Club Runs

Words by Duncan who was leader for today’s ride

4 riders met at PC on a windy morning, with a promise of a little rain late morning.

We set off south with a moderate westerly cross wind, crossed the Holt/Norwich road at Saxthorpe, through Corpusty towards Thurning and Hindolveston, the cross wind now a headwind. Graham J then punctured a rear tyre at the end of Sandy Lane. Tube quickly and efficiently fixed with the aid of some elbow grease on the pump from Mark, we got about 100m  further and a few drops of rain began to fall. It didn’t look much, but we decided to stop again to don rain jackets.

This proved to be a wise decision because by the time we reached Hindolveston the rain had become steady and with a strengthening head wind the cycling became interesting. On to Fulmodeston, across the A148 to Little Snoring and then Great Snoring, the rain showing no signs of letting up. The original plan to head towards the Barshams and loop around via Waterden to enter Little Walsingham from the west was abandoned in favour of a short run direct to Little Walsingham and lunch.

Arriving at Victorious Cafe, they fortunately had a table inside although we had to chain our bikes to the railings on the green opposite as the rear of the cafe was closed due a swarm of bees! Thanks to Graham A for the use of a natty telescopic wire lock round all 4 bikes. The intrepid four sat gently steaming in the warm, refuelling with an excellent lunch, before setting off for the return leg. Fortunately all the bikes and wheels were still there although it was still raining and felt very cold at first. Although we now had a tailwind, it was much less strong than the earlier headwind (typical!). On to Binham, Langham and Wiveton, by which time the rain had finally stopped. Then at the top of Bridgefoot Lane/Holt Road, Graham J punctured again, this time the front tyre.

Puncture fixed and after a passing car driver stopped to ask us about the Wheelers (we may soon have a new member!), we set off across Salthouse Heath and down to Kelling, where the two Grahams peeled off to head for home on the coast road. Duncan and Mark climbed the hill from Kelling to High Kelling, across the A148 to Lower Bodham, then West Beckham and back to PC.

Duncan S (inaugural ride as leader), Graham A, Graham J, Mark.

PC to PC 42 miles.

Club Clothing

Only six riders were tempted out in still cold May weather with some early light rain driven by a strong north westerly which diminished slowly as the day progressed. Four from Pretty Corner collected one at Gresham and another one at Erpingham before riding by way of Banningham, Swanton Hill, Worstead, Honing, Brumstead Common, Ingham and Calthorpe Fen to the very busy cafe at Waxham*. The return section of this anti-clockwise loop was via Lessingham, Happisburgh Common, Ridlington, Edingthorpe Green, Knapton, Trunch, Thorpe Market, Hanworth, Sustead, Gresham and West Beckham.

Group: Ben; Brian; Duncan; Graham A; Harvey and Mark. // Distances: 60 miles to 93 miles (Ben, who is training for the King of the Wheatsheaf title).

*The coastal cafes have become noticeably busier at weekends over the past few years and this trend has been accelerated by the recent return to a semblance of normality.

More observant Wheelers will have noticed that since the April restart we seem to be spending a lot of time in the vicinity of the east coast. This has been due to a combination of no strategic planning and a range of circumstances. Fortunately the phenomenal number of varied roads in that area has allowed us to avoid any significant repetition.

What the North Norfolk Wheelers need now is is a dedicated Strava ride as well as a steadier club run. There must be at least 8-10 keen Strava fans in the club who could make up Saturday groups of six or more, riding on some rather faster roads than the traditional club run contingent.

Five Wheelers met at PC for Robert’s ride on a bright and not too breezy Wednesday morning!

We set off for Metton and after a longish drag with a head/cross wind up to Felbrigg eventually reached Southrepps via Crossdale Street and Northrepps. At Trunch we crossed to Knapton followed by Old Hall Street and Edingthorpe Green. Heading towards North Walsham on the North Walsham Road we took a left into Mill Road to follow the narrow lanes to Spa Common, White Horse Common, Meeting House Hill and (crossing the A149) Bengate.

After Worstead we wound our way along more lanes to Market Street at Tunstead. Now there is more than one Tunstead Road in Tunstead but we chose the one that crosses the railway line and then descends to The White Lion Road at St James. There had clearly been a recent heavy shower at Coltishall and we were lucky to miss it!

The sun came out as we arrived at Dollies and we enjoyed some real late spring warmth as we sat outside refuelling with coffee and baps.

