Wednesday 19th May 2021

Middling ride report by Graham

I think about 5 rides were on offer today, I was offering a 32 miler for those not up to one of Alan’s epics, and Howard, deputising for the absent John, managed to press-gang 3 punters to join my pod.

So at 9:33 myself, Vic, Keith and Phil (Keith’s friend, not the chair rearranging one), set off through town where we immediately caught up with Alan’s long riders, playing leap-frog with them until we shook them off by Cotes Mill. We then turned right off the A60 and made our way towards Walton on the Wolds, across Paudy Lane and down to Seagrave. Climbing out past the LCFC training ground, Vic and Phil (who told me he doesn’t cycle very often) disappeared into the distance, leaving myself and Keith gasping in their wake, although Keith was able to explain that Phil “may not cycle much but he runs a lot”.

The runaway pair graciously waited for us at the treacherous A46 crossing, then we descended into Thrussington, resisting the temptation of the deli,  turning left towards Hoby, then making our way through Brooksby, Rotherby, Gaddesby, Barsby and South Croxton, approaching Syston along Ridgemere Lane. Always a LWC favourite, reaching Church View just after 11:00.

Bacon and egg butties / cakes were ordered, with Keith generously treating us all, as it was to be his birthday the next day, thanks Keith, and we sat in the sun for a pleasant half an hour putting the world to rights.

Return leg was shorter than outbound, punctuated only by a photo shoot which I’d forgotten to do earlier. Along the canal to Cossington where we said goodbye to Vic; then Sileby and Mountsorrel, where Keith and Phil continued north along the old A6, whilst I headed up to Woodhouse Eaves, arriving home at 13:00, minutes before the heavens opened. 

I’d ridden 60Km, or 37 miles in old money, the Loughborough contingent perhaps 2 or 3 miles less and with 545m (1788’) of ascent.

 

Short Ride report by Howard

 

Eric, Robert, and Lyn chose to ride on the short route with me today. The nice things about a short route are: it's easy to remember, you have more time for cake and should the weather change you are never too far from home. Like last week I used the jitties round the back of Loughborough College to get through town deviating only to use the canal towpath from town to Meadow Lane. Whilst passing opposite Derek's house we did try to rouse his attention by shouting, however he must have been deaf to the world as we got no response. From The Boat Inn it was out along Meadow Lane past Brush to Stanford on Soar. On the bend we turned right (chancing with death as we did so, it's a nasty right turn.) At the T junction with the A60 we went straight across. (Now whilst that sounds slight at odds with a T Junction there is a way for bicycles to do this.) At the end of the access road we turned left and the first right towards Barrow. With our first port of call being Walton on the Wolds we next took Bandall's Lane, followed by Walton Lane. We did a left then a right to get across the main road and just before you would get into Walton proper we turned right and up the hill along New Lane at the very end turning right again along Black Lane. At the top the group photo was taken, unfortunately all the sheep in the field must have thought it was feeding time as they became very attentive  and all rushed over but we had nothing for them. 

After the photo it was Big Lane to Paudy lane. We turned right down Paudy Lane, which was nice after all the uphill and gave us a good view of Loughborough below us. Following on we came to Millie's farm shop and coffee place at Hill Top Farm. Eric's diet went out the window for the sake off a very large slice of Coffee and Walnut cake. A three tiered job with cream intervening. I settled for Millionaire's shortbread, I forget what Lyn and Robert had but I'm sure it must have equally luxurious. During our conversation I found out that John had lead a not very dissimilar ride quite recently. Must be a good choice then. After an extended coffee break, Eric turned to go back up Paudy lane to take a slightly longer ride back home to Sileby while we continued downhill into Barrow and over the river. We went across the Slabs and the pedestrian bridge over the new bypass  (A6).  After turning right onto Meynell Road we continued to the roundabout and turned immediate left through the gap in the pavement up Barrow road towards Quorn. Turning right just before the top brought us to Springfield Lake, more a large pond rather than a lake. It was here that we missed taking a snap of two swans and their seven or maybe eight, or more cygnets. It was then just a short ride back to Farley Way and into Loughborough. We got back about 12 noon having enjoyed some quite glorious weather, but did notice the odd black cloud now coming in the from West

Intermediate Ride Report by David 

 

This was the first occasion when groups could eat in at refreshment stops; yet the weather was sunny and warm enough to prefer outdoors.  The Intermediate ride, led by David, departed from Holt Drive with Mick, Andrew and Pat.  A route similar to previous visits to Cherry Lane, Bradmore, was planned, only in reverse.

