Ian, Chris, Jim, Mark, Neil Mc refuelling at The Mardler’s Rest.
Graham, Harvey, Sue, Brian, Neil S + Malcolm in the cafe getting more chips.
With some of the more senior Wheelers looking for a steadier ride and a couple of the fast lads currently under medical treatment, there was a sensible split into two smaller groups for the club run down to The Mardler’s Rest Cafe at the former Mitford Poor Law Union workhouse at Gressenhall. So, only three set out from Pretty Corner for the shorter outward leg. This soon became four when Chris, Ian and Mark picked up Neil Mc at The Old White Horse at Edgefield. This compact group set a brisk pace in a generally helpful ENE wind, clipping down to Little London, up Heath Road, over some poor quality road surfaces around Wood Dalling, then on through Guestwick, Foulsham, Bintree and Billingford, crossing the Blackwater at Worthing watermill (resting briefly to watch a Highland cow keeping cool and hydrated in the river), up the pretty valley road for a while, before a short detour around Beetley to the cafe where the steady group were already ensconced, along with Malcolm and Sue, in their role as cultural tourists. As ever at this time of year, it was extremely pleasant sitting in the sheltered courtyard watching numerous swifts performing aerobatically around the former workhouse buildings.
The longer route back took in a big loop to the south west by way of quiet lanes through Longham, Bittering and Stanfield before heading north to Whissonsett and Colkirk and then east and north east to Ryburgh, Stibbard, Wood Norton, Nethergate, Craymere, Briston, Edgefield (where Neil Mc headed for home), then a few more twists and turns before the drag up to Bodham Hill and Red Barn Lane. The basic distance from PC to PC was 64 miles.
In the interests of mutual convenience, the steady group consisting of Brian, Graham, Neil, Jim and Harvey, assembled at 10.00 at The Old White Horse before following the day’s plotted route for an early arrival at the refreshment stop. By mutual consent, they then started off home on the set route, but then cut out a significant portion of the longer ride back. This enabled them to complete a good distance while accommodating riders from as far apart as Melton Constable and the south east side of Cromer. As a special treat, the club runs co-ordinator was given a load of grief by two groups today instead of just the usual one.
North Norfolk Wheelers 