On the return leg it was a straight run to Badersfield and then Skeyton, Tuttington and Banningham. At the B1145 there was the first split as Malcolm turned for North Walsham and home. The remainder of the group continued on to The Crown where Graham peeled off to head due north towards Cromer. The trio pedalled on to Ingworth and Wickmere but as they approached Sustead decided to split 3 ways and follow their particular routes home.

Many thanks to Robert for leading the ride and best wishes to those who were unable to join us today but I know would like to have done.

Duncan S, Graham A, Malcolm, Mark, Robert

PC to PC 46 miles

Six Wheelers made it for the club run on a drizzly day in north Norfolk with rather more substantial light rain in mid-Norfolk. A stiff south easterly kept it a bit cool for the time of year. The longer outward leg went by way of Itteringham, Cawston, Felthorpe, Attlebridge, Weston Longville, Greensgate, East Tuddenham, Welborne church, Brandon Parva and Runhall to the courtyard at Tabnabs, where the bunch enjoyed some good food despite an increasing chill factor as the rain became a bit heavier and the wind a bit stronger. Homeward bound was via North Tuddenham, Elsing, Bawdeswell, Foxley, Themelthorpe, Guestwick, Wood Dalling, Corpusty, Plumstead, Baconsthorpe and West Beckham. Unfortunately a split in the bunch was enforced at Foxley when one of the group started to feel unwell. Nonetheless, the slower contingent still managed a fairly comfortable ride home at a steady pace.

Brian; Duncan; Graham J; Harvey; Mark and Scott made up the group for the day.

Distances: 67 miles to 100 miles (Duncan, who is training for the 150 miles version of the Tour de Broads).

With any luck we will complete the postponed ride to Waxham next week. Quite a number of Wheelers will already be in possession of the route file for the run.

With a growing injury list and otherwise unavailable the Wednesday Wheelers were able to field a team of only 4 for Malcolm’s ride to the Coast. It was great to see Stephen who had cycled over from Wells to see us off – he then headed back to the North Coast.

Best wishes to all those confined to the sidelines and we look forward to seeing you back in the saddle soon!

The outward leg followed a clockwise route taking in Metton, Crossdale Street, Northrepps, Southrepps, Lower Street, Bradfield and on to Swafield (not as cross country as it sounds but more of that later!)

We took a right off the B1145 Mundesley Road to follow quiet lanes towards Edingthorpe but before reaching there turned left to eventually join the Coast Road at Paston Green quickly passing the Gas Terminal and swooping down to the coast itself at Bacton.

The group seemed slightly puzzled as Malcolm paused for a sea view from the “promenade” at Walcott but it was also an opportunity to check with them that an early lunch was a better idea than an extra loop. After unaminous agreement we arrived at The Lighthouse 5 minutes later as the first lunchtime customers. We had ridden 22 miles since the start so enough to work up a reasonable thirst and appetite.

After a good lunch and equally good service we set off for Ridlington with the intention of following the North Walsham Road as far as the turn for Crostwight and on to Honing. Recent surface dressing with still wet bitumen scuppered that so we continued on to Ebridge Mill and then via Meeting House Hill to Bengate, Lyngate, Worstead, Swanton Abbott, Skeyton, Tuttington, Dunkirk (after a bit of cross country), Drabblegate and then the main cross country event of the day as we trudged along at the field’s edge to avoid the larger than ever flood. Perhaps Ingworth would have been a better choice or perhaps it’s about time the drainage problem on this stretch of road was sorted out.

After Erpingham and Calthorpe we pedalled on to Thurgarton, via Aldborough Saint Mary’s Church, where there was a 3 way split with one going straight to Cromer, two going left to Bessingham and PC and the other taking his chances with the wandering cattle at Hanworth.

Andrew B, Graham A, Graham J, Malcolm

PC to PC 45 miles (62 miles max)

To the Lighthouse:

Mark, Graham J, Neil S, Brian and Harvey formed the group for the Sunday run, starting from Gresham church in some overdue warm weather, with a strong southerly moving SSW. This was very much an impromptu event, following a lot of lanes via Sustead, Hanworth, Thorpe Market, Gunton station, Trunch, Dead Man’s Grave, Edingthorpe Green, Bacton Woods, Ridlington and Happisburgh to Smallsticks Café at Cart Gap, where the bunch spent a short while gawping at the large crowds before pushing on up the coast by way of Ostend to the Lighthouse Inn to the south of Walcott. The beer garden was very busy, but there were lots of tables served by an army of staff.

