Barkway, leaving the run up to the Silver Ball at Reed and coffee where the city group were settling in having overtaken us a little earlier.
Coffee and eccles cakes seemed to be the order of the day such that the proprietor came out and gave a Kit-Kat to everyone who had bought one, plus one or two others, I suspect. Certainly a nice, friendly gesture.
Coffee at Reed
As is the way of things the city slickers set off first followed a few minutes later by their country cousins. This took us out towards Sandon and along the way David became very excited at having come across a giant knotweed growing in the verge. He might send a photograph in as I can't see it in my book of wild flowers.
Shortly after the excitement level increased again as we saw a buzzard circling overhead. A hare, a buzzard and giant knotweed - what more could we ask from a ride into the countryside which, incidentally, was lovely.
After we passed through Cromer we came across those slickers again dealing with a puncture. Yasmin was the unlucky one but Rupert seemed to be the one doing the honours. We left them to it as it was likely they would catch us again later.
Yasmin's puncture near Cromer
We passed the Cromer windmill and came to Ardeley and then the long stretch to Great Munden. More nice roads followed and we crossed the A10 after a brief ride along Ermine Street. This brought us on the approach to Barwick Ford which left us five mile to reach Much Hadham.
Barwick Ford
When we reached Much Hadham we stopped for lunch at Hopley's garden centre/nursery, arriving at 1.45pm and after 39 miles. The city group must have taken a shorter route as they were already about to be served. The eight who sat down to lunch were served quickly and soon after 2.30pm we were on our way again.
Lunch at Much Hadham
Today must have been the day when the lunatic drivers were out on the road as two Transits overtook us at high speed, one forced the on-coming driver up onto the pavement - all very unnerving. We arrived at Little Hadham crossroads for the usual long wait and were glad to be away from the busier roads on to quieter roads and made our way through Gravesend to Stocking Pelham.
Berden followed but we hit Clavering just as the school was finishing and Mike and I couldn't get past the stationary cars and lost touch with the others but we followed the route, courtesy of Garmin, and went through Arkesden and Duddenhoe End, finally descending from the north Essex hills to the more lower levels of Cambridgeshire.
The descent down to Chrishall Grange was a on a newly resurfaced road, so no high speeds. The ride finished in Haslingfield after a very pleasant
66 miles. A special thanks to Mia for taking us round and for coming up with such a splendid route.
Edward
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