Club Runs

Graham A and Mark were pleased to be joined at PC by Robert N, out on his first Wheelers ride of the year. As we stood in the sun, sheltered from the fairly strong Southerly wind, we were all feeling overdressed in our winter kit. As the day progressed, we had more sunshine than forecast and the roads remained dry apart from two flooded sections, so I could have worn shorts and leg warmers and a light shirt under my jacket and been warm enough.

Our route to Waxham was mainly south easterly with a cross wind on the right shoulder. Via Bessingham, Hanworth, Suffield, Bradfield, North Walsham to Briggate, where we picked up John S. John only had a couple of hours free, but he wanted to join us for lunch and to get in a few miles.
From Honing it was East Ruston to Ingham, where we stayed on the main road to Waxham to keep the mileage for the out leg to 28 miles.

At the Café as we were putting our bikes into the new cycle racks, we saw ex-ride leader Malcolm S, who had taken advantage of the great weather and strong tailwind to join us from St Olaves. I expect the journey home was not so easy!

As the courtyard of the barn was fairly sheltered we decided to sit outside and enjoy a good lunch, coffee and a chat. John had to leave us first, then after another twenty minutes or so of chatting, we were all beginning to feel the cold, so after bidding farewell to Malcolm, we set off for home.

For a change, we went down the beach road at Sea Palling, past the wooden chalets and beach homes, an area that seems as if time has stood still, but would have all been washed away in the 1953 floods and is now behind the new sea defences.

Then it was Lessingham, Witton, Knapton, Trunch to Southrepps Lower Street, where Graham and Robert turned off for Cromer and Mark went to Thorpe Market, Hanworth, Sustead, Gresham back to PC.

PC to PC 55 miles

Graham A, Robert N and Mark leading, with guest appearances by John S and Malcolm S

On a day of persistent light rain and a cold northerly breeze, only three Wheelers completed the run down to No.77 Cafe in the King’s Head, while a fourth member of the group settled for a non- stop morning session.

The route wandered in and out of numerous road floods by way of Bessingham, Thurgarton, Wickmere, Calthorpe, Erpingham, Colby school, Hylton Crossways, Skeyton church, The Goat and Little Hautbois to the cafe, where there was a longer break than scheduled due to the waitress forgetting to take the order to the kitchen. Never mind, it allowed more time for the rain to ease. Back home was via an easterly loop to Belaugh Green, Tunstead, Ashmanaugh, Neatishead, a further loop by Barton Turf, before swinging back west and north west to Anchor Street, Worstead, Swanton Abbott (from where Neil Mc pushed on home beyond Reepham), Felmingham, Suffield, Alby Common, Aldborough school, Bessingham and Gresham church.

Group: Neil Mc; Mark; Brian + Harvey straight round.

Distances: 45 miles to 60 miles.

One broken saddle (an old Brooks B17 with copper rivets). One saddle sore.

Three Wheelers met at PC on a chilly and overcast morning for the inaugural Wednesday run to the Junction 21 café at Themelthorpe. Geoff P stopped to say he would meet us there for lunch too.

The route out took us via Gresham, Bessingham, Matlaske and Wickmere to Itteringham, then the traditional route down to Cawston. From Cawston the roads became smaller and well coated in mud and water as we went via Brandiston, Little and Great Witchingham, Jordan Green to Themelthorpe.

As we arrived at the café, we found a forlorn looking Geoff P wandering the garden as the café was shut for the day due to a ‘mechanical problem’. Not to be beaten, we headed to the ever reliable Station café at Reepham and managed to get an inside table for the four of us. An inside table not only gives the benefit of warmth but also real crockery and grown-ups cutlery!

Suitably refreshed we headed off. Geoff on his own route and the rest heading up to Thurning to join up with the original route home. This took us through Edgefield Street, Plumstead, Baconsthorpe and Bodham Hill back to PC for a total of 45 miles.

Andrew B, Graham A, Mark leading and Geoff P joining us for lunch.

