Sunday, 19 May 2013

16 May - My lead on CTC Ride to Horseheath & Thaxted.


Today was miraculously nice after yesterday’s foul weather and the promise of more to come.  My second go at leading and made a total hash of it so I wouldn't be asked again.  The destinations were Horseheath for coffee stop and Thaxted for lunch.

Twelve of us set of after the photoshoot in Greta’s garden ......



....   taking the Whittlesford road to the path leading to the church then through the oilseed rape fields to the level crossing just before the A1301. Arrived as the barrier came down but fortunately not a long wait for the train to pass.

On into Sawston and along the cycle path to Babraham, where I wimped out from going along the track to the footbridge after going over the handlebars  last time. Nice quite ride from here through Abington and Linton then over the A1307 to Bartlow. Gentle climb up to Streetly End and round into Horseheath and The Red Lion. Greeted there by several other riders and two enormous plates of chocolate brownies and other delicacies, yum.  




Suitably refreshed and re-energised we took the beautifully quiet lanes through Castle Camps, Helion Bumpstead and Little Sampford, cutting down past Bardfield End Green to Bardfield Road and soon after, Thaxted.

The sarnies folk respectfully ate their lunches on the steps of what a local said used to be the town prison, before joining the serious eaters on the tables outside Parrishes. 



Wonderful aerobatic display be the recently arrived swifts, and promise of a peloton of 50 Cypriot cyclists, sadly not appearing.

Hard to get going again after sitting in such a pleasant location and enjoying the moments of warm sunshine.  But needs must, and a route back through Debden and Newport before heading west to Great Chishill and down that lovely long hill to Flint Cross. At Fowlmere the Cambridge contingent went left for Newton and home while the local boys cut back down Mill Road and back to Meldreth.

The bike computer said 69 miles, leaving the unfulfilled thought of an extra mile for a round 70.

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