Month: February 2023

Five Wheelers met at PC for Harvey’s ride to Pensthorpe, with both Graham A and Graham J only going to ride part of the route.
With showers forecast and a cold and strong NNE wind, Harvey’s figure of eight route minimised the amount of headwind miles, though it was still a tough day out and my legs were pleased to reach the end.
The first 21 miles were easy and downwind and when the sun came out it was very warm. We went on the familiar route to Briston and picked Harvey up around Craymere Beck, then continued through Guestwick. Near the end of Peddlars Turnpike, Graham J had a puncture (Gatorskin), here the group split in two, with the Grahams going to leave the route at Foxley and go to Bawdeswell for coffee anyway and Harvey stopping to assist and then make his own way back home, leaving three to continue to Pensthorpe.
Between Billingford and N Elmham, Chris S decided to stretch his legs and left his companions in his dust. Regrouping in N Elmham we now headed north into the wind to Gately, Great Ryburgh and the testing bergs of Little Ryburgh before joining the main road for the last mile to the cafe.
Despite the wind and the cold, Pensthorpe and the café were fairly busy, though we found a table indoors with the sun streaming in through the window. I think the menu has changed since I last visited and I can recommend the Breakfast Bloomer, we all enjoyed our much needed lunches, knowing it would be harder work getting home. After a photo op in front of a plastic woolly mammoth it was time to head off.

These and more photos can be found here:
https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

An initial uphill headwind section to Kettlestone was followed by a relatively easy 10 miles of crosswinds through Hindolveston, Thurning to Heydon Park, were we negotiated suicidal sheep before turning north east. This was the hardest leg with hedges providing some shelter from the wind but with the added bonus of being uphill from Itteringham, through Wickmere, Thurgarton, Sustead to Gresham.

As we recovered outside Gresham church, Ian asked about the grasshopper on the village sign, unable to receive a sensible answer from his companions, he said he would undertake painstaking research when he got home.
Three seconds of Google searching later he had fulfilled his quest:

“In 1571, the Royal Exchange opened in London. The building (or rather its Victorian replacement) still bears a golden grasshopper, the emblem of the Exchange’s founder Thomas Gresham. He chose this to commemorate one of his ancestors, who as an illegitimate baby was abandoned in a Norfolk field.”
https://londonist.com/london/secret/why-is-there-a-giant-grasshopper-on-the-royal-exchange

PC to PC was 57 miles at an average speed of 14.3 mph
Riders; Chris S, Ian A, Graham A, Graham J, Harvey, Mark M.

Upcoming Runs –
Wednesday 1st March – Junction 21, Themelthorpe
Saturday 4th March – Reepham Station
Routes for club runs and Wednesday rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/

With five Wheelers away with other commitments, Ian A and Mark thought they were the group, so they were surprised and pleased to see Graham J roll up. With Graham not having been on a club ride since October he planned to ride part of the route before heading back but wanted to say hello and let us know he was fit and well and would be joining us for future rides as time permitted.
Unfortunately the first hour of the ride was a lot wetter than forecast with rain and drizzle soaking the roads and requiring rain jackets. As the day progressed and we headed further south, it became dryer and brighter and the roads were mainly dry for the remainder of the ride.
Our route took us to Hanworth, Lower Street, Felmingham and then some different roads through Westwick, up the B1150 to Heath Road, across the A149, Yarmouth Road to Sandy Hills to cross the A149 again.
It was here in the trees that we had another surprise, John S was waiting for us. We had not seen John since our December mince pie feast at the Lighthouse, Walcott, so it was great to see him out as well.
So we headed south through Worstead to Anchor Street to join the busy but wide A1151/A149 for about a mile to Vera’s at Meales Garden Centre. Vera’s didn’t look that busy but many of the tables were booked, though we were found a table that was vacant for the next hour.
Meales is a big garden centre and the café is large and obviously busy and the staff were friendly and efficient but the food and coffee we had was nothing special, it was filling and reasonably priced, so it did the job.
Leaving Vera’s we had another mile on the main road and B1159 before turning onto quieter lanes for East Ruston. Here we deviated from the route to go to Honing Long Lane (the golden mile) to view the daffodils as we had seen patches of daffs in full bloom. Alas the golden mile was only green, we were probably a week too early. So we continued to Witton, where we re-joined the route and at Bacton Wood, John headed for home while we continued on the familiar route north west through Knapton, Trunch, Northrepps, Metton to Gresham for the final split.

