Wednesday 19th January 2022

Intermediate Ride Report

Report by Vic

The day dawned cloudy but frost free, after recent weeks’ icy conditions this boded well for a ride. So by 9.30 there was a fair contingent of LWC members eagerly awaiting the arrival of JC to announce the proposed options. There seemed to be a slight reluctance for the longish ride which I had offered to the Alpine cafe at Asfordby and a large group had gathered around Rob to set out to Granites at Mountsorrel. After a bit of discussion it was decided we would head to E Leake via Kingston. So a band of 8 set off through town and out via Stanford, Normanton, Sutton Bonnington, Kingston, W Leake and finally to E Leake where our chosen stop of the Farm shop / Donkey place awaited us.

On arrival I turned around to talk to the group only to find myself addressing the Syston Wednesday Cycling group who had sprinted up the drive to arrive in front of our group. This meant we were in a queue behind them for the coffee and cakes, fortunately the staff were reasonably efficient and we were soon sat with our chosen snacks and beverages. It did remind me a bit of a scene from Detectorists or The Life of Brian (we are the Front for the Liberation of Judea)!

We set off back on our return journey replete, JC and Electric Brian left us here for a more direct route home. The remains of the group meandered back via Costock, Wysall (where we encountered a mobile coffee and cake van, worth remembering on another Wednesday), Wymeswold where Pat left us and Dave and Marcus chose the Hoton route whilst Trish,Eric and myself went via Burton and Barrow where Trish left leaving Eric and myself to return home to Sileby.

I had done 37 miles in total but I would guess most had ridden about 30ish miles.

Thanks to all for their company and bonhomie.

Short Ride Report

Report by David

Watermead Park

On a damp January morning, there were plenty of cyclists looking for a ride. Terry had a short ride planned to Watermead Park; it was great to see him and Anne back after a few months absence. He was followed by Philip, Rosalind, Anne and David. By the time we reached Woodhouse, John was also with us.

We set off left onto Outwoods Drive, right, then left onto Crosshill Lane and Hazel Road, all at a sedate pace. There was not much traffic, and the drivers were courteous. Carrying on across the Osiers onto Laurel Road, we reached Haddon Road and moved towards the infamous track through Mucklin Wood, with the sort of mud that does not cool the blood. Terry teasingly invited us to follow him across Mucklin Wood, and sensing the danger of that suggestion swiftly moved on to properly surfaced paths towards the Aldi exit.

We took the A6004 to the One Ash roundabout, then rang bells on the corner as we descended to Quorn past the construction work, that presently looks like an attempt to recreate Machu Picchu on the edge of our own town.

Philip moved to the front as we went right onto Woodhouse Road. As we pressed forward towards Woodhouse, there was some light drizzle. After a short regrouping by the church, we followed School Lane, and then Brand Lane to Swithland, where the slight downhill gradient and wind behind us made easy cycling.

We rounded the corner at the end of the village and carried along on The Ridings, passing under the railway bridge. One of the girls thought she heard a train. I did too, later on; but that could have been my front tyre intermittently scuffing a wad of mud wedged under the bottom of the mudguard.

The Ridings leads down hill to our regular Christmas venue, Rothley Court, where we turned left and took the major road onto Town Green Street, Rothley. After turning right onto Hallfields Lane, we turned right again up Warren Way past Rothley Academy out onto the old A6. There was hardly any traffic and we soon encountered a giant road sign warning motorists against joining the new A6 (on the wrong side of the dual carriageway). We took the footpath as the sun beamed low in the sky. At the A46 road junction, the sun presented an additional challenge of seeing the pedestrian crossing lights at an interchange which is extraordinarily complex for cyclists and pedestrians. At the final crossing, Anne and I were expertly directed across the road by a gentleman who had taken on the role of impromptu lollipop man.

We crossed a footbridge to tracks that lead past the Park and Ride at Birstall. Further along, the track becomes sandy before it emerges just outside Wanlip. We turned south towards Birstall and left onto Dalby Avenue, then right onto Blenheim Road. Near the end of this road, Meadow Lane leads past the United ground and a skateboard track. (None of us was keen to give that a go on our bikes) Then we entered Watermead Country Park. The trees on one of the lakes were perfectly reflected in the still water, and any earlier dampness of the paths seemed to have gone. There were lots of people walking their dogs.

At the east side of the park, we turned north alongside the River Soar. Shortly, the path crosses a weir with cascades of water, then runs alongside the Grand Union Canal. We took this path and another parallel to it until shortly before Wanlip Road. Here there is a steep ramp up to the road and a crossing to the Hope & Anchor pub. From here, we descended to the canal and followed the canal bank path under the A46 to the River Wreake. Then we passed Cossington Lakes to emerge on the busy Syston Road.

As we approached this road, we noticed a large group of other cyclists. We were headed for Goscote Nurseries: mercifully, they were not; so, we could call it Grüß Gott Nurseries. Goscote nurseries provided their usual high-quality fare, and we sat under a small gazebo to chat. Nearby, it sounded like not enough people had bought trees from the nursery, as a chainsaw roared from time to time.

Upon our return to the road, we needed to negotiate the Syston Road again before taking Platts Lane into Cossington. There was a light wind but, being northerly, it produced an occasional chill in the air and resistance during the homeward journey. We continued through Sileby, turning left by the church. This led across the flood plain past the cricket ground and under the A6. As we entered Mountsorrel the scale of road features made it seem like cycling though a model village. We turned right at the top and followed Leicester Road. Coming off the roundabout, Philip developed an impressive burst of speed. We all arrived in Quorn, where we said goodbye to John. The remainder of us made our way home to Loughborough.

We covered about 23 miles at an average 9 mph and an elevation of 680 feet. It was a pleasant ride with everyone having chance for a chat.