We passed through Loughborough to Meadow Lane and on to Stanford.  The ride from here to the other side of East Leake was marked by frequent potholes, which we did our utmost to avoid.  The hill up to the A6006 was surprisingly easy with the wind behind us. As well as the four of us, our ride was shared by insects.  Some of us had protective eyewear, but all of us needed to take care opening our mouths to speak.  

After we had found the long smooth road past the gypsum works, we encountered the busy A60.  Some motorists, including a drop side truck driver let us through onto Fairham Brook Lane. From here we were set for an early coffee break.  We managed to get a table just the other side of lattice fencing from where we parked the bikes.  

I enquired of Andrew about the potholes.  His patch is Leicester city, so the potholes in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire are not his responsibility.  The coffee and cake were pleasing and the temperature outside felt like summer.  

After a leisurely chat, the taskmaster leader said we had an unusually steep hill to climb on our way back.  At this point, Andrew noticed he had a flat tyre.  We all mustered whatever repair tools and kit we could, including a shallow box to fill with water for finding leaks.  The leak was immediately adjacent an earlier fitted patch, possibly worked loose by bumpy roads.  Mick found 2 trusty patches to cover the leak, and we were soon on our way.  The Bradmore Road hill was managed by all of us, so we caried on through Wysall and the Wymeswold Road to Wymeswold, where we said goodbye to Pat.  A few yards later, Mick carried on up the Rempstone Road, while Andrew and I headed South.  With time pressing, we took the more direct home route via Hoton and Cotes.  However, to escape traffic we turned down Stanford Lane.  Big clouds started to gather and the wind got up.  We turned along Meadow Lane to pass through Loughborough, and almost escaped the rain until we got to Holt Drive.  

Most of us should have been home by 1 o’clock, having travelled 24.8 miles at an average speed of 11.6 mph. 

 Long Ride report (19^th May 2021) 

by Alan

How many ways are there to leave Holt Drive by bike? Three I hear you say. However  there is a 4^th way, a secret way, via a narrow path that snakes on to Epinal Way and emerges very close to Marcus’s back garden. It was this secret path that Bryan, Margaret, Mick and Brian used to set off for Asfordby (not Ashfordby) around 20 miles away.

We weaved through the town, via the Forest Road and kept bumping into the “Graham group”. Eventually they shook us off near the station, but only because a red light stopped us from pestering them some more.

From the station it was off to Cotes, Burton on the Wolds and Wymeswold. From the latter we took the Narrow Lane up to Six Hills. Mick said this was his favourite lane in the whole world but he says the same thing every week about a different lane. In the distance I spied 4 riders struggling up a moderate gradient. I was convinced this was the Graham group so I sped on and just before I reached them shouted out “get a move on you lazy buggers”. Unfortunately it was 4 complete strangers so that didn’t end well.

From Six Hills we turned left at the crossroads on to the A6006 (Paddy’s Lane ... which isn’t a lane at all) and then right on to Gibson’s Lane which took us down a steep incline into Old Dalby. What goes down must come up and so it was at this point I broke the news that we would be cycling up Green Hill. There is probably a more brutal hill somewhere in the East Midlands but I can’t think of one off the top of my head. You can reach speeds of 38 miles per hour going down, if you don’t brake, but going up it was more like 4mph. Having rested at the top we proceeded on to Asfordby via Saxelbye.

The cafe stop at Brocklesby Garden Centre, was plush and spacious. Brian ordered a scone prepared exactly how he liked it. It was one of the biggest scones I had seen and I have attached a picture of a pile of them but I don’t think that will get past the censor. The teas were also large not like those children’s teapots they served to us at Barton in Fabis last week.

Suitably refreshed we headed back via Kirby Bellars, Rotherby, Thrussington and Seagrave. This took on my favourite lane ( Gaddesby Lane). A bit further on Bryan at this stage offered to film us on his rear camera and possibly upload it to the website so watch this space!

The weather at this stage alternated between deep, black clouds and warm sunshine. At Seagrave we stopped for the photo, put on the waterproofs just in case, and said goodbye to Bryan.

 For the remaining 4 of us our route home passed through Sileby, Mountsorrel and Quorn. We arrived back at around 2.00pm, slightly later than usual, in part due to the service at Brocklesby being a tad slow and having nailed 41 miles.