Pc to PC was 45 miles

Eight Wheelers left Pretty Corner for the run down to the Courtyard Cafe on a lovely late winter’s day after early frost and some patches of ice in the heavily shaded areas. The route out pushed a stiff south west wind by way of Bodham, Salthouse Heath, Glandford, Letheringsett, Sharrington, Bale, Hindringham and Little Snoring airfield. Jim suffered a defaillance en route, so he turned for home. A combination of running training and racing, cycling training and numerous trips away from home is definitely a heavy schedule for an ultraveteran, plus Jim had put in a good few miles before joining the bunch at PC. The wind was shifting to a solid and rising southerly through the middle of the day, so the bunch was deprived of genuine tailwind until they turned north at Thurning, from where the rest of the route crossed the Blackwater and the upper Bure, climbed up Ramsgate Street, looped round Hempstead village to Baconsthorpe and then the familiar drag up to Bodham Hill and West Beckham.

Bunch: Neil S; Neil Mc; Mark; Jim; Harvey; Graham; Brian; Andrew.

Distances: 53 miles to 69 miles.

Three wheelers met for a ride to Warham on a windy but relatively mild winter day. The route took us through High Kelling, Wiveton, Langham, Stiffkey and Wighton. This was bit of a surprise for the leader as he had intended to come back on this route! However, this worked out okay and we arrived in good time for lunch despite the strong wind. The pub was very welcoming and we all enjoyed good food, with Mark tucking into one of their famous pies. The route back took us to Binham, Hindringham and Thursford against a strong head wind. As the proposed route then involved using a main road (whoops!) we returned to PC via. Gunthorpe, Brinton, Briston, Edgefield and Baconsthorpe. The skies were very dark towards the end of the ride but it held off. Overall a good days cycling despite the navigation errors and the strong wind.

PC to PC 41 miles

Average speed 14 mph  Total Elevation 1,722 ft

Mark, Graham and Andrew B leading.

The composition of the main weekend club run bunch over recent months has enabled us to offer Sunday and Monday alternatives when the weather is dubious or worse on Saturday. This has worked well on three or four occasions, but can be a bit problematic when the distinction is a little less clear cut. This weekend was complicated further when Storm Franklin proved to be not much less vigorous than Storm Eunice, so today’s run was delayed for a while until the big gusts eased back a bit to mid-50s mph. Eventually, two Wheelers got out on the road at 10.15. The pair decided to push the big wind out west for a bit, with a few meanders for occasional relief. So, it was Gresham church, North Barningham, Baconsthorpe, a loop round Hempstead, Selbrigg, Cley, a loop round Wiveton, Glandford, Bridgefoot Lane, Salthouse Heath and the Holgate Hill road to the Garden Terrace. When riding the Monday option it always has to be borne in mind that a lot of refreshment venues will be closed, so the Garden Terrace was a safe bet for this impromptu ride. It has to be admitted that the Wheelers lingered longer than usual over their refreshments after the morning battering from the storm. The wind obviously dropped significantly in the afternoon, but was still brisk enough to provide a fast ride back to Aldborough school, from where one rider had to turn back west into the wind and a few short, but heavy showers.

So, not the best of weekends for cycling club runs, but nothing lost really. Saturday saw one of the mainstream bunch, heeding an off the wall forecast of rain not starting until 15.00, complete the originally scheduled short route from Sheringham to Themelthorpe, while Geoff did his regular ride to Reepham. Rumours that he has shares in the Station Cafe have been denied.

Distances: 37 miles to 50 miles.

After much discussion about wind strength, four riders met at Pretty Corner. The ride leader Graham Aldous, who has a wind phobia, wanted to do the ride, prompting a view that his email had been taken over by impostors! It was a mild day with sun at times. There was a head wind on the way to North Elmham but apart from the open road to Corpusty there was shelter from hedges on mostly minor roads. The route took the riders to Foulsham, Bintree and Billingford. The riders enjoyed a “Danish” lake district view over the Wensum valley and flooded gravel pits en route to Mill Street and Worthing. A well deserved excellent lunch was enjoyed. The route back was easy with the following wind, but it did not help the steep ride past Bintree Mill. Andrew had to dismount after a missed gear. The route then took riders to Twyford, Foulsham and near Thurning Andrew picked up a thorn puncture while on his Thorn steel bike and Marathon tyres. The rain held off and the ride was enjoyed, even with the wind.

PC to PC 47 miles

Average speed 13.5 mph           Total Elevation 1,660 ft

Andrew B, Mark, Duncan and Graham A leading.

This was the third consecutive windy Saturday, although the velocity of the gusts becomes a little bit less each week. Five North Norfolk Wheelers set out from Pretty Corner, picking up Chris B south of Gresham, who was out for a morning ride and accompanied the bunch as far as Antingham. The route to the always welcoming Lighthouse Inn was by way of Hanworth Common, Thorpe Market, Trunch, Edingthorpe Green, Crostwight Heath, Hill 60*, Happisburgh Common and Ostend.

