Month: September 2023

As the west of the country braced itself for storm Agnes, the riders who met at PC were greeted by light SE winds and the possibility of sunshine and 20 degree temperatures. Ideal for a mainly downhill SE ride to Coltishall followed by a strengthening tailwind as we headed uphill home.
While we waited at PC, Geoff P stopped for a chat as he waited for Kevin H to join him for a more leisurely ride to Pensthorpe, it was good to see them both out enjoying the good weather.
Our route took us through Aldborough, Town Green and across the A140 to Alby Common for Suffield. Towards the end of the lane we met Brian P and Elizabeth out for a walk, so we stopped to have a chat, they were both in good spirits and also enjoying the good weather.
We continued on through Swanton Abbott, Worstead, Ashmanhaugh to Coltishall and the Rising Sun, to find Malcolm S waiting for us. We found a good table outside, so we could enjoy the sun and views of the river while we had a good leisurely lunch and a good chat. We learnt that Malcolm had recently celebrated his 70th with a tour of the Adnams brewery in Southwold, followed by some great fish and chips in Dunwich.

So after lunch, Malcolm set off into a headwind home, while the trio enjoyed a helpful tailwind home. Our route took us past Coltishall airfield with a detour through Badersfield and past Scottow Church, back to Swanton Abbott, Banningham, Calthorpe to Wolterton Hall, where Duncan left us to head for Mannington and home. The remaining duo continued to Matlaske, up to Bodham Hill where Ian caught a wasp in his helmet, which managed to sting him before he could rip his helmet off. Bravely he was able to continue the last couple of miles home.

PC to PC was 53 miles with an average speed of 15.3 mph
Riders: Duncan S, Ian A (photo), Malcom S, Mark M leading. Also out and about, Geoff P, Kevin H, Brian P & Elizabeth.

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday 30th – Chrysalis Café, Sparham Hill
Wednesday 4th – Biagio’s, East Rudham
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/
Visit the Clubs Runs Gallery for larger and more photos: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

With Harvey on holiday and other regulars sidelined by medical issues, it was always going to be a small group ride. Three met at PC on a cool and damp morning, with the forecast suggesting that it would remain dry and would warm up a little.
One of the three, Neil Mc was recovering from sickness and would only join us for about the first hour before heading home, still getting some good miles in though.
Our clockwise route took us east via Metton, Northrepps and some less used lanes to Mundesley, all assisted by a moderate westerly breeze. After crossing the golf course we headed to Trunch, Bacton Wood, Crostwight, Ridlington and on to Bacton and Café Carmel.
As the duo entered the café, we were surprised and pleased to see Graham A waiting for us. Having recovered well from his recent op, he was now able to drive again and took the opportunity to meet up and have some lunch and a chat. And then Brian P, phoned Graham to report that he was doing ok after the start of his hospital treatment, so that was good to hear as well. Hopefully they will both be back out on their bikes before too long.
After a good lunch, coffee and cake it was time to bid farewell to Graham and head off into the breeze towards North Walsham, Worstead and Skeyton. By now a lot of the morning clouds had cleared and there was a lot more sun as we headed up to Suffield then on to Erpingham, Wickmere, past the church on Watery Lane, into Matlaske and the regular route back to PC.
A good ride out on some less used roads. Autumn has definitely arrived and the high temperature of just a couple of weeks ago, remains only as a memory, though it stayed dry.

PC to PC was 57 miles at an average speed of 15mph.
Chris S, Neil Mc, Mark M, Graham A at the café and Brian P reporting in.

Upcoming Rides –
Wednesday 27th Sept – Rising Sun, Coltishall
Saturday 30th Sept – Chrysalis Café, Sparham Hill
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/
Visit the Clubs Runs Gallery for larger and more photos: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

The club runs section has been labouring under an abundance of commitments recently. These include medical treatment, convalescence, holidays, property maintenance, family visits and a leg of the Round Norfolk Relay. On another excellent late summer’s day, only Mark, Chris, Brian and Harvey could make it for the trip down to the Mardler’s Rest Cafe and the latter pair didn’t join in until Barningham. On a fresh, bright and breezy morning, it was basically tailwind out on a route that was conventional as far as Colkirk, before turning south through Whissonsett to Stanfield, crossing the B1145 to pick up the secluded lane down to the sand and gravel workings at Bittering, turning back east past the lost medieval village of Little Bittering and through Gressenhall village to the museum cafe, which was quiet today. A rising ENE wind, backing NE, made for a hard-working ride back, via Hoe, Swanton Morley, Elsing, along the south side of the Wensum to Attlebridge, turning north up the climb to Swannington and on to Cawston, Itteringham and directly back to Pretty Corner.

Distances: 66 miles to 80 miles.

Next week it is back east again. This time along the lanes to Bacton.

Ride Report by Ride Leader Ian A
Due to other commitments and holidays, just two Wheelers met at PC on a chilly but bright day. After yesterday’s rain, the Ride Leader showed true leadership and wise decision making abilities as he announced that they’d be avoiding the inevitable mud and sand that would be present on the roads between East Beckham and Gresham on the planned route, and instead take a more direct southerly route to Itteringham via North Barningham. Besides, he’d forgotten his mudguards. Chris however, was gleefully sporting some new full length fenders. The change of route also took off just over 5 miles from the planned distance.

The original route was re-joined just south or Itteringham where we turned west to Oulton and then through Heydon Park. We then proceeded via Cawston, Brandiston and towards Swannington. We turned west again through the Witchinghams and on to Themelthorpe and Junction 21 Tea Room.

