Ride to Olney, Sunday 21st April

Peter B is leading this ride and writes:

Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill Library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury, NN4 0RZ
Time: 9.30am
Distance: 48 miles
Pace: Steady – Around 13mph Average
Cafe Stop: Courtyard Brasserie, Olney
Estimated return: Around 2:00pm

This Sunday’s ride is from East Hunsbury to Olney.

We will ride out via Quinton in a clockwise loop towards Horton, Castle Ashby, Harrold and Olney.  Our coffee stop is the Courtyard Brasserie in Olney at 31 miles, so you may wish to take some energy.

The return route is much shorter, past Gayhurst and Salcey, retracing our steps through Quinton.

Riders closer to the Canoe Centre side may prefer to join at Preston Deanery and chop a few miles off the route – just let me know.

Weather is looking dry, so fingers crossed!  New riders are always welcome.

As usual it is very helpful for our planning to follow this link to book a place on Signup:  Group rides

Link to route on Ridewithgps:  

EH/Olney/48 miles

Cheers Peter

Club ride Sat 13 April – Gucci’s ride to India – Final leg via Carlton!

Our ride on Saturday 13 April is a special one, to support Gurjeet (Gucci) in riding the final leg of his virtual charity ride to India. We’re looking forward to being joined by some of Gurjeet’s cycling friends from other parts of the UK.  

Gurjeet (aka Gucci Sapal on Strava) began his massive ride of 5747 miles – the distance from Northampton to Ludhiana, India – in January to raise money for the Stroke Association. To find out more and support Gurjeet in this good cause, please visit his JustGiving page at the address at the bottom of this message. 

In view of potentially larger numbers than usual, I’m suggesting a slightly earlier meeting time.

There are two routes to choose from, but we’ll split into appropriate sub-groups as required (max 8-10 per group). As always, if you’re planning to come along, please use our Signup Genius page if possible (not required, but helpful). 

Leader: Philip G

• Date: Sat 13 April
• Meet: 9.15 for 9.30 start
• Place: Nene Whitewater Centre (Northampton Active), Bedford Road, NN4 7AA

           NB: if arriving by car, do not park in the Whitewater Centre (use entrance road).  

• Refreshment stop: Emmaus Centre, Carlton, Bedfordshire. 
• Routes:  

Brisk route 43.8 mi/ cafe 27.4 mi/ 609 m ascent

Brisk pace: 15-16mph (25kph) average

Moderate route 39.1 mi/ cafe 22.2/ 502 m ascent

Moderate pace: 13-14mph (22kph) average

Gurjeet’s fundraiser for Stroke Association 

Please come along and help Gurjeet celebrate completion of this epic ride!

Let me know if any questions and hope to see many of you there,

Philip

Ride report, Sunday 7th April

PhilJ led this ride and writes:

Storm Kathleen was putting this ride to Banbury in doubt and despite the intense winds on Saturday I decided to go ahead with it feeling that we had often encountered more challenging conditions in the past. The morning started on a positive note with decent sunshine and the possibility that we might have escaped the worst of the storm anyway as it moved above the UK.

Only PeteB and JohnW were along for the ride and after they returned to Pete’s house to retrieve John’s glasses we regrouped at the bottom of the hill, which was the first indication I had of the strength of the wind. I seemed to have gone up quicker to EH a brief time earlier!

Heading towards Milton Malsor and experiencing the headwinds, Pete and I started thinking about alternatives to the scheduled Barn Farm Cafe in Banbury. Salcey, The Forge and The Old Dairy Farm at Stowe on the A5 sprang to mind. Not much further into the ride and already feeling that this was going to be a massive effort to reach Banbury and back, it was a done deal. The Old Dairy Farm seemed a sensible option. Banbury was possible but would have been a much harder proposition in today’s conditions and could wait for another day.

Once at the A5 at Pattishall we decided not to ride along the busy A5 and opted to find our own way to the Dairy Farm instead and crossed over the junction taking the first right turn after that. At Litchborough Pete encountered