Wednesday 13th March 2024

Intermediate Ride

Report by David

Howard offered a ride to Swarkestone, and there was an enthusiastic following of Dave, Mick, Trisha, Marcus, Jedd, Rob Smith and David, as he set off down Holt Drive. It was an overcast warm day with no rain. There were blustery winds, giving some initial chill to the air, and making the outward journey require some harder pedalling. We turned and crossed the grass to Outwoods Drive, which was a bit waterlogged, to the extent of producing wheelspin.

Next, the eight of us took Ashleigh Drive to the university and the usual route to the Holywell Way roundabout. The ride proceeded along Ashby Road, crossing at the Old Ashby Road junction, then going over the M1 and turning right in Shepshed along Leicester Road. We got to Hallamford Road, via Kirkhill, straight over to Field Street, then left up the hill past the Pied Bull (now closed). There is a casting of a bull on the roof of the ‘for sale’ pub building, looking down as if scared it will be made into pies. 

 We took the Sustrans route 6 over to Belton, then went right at the end of Church Street into Mill Lane. This familiar route took us to Gelscoe Lane, where we turned left to the roundabout with the A42, and crossed to speed down to the turning for Tonge. In Tonge, we stopped at the bridge over the Cloud Trail, then prepared for the descent down the steep steps with the bikes. Howard offered help to anyone who might struggle with that manoeuvre. At the foot of the steps, we turned right onto the Cloud Trail, which is a pleasant ride with occasional dog walkers. 

 At Melbourne we climbed the ramp onto Melbourne Road, then soon went right up Main Street through Kings Newton. After emerging from this Olde Worlde village, we followed the B587 in the direction of Derby. This took us towards the Causeway, dreaded by learner drivers for the narrow stone-bracketed bendy road across the marshes by the river Trent. The Causeway was constructed in the 13th Century, when folk on horses would have learned of its foibles.

We stopped in Stanton-by-Bridge, and Mick went to use a phone box. However, this one had a Defibrillator in it instead of a phone. This reuse of the ubiquitous kiosks is a precious example of thinking outside the box.

 Now, instead of presenting learner drivers with additional hazards on the Causeway, we took the left fork down Ingelby Road through the old village of Stanton and past the church. From a vantage point on Ingleby Road, some of the Causeway could be seen. Also, looking straight ahead, was the rapid surging of the river Trent. We were yards away from this immensely powerful torrent as we took the second side of a triangle back to Swarkestone Bridge. Just across this bridge we turned left down a small track in front of the Crewe and Harpur, named after baronets who inhabited Calke Abbey from the 17th century, the pub being formerly a coaching inn from about that period. We crossed the A5132 and were soon at Swarkestone nursery.

It was a tortuous path to get to where we could park the bikes, but then the cafeteria was worthy of the journey, with very large cake and biscuit offerings, although most of us preferred the bacon butties. Where we sat, there was a large pillar dividing our party in two, so was not suitable for a group photograph. Instead, we took group photos outside with our bikes, and Howard promised to photoshop these into a non-contentious depiction of our friendly bunch (see photo).

David, Howard, Tricia, Ian, Rob, Marcus, Jed and Mike at at Swarkestone Nursery.

Our route home took us back along the A5132, over the Trent and Mersey Canal, then immediately right onto Swarkestone Road. This took us to Weston on Trent, which fortunately for the inhabitants, is not actually on the Trent. Neither is Aston on Trent, which we went through subsequently. Between the two, the road verges are replete with daffodils. 

 In Aston, we took a right turn onto Shardlow Road. This crossed the A50 before reaching Shardlow. In Shardlow, we turned right onto London Road, crossed the canal and the River Trent on the Cavendish Bridge. At the Sawley Junction, the cycle paths took us under the B6540 to run parallel to the A50 towards the M1. More convoluted paths took us under the A50, twice, then crossing the M1 and turning left onto Warren Lane. We crossed fields and lakes on Ratliffe Lane and ended up on a path by the edge of the A453. This path took us over the River Soar, just south of where it runs into the river Trent, then down a zigzag path onto Loverose Way near Ratcliffe power station. Marcus proved that the longer ‘V’-shaped route was just as quick, so there!

Loverose Way runs alongside the River Soar, which on a smaller scale compared with the Trent was surging through. We joined Kegworth Road, then turned left under the railway bridge to pass through Kingston on Soar. From here, our route took us past the agricultural college and down into Sutton Bonington. At the end of Park Lane, suspecting Meadow Lane to be flooded, we turned right to Zouch, then onto the A6 through Hathern. Continuing along the A6 to Loughborough, three of us came off the A6 through a big puddle by the Pitch and Putt, then under the A6 on Blackbrook Way. The other five continued on the A6. However, somehow, the two groups did not entirely lose contact on the way back round the Epinal Way.

The ride covered 36.2 miles back to Holt Drive at an average speed of 10.5 mph, with no incidents. The elevation gain of 1578 feet was mostly in gentle inclines; although the ride seemed mostly downhill, as magically as a Max Escher waterfall drawing. Riders will have been back by 2pm. Thanks to Howard for the enjoyable ride.

Short Ride

Report by John

After the two groups going on longer rides had departed, all of the riders, apart from Dennis and John, had opted for Keith's ride to Bawdon Lodge, so John and Dennis decided to tag along as well as the group size was still acceptable. Thus Robert, Margaret, Dennis, John, Betty, Andrew, Chris, Myles, Paul and Keith headed south to Quorn before climbing up to the Quarry and dropping down to the Ridings where they turned right for Swithland.

Robert and Keith leading the group down Wood Lane

A couple of hundred yards down the road, Paul discovered that he had a puncture and the groups came to a stop. Many hands offered assistance and it was discovered that Paul's new bike did not have tubeless tyres as he had been led to believe. As repairs were taking a little longer than first anticipated it was suggested that the destination should be changed to Rothley Station as this would allow for several routes of different lenghts including a very short one, if required, for those sorting out the repair.

Repairs

So at this point Dennis and Margaret decided to head back for Loughborough, as they needed to be back early, while John, Betty and Robert headed through Swithland and then up to Roecliffe before descending past Cropston Reservoir to Ellis's Tea Room where they found the remaining riders already ensconced. They had take a more direct route from Swithland along Leicester Lane to Station Road.

After a relaxing refreshment stop, the riders headed back along the Ridgeway before rejoining the Ridings, returning via Swithland, Woodhouse and Quorn.