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Four riders met at PC for the run to the ever popular Norton’s Café at Walsingham. The weather was even better than forecast with sunny clear blue skies for the whole ride and mild temperatures boosted by the sun, ideal while waiting around at puncture stops, but more of those later!

Andrew B was the designated leader but had been struck down with a heavy cold, maybe due to the previous weeks ride in rain and wind and so missed the best day of winter so far. Mark took over the pathfinding role, with a conventional route out to Kelling and Salthouse Heath, then Cley Newgate, Glandford ford, Wiveton Downs, Saxlingham, Field Dalling, Binham, Copy’s Green, Gt Walsingham ford and a little loop to the West of Walsingham to join the Egmere Road back into Walsingham.

Norton’s was fairly busy on arrival but we got a table indoors fortunately and the food was good and filling. The beef stew is still excellent Kevin!

The route home started a little differently, going via the ford at Houghton St Giles, up to Gt Snoring, then Thursford Green, Gunthorpe, Brinton, Stody, Hunworth and up the hill to Edgefield. It was decided to save some time and a couple of miles by deviating off the planned route and going the traditional route back to Baconsthorpe, where Duncan headed back to Holt. Leaving three to climb the hill to Geoff’s Corner and then Red Barn Lane back to PC.

And now to John S and his punctures, two in fact, both in his rear Conti Gatorskin. The first cry of Puncture! came less than a couple of miles from Walsingham and despite John urging us to carry on, we decided to stay to offer moral support and plenty of free advice, none of which was taken! 

Puncture number two was as we turned onto Red Barn Lane, so again within a couple of miles of our destination. Once more John urged us to carry on, but it fell on deaf ears as we still had more advice to give as the sun began to set. Despite our best efforts, John was fixed and ready to go in no time (probably due to his earlier practice). Both punctures looked as if they had been caused by best Norfolk flint and were separate punctures. Better luck next week John.

Excellent weather and good company made for an enjoyable winter ride.

PC to PC was 43 miles with an average of 13.7mph and 1800 ft/549m of climbing.

John S, Duncan, Graham A and Mark

There were five takers for the weekend club run to The Victorious at Little Walsingham. There was some early black ice, but this cleared by about 9.45. This relatively short ride went by way of West Beckham, Bodham, Salthouse Heath, up the Downs, a southerly detour to Langham, across the common to Cockthorpe, Binham, the Hindringham by-road, Copy’s Green and the Great Walsingham ford. The fare at the cafe consisted of a choice between thick pumpkin soup and doorstep sandwiches. The even shorter post-prandial route climbed to Great Snoring, over to Hindringham and the succession of villages that trip of North Norfolk Wheelers’ tongues (Bale, Sharrington, Brinton, Stody, Briston and Baconsthorpe), over Bodham Hill and a final loop via Upper Sheringham and Cranfield Road. A short club run that enabled everyone to get home before the earliest sunset of the winter.

Group: Brian; Harvey; Jim; Mark; Neil Mc.

Distances: 47 miles to 64 miles.

One puncture: Rear 28 mm Marathon Plus! An iron hard thorn that had worked through thick layers of butyl and kevlar. The culprit was so firmly embedded in these inflexible layers that it defied efforts to push it it through with both sewing machine screwdriver and camping tin opener. It finally succumbed to a small bent rusty nail that Brian found and has added to his comprehensive collection of tools.

Addendum 12/12/21: – (From Cycling UK Forum). “One thing I have found with thorn punctures with the Marathon Plus is that when you get a thorn in that causes a puncture it can be really difficult to remove the thorn and I’ve ended up having to replace a tyre as a thorn broke and a bit remained in the tyre.”

A strong South Westerly and light rain greeted today’s two Wheelers at PC for what was a tough 20 mile run down to Coltishall. Despite the route heading in a general SE direction, the wind was relentless and on the odd occasion when the road briefly headed SW, it almost stopped us in our tracks. So the route via Bessingham, Wickmere, Ingworth, Aylsham, Lamas to Coltishall, seemed further than the 20 miles.

The Rising Sun was a welcome stop, with the wood fired pizza oven helping to dry us out and good food including Christmas pud, to fuel us for the next longer leg home.  As we left, the rain had stopped and we were looking forward to the wind on our backs as we headed past Tunstead Church, Worstead, Briggate, skirted around North Walsham to Swafield, Thorpe Market, Hanworth, Gresham to our split at Red Barn Lane.

The unluckiest Wheeler of the day award goes to Malcolm, who had set off to meet us at Coltishall but a combination of a freak gust of wind and a road full of leaf mulch resulted in a crash as he headed towards the Reedham ferry. Bike and rider ended up battered and bruised but fortunately nothing broken, though Malcolm did have to saw off the damaged end of his handlebars when he got home. Think of the weight savings Malcolm, it was not all in vain!

All in all a tough day out with plenty of bike cleaning required once home.

PC to PC was 46 miles with an average of 14mph

The early morning rain gave way to clearing skies before six Wheelers left Pretty Corner in a stiff and rising westerly tailwind. Unsurprisingly there were a lot of filthy and flooded lanes en route to the comfortable and welcoming Lighthouse Inn, by way of Hanworth Timber, Suffield church, Bradfield church, White Horse Common, Crostwight Heath, Hill 60 and Ostend. After a warming break the bunch pushed back into the westerly via Witton Bridge, Edingthorpe, Dead Man’s Grave, Knapton, Trunch, Gimingham, Hungry Hill, Northrepps, Sally Bean’s and Metton to the main split at Gresham church.

