Wednesday 7th February 2024

A cool morning with light cloud produced a very good turnout with four groups departing from Holt Drive.

Long Ride

Report by Vic

The day dawned cool but still and as the rest of the week's weather looked bleak there was a fair gathering of expectant riders at the clubhouse.

Keith and I had offered rides and Rob also offered a ride on the day, so there were at least 4 options. My offering of a 35 miler to The Welcome cafe above Twyford received a luke warm response whereas Keith's ride set out with 9 riders to Bawdon Lodge. It might have been a hang over from the previous week's debacle where I had started with 10 and finished with 3 riders.

Howard and Dave joined me, so we set off along the A6 cycle path to Quorn passing Keith's caravan on the way. We worked our way via Sileby, Ratcliffe, Gaddesby and Barsby to emerge above the cafe so we coasted the last few hundred metres.

The selection was varied and we chose our personal preferences, the service was a little odd but we were delivered our choices well almost our choices!

Another group of silver cyclists appeared followed by a group of aging bikers on a impressive selection of machines. We returned via Loseby, Beeby, Barkby and Syston where we joined the canal towpath and emerged at Cossington.

Here I left the other 2 to make their own way home. I had covered 34.75miles.

The weather had been kind with little wind, a very pleasant ride.

Intermediate Ride

Report by David

When John called for a 4th ride, there was a general agreement that some of us should go to Melbourne. However, on this occasion the leadership was shared as will be explained later. It was a bit of a chill start; but any wind was light, and the temperature rose a little when the sun came out. The riders were Rob Seager, Mick Gould, Nim, Rob Smith, Bryan, Stuart and David.

David led the first leg, through the university onto Ashby Road, but staying on the southeast side due to extensive works on the path on the northwest side, past the turning for Old Ashby Road. We crossed near the bp filling station and followed Ashby Road over the M1, turning left in Shepshed down Leicester Road. As we turned into Cambridge Street, more road/path works caused a temporary delay. We continued on the ensuing roads, crossing Charnwood Road and turning right at the end of Anson Road into Tickow Lane. We then followed the Sustrans 6 cycle route across the fields to Belton. Following the Sustrans 15 route, we turned right onto Mill Lane, passed Paws2Pasture, and carried on straight (leaving Sustrans 15), and onto a short part of Gelscoe Lane before turning right on the roundabout over the A42 and down to Tonge via Moor Lane. Rob Seager made a timely intervention here to ensure that we turned onto Breedon Lane, with David’s Garmin being unclear. On a corner, we continued onto Tonge Lane, which has a steepening part just before the staggered crossroads with Main Street, Breedon on the Hill. We climbed up Main Street where it passes to the east of the Priory Church, which is so prominent on a high plateau. Then we dived down the hill and had enough momentum to freewheel through Wilson, and climbed again onto Blackwell Lane. Blackwell Lane descends to the southeast corner of Melbourne, where we initially tried to call in at the Melbourne Hall coffee shop. But it was closed, so Bryan led us to Shazza’s, which is on Castle Street, serving an industrial estate.

Shazza’s is in a hut with seating inside and out, and has the rare distinction that it has not previously been visited by Mick. We were served efficiently, and the price was less than half of what we normally pay. Most popular were the bacon cobs, which were huge.

When we emerged, Bryan took a different route, and the rest of us were led by Mick to Staunton Harold. He took us up the narrow winding Penn Lane, then along Ashby Road, forking right onto Calke Road, up the hill and down past the sailing club, then through the wooded track to Broadstone Lane. We turned left onto Melbourne Lane, then joined Main Street through Ticknall. Calke was going to be muddy, so we went past and took a left turn, staying on Ashby Road until a turning off onto Staunton Lane. We then went left onto Heath Lane, and soon afterwards forked right through the western entrance of Staunton Harold site. Near the Staunton Harold centre, we stopped and a passing couple took a photo of us.

David, Rob, Rob S., Nim, Stuart and Mike on Staunton Harold Estate.

From here, David took over navigation, taking us “off piste” from the shortest route home, initially via the one-way street to the other entrance to Staunton Harold site, causing drivers justifiably coming the other way to be “piste off”. Emerging onto the B587, we crossed the A453, then went immediately left onto Melbourne Road. Just the other side of Newbold is an extension of Gelsmoor Road, which Rob Seager pointed out, and this we took to get to the main Gelsmoor Road by crossing the B5324. Coming in to Peggs Green, it is surprisingly hilly. We crossed Nottingham Road onto New Road, then reached the A512. There was a sudden concentration of cars here, but one motorist let us all go ahead onto Church Hill, which we zoomed down, then had to climb Talbot Lane. Soon over the brow of the hill was a concealed turn onto Whitwick Moor, which was thankfully clear of cars, so no drivers needed to be justifiably annoyed here. Indeed, one driver waited patiently for the ramshackle trickle of puffing riders to emerge from Whitwick Moor. The next part of the ride skirted Cademan Wood via Gracedieu Road, Turolough Road, and Warren Lane. It emerged onto Swannymote Road. On turning left, it was almost all downhill to the A512. We followed the A512 to Loughborough. For the uphill part after Tickow Lane, we used the adjacent footpath, although that was quite bumpy. Stuart left us at the traffic lights with Iveshead Road, which the rest of us were also pulling away from in our own time. Rob Smith left us at the roadworks just by Snells Nook Road. Mick, David, Rob and Nim headed for home via the university.

The ride length back to Holt Drive was 31.3 miles, and quite varied for an impromptu ride. We averaged 10.1 mph, which was not bad seeing as we had climbed 2165 feet. Most of us would be home by about 2pm.

Short Ride to Normanton on Soar

Report by John

John was offering a ride to Normanton of Soar Village Shop, having left some spectacles there on Monday morning, and was joined by Clyde, Dennis, Leigh, Andrew, Margaret, Myles, Pat and Dom.

Clyde, Dennis, Leigh, Andrew, Margaret, Myles, Pat and Dom at the village hall.

The group set out through Loughborough, leaving the town via Meadow Lane and then over Fox Hill past the Village Hall where they would later be taking refreshments.

Continuing down down the Soar Valley they traversed Sutton Bonnington and climbed up Marle Pit Hill over the railway line and along Landcroft Lane to the Star at West Leake.

At this point John left the group to head down Brickyard Lane to get some photos of the group cycling past. Unfortunately there had been a misunderstanding and the other riders climbed Trowell Lane where they expected to find John at Hungary Lane. By this time John had decided that something was wrong and retraced his route spotting the group at the top of the Hill. 

John riding up to rejoin the group.

Having rejoined them the riders carried on down Hungary Lane and retraced their morning route through Sutton Bonnington to Normanton.

Harold (just passing) with Dennis and Margaret

Here it was discovered that the lady volunteers wanted to attend a funeral and so the shop would be closing at noon. Rapid service meant that everyone got their refreshments and the riders were back on the road just after noon and the riders retraced their route out returning to Loughborough via Meadow Lane. (John did get his spectacles back).