Month: May 2021

Six Wheelers made it for the club run on a drizzly day in north Norfolk with rather more substantial light rain in mid-Norfolk. A stiff south easterly kept it a bit cool for the time of year. The longer outward leg went by way of Itteringham, Cawston, Felthorpe, Attlebridge, Weston Longville, Greensgate, East Tuddenham, Welborne church, Brandon Parva and Runhall to the courtyard at Tabnabs, where the bunch enjoyed some good food despite an increasing chill factor as the rain became a bit heavier and the wind a bit stronger. Homeward bound was via North Tuddenham, Elsing, Bawdeswell, Foxley, Themelthorpe, Guestwick, Wood Dalling, Corpusty, Plumstead, Baconsthorpe and West Beckham. Unfortunately a split in the bunch was enforced at Foxley when one of the group started to feel unwell. Nonetheless, the slower contingent still managed a fairly comfortable ride home at a steady pace.

Brian; Duncan; Graham J; Harvey; Mark and Scott made up the group for the day.

Distances: 67 miles to 100 miles (Duncan, who is training for the 150 miles version of the Tour de Broads).

With any luck we will complete the postponed ride to Waxham next week. Quite a number of Wheelers will already be in possession of the route file for the run.

With a growing injury list and otherwise unavailable the Wednesday Wheelers were able to field a team of only 4 for Malcolm’s ride to the Coast. It was great to see Stephen who had cycled over from Wells to see us off – he then headed back to the North Coast.

Best wishes to all those confined to the sidelines and we look forward to seeing you back in the saddle soon!

The outward leg followed a clockwise route taking in Metton, Crossdale Street, Northrepps, Southrepps, Lower Street, Bradfield and on to Swafield (not as cross country as it sounds but more of that later!)

We took a right off the B1145 Mundesley Road to follow quiet lanes towards Edingthorpe but before reaching there turned left to eventually join the Coast Road at Paston Green quickly passing the Gas Terminal and swooping down to the coast itself at Bacton.

The group seemed slightly puzzled as Malcolm paused for a sea view from the “promenade” at Walcott but it was also an opportunity to check with them that an early lunch was a better idea than an extra loop. After unaminous agreement we arrived at The Lighthouse 5 minutes later as the first lunchtime customers. We had ridden 22 miles since the start so enough to work up a reasonable thirst and appetite.

After a good lunch and equally good service we set off for Ridlington with the intention of following the North Walsham Road as far as the turn for Crostwight and on to Honing. Recent surface dressing with still wet bitumen scuppered that so we continued on to Ebridge Mill and then via Meeting House Hill to Bengate, Lyngate, Worstead, Swanton Abbott, Skeyton, Tuttington, Dunkirk (after a bit of cross country), Drabblegate and then the main cross country event of the day as we trudged along at the field’s edge to avoid the larger than ever flood. Perhaps Ingworth would have been a better choice or perhaps it’s about time the drainage problem on this stretch of road was sorted out.

After Erpingham and Calthorpe we pedalled on to Thurgarton, via Aldborough Saint Mary’s Church, where there was a 3 way split with one going straight to Cromer, two going left to Bessingham and PC and the other taking his chances with the wandering cattle at Hanworth.

Andrew B, Graham A, Graham J, Malcolm

PC to PC 45 miles (62 miles max)

To the Lighthouse:

Mark, Graham J, Neil S, Brian and Harvey formed the group for the Sunday run, starting from Gresham church in some overdue warm weather, with a strong southerly moving SSW. This was very much an impromptu event, following a lot of lanes via Sustead, Hanworth, Thorpe Market, Gunton station, Trunch, Dead Man’s Grave, Edingthorpe Green, Bacton Woods, Ridlington and Happisburgh to Smallsticks Café at Cart Gap, where the bunch spent a short while gawping at the large crowds before pushing on up the coast by way of Ostend to the Lighthouse Inn to the south of Walcott. The beer garden was very busy, but there were lots of tables served by an army of staff.

From the break it was straight inland to Witton then a loop south to Honing and Dilham, before picking up more favourable winds by way of Worstead, Westwick, Swanton Abbott, Skeyton, Tuttington, Banningham, Ingworth, Erpingham, Aldborough, Bessingham and back to Gresham church for the split.

Distances: 60 miles to 67 miles.

A lot has been said recently (by me) about trying to revitalise the club runs as a lot of the older cohort continues to ‘mature’. A lot of people like operating with the downloadable route files, which enable realistic splits into two fairly loose and flexible groups. I am now convinced that there is potential for up to a dozen in the Strava-driven group and half a dozen or more in a more laid back bunch – (I haven’t included myself in either of these groups). Not everyone is available every week of course, but even if 60% turn out these are functioning groups, riding the same route to the same destination. This is also complicated a bit by the inevitability of some riders’ uncertainty as to whether they prefer the van or the rear in any given week. These are not ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ groups and frustrated Strava followers need to accept that riding the network of lanes won’t produce the same data as banging up and down the B1145, B1110 etc etc.

Anyone who feels that this is all rather complicated compared to some imagined halcyon days of NNW club runs 20, 15, 10 years ago needs to sit down with paper and pencil and compile a list of who they were riding with then and consider where all those people are now or what age they now are.

Saturday Club Run

May 8th CANCELLED replaced by Sunday Ride 9th May from Gresham Church – Departing 10.00. 

This was Andrew’s first ride a Run Captain going solo without Malcolm there for guidance. It was good to see Jane A joining us again after a long break.

The route took us west against a fairly strong wind, through Lower Bodam, Hempstead to up a steep but picturesque lane to Edgefield where we crossed the main Norwich road. We then continued onto Huntsworth, Briston and Sharington, then crossing the main A148 when there was a sufficient gap in the holiday traffic! Jane decided to continue to the pub on her own at this point and the rest of the group took a slightly longer route via. Bale, Hindringham, Binham, Langham and Wiveton. On arrival at the pub, Jane had found a good table at the top of the garden sheltered from the wind and we all enjoyed a good lunch, mostly in the sun.

After lunch Jane decided to head home to Blakeney the remainder of us headed back to PC. The route took us to Kelling via. Long Lane with great views of the sea, and then up to High Kelling where Duncan left us to make his way back home to Holt. Retracing our steps shortly to Hempstead and the to Baconsthorpe, after some confusion caused by navigational errors by the leader. From there we made our way to North Barningham where Graham and Robert left us to make their own way. Andrew and Mark continued to the Red Barn Lane, where we spilt up to make our separate ways home.

Estimated distance PC to PC was 38 miles.

Duncan, Robert, Graham, Mark and Jane, led by Andrew B.