PC to PC 52 miles at an average speed of 13.9 mph
Riders: Ian A, Graham J, John S and Mark leading

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday 25th – Pensthorpe
Wednesday 1st March – Junction 21, Themelthorpe
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/

Only five Wheelers assembled at Pretty Corner, but they soon collected one more at Gresham church. So a group of six headed off to No.77 Cafe in the Red Lion at Coltishall. The first half of the outward leg was fairly conventional before diving into the web of lanes around Sloley, Frankfort and Anchor Street. After crossing the A1151 to Neatishead, there were more hidden lanes to negotiate over Workhouse Common and Threehammer Common, before turning into the strong westerly through Cangate, Ashmanaugh and Belaugh Green to Coltishall village.

No.77 was busy but welcoming and served up some good refreshments. Malcolm rode up from his retirement cottage to meet us at the refuelling break and then joined the bunch for the first four miles home before heading south down Granny Bard’s Lane to circle home via Ranworth, South Walsham, Acle and Yarmouth. The very strong, gusty wind subsided considerably during the afternoon, although the Wheelers were able to avoid a lot of potential headwind sections anyway and even enjoyed long stretches of cross tailwind on their cunningly devised route back north west via Heggatt Hall, Frettenham, Hainford, Stratton Strawless, Buxton, Brampton, Botany Bay, Eastgate (Neil Mc’s point of departure), Cawston, Itteringham (from where Brian headed off home) and points north, with only three staying the course to PC.

A mild and windy February day with light showers both early and late.

Group: Brian; Chris; Harvey; Mark; Neil Mc; Neil S +Malcolm at Coltishall.

Distances: 60 miles (Malcolm) to 67 miles.

Four riders met at Pretty Corner on a clear day with the promise of sunshine later, for a ride to Purdy’s at The Old Reading Rooms. The planned route took us through Matlaske, Plumpstead, Edgefield, Briston, Stody, Brinton, Gunthorpe, Bale, Field Dalling, Langham and Wiveton. A good pace set by Mark, especially on the downhill leg to Langham through Bale. On arrival at the Old Reading Room, which was full as it was half-term, we managed to find a table and all enjoyed a good lunch with free coffee and tea refills. To our surprise Ian was also there with his wife and nieces which was nice. After lunch we made our way up the hill back to PC via High Kelling in bright sunshine.  Duncan left us shortly after to make is way back home. The remaining riders continued onto via. Baconsthorpe, Bessingham, Sustead and Gresham. Unfortunately, Andrew had yet another puncture on this leg, but this was soon sorted with Mark’s help and his new frame pump. A good days cycling in great weather for February with a temperature of 14degC recorded!

PC to PC 40 miles

Average speed 14.1 mph

Total Elevation 2060ft

Andrew B, Mark, Chris and Duncan

Nine riders set out from Pretty Corner to collect one more along the Matlaske Road, from where it was straight through Corpusty, the climb over Holly Heath to the Blackwater bridge and Thurning church. From here the route followed a fairly direct line into a fresh westerly through the Snorings and the steeply undulating roads through the three Barshams and the descent into the Stiffkey valley. From North Barsham, five followed the plotted five mile loop via Waterden and the Roman road to Haggard’s Lodge, while the other half of the bunch continued straight down the valley to a busy Norton Cafe. Unsurprisingly in this second week of February the massed snowdrops in the Priory grounds were at their impressive best.

