Month: September 2026

Ride report by Andy S

Doug, Mark, Andy and new member Ray met at P.C. this Saturday morning. The weather was cloudy with a stiff southwesterly wind. The group set off heading westerly and into a head wind for most of the morning. The route took us through West Beckham and up to High Kelling where we were met by Ian, completing the group of five.

From here the route went down Bridge Road to Cley, over the Glandford ford, out of Glandford and up the Dragway. Just after the top of the Dragway , Ray was attacked by a wasp which stung him on the neck before proceeding to buzz down his top. Today there seemed to be a lot of bugs about with plenty of bees and wasps feasting on the ivy in the hedgerows. A good sign for the wildlife but a bit annoying for cyclists!

The route went through Saxlingham and Field Dalling. At this point , due to the exposed head wind, rather than going to Binham and back to Hindringham, the group detoured to Bale and onto Hindringham taking advantage of a sheltered route. Then onto Great Snoring, East Barsham, North Barsham and a loop round and back to Little Walsingham for lunch at Norton’s Cafe.

The Cafe turned out to be very quiet so lunch was served very quickly with a selection of toasties and jacket potatoes. At lunch Ian gave us a very interesting lecture on a recent trip on the Wells to Little Walsingham railway. Apparently the 4 mile route makes it the world’s longest 10.25” narrow gauge railway line. More importantly he found another cafe at the Well’s train station (that got the group’s attention).

With the group well fed and watered we made ready for the homeward leg once we had got our bearings right and started heading the correct way. Once out of Walsingham we headed back to Hindringham and Gunthorpe. At the Melton Road junction Andy headed off towards Melton Constable for an early shower. This left the remaining group proceeding towards Swanton Novers, Hindolveston, Corpusty, up the Edgefield Hill and on towards Baconsthorpe. Ray turned off for Hempstead and Holt, while Ian won the sprint up Bodham Hill before turning back to High Kelling and home. The remaining two, Mark and Doug, made their way back to Red Barn Lane before splitting for PC and Cromer respectively.

PC to PC was 58.9 miles at an average 14.9 mph (15.0 Out, 14.8 Back)
Riders: Mark M, Doug H, Ray T, Andy S, Ian A

Upcoming Rides –
Wednesday 16th September – Hoveton Hall
Saturday 19th September – Chrysalis café, Sparhamhill
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/

Ride report by Mark M

Holidays, sickness, the strong north westerly wind and a hilly route, resulted in just Andy and Mark meeting at PC. Ian would be out as well, meeting us for lunch.
We set off into the wind for High Kelling, Cley Newgate, some respite to Glandford, then to Langham and across a very windy airfield, finally turning south after 15 miles.
It was now an easier ride to Binham, across the A148 to Sharrington and down to Letheringsett, having crossed the ford at Little Thornage (we thought of you Richard). Then it was the hard and windy climb up Wall’s Lane to Bayfield Brecks, the descent to Glandford crossing the ford for the second time before making our way to Bayfield Hall and Natural Surroundings café.

Ian had arrived a few minutes earlier and had just received his cafetiere and large fruit scone. We soon had our cheese on toast, cake and tea ordered and then discussed whether Andy should be tapering before his upcoming France coast to coast trip or if the day would be good Mont Ventoux training, as he still had to get home, we decided on the latter.

After lunch, Ian continued at his own pace, though would keep overtaking us when we stopped on the way back. Setting off to Wiveton and then the Bridgefoot Lane climb as a warm up before dropping into Salthouse for the Bard Hill effort. After recovering from that, it was the Cley Road up to Holt and an easy couple of miles down to Hunworth before the ever popular Hunworth Hill to Edgefield. As Andy turned towards Corpusty and home, Ian appeared again, so we both made our way to Hempstead, Baconsthorpe and up Bodham Hill then each turning for home.

Our hilly route had 704m of climbing, today’s Vuelta stage classified as flat had 1084m and if that wasn’t enough to demoralise us, then Chris S, currently on a motoring trip to Italy, sent us video from the Gavia Pass in Italy of a guy riding it on a unicycle!

PC to PC was 48.3 miles at an average 14.5 mph (15.2 Out, 13.6 Back)
Riders: Andy S, Mark M, Ian A

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday 12th September – Norton’s, Walsingham
Wednesday 16th September – Hoveton Hall
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/

Ride report by Doug H

On a bright but windy Saturday morning, Mark, Andy and guest Ray met at PC. With lots of holidays being taken, the party of three headed off south to pick up the final two wheelers for the day, Doug and Ian, from Gresham Church.
With the peloton complete and the conclusion of the discussion of whether it was really cold enough for arm warmers and gilets, they headed south with a very strong crosswind. This enabled Mark to set a hot pace, which continued all day, with minor comments and a few mutterings from the back.