After some high quality nourishment it was in and out of the gusty wind again, following a contorted route via Witton, Bacton Gas Terminal, Paston, the edge of Mundesley, the back lane to Trunch, Stump Cross, Hungry Hill, Sally Bean’s House, Metton and Sustead to a split at Gresham.

*The summit of Hill 60 is reputed to stand sixty feet above sea level at Happisburgh. However, the more recent metric Ordnance Survey denotes 19 metres elevation. North Norfolk Wheelers are therefore looking for a volunteer to knock on the door of Hill 60 cottage to tell the owners that they need to change the name of their bungalow to Hill 62.335958.

Bunch: Brian; Harvey; Mark; Neil Mc; Neil S + Chris B out for a short one as he gets back to full health following an autumn bout of Covid.

Distances: 53 miles to 72 miles.

PC was a Wheelers hot spot this morning as the four that had assembled for the ride were joined by Robert N who had driven out just to have a chat and confirm that he would be out cycling with us again soon. Good to see you again Robert. Then Geoff P stopped for a quick chat on his way to Reepham and a rendezvous with a large cake. Current Wheelers count = 6

So, the four set off for Mundesley in mild but overcast conditions with a steady Westerly wind that would soon be on our backs after we had passed through West Beckham and Matlaske. Then onto Thurgarton, Town Green, Thwaite and Erpingham. We then took the little used Lodge Lane and soon discovered why it was little used, a large flood close to Erpingham Lodge which forced a detour via the field headland, this was a well-worn path suggesting the flood was a semi-permanent feature. Onto Banningham and back lanes to cross the A149, then Bradfield, Trunch and up and over Mundesley Golf Course, where it started to rain and then downhill to the café.

More Wheelers! Out on their own ride but deciding to stop at the cafe were Brian P and Chris B, they had finished their coffee and cakes when we arrived so after a chat they set off again.  Also waiting for us was John S, who was able to join us for lunch and for some of the homeward route.
Total Wheelers count = 9!

After a good lunch, the rain and the wind had stopped, which was ideal for the generally westerly route home. We continued our circuit of Mundesley, then Trunch, Knapton and down the Paston road to the N Walsham road, where we said goodbye to John S and we headed up to Swafield, Bradfield, around Southrepps to Hungry Hill near Sidestrand where Graham A left us to take the coast road home.

The remaining three took on Hungry Hill, Northrepps, Sally Beans, Crossdale Street, Metton, Sustead and the split at Gresham church.

In summary, the morning was dry roads and the wind on our backs, the afternoon, the wind had fortunately dropped but the roads were wet and the bikes were liberally covered in mud. Plenty of Wheelers out and enjoying the mild conditions.

Andrew B, Duncan S, Graham A and Mark leading. Guest appearances by John S, Brian P, Chris B, Geoff P and Robert N

PC to PC was 50 miles.

Brian, Mark, Neil Mc and Harvey set out for No.77 Cafe at Coltishall on another windy Saturday. Obviously not satisfied that the lanes were filthy enough today, the small bunch ran across a sugar beet field carrying their bikes after only two miles on the road*. The morning ride meandered round a lot of lanes by way of Lower Gresham, Aldborough School, the shortcut past Hanworth Timber, Suffield Rectory, Felmingham, Swanton Hill, Sloley, Ashmanaugh and Belaugh Green. The group was supplemented at the cafe by former Wednesday supremo, Malcolm, who had ridden up from his new domicile over the marshes, via the Reedham ferry. The return route to Sheringham featured a lot of changes of direction to avoid the worst of a rising gusty wind and to enable a largely wind assisted last hour. So it was south initially past Heggatt’s Hall before heading home via Frettenham, Stratton Strawless, Buxton, Allison Street, Cawston Eastgate, from where Neil headed for home further west, Oulton, Itteringham, the Barninghams and a split at Red Barn Lane.

One slow puncture (thorn in front Gatorskin).

Distances: 56 miles to 68 miles.

*Two lorries and a sugar beet loader completely blocked the East Beckham to Gresham lane, tight up to the thorn hedge, enforcing drastic diversionary tactics. Despite following a route that passed close to the Cantley refinery, Malcolm’s bike was as clean as a whistle; an enquiry into this phenomenon is called for.