After the refreshment break, the group of ten reassembled for a shorter route back that went by way of Thursford, Gunthorpe – (from where Neil Mc continued southwards towards his home base), Sharrington and Little Thornage to Letheringsett, where Graham A and guest rider Nick turned onto the A148. The rump of the bunch pushed on down the valley of the Glaven, crossed the footbridge at Glandford, ascended the stiff climb of Bridgefoot Lane, crossed Salthouse Heath and onwards to West Beckham and Red Barn Lane, shedding riders on the way.

Graham, who had opted for a shorter ride back from Letheringsett crossroads, suffered the misfortune of a rear wheel puncture on Bodham Hill, so ended up chatting to Brian and Harvey at the junction of Osier Lane before the parting of the ways.

Following his recent successful operation, Andrew was going like a train.

Group: Neil S; Neil Mc; Mark; Ian; Harvey; Graham A; Chris; Brian; Andrew & Nick from Chelmsford.

The basic plotted route from PC to PC was 55 miles. Some did more, while others settled for less.

Ride Report by Graham A

This ride had been postponed from the previous day because of a severe frost which had made many surfaces slippery.

Three riders left Pretty Corner at 10:30, a later start, because the lunch stop was not opening until noon. A direct route was taken to Matlaske crossroads via Red Barn Lane. On the way to Itteringham we were joined by Chris who had left home late and had made a supreme effort to catch up.

After Itteringham the four riders went direct to Cawston, Eastgate and then Buxton having crossed the B1149 and A140. Buxton Mill looked attractive in the sunshine. Passing Lamas and Badersfield the Goat at Skeyton was soon reached and bang on time for its opening. Lunch was somewhat delayed, but food and ambience were very good.

After lunch, Duncan left us to ride back to Corpusty while the three remaining riders rode to Felmingham, Antingham and Southrepps. Graham left for home near Northrepps Hall. The two remaining riders rode back to PC via Crossdale Street, Metton and Gresham.

PC to PC 40 miles.

Riders: Graham A – leader, Duncan S, Mark M and Chris S.

Please note: Andrew B and Ian A did the ride on Wednesday 8th February leaving for Skeyton Goat when most of the ice had melted.  They had other commitments on the Thursday.

Upcoming Ride – Wednesday 15th – Old Reading Rooms, Kelling

Routes for club runs and some Wednesday rides on the website under Dates and Destinations:  https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/  

On a dry, calm, relatively mild but overcast day, five Wheelers met at PC for another of Harvey’s Saturday routes. This time it was to Watsons of Bacton, which has been under new ownership for a little over a year and is cycle friendly.
Our clockwise route took us through Hanworth and Harvey joined us on the road to Metton, then it was North and Southrepps, Trimingham, Mundesley, Edingthorpe to Bacton.
We arrived and ordered at the right time as Watsons kept getting busier as time went by, it certainly seems a popular place. The menu choice was wide and they had a good selection of cakes, all at reasonable prices. When we had finally emptied the generous teapots, it was time to head out for the longer leg home.

These and more photos can be found here:
https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

We went through Worstead and Sloley to our southernmost point where we joined the Tunstead Road and turned northwest through Scottow to the Coltishall road, where Graham A turned off. Around Skeyton, Harvey also peeled off for home, leaving four to continue through Dunkirk, Ingworth and Itteringham.
At the Mannington turn, Neil Mc turned off and we continued north to Red Barn Lane where Ian A turned off, so two finished the ride at PC.
As we left PC to return into Sheringham, Mark M realised that his rear Gatorskin was flat, so he stopped to fix that while Chris S continued on. As he was pumping up the tyre, the pump failed, which required a quick strip down to get it to work long enough to get the tyre fairly hard before it failed again.
Will that be the end of the nearly 20 year old trusty frame pump? They don’t make them to last anymore!

PC to PC was 53.6 miles at an average speed of 14 mph
Another ride with the bikes returning home clean
Riders – Chris S, Ian A (photography), Neil Mc, Graham A, Mark M and Harvey.

Upcoming Rides –
Wednesday 8th Feb – Skeyton Goat
Saturday 11th Feb – Norton’s at Walsingham
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/