Club Runs

Two riders met at PC on a hot and sunny morning, fortunately cooled all day by a NE breeze. Graham A would meet us at Waxham after checking out the new bike shop, Woods Cycles at Mundesley, in the former Corner House Café. The verdict was that it is early days but looks promising.
We picked Jim up at Aldborough and set off for Barningham, Worstead, Honing, Ingham, Calthorpe Street to Sea Palling and Worstead. Even though we covered the 31 miles at an average speed of 16.1mph, Graham had got there first and had bagged us a table. The café was busy and there was also a wedding being prepared for in the barn. The bride arrived in a motorhome, which was different, it may also have doubled as the honeymoon suite.

Malcolm arrived from St Olaves with his perfectly clean titanium bike gleaming in the sun and joined us for lunch and a good chat, before heading back home, for a round trip of 45 miles at a 16.2 avg, it would seem that sun made us all faster today.

Our return route started with a southerly leg to Hickling before heading north to Lessingham and then a tour of the lanes via Crostwight with its unusual church tower, then Knapton, Trunch and Lower Southrepps, where Graham turned off for Cromer.
The remaining trio took the usual route west to Hanworth and the Thurgarton crossroads, where we split ways, leaving just one to retrace the route back to PC.

PC to PC was 64 miles at brisk 15.6mph average
Neil Mc, Mark, Jim, Graham A and Malcolm joining us for lunch.
No Harvey today, though he did provide an enjoyable route.

Only two Wheelers were available for the ride to the Rising Sun in Coltishall. An overcast sky and north wind kept the temperature in check until around lunchtime, when the clouds cleared and the sun was very hot out of the wind.
Our route south took us via Alby Hill, Suffield, Swanton Abbott, Worstead, Anchor Street, Ashmanhaugh and across the two railways into Coltishall.

As we arrived at the Rising Sun, we could see that it was very busy, with no free tables outside, so after checking there were no other Wheelers waiting for us, we went up the road to the No.77 café, which was quiet. We found a well shaded table outside and enjoyed our lunch and drinks.
On our return leg we decided to do some sightseeing and went down to Horstead Mill and the now disused navigation lock, the first of five, that allowed wherries to travel up-river to Aylsham, from 1779 until the great flood of 1912 which damaged all the locks beyond economic repair. https://www.bnctnorfolk.org.uk/navigation-history
Incidentally, it was the same flood that destroyed the bridge at Itteringham.
We continued our adventures by taking the partial unmade road which runs around the east side of Coltishall airfield, two very good sections of tarmac are joined by a short section of rough unmade farm track, but perfectly rideable on sturdy tyres. We then looped around the top of the airfield on the main road and then turned south back into the old base via Scottow church before heading for Buxton, Brampton, Banningham, Erpingham and on to Sustead where we parted ways.

PC to PC was 51 miles at a leisurely 13.4mph average.
Graham A and Mark M
Reminder that next week’s ride is to the new café at Binham.

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

Five riders, led by Graham, left Pretty Corner en route to Pensthorpe and pushing against an increasing westerly breeze. The group went southwards to Barningham Winter, turned to visit Baconsthorpe, Edgefield and Hunworth negotiating gravelly roads. Via Thornage and Sharrington the A148 was crossed to Bale. A rear puncture caused the leader to short pause the excursion. Fakenham was reached via Hindringham, Gt Snoring and Thorpelands. The two miles to Pensthorpe on the A148 were dealt with rather frantically.

Lunch was enjoyed on a busy patio area. A few birds such as ducks, sparrows, pidgeons and a solo black headed gull caused amusement by competing for scraps left on tables and paving. The route back to PC went via Kettlestone, Hindolveston and Melton Constable near where three riders peeled off. The remaining two soon got to PC via Edgefield after a ride of about 46 miles.

Riders: Mark M, Duncan S, Neil Mc, Ian W (a new rider for Wednesdays) and Graham A leading

Journey to the Centre of Norfolk: Six Wheelers left Pretty Corner to collect one more at Heydon, but one was out only for a short morning lung-opener. The bunch pushed a strong SSW wind via Saxthorpe to Reepham, the valley of the Wensum, Elsing, Etling Green, Cutthroat Lane, Yaxham and the Thorpe Row lane to the King’s Cafe, formerly the King William pub (known locally as the ‘King Billy’). Refreshments were taken out of the wind in a large new gazebo that has appeared since the last time that any of the Wheelers visited. It was a pretty brisk tailwind-assisted ride back by way of Daffy Green, Scarning, under the A47 to Podmore ford and the hidden network of lanes through to Gressenhall. From here it was a relatively short route back, down the Blackwater, over to Billingford, Bintree and Foulsham to Hindolveston and the familiar roads back to Red Barn Lane.

Group: Brian; Graham A; Harvey; Jim; Mark; Neil S + Ian W (making his first appearance since 2019, but out only for a short morning expedition).