Conditions: More sun than anticipated and a strong cold west wind. The last straggler on the road caught some late afternoon rain when pushing into the rising wind over the last seven miles.

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

Distances: 54 miles to 68 miles.

Two hardy (or foolish!) Wheelers met at Pretty Corner on a cold and windy morning with a forecast of heavy rain later in the day. The route to Banningham took us Gresham, Sustead, Felbrigg, Northrepps, Southrepps, Gimingham, Trunch, Antingham and Felmingham. This took us down some new lanes including a short footpath! On arrival at the pub we realised that it was packed with the first of the Christmas lunches, so it was drinks and snacks for lunch. The manager informed us that they had just been accredited for cyclists and now have a store for clothing and the bike racks have CTV surveillance, which is very encouraging. On leaving the pub we realised that the forecast rain and high winds had arrived. The route back was therefore curtailed somewhat taking us via. Ingworth, Itteringham, Plumstead and Baconsthorpe, were we spilt up to make our separate ways home. Overall a decent ride which seemed longer with the rain and wind.

PC to PC 40 miles

Mark and Andrew B and leading.

During the weekend of Storm Arwyn there was a general consensus to postpone the club run to Monday. In the event there were four Wheelers left Pretty Corner for the Fork in Hoe cafe. On a bright, but cold and windy morning, the route into mid-Norfolk went by way of Plumstead, Corpusty, Tyby, Guestwick, Foulsham, Billingford, Worthing watermill and the Manor Farm detour to the Fork at Corner’s Nursery, where the food and the service were first class. There was some fairly substantial patchy ice on the roads in the Hoe-Dereham area, apparently causing a few early morning accidents. The ‘feels like’ temperature never rose above zero all day. Today was the first time in 71 years of cycling that one Wheeler can remember thinking in November – “roll on spring!”. A lad in the cafe said he felt cold just “thinking about you boys riding back to Sheringham”. He was wearing a fur-lined hat, obviously fashionable in Hoe (“wear the fox hat!”). There was still a bit of ice in the afternoon, so a bit of a wary eye was needed. Homeward-bound looped round by Gorgate, then Hoe church, Woodgate, Pennyspot, Elsing, Sparham, Eade’s watermill, Reepham town (Neil Mc had ridden 14 miles to PC in the morning, so departed here for Kerdiston). The remaining trio pushed on to Salle Manor, Heydon Park, Itteringham and Barningham Winter to a split beyond North Barningham church.

Group: Graham J; Harvey; Mark; Neil Mc.

Distances: 55 miles to 68 miles.

Five Wheelers met at Pretty Corner on a cold and misty autumnal morning, with a temperature of 3 degree, but no wind. The route to Kelling was necessarily convoluted to get a decent mileage, taking us through Gresham, Sustead, Hanworth, Aldborough, Edgefield, Briston, Thornage and Glanford. Progress was however delayed when Graham A had a puncture about halfway which proved difficult to repair and the rest of the group to get very cold! However, a good past was set after this and we arrived just before 1:00pm. There was a warm welcome at the Café and we all enjoyed a good lunch, with soup being the main choice. The free refill of teas and coffee was much appreciated (although Andrew failed to realise this and ordered both!). Following lunch the weather had closed in with a damp mist, but no real rain. Graham J and Duncan left us to make their own way home. The remainder of the group continued to Salthouse, a steep climb up Bard Hill, and onwards to High Kelling, Hempstead, Baconsthorpe and back to Gresham, where Andrew B left the remaining two to ride back to PC. Overall a good ride despite the weather and a great route with some impressive scenery.

PC to PC 42 miles

Mark, Duncan, Graham J, Andrew B and Graham A leading.

Seven Wheelers were all set to depart from PC at 10.00 when Jim discovered yet another unauthorised deflation of his front tyre*. At the top of Red Barn Lane, a dicky chain forced Neil S back to Beeston Regis for a change of bike. While Mark assisted Jim with the last stages of puncture repair, four set off at steady pace as far as Salthouse Heath, where they were rejoined by the duo of pursuers. The bunch then followed a scenic route taking in the Bayfield dual carriageway (probably the world’s roughest dual carriageway), Wall’s Lane, Letheringsett ford, Sharrington, Briningham, Hindolveston, Foulsham, Guestwick (where Jim was forced by a combination of gyppy guts and malfunctioning rear mech to turn for home) and Kerdiston to the Station Cafe, where someone decided that eating alfresco in late November was a good idea! Neil S had arrived already via a direct route. We were joined by veteran club run stalwart, Geoff, the recent recipient of the prestigious best allotment in Sheringham award; a justified reward for sixteen years of diligent pig manuring. Sticking with the GMT theme of riding a lot of the less familiar local lanes, the bunch then headed home by way of Whitwell Street, Eade’s Mill, the Witchinghams, Brandiston, Eastgate, Cawston, Oulton (from where Neil Mc headed for home), Abel Heath (where we stopped for a chat with Robin, who was out on his afternoon training ride), Silvergate, Ingworth, Erpingham, Calthorpe, Wickmere and Thurgarton (from where Graham A headed for home) for the final miles via Gresham church and East Beckham.

Group: Neil S; Neil Mc; Mark; Jim; Harvey; Graham A; Brian + Geoff at the break.

Two punctures, one non-meshing chain and one malfunctioning rear mech.

Distances: 42 miles to 73 miles.

*PS – and yet another soon after splitting with the bunch.