Club Runs

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

Two Wheelers met at PC for a ride to the Three Swallows Clay on a very hot mid summer day. The route took us through Gresham, Sustead, Aldborough, Itteringham, Corpusty, Hidelveston, Fulmodeston, Barney, Hindringham, Binham, Langham and Wiveton. We enjoyed a good meal at the pub which has been recently renovated although there was a long wait for the food. After lunch we made our way back to PC via. Kelling and up to High Kelling, were we decided to shorten the route as by then it was very hot.

PC to PC 42 miles

Average speed 14.7 mph           Total Elevation 1400 ft

Graham A and Andrew B leading.

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

Three Wheelers and holiday guest Ben met at PC on a hot and humid morning for the long and hilly ride out to Great Bircham Mill café.
Fortunately the forecast clouds soon rolled in and provided a break from the intense sun and the strong south westerly provided a cooling breeze at the same time as increasing the workload as we headed mainly west.
Our route out took us along the inner coast road through Wiveton, Langham, Binham, Wighton, Burnham Thorpe and to Burnham Market.
From Burnham we used the quiet though direct Docking Road to climb up to Docking, the highest point in North West Norfolk and then got to enjoy the long descent down to Fring, well three of us did, Graham A managed to get a rear puncture (Vittoria Rubino), near the top which delayed his progress.
After a good 35 miles we all arrived at the café and sat outside under a shady canopy. Our visit coincided with feeding time for all the local wasps and they were particularly keen on Grahams huge iced bun, armed with two fly swatters he bravely battled away and was finally able to eat more of the bun than the wasps did.
After this minor victory, it was time to head for home, now with the wind in our favour and it made a huge difference in the effort required compared to the morning leg.
This leg took us to Syderstone, South Creake (through the shallow ford), Houghton St Giles (through the not so shallow ford, one wet foot), Great Snoring, Gunthorpe, Hunworth, Edgefield and the regular way back to PC.

PC to PC was a hilly 66 miles with 3051ft/930m of climbing at an average speed of 14.5mph
Andrew B, Graham A, guest Ben and Mark leading.

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

Three Wheelers met at PC for the inaugural run to the Artisan Café at Alby. For a change we went through Felbrigg park, down to Cromer Zoo and through many residential roads to get onto the hill, first up then down to Northrepps. From there it was Trunch, Bradfield, across the A149 to Colby Corner and on to Erpingham, Thwaite Common and up a small track to Alby Craft’s car park.
We were able to get a shaded outside table in the courtyard and were quickly served some great tasting food and coffee from an impressive selection of meals and cakes.
Suitable rested and refreshed we headed south via Ingworth to Blickling park and rode half way around the park perimeter on a fairly new cycle and walkway track and in many places it was smoother than the local roads!
We joined the road again at Itteringham Common and at Itteringham, Duncan headed for Corpusty via Mannington, leaving two to continue via Wickmere and Matlaske Wood to Bodham Hill for the final split.

PC to PC was 48 miles including two National Trust parks, some light gravel and 2116ft/645m of climbs.
Andrew B, Duncan S and Mark leading.

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

As the heatwave eased, three Wheelers met at PC for the inaugural ride to the newly opened Binham Parlour café by the Priory. The morning started overcast with a few spots of rain in the air and though humid the temperature was comfortable, helped by a stiff south westerly breeze.

We set off towards Bessingham, but just out of Gresham, Andrew B picked up a huge thorn (rear Gatorskin), requiring a tube change. Somehow in the process of reinstalling the rear wheel, the electronic shifting’s brain was confused and the subsequent graunching of gears was painful to hear. After we thought that was resolved we continued via Hempstead’s ponds to Edgefield and Hunworth. Shortly after crossing the B1110, as we stopped in a field entrance to admire the view, Andrew declared that his rear wheel was out of true. Further investigation discovered two broken spokes and resulted in Andrew heading directly for home via Thornage and Holt.
The remaining duo continued to Gunthorpe and across the A148 and as the clouds had now disappeared and the temperature had shot up again, they took the brave decision to cut about 10 miles off the outbound leg and enjoy a tail wind on the downhill run from Hindringham to Binham.

Arriving at the café it was too hot to be outside, so we had a table inside the much cooler, well converted barn. The choice of light lunches was good, as was the selection of cakes and we both thought that what we ordered was excellent, filling and good value. The service was a bit slow, but only to be expected with somewhere so new.
We eventually ventured back out into the heat and set off again, this time on a hilly route via Wighton, Warham and Stiffkey to Langham, then Field Dalling to Saxlingham. Here we departed from the route again and instead of going via Wiveton to High Kelling we went to Letheringsett and up the main road to Holt.
On our way through Holt we stopped to see how the demolition of Duncan’s house was progressing (it’s a heap of rubble) and then continued to Kelling and the usual way back to PC.

PC to PC was a hot and sticky 44 miles instead of the planned 56 miles.
Graham A, Mark and Andrew B (short ride, no cake)

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.