Hi!
After our recent cold snap you might want to be thinking about cycling in the warmer months next year. David Cowood has come up with a couple of ideas that might appeal.
The first will run in April 2023 and is a repeat of an overnight stay away in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. 12 of us did the 50 mile ride from the Humber Bridge down to Woodhall Spa in April 2022. We stayed overnight in Petwood Hall (erstwhile home to the Dambuster squadron) and cycled back the following day. Petwood seems to have upped their prices rather a lot, so we think the Claremont might be a better option - rooms are around £40 B&B per person per night. We'd cycle down on (maybe) Wednesday 19th April, back Thursday 20th.
Second idea is a three night stay at Hartington Hall YHA in early May 2023 (nights of 2nd, 3rd & 4th). This would probably involve driving there and some limited transport possibilities exist with shared useage of cars. Real hardy tourers could extend it by cycling there and back too and/or camping. The idea is to do some of the local trails on old railway lines (Tissington, High Peaks and Monsel way) so a gravel bike or similar might be more appropriate than your lightweight summer carbon bike!
If you are interested in either of these, do please get in touch with David Cowood (e: davidcowood@googlemail.com) who will be hapy to deal with any questions you might have. Format is to do your own booking and Hartington tel is: 01298 84223 - rooms are £35 single, £60 double/twin per night, breakfast at additional cost.
AND we will be running the BikeBus holiday again in 2023 (Northern France or Belgium most likely). Tentatively third week of May 2023. When ideas are firmed up, I will email again.
David (he'll be getting the nickname tour manager yet!) has also suggested a three/four day excursion along the Meuse rive from Rotterdam on part of EuroVelo19, and return perhaps by a different (cross country?) route.
So all that's left is for me to wish you a Happy Christmas and a Good Healthy New Year when it arrives!
We are holdng back from producing a rides list for January as it is so weather dependant. Information on rides will be circulated via the WhatsApp messages, so if you'd like to be in the loop, drop me an email with your mobile number. (You'll also neeed to have the WhatsApp App on you phone).
Best wishes
Dave Berger (Secretary) and 't' Committee
EYCTC
