Author: vannicholas09

Six met at PC on a windy, showery morning for a club run to the Station Cafe at Reepham by way of a long loop out to the east coast at Mundesley. The cafe was busy, but the food was good. The planned shorter leg home was a southerly detour into the Wensum valley, but some people didn’t fancy shoving the strong northerly for the last twenty miles back to the north coast, so an on the cog impromptu route was followed, via Great Witchingham, Blackwater Equestrian Centre, Jordan Green, Themelthorpe, Foulsham, Guestwick (from where Neil Mc turned for home), Nethergate, Burnthouse, Craymere, Briston, Baconsthorpe and the final drag up Bodham Hill to Red Barn Lane.

Group: Neil Mc; Mark; Ian W; Ian A; Harvey; Chris.

Distances: 57 miles to 73 miles.

One puncture: – Large flint in front Gatorskin. This was only four miles into a thirty eight miles morning leg, so it was decided that the bunch would continue, while the victim sorted the problem before short-cutting to the break. During the course of the shortcut John Morgan and his training ride partners were crossed.

For a range of reasons, there were several Wheelers missing today, so five set out from PC on a contorted route that would take them to the Courtyard Cafe at Pensthorpe via Little Thornage and Little Snoring airfield. They were joined at the cafe by Geoff on one of his twice weekly fifty milers. The bunch were able to sit out in the courtyard for their break as the heavy clouds over Fakenham and the Wensum valley failed to produce any precipitation. In fact, at the end of an unsettled week of thundery showers, today proved to be a good cycling day, featuring warm sun, impressive cloud formations and a fresh northerly wind. After the refuelling stop, Geoff headed home on the traditional route, while the bunch of five followed a more southerly route back by way of Wood Norton, Foulsham and Guestwick, from where Neil Mc turned south for home.

Group: Chris; Harvey; Mark; Neil Mc; Neil S + Geoff at Pensthorpe.

Distances: 62 miles to 75 miles.

One shipped chain (nineteen times). Probable diagnosis: too much chain for the chosen drive train set up, which the victim/miscreant was ‘test riding’ – viz. 36 tooth chainring, Regina 5 block, old rear mec and new chain. In hindsight, it would have been more sensible to check the chain length at the cafe and cut out a few links. – PS. It turned out to be sticking pawls in ‘new’ Regina freewheel.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2026070?units=km

Seven left Pretty Corner to pick up one more at Gresham and another at Coltishall. The longer outward leg was a clockwise loop via Hanworth Common, Thorpe Market, Bradfield, Pigney’s Wood, Edingthorpe Green, Honing, Dilham, Barton Turf, the hidden lanes of Workhouse, Threehammer and Butcher’s Commons, Ashmanaugh and Belaugh Green. The most reliable of the morning forecasts predicted a heavy shower centred on Coltishall through 13.00 hours. This short deluge duly arrived while the Wheelers enjoyed their refuelling break seated beneath the shelter of large parasols. The return trip set out on heavily puddled roads, travelling round the back way to St James and over medieval Mayton bridge to Frettenham and Hainford. The rest of the route was on dry roads in periodic sunshine, by way of Stratton Strawless, Buxton, Brampton, Allison Street and Buxton to the Ratcatcher’s to drop off Neil Mc, before returning north at a rapid pace, dropping off Jim at Heydon and Graham at Itteringham.

Group: Neil S; Neil Mc; Mark; Jim; Ian A; Harvey; Graham A; Brian plus Malcolm at Coltishall.

Distances: 66 miles to 102 miles (Neil S, getting in some belated preparation for summer). Brian was fine-tuning in preparation for his Santander to Seville ride, starting in ten days time.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2018862?units=km

Unexpected and oily looking black clouds approached over the coast on the north east wind as riders arrived at the Pretty Corner assembly point. Fortunately the holiday weekend small bunch soon rode into clearer conditions as they headed inland. The coastal strip however did receive some rain, as evidenced by 1.2mm in the rain gauge back in N.E. Norfolk.

Only four Wheelers headed south via Corpusty and Reepham, where they were caught by new man Ian A, ex Dittons Velo, who meet at The Bear in Esher, Surrey. Ian had been delayed by a recalcitrant garage door lock at his new house, so followed a short cut in a vain attempt to cut off the bunch and then, guided by the downloadable route file for the day, set off on a 12 mile chase to join the group.

Good progress was made on quiet lanes as far as Gressenhall church, from where even quieter lanes were anticipated over Bushey Common and the Podmore ford. Instead the small bunch were confronted by dozens of vehicles travelling in both directions on tiny lanes barely wide enough to take a single vehicle. Lesson: don’t organise a club run down these lanes on the weekend of the Maui Waui Festival of Dub, Techno, Trance, Electro and Reggae at Hill Farm, featuring China Bull Shop, Dub Pistols, Teapad Orchestra, The Iron Bootscrapers and Captain Flatcap. Once away from the cultural hot spot of Dereham however, it was plain sailing via Daffy Green to the King’s Cafe at Shipdham, at 5.2 kms the longest village in Norfolk. The cafe was converted nine years ago (seems longer) from one of a former total of 27 pubs in Shipdham. Only the Golden Dog remains today.