Distances: 52 miles to 80 miles.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1951514?units=km

Four Wheelers met at PC, to be greeted with a light rain shower, that would continue intermittently for the next hour. We set off on a south-easterly course via Hanworth, Suffield and North Walsham to pick up John S in Honing.
Alas, the pick up didn’t go as planned. The roads around Honing had just been resurfaced, so John decided to head out to meet us and to take us on a route to avoid the resurfacing. We arrived at the other end of the resurfaced road and decided to try a detour to avoid it, without much luck as it turned out, and in the process missed John.
So as we arrived into Honing, John phones from White Horse Common. It’s decided that we will continue on and catch up with John another day. However, the thought of missing out on 1940’s style Spam fritters was enough for John to organise a lift with his wife and to chase us down, catching up with us on the Brumstead Road. We were most surprised to see John and his bike emerging from a car. Chapeau John!
By now the clouds had been blown away by a steady Southerly wind and it was very warm as we continued to Sea Palling, Waxham to Horsey.
Poppylands was busy with people indoors and out, though we were able to get a shaded table outside. Poppylands is a 1940’s themed café and does it very well, with lots of period memorabilia and quirky menus. Sadly, today the Spam fritters were off the menu but corned beef hash served in a mess tin was popular, with three Wheelers choosing it. The tea cosy was in the shape of an aircraft, though one which had crashed into the drink a few times too many.
Suitably fed and watered and now with a tail wind, we retraced our route to Sea Palling, then along the beach road to Lessingham, Ridlington to Bacton Woods, where John headed for home. Then it was the regular route to Knapton (where they are still digging up the road), Trunch, South and Northrepps, where Graham A headed for Cromer, Metton, Gresham and PC.

PC to PC 59 flattish miles with an average speed of 14.5 miles
Andrew B, Graham A, Graham J, John S and Mark M leading

On a bright and windy day, seven riders left Pretty Corner to collect one more at Gresham. The longer morning leg went by way of Sustead, Hanworth, Thorpe Market, Bradfield, Swafield, Little London, Edingthorpe Green, Bacton Wood, Honing, Dilham, Cat’s Common, Callow Green, Neatishead, a short stop at Irstead Staithe, Bewilderwood, Hoveton Hall and Belaugh Green, to the No.77 Cafe, where Malcolm was waiting after his ride up via the Reedham Ferry. One Wheeler was out only for the morning, leaving eight sat at two outside tables for their refuelling break. On departure, Malcolm pushed straight back to Wroxham, while the main bunch headed home, assisted by a lot of stiff tailwind, via St James, Mayton Bridge, Frettenham, Stratton Strawless, Buxton, Rippon Hall, Cawston, Heydon (from where Jim headed for home), Corpusty, Plumstead and Barningham Winter to the split on Red Barn Lane.

Group: Brian; Chris S; Graham J; Harvey; Jim; Mark; Neil S + Graham A out for a morning loosener and Malcolm up from St Olave’s over the ferry. – So, rather more than the 6.25 average for 2022 to date, although that figure includes some wet and/or extremely windy winter days.

One puncture (on anti-puncture ‘winter bike’).

Distances: 67 miles to 80 miles.

Six wheelers met at PC for a ride to Creake Abby on a beautiful mid summer day. The route took us through Werst Beckham, Baconsthorpe, Edgfield, Briston, Melton Constable, Thursford, Walsingham and North Creake. On arrival at the Abbey Café we decided to sit inside as there were no tables left outside in the shade. The choice of food was excellent and we all enjoyed a good lunch. The route back took us back through north Creake, Wighton and onto Binham. Having heard that the Little Dairy Shop at Binham Priory had now opened a café we were forced to stop to assess it as a future destination. This of course required further drinks and in Mark’s case cake! This was all good and the café should definitely be added to the list. Neil left us at Binham as he had to get home early. The remainder of us continued on the usual route back to PC through Langham. Wiveton and High Kelling. Overall a great days cycling in glorious weather.

PC to PC 48 miles

Average speed 14.7 mph           Total Elevation 1730 ft

Mark, Graham A, Kevin, Neil, Andrew B and Robert leading.

As the core club run group evolves, it is worth asking from time to time whether both old and new members are happy to maintain basically the same formula. There are obviously a variety of versions of an ideal model, but we need to strike a balance in order to keep as many people interested as possible. Is it starting to get too fast? Is it still too slow? Are the cafes appropriate? Are the breaks too long? Are the lanes too ‘agricultural’? Are the routes too devious for the Strava and average speed cohort? The pattern is not necessarily set in tablets of stone.

Q. What’s the difference between Friday and Saturday? A. 17 degrees Celsius. This was a remarkable meteorological change in 24 hours.

Four left PC to pick up one more at Kelling Hangs. The bunch of five rode conventionally west over the heaths and up the Downs through to Binham, Wighton and Crabbe Castle. It was then into the less visited territory further west, via the long descent into the Burn valley at North Creake, the long climb over the Shammer Beacon to Stanhoe, before dipping south past Barwick and Hyde Park to the final fast stretch to Bircham windmill cafe. After a few morning spatters, the real rain started on the approach to the mill and this persisted through the refuelling break. The bunch set off on the return leg fairly briskly to generate some warmth in a strengthening north wind and light rain, riding by way of Bagthorpe, Frizzleton, Syderstone, Blenheim Park, South Creake, Waterden, North Barsham, Houghton St Giles ford, the stiff Canister Hall climb over to Great Snoring, Thurning and Gunthorpe to Brinton (from where Jim turned for home), before the familiar villages route back to Bodham Hill and Red Barn Lane. From Syderstone Common over to South Creake and Waterden, the bunch coincided with the band of heavy rain that had been forecast for the area, turning some of the lanes into streams. From North Barsham back it was intermittent light showers. – (Back in the north east of the county, there was barely 1mm in the rain gauge.)

Group: Mark; Jim; Harvey; Chris S; Brian.

Distances: 56 miles to 81 miles.

One puncture: – rear Continental GP 5000, with three inexplicable spaced out cuts.

Six buzzards; weasel with prey; roe deer with two very small fawns; red deer; young tawny owl.

Meanwhile, back in Shannocktown, Neil S had suffered an early morning blowout and a consequent visit to Black Bikes for a replacement tyre and tube. He later rode to Great Snoring to try to intercept the run, but arrived too early, obviously unable to anticipate the puncture repairs being carried out south of Syderstone.

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1936504?units=km