Seven go to Duxford

 

Negotiating the puddles at Thriplow

23 miles - 7 riders - coffee at Duxford Community Centre

A twisty route through Cambridge

On Garret Hostel Bridge

22 miles - 10 riders - coffee at The Technology Museum

Grantchester, Madingley & Comberton

Coffee and cake at the Three Horseshoes, Comberton

24 miles - 11 riders

Comberton, Hardwick & Coton

 

24 miles - 10 riders - coffee at Coton Orchard

Wimpole Hall

 

25 miles  -  11 riders  -  coffee at National Trust Wimpole Hall

Anglesey Abbey

 

23 miles  -  10 riders  -  coffee at National Trust Anglesey Abbey

Bar Hill, Oakington & Histon

 

24 miles  -  9 riders  -  coffee at The Station House, Histon

Fowlmere, Elmdon & Duxford

 

22 miles  -  9 riders  -  coffee at Café 19, Duxford Community Centre

An emu encounter

We do occasionally encounter a deer, hare or fox during our rides, but large flightless birds are a rarity. So imagine our surprise on Monday when, cycling through the old Abington Land Settlements, we were brought up short by a loud grunting noise and there on the other side of the fence was an emu. As you can see, it wasn't camera shy. 

Which one is behind bars, Brian or the emu?

Leaving emu behind, we climbed the hill to Balsham where we pulled in for coffee and cake at The Old Butchers. Refreshed, we cruised back down the hill to Abington, hauled the bikes up and over the A11 footbridge and made short work of the return leg to Stapleford and Shelford.

For the record, the turnout was eight Spokers, namely Hilary, Jane, Jim, Jenny, Jeremy, Lewis and two Brians.

Balsham and back; 24 miles

First cold ride of the year

Three degrees above freezing made for a chilly start to Monday's ride, but that didn't deter Hilary, Paul, Lewis, Chris, Jeremy and Brian from setting out on a 24 mile jaunt around Cambridge, Milton, Impington and Girton, pulling in along the way at The Station House, Histon, for coffee and cake.

All wrapped up on Garret Hostel Bridge

Newly open in Newton

We don't give much credence to common gossip, but there is a rumour going around that we are more interested in coffee and cake than we are in cycling - a rumour borne out on Monday when we set off from Shelford with the objective of checking out the new café at Newton. 

Sitting in the sun at Days Bakery, Newton

This being so close to home, it seemed only right that we did a little cycling first, if only to dispel this gross slur on the club's reputation. So it was after some eighteen miles of pedalling that we pulled in at Days Bakery Café, newly opened and just opposite the Queen's Head.

As to our verdict on the new establishment, well, while not up to the standard of say, Hot Numbers down the road at Shepreth, it is nonetheless a welcome addition to our roster of local coffee stops.

22 miles clockwise

Home before the deluge

Given the dire weather forecast, we opted for a short ride - on cycleways and quiet roads - to Cambridge and back, pulling in towards the end for coffee at The Orchard, Grantchester.

On Garret Hostel Bridge: Chris, Dominic, Jeremy, Brian, Claire, Alan, Ann and Lewis

Sure enough, Shelford experienced a deluge during the early afternoon, by which time, glad to say, we were safely home and dry.

14 miles anticlockwise

Head for the hills

By way of contrast with last week's Fenland trip, today's outing saw seven Spokers cresting the hill to the south of Ickleton. Peaking around 100m above sea level, this forms part of the ridge running along the Cambs / Essex border and affords fine views south towards Saffron Walden.

Alan, Lewis, Jenny, Jim, Jane and Hilary taking in the view near Elmdon

Returning via Duxford, we pulled in at Café 19 for coffee and cake before heading for home, clocking up 23 miles in total.

23 miles anticlockwise

An eventful Ely trip

Whereas last year's train journey to Ely got off to a bad start, though the bike ride home went smoothly, this year the train ride went smoothly, but the bike ride was, well, eventful.

Mid-way home, Lewis got a puncture and, confident that he could fix it, Brian C waved the others on while he and Dominic stayed with Lewis. Despite two attempts, the puncture proved too much to fix in situ, so we owe a big thanks to Dominic's wife, Hetty, who drove out across the Fens - with dog - to scoop up Lewis and his bike.

On the bridge at Adventurers' Fen

Jenny, Jeremy, Brian H, Chris and Tiggr continued homewards, albeit with an eventful stopover at Anglesey Abbey, Brian and Dominic arriving an hour or so later. 