It was a slightly longer route back into a lot of north easterly wind, via Garvestone, Mattishall, Elsing, Bawdeswell, Foxley, Themelthorpe and Craymere ford to the familiar lanes back from Briston.

Group: Mark; Jim; Ian A; Harvey; Brian.

Distances: 69 miles to 83 miles.

Six Wheelers set out from Pretty Corner into a rising south-westerly on a bright, fresh late summer morning. The longer outward leg of 35.5 miles (from PC) went by way of the direct route to Stody and the familiar villages to Hindringham and Walsingham. From the war memorial it was the stiff climb out of the Stiffkey valley to Egmere, the long descent into the Burn valley at South Creake, the long drag over Bloodgate Hill to Syderstone, the rolling lanes to North Pole crossroads and the last short section over Tofts Hill to Bircham windmill cafe. Over some excellent food, shared with the usual late summer wasps, the conversation focused on Mike Burrows and on acquiring new bikes. The stiff tailwind home was well worth waiting for on a route travelling via Stanhoe, North Creake, South Holkham, Wighton, Binham, Langham, Wiveton Downs, Salthouse Heath, Bodham and West Beckham.

Group: Brian; Chris; Graham A; Harvey; Mark; Neil S.

Distances: 72 miles to 84 miles. // 3176 feet of climbing.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1984294?units=km

Seven riders congregated at the reservoir gates, but one was already on his way home while another turned back at 11.00. So, five completed the club run to the Fork in Hoe cafe, following a route that included a south easterly detour round by Ringland and Weston Green. The bunch enjoyed a comfortable refreshment break on the verandah before pushing the rising headwind home via Gressenhall, Bilney, Brisley, Great Heath, Guist, Wood Norton and Guestwick (where Neil Mc headed for home from the top of Skitfield Lane). The remaining four then stuck to a lot of very minor lanes in order to avoid over-familiarity.

Group: Neil S; Neil Mc; Harvey; Chris; Brian + Jim out for a short one.

Distances: 45 miles to 80 miles.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1980227?units=km

Brian, Chris, Mark, Neil S and Harvey left Pretty Corner to collect Neil Mc at Ingworth church. So it was a bunch of six that set off south assisted by a freshening and pleasantly cool north westerly as far as Horning and Ludham before turning into the stiff wind over How Hill, through Catfield, skirting Lessingham and over Hill 60 to the Lighthouse Inn at Walcott, where Malcolm was waiting after his ride up from St. Olave’s via the ferry. The service and the food at the Lighthouse were up to their usual high standard. With 41 miles covered on the outward leg, it was an easy afternoon of 21 miles back to PC by way of Bacton church, Edingthorpe, Knapton, Trunch, the two Repps and Metton.

One puncture: a big bleb in the tube, but no sign of damage to the Gatorskin tyre.

Distances: 66 miles to 77 miles.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1975995?units=km

The club run to Jane’s Coffee Corner attracted seven riders, including new man Richard from Iceni Velo. The route to the Raynhams and the Rudhams rode into and through a band of light rain approaching from the south west. This recently rare meteorological phenomenon had passed over by 11.50 however, allowing the Wheelers to sit out in the open facing East Rudham village green. The return trip went via Whissonsett, Gateley, Bintree watermill, Foulsham, Guestwick (from where Neil Mc turned for home) and Tyby (from where Jim headed for home) before diving into some of the little known lanes in the Wood Dalling Triangle, en route to Corpusty and then directly back to Red Barn Lane for the main split. A half mile stretch of verges, hedges and trees along both sides of Heydon Road, between Cropton Hall and the shooting range, had been burned dramatically by wildfire during the recent tinder box conditions.

Group: Brian; Graham A; Harvey; Jim; Mark; Neil Mc; Richard.

Distances: 57 miles to 78 miles.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1974761?units=km

Two regulars were away, but nine still turned out for the club run to Holkham Courtyard Cafe. The outward route followed the undulations across the heaths and Wiveton Downs, Cockthorpe Common, various detours to Great Walsingham, the long climb up Bunker’s Hill, Whin Hill, Chantry Hill and the long descent through the Holkham estate, where the bunch sat out in the courtyard for refreshments. It was reported that former NNW member Tom Coke (aka Earl of Leicester) is still cycling. Back to base was by way of Wells, Wighton, Copy’s Green, Hindringham, Gunthorpe, Sharrington, Little Thornage, the Glandford ford and the long pull up Rectory Road from Cley Green.

Group: Neil S; Neil Mc; Mark; Harvey; Graham J; Graham A; Chris S; Ben; Andrew.

Distances: 62 miles to 79 miles.

Over 3,000 feet of climbing (basic route), which is well above average for a NNW club run.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1970147?units=km

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1958443?units=km