Wednesday 10th August 2022

Intermediate ride to Nice Pie

Report by David

There were two intermediate rides of the same length on offer, and a crowd of cyclists seemed to vacillate between the two before settling on a short ride. So, we were left with 5 riders going to Nice Pie.

It was a hot sunny day; the recorded average temperature was 30°C. Everyone had more than one water bottle and protection from the sun. David led Bryan, Rob Stephens, Rob Smith and Betty along Holt Drive, then across town on an established road via William Street, Broad Street, Bridge Street and into Meadow Lane. There was the customary delay at traffic lights and queues of cars. Unfortunately, there were also vehicles driven far too close to cyclists in their impatience to pass. Bryan will have pictures of them, and we are grateful to him for recording these.

We crossed the meadow to Stanford on Soar, then up Leake Lane and, after a brief water stop, over the A6006 to the Loughborough Road and Castle Hill into East Leake. Then we went right towards Costock. Soon after the ever-present temporary traffic lights we were overtaken by a league of cyclists, just as we were last time we were on this road. We crossed the A60 and continued on the quieter road to Wysall, where it was convenient to have another water stop.

The fivesome continued, taking a right turn onto Widmerpool Road. We were to see a lot of semi-parched fields during this ride, and many sheep, cows and horses in them managing to find the odd cud to chew. They could have done with some of Rob’s damsons.

From Widmerpool we ascended towards Willoughby on the Wolds. Here we turned left onto Main Street, which took us round to Back Lane. Soon after turning onto Back Lane, we climbed the semicircular road to bridge the A46. Some way along Station Road, only a short ride from Melting Mowbray, a sign warned us that the road was liable to icing. 

 We turned right into Nottingham Lane, home to an equestrian centre and “Horses inside out”. The equestrian centre was offering real dairy ice cream, to be eaten on the premises and not spilled on the road.

We skirted Old Dalby and joined the Six Hills Lane, heading east. After about half a mile we reached the gravel track leading steeply down to Nice Pie. Excellent service was provided as we sat at a table with a parasol over us to chat.

David, Rob, Robert, Bryan & Betty at Nice Pie

After a pleasant break, we clawed our way back up the gravel track to resume our ride. We were now at the zenith of the ride. Returning along Six Hills Lane, we took a left turn to Grimston. The main road in the centre of the village was almost completely blocked while some maintenance was being carried out. But we cyclists were allowed through a tortuous path between maintenance vans. We continued past Saxelbye, seeing the bridge for the test track to our left. There was a bit of a hill before we reached a bend in the road with a view across the Wreake valley.

Briefly we joined the A6006 to skirt Asfordby, then found the Hoby Road past Frisby Lakes. This road became Asfordby Road and was mostly quiet as it crossed dried out fields. We reached Hoby, and the Garmin devices were chirping lefts and rights as we took the bendy road through the village. We then sped towards Thrussington. Here was an opportune place for Betty to leave us to make for home. The rest of us headed for Radcliffe on the Wreake, under the A46 and up the hill to Humble Lane in record time. Here was another water stop before the downhill road into Cossington. Bryan carried on straight as we turned into Bennett’s Lane.

The remaining three of us rode through Sileby, turning left by the church, then down through the marshes to Mountsorrel. Our average speed from the top of the hill above Grimston to here was 13.8 mph.

We continued via Quorn to Loughborough and beyond. The round trip measured 35 miles, ridden at an average speed of 12.1 mph. We ascended 1296 feet and the Loughborough people would have been home by 1:40 pm.

Medium Ride

Report by Alan

The sensible riders opted for shorter rides as the take up for those grew and grew. Trish, David, Brian and the ever loyal Mick opted to accompany me to Ticknall.

The route to the coffee stop at Scoff & Shop was via Hathern, Long Whatton, Diseworth, Tonge, Wilson and Melbourne. Wearing my teacher’s hat I made sure there were lots of stops for rehydration. Two miles short of Ticknall we were able to refill our water bottles at the start of Staunton Harold Reservoir. It was here that two smug pensioners on electric bikes beat us all up a steep hill. In revenge we unleashed Mick to talk to them which admittedly delayed our departure. The reservoir was seriously depleted, and so it turns out that for the first time ever politicians were spouting the truth for once, and indeed despite living on an island, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, bathed in rain for 200 days per year, we were, as a country, actually short of water.

We crammed into Scoff & Shop. It was a bit of a squeeze as the other customers had nabbed all the best seats around the tables. It seemed that some of them were almost permanent fixtures and I’m sure I saw cobwebs hanging from their hair as they had camped there for so long. The service was extremely quick and 3 riders overdosed on tea owing to the size of the individual teapots. Looking at the occasional posts on Whatsapp, it is clear that other riding groups have much better / intellectual conversational topics than the groups I end up with. This timeI managed to drag our conversation again down to my level by talking about cocaine and the disgusting cards and mugs you can buy in shops in Southend on Sea.

David, Tricia, Brian and Mike at Scoff & Shop

More hills awaited us for the journey home, notably around Staunton Lane and Peggs Green. Following the latter we tripped through Grace Dieu Wood and headed towards Belton. Just outside of which Trish and David opted to remove themselves from the blistering heat (I’m exaggerating now) and opted to take the shorter route home via Low Wood Lane. Mick, Brian and I felt we hadn’t done enough climbing for the day so opted to press on to Shepshed and reach Loughborough by passing over the M1. For those into Strava ...... 56.32 km, 562 m elevation, 3 hrs 22 mins and 1 like (thank you mother).

Short Ride

Report by Keith

A forecast of yet more hot sunny weather called for a gentle ride. So Keith offered a trip up and down the Soar valley to Birstall, so avoiding big hills and getting a fair amount of shade back through Watermead. The offer appealed Jeff, Eric, Vic, Rob P, Andrew, Marcus, Dom, Mick the younger and John.

All went well through Mucklin Wood and past the Brand, until three decided to follow the wrong peleton in Swithland, turning right off towards Cropston whilst the rest of us waited in sight just down the road! Vic did an excellent sheepdog impression and returned them to the fold, where they complained about the leader – who ignored it, as it was not in writing!

Peace restored, and water consumed, we went through Rothley, down the grotty track along the A6, then across the splendid pedestrian/cycle bridge and down to Watermead.

At this point Marcus got a puncture, but passed the message to keep going and he would catch up at the café, which was East Goscote garden centre.

Eric arranged a super table for us all in the shade, and whilst we rehydrated and recaloried (?), Rob regaled us with stories of his husky racing hobby. There cannot be much we haven’t done between us. Marcus eventually joined us having got a bit lost in Watermead, telling us of a bridge he had crossed which none of us recognised.

Marcus, Eric, John, Keith, Rob, Dom, Andrew, Mick, Vic and Jeff (who contributed photo) 

We took a straight route back through Sileby and Mountsorrel, folk peeling off as we passed near their homes, arriving back in Loughborough around 12.30 after about 22 miles.