From the break it was straight inland to Witton then a loop south to Honing and Dilham, before picking up more favourable winds by way of Worstead, Westwick, Swanton Abbott, Skeyton, Tuttington, Banningham, Ingworth, Erpingham, Aldborough, Bessingham and back to Gresham church for the split.

Distances: 60 miles to 67 miles.

A lot has been said recently (by me) about trying to revitalise the club runs as a lot of the older cohort continues to ‘mature’. A lot of people like operating with the downloadable route files, which enable realistic splits into two fairly loose and flexible groups. I am now convinced that there is potential for up to a dozen in the Strava-driven group and half a dozen or more in a more laid back bunch – (I haven’t included myself in either of these groups). Not everyone is available every week of course, but even if 60% turn out these are functioning groups, riding the same route to the same destination. This is also complicated a bit by the inevitability of some riders’ uncertainty as to whether they prefer the van or the rear in any given week. These are not ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ groups and frustrated Strava followers need to accept that riding the network of lanes won’t produce the same data as banging up and down the B1145, B1110 etc etc.

Anyone who feels that this is all rather complicated compared to some imagined halcyon days of NNW club runs 20, 15, 10 years ago needs to sit down with paper and pencil and compile a list of who they were riding with then and consider where all those people are now or what age they now are.

Saturday Club Run

May 8th CANCELLED replaced by Sunday Ride 9th May from Gresham Church – Departing 10.00. 

This was Andrew’s first ride a Run Captain going solo without Malcolm there for guidance. It was good to see Jane A joining us again after a long break.

The route took us west against a fairly strong wind, through Lower Bodam, Hempstead to up a steep but picturesque lane to Edgefield where we crossed the main Norwich road. We then continued onto Huntsworth, Briston and Sharington, then crossing the main A148 when there was a sufficient gap in the holiday traffic! Jane decided to continue to the pub on her own at this point and the rest of the group took a slightly longer route via. Bale, Hindringham, Binham, Langham and Wiveton. On arrival at the pub, Jane had found a good table at the top of the garden sheltered from the wind and we all enjoyed a good lunch, mostly in the sun.

After lunch Jane decided to head home to Blakeney the remainder of us headed back to PC. The route took us to Kelling via. Long Lane with great views of the sea, and then up to High Kelling where Duncan left us to make his way back home to Holt. Retracing our steps shortly to Hempstead and the to Baconsthorpe, after some confusion caused by navigational errors by the leader. From there we made our way to North Barningham where Graham and Robert left us to make their own way. Andrew and Mark continued to the Red Barn Lane, where we spilt up to make our separate ways home.

Estimated distance PC to PC was 38 miles.

Duncan, Robert, Graham, Mark and Jane, led by Andrew B.

For various reasons not many were expected today and that’s how it turned out. A bunch of four rode a long south westerly loop down to Jane’s on the village green at East Rudham, where we had booked a patio table sheltered from the worst of the persistent northerly winds. As the inside seating capacity at Jane’s is very limited, it is a few years since we have visited this venue. However, there are now several picnic tables set out on the village green, so weekend numbers can be accommodated comfortably if the weather is co-operative. A run down in summer by a different route seems very much on the cards.

The route out was conventional to Hindolveston and Fulmodeston, then Stibbard, Ryburgh, Colkirk, North Raynham, West Raynham, Helhoughton and Broomsthorpe. Return was via West Rudham, West Raynham, South Raynham, Whissonsett, Horningtoft, Gately, Broom Green, Guist, Wood Norton, Guestwick, Corpusty and a 3:1 split at Mannington.

The weather was light showers in the morning, mixed cloud and sun and then a heavy band of rain during the early afternoon which rendered the lanes through Gately and down to the Wensum awash with stones, sand and flint. Consequently there was another adventure with a tubeless tyre. This one however retained most of its gunge (white version), but required three attempts to insert the sealing plug into what was a fairly long slit in the tyre.

Graham A, Duncan O, Brian and Harvey enjoyed a good day out on the bikes, cold wind, showers and tubeless tyre notwithstanding. We hope there are more can make it for the next two runs to Waxham and Mattishall, the last two weeks of outside catering.

The group of four spoke to five other Wheelers on the road today and only two of them were together.

With no Sheringham starters out and no pick up points, the distances covered were all substantial today, up to a maximum of about 82 miles.