We rushed through Bessingham, sprinting past Aldborough, to Alby, Suffield, Felmingham, through Swanton Abbott for the first time in the day, Worstead, on to Ashmanhaugh, via Belaugh Green, and on to the lunch stop at Red Lion Café in Coltishall.
This was extremely uneventful, and only had one minor ‘almost’ moment, where Doug did his best not to fall in a ditch.

Graham had made his way by train and bike to meet us all at the stop and was ready to talk us through his next great adventure: taking the ferry to Spain for two weeks of cycling. Quite the adventure, and one we would all love to do

Lunch was very pleasant, with the only highlight being that we almost considered helping a lady to fix her car, but quite rightly we sat and watched her jump-start it with what looked like a tiny battery. Amazing. None of us would have been of any help, but it is the thought that counts, so they say.

The conversation ranged from the global position of the missing Wheelers to, the highlights of the highlights of the ongoing cycling events on TV to the adventures ahead. As with Graham, Andy is off to ride from Saint-Malo to Nice in a couple of weeks, and again, we wish him well and that we would all like to go as well.


With lunch completed, we were off again, at a similar pace to our arrival. Mark was right on it today. With the crosswind now slightly becoming a headwind, we were off past RAF Coltishall, through Swanton Abbott for the second time, Tuttington, on to Banningham and Ingworth.
Near Itteringham, Andy headed home, with Ray shortly after heading back to Holt.
With the final three heading up Bodham Hill, Ian took the plaudits for a fine sprint to the line before turning for High Kelling.
Mark headed back to PC, while Doug, turning into a full tailwind, flew back to Cromer.

PC to PC was 52.8 miles at an average 15.6 mph (16.2 Out, 15.1 Back)
Riders: Andy S, Mark M, Ian A, Doug H, guest Ray T, Graham A

P.S. Vuelta d Espana daily highlights on Channel 5/5 Action at 7-8pm

Upcoming Rides –
Wednesday 9th September – Natural Surroundings, Bayfield
Saturday 12th September – Norton’s, Walsingham
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/

Ride report by Andy S

Four members met at P.C. this Wednesday morning: Mark, Chris, Andy and new member Les. The morning gave a dull but dry start with a threat of rain coming in with the south westerly wind at around 1.00pm. With the temperature around 18/19 degrees it was starting to have the feel of early autumn.

We headed off through the lanes to Baconsthorpe and Edgefield. On the lane down to Little Barningham Chris’s rear gear cable snapped leaving him with the chain stuck in the smallest gear. So Chris had to do the remainder of the ride stuck in a very high gear (good TT training Chris!!). Hats off to Chris, he did it.

The route went past Mannington Hall, Calthorpe, Ingworth and along Carr Lane, at the back of Blickling estate, where a lot of sand and gravel from the recent rains made the going tricky. Then up to the main Aylsham road and onto Oulton which took us to the Norwich road. After crossing this the last two miles to Cawston was into a stiff headwind giving us a good appetite for our lunch at All Things Nice.

Lunch was cups of tea all round with a selection of healthy fry ups in baps. The conversation was as varied as usual with pending trips to Italy and France, car museums at Caister and Les moving into his new house at Sheringham.

With lunch finished Chris was off as usual to finish his TT training on his fixed gear bike. The remaining three set off out of Cawston, over Brandiston Common , where we got a great view of Booton Church and its ornate towers. Onto Booton and Reepham which seemed to be invaded by roadworks and detours.

Just out of Reepham it started to rain so raincoats on. By the time we got to Guestwick the rain had stopped and the clouds had cleared (rain coats off). We went onto Briston before heading up the long drag to Edgefield. Once again Mark made a good pace up the hill, when he put his chain onto the big chain ring I knew he meant business and off he went. One day I will get there first!

Andy S left at this point to roll down to Corpusty leaving Mark and Les to make their way back through Plumstead, up the Barningham Rd to Mill Lane over to East Beckham and back to P.C.

PC to PC was 47.8 miles at an average 15.1 mph (15.5 Out, 14.7 Back)
Riders: Andy S, Chris S, Mark M, Les B

P.S. Vuelta d Espana daily highlights on Channel 5 at 7-8pm, then Tour of Britain ( Sept 2nd to 6th) highlights on ITV4 at 8-9pm
Chris recommends a visit to: https://www.caistercastle.co.uk/motor-museum

Upcoming Rides –
Saturday 5th September – Red Lion Café, Coltishall
Wednesday 9th September – Natural Surroundings, Bayfield
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/