We enjoyed matching egg mayonnaise baguettes (plus chocolate cake for one of us). Good food and good value.
We’d had a tailwind there so made good progress on the way out, but it was therefore harder going on the way back and it seemed like most of it was uphill, too…. The route back took us via Foulsham, Nethergate, Thurning, Edgefield, Plumstead and past Pond Farm to Rectory Road Bodham, where Ian turned left for home, leaving Chris to continue on back to PC and Sheringham.
Ian spent some time cleaning his filthy bike and mud -spattered lycra when he got home. Chris probably got by with a quick wipe down as his mudguards had performed admirably, giving him more time to complete his shed building project later that afternoon.

Riders: Ian A (leading and photo) and Chris S
Distances: circa 54 miles

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday Club Run to Gressenhall.
Wednesday 20th – East Rudham (subject to change)
Routes for club runs and rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/
Visit the Clubs Runs Gallery for larger and more photos: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

With the sudden demise of No.77 Cafe in the Red Lion at Coltishall, this weekend’s club run was rescheduled to the Courtyard Cafe in the busy Wroxham Barns complex. Other commitments once again kept the Pretty Corner contingent numbers down to three riders, which was reduced to two at Tuttington, from where Neil Mc had to head for home to fulfil domestic commitments in the afternoon. On an unseasonably hot day, tempered by favourable breezes, Mark and Chris enjoyed a brisk ride to the Barns, where they chose to refuel at the Farmyard Cafe rather than the larger Courtyard Cafe. During the break, Chris received a ‘phone call notifying him of a boiler problem that needed sorting asap. So it was a quick turnaround and a 16mph ride back to Sheringham.

Five other Wheelers picked up the route at the five miles point for the ride to the Courtyard Cafe and, unusually, failed to coincide with the PC starters. Unsurprisingly on a day such as this, Wroxham Barns was busy, but the group arrived early for a comfortable break before the cafe filled up with families after 12.30. It was a hot, but wind-assisted, ride back to the parting of the ways at Cross Green.

The route was largely on quiet lanes, directly to Tuttington, over Swanton Hill, Sloley, Tunstead church, Cat’s Common, Neatishead, Irstead, Bewiderwood, Ashmanaugh, Belaugh Green, St. James, Little Hautbois, Frettenham church, Hainford, Buxton, Brampton, Allison Street, Cawston, Corpusty, Ramsgate Street, Baconsthorpe and Bodham Hill. This route benefited from a lot of shade from today’s hot sun, especially through the Broads section.

Riders: Mark; Chris; Neil Mc; Jim; Graham J; Neil S; Brian; Harvey.

Distances: – the main plotted route covered 66 miles, but individual distances ranged from 68 miles to 106 miles.

An unprecedented nine riders met at Pretty Corner, including two guests David and Ben for a run to Wiveton Hall Cafe, on a warm but misty day. The route took us through East Beckham, Matlaske, Plumstead, Edgefield, Briston, Stody, Brinton, Sharrington, Field Dalling, Binham, Cockthorpe, Langham and Blakeney, where there was a group photo call – see below.

On arrival at the Cafe we found that we were too early for lunch which is not served until 12:00. However, by the time some of the group had queued up it was time! There was therefore a mixture of cakes, sandwiches, soup and salads consumed, all of which was good. Unfortunately, the sea mist had still not cleared so we missed the superb view, but it was warm enough to sit outside.
The hilly route back took us through Wiveton (where David left us), Newgate, Salthouse, Kelling and High Kelling, Hempstead, Baconsthorpe, West Beckham, with the sun finally managing to poke through the mist. Graham decided that he had had enough hills for one day and left us before Salthouse. Duncan then departed for home at Baconsthorpe. As all the remaining riders wanted to go to Sheringham we diverted from the planned route to go via Upper Sheringham.

PC to PC 40 miles Average speed 14.0 mph
Total Elevation 1864 ft
Riders: Mark, Duncan, Chris, Ian, Graham J, Kevin, David, Ben and Andrew leading.

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday Club Run to Wroxham Barns
Wednesday 13th – Junction 21, Themelthorpe
Routes for rides on the website under Dates and Destinations: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/
Visit the Clubs Runs Gallery for larger and more photos: https://nnwheelers.co.uk/club-runs/club-runs-photo-gallery/

Some of the bunch at Pensthorpe – or Chris shows Brian and Neil how to put the lid on a teapot.

On a glorious day for cycling, three Wheelers set out from Anglian Water, while three more joined the route at Cross Green. It was what Geoff would call ‘the traditional route’ as far as Craymere, before heading south through Guestwick and Foulsham to Bintree watermill, along the short stretch of B1110 to Broom Green and a westerly leg over Great Heath to Potthorpe, Horningtoft and Whissonsett, back east to Gately church, north over the undulations to Great Ryburgh and the final kick over the Little Ryburgh bergs to the Courtyard Cafe for a refuelling break. Usually, late summer in the Pensthorpe courtyard is a wasp fest, but only a single vespa made an appearance today. The paucity of wasps question was answered on the way back at Oulton Hall when a small swarm of them attacked Neil’s energy gel, while Brian fixed a puncture. It was probably a bad idea for Neil to have laid his Hetchins on the entrance to a subterranean wasps’ nest.

The route home was conventional as far as Hindolveston, from where a big loop south and east was taken, by way of Foulsham airfield, Skitfield, Odessa, Crabgate, through Heydon Park to Oulton and Itteringham, up the climb to Wolterton and via Wickmere, Thurgarton and Bessingham to Gresham church.

Group: Chris; Ian; Mark; Brian; Neil S; Harvey.

Distances: 63 miles to 70 miles.

One puncture: rear Continental GP 5000.