Rest assured we'll do it again next summer - but maybe we'll ride with the prevailing wind to Ely and catch the train home.

Along the river to Milton

Monday morning saw perfect weather for cycling and five Spokers setting off along the DNA path bound for Milton Country Park. Along the way we stopped to admire the view from Chisholm (we like to call it Our Jim's) Bridge before following the towpath along the Cam to Milton.

Hilary and Jenny on Chisholm Bridge

Milton Country Park has the most cycle-friendly of cafés; where else can you ride up a ramp to the first floor, park your bike and take a seat with a view over water? The coffee and cake is pretty good too.

Returning via central Cambridge, we wove our way through the tourists on Trinity Street before turning homewards via Grantchester and Trumpington Meadows.

Lewis, Alan, Jenny and Hilary on the balcony at Milton Country Park

Milton and back; some 24 miles anticlockwise

A bank holiday dozen

Monday morning saw a record turnout of twelve Spokers pedalling out of Shelford heading for Hot Numbers, Shepreth's temple to fine coffee. Our peloton comprised Alan, Ann, Hilary, Jane, Jim, Janet, Paul, Lewis, Jeremy and all three Brians, strung out over a half a mile or more, holding up the bank holiday traffic in and around the villages of South Cambs. 

Restoring caffeine levels at Hot Numbers

Not forgetting Alan

22 miles clockwise

 

May Day bluebells

Bank holiday Monday saw Hilary, Dominic, Lewis, Victor and three Brians exploring a new route to  the south. The five miles of minor road between Chrishall Grange and Littlebury offer some of the best views over South Cambs / North Essex - and are notable in several other respects.

Firstly, the roads are - for us lowlanders - remarkably hilly. Secondly, they are heavily pot-holed, at least on the Cambridgeshire side, whereas once you cross the border into Essex the tarmac is silky smooth. But thirdly, and most notable of all, is the sublime sight of the bluebell wood on the hill above Littlebury. 

Victor in seasonal blue

Chatting afterwards over coffee at Duxford Community Centre, we wondered whether there were any poems about bluebells to match Wordsworth's on daffodils. Dominic promptly found one by Anne Brontë who must have been in competition with her sister, Emily, who penned another.

We returned to Shelford having clocked up 27 miles, a little further than Brian's promised 24 miles, but worth it for the bluebells alone.

Pausing for a breather on the Cambs / Essex border

27 miles anticlockwise

A café crisis

One Brian was pretty sure the café at Fowlmere was closed on Mondays - whereas our other Brian was equally sure it was open. Turns out, first Brian was right; El Cafecito, excellent in all other respects, is indeed now shut on Mondays. The prospect of 23 hilly miles, with little sustenance other than fine views and fresh air provoked some harrumphing from the rear of the peloton.

Fording the stream at Hinxton

We considered our options; whether to head for Hot Numbers at Shepreth or the Granary at Stapleford? But in the end agreed the safest bet, not to mention the shortest ride, would be Brunch Base, back home in Shelford.

Cresting the hill near Elmdon

And there we spent a very pleasant 45 minutes: Hilary, Jane, Ann, Alan, Chris, Paul and two Brians, sipping coffee and generally putting the world to rights.

Café crisis aside, it was an excellent ride; 23 miles in glorious early spring sunshine and plenty of snowdrops to see along the way.

23 miles clockwise:
Shelford - Whittlesford - Duxford - Hinxton - Ickleton - Elmdon - Chrishall Grange - Fowlmere - Newton - Shelford

Madingley Hall

 Having missed the past two Mondays due to sub-zero temperatures, it was good to get out again on two wheels and in glorious sunshine, clocking up 24 miles and stopping off at Madingley Hall for coffee.

24 miles anticlockwise: Shelford - Hauxton - Trumpington Meadow - Grantchester - Coton - Madingley - Hardwick - Toft - Kingston - The Eversdens - Harlton - Haslingfield - Harston - Shelford

Murky in Milton

A foggy morning saw ten all-weather Spokers heading into town and along the river to Milton Country Park. Riding mostly on cycleways and the Cam towpath we covered the 9 miles to Milton in little over an hour before pulling in for refreshments at the country park café.

Baits Bite Lock

Revived, we set off on the return leg via Cambridge North and Chesterton. It was while crossing Jesus Green, however, that ride leader Brian experienced an involuntary dismount and, much to the alarm of passers by, found himself lying sprawled across the path. Oo-er!

Pride aside, no real harm was done and we resumed the homeward ride, returning to Shelford in time for lunch.