Wednesday 21st April 2021

A rather overcast day saw a turnout of 17.

Long Ride

report by Alan

When does an intermediate ride become a long ride? Who knows, answers on a postcard please. I say this because Howard offering a ride of 30 miles and myself offering 32 miles placed many riders in a quandary, especially as we both had Barton in Fabis on both our routes. Eventually cyclists made their choices and I (Alan) set off with Nikki, Andrew, Margaret, Pat and the dependable Mick.

I had kept details of this ride deliberately vague, primarily because the first couple of miles were going to be on the bumpy side. On leaving Holt Drive we secretly followed the Howard posse through the town where we parted company at the bottom of Bridge Street. Here we turned left onto Meadow Lane and took the next left on the canal path past the Boat Inn. Our destination was Normanton on Soar which meant about 3 miles following the canal and then a further 2 miles across fields following the river Soar. Bouncing up and down on grass is not good on the bladder and I’m writing to the council to get some public loos installed in the fields opposite the Chain Ferry. I want to get something out of the 170 quid I give them every month.

Eventually, to everyone’s relief, we emerged on the A6006 and proceeded on to Sutton Bonington. I love a lane and the first one on the itinerary was Quiet Lane leading on to Hungry Lane. What quaint names! This led us to West Leake and from here we turned left into Dark Lane which in turn became West Leake Lane. At this point we noticed that the wind had picked up and the journey on to Barton in Fabis, via Thrumpton (where the Thrump family live) was going to be predominantly uphill against a strong fresh breeze.

We didn’t want to go against Dear Leader’s (Boris) covid guidelines and so to avoid bumping in to Howard at the Dovecote Barn cafe we skirted passed Barton and took a right hand turn into Barton Lane (another lane!) and headed for our coffee stop (the Black Cat cafe) in Ruddington, still heading upwards and still against the wind.

Suitably refreshed, and with the knowledge that the wind was going to be behind us for once, we set off for Bradmore where we stopped for the photo in the Cherry Lane Nurseries having forgotten to take it outside the Black Cat cafe. A number of lanes followed but I realise now I’m becoming a crushing bore so I won’t list them. The journey from this point was more rural, passing through Keyworth, Widmerpool, Willoughby and eventually Wymeswold. Pat peeled off at this point and the remaining five reached Loughborough via Hoton and Cotes. I still maintain this was 32 miles (but no-one seemed to believe me) arriving back at 1.30pm.

The 30 mile ride.

Report by Howard

Setting off from the square at Holt Drive the six of us, Keith, Phil, Robert, Tricia, Marcus and myself headed out of town along Meadow Lane, past Brush, then on over Fox Hill and out towards Sutton Bonington. We went straight on at the top of Marle Pit Hill, along Landcroft Lane. Turning right at the end we passed The Star Inn then left and left again in West Leake. This took us all the way to Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station where we turned right to our intended destination, Barton in Fabis.

Disappointingly the Dovecote cafe was closed; apparently it is only opening at weekends for the time being. (Fri, Sat, and Sunday). After a short discussion we decided it would be good idea to search for coffee in the East Leake area. Chef's Cafe was closed so we grabbed a takeaway coffee and cake from the one across the road and found a bench in the park nearby.

Returning to Loughborough after coffee the route I took was back to Sutton Bonington via Hungary Lane then Pasture Lane and across the fields to Zouch. Phil, Keith, and Robert left by a different route needing to get back to Loughborough sooner than us, We however met up with them again at Hungary Lane. Tricia and I went the Pasture Lane route meeting up with Marcus again at the Zouch end, where he had let the other three go on. In total as near to 30 miles as you could get.

Short ride

report by David

On a distinctly chilly morning for late April, riders assembled on the edge of the green at Holt Drive. The last ride to depart was led by David, with wizardly lockdown hair, and accompanied by John, Eric, Derek, and Vic.

We set off towards Forest Road, then took Fairmount Drive to Holywell Drive, Coniston Crescent and the footpath to Burleigh Court. Speeding down the hill and sharp left past the University Engineering and Physics Depts, we proceeded to the Oakwood Drive and joined Ashby Road. We used the fenced-off path along Ashby Road, conveniently protected from the traffic, then crossed the motorway and turned right down Leicester Road, Shepshed. Leicester Road and Kirkhill were fairly clear of traffic, and we circled Shepshed Bull Ring, which was thankfully clear of bulls, and came out near the Pied Bull onto Tickow Lane.

We stopped near the new Davis houses to gather steam for the hills ahead and John took off to get photos of us when we resumed. Unfortunately, John had gone too far along Charley Road and we did not get back together until our coffee stop. Meanwhile four of us negotiated the dip with a treacherous bend on the A512 and were glad to turn off left into Swannymote Road. This lane is straight and the latter half of it is steadily uphill. At the brow of the hill, we had a break for water, then continued down past the temporary traffic lights to turn left onto Oaks Road.

The up and down road took us past Mount St Bernard’s Abbey. Then we crossed over Abbey Road to pass through Oaks-in-Charnwood. We then followed Charley Road across the B591, through the ripe aromas of Bawdon Lodge Farm and up to Beacon Road. After a brief respite at the entrance to the Upper Beacon car park, we spent our altitude advantage in the sprint down to Breakback Road. Turning left into that road there was a steep climb before we could take refreshments at the Lower Beacon café. It was good to sit in the sun for while, and the sausage rolls are to be recommended.

After this we went our separate ways and will have been home just after 12 noon, having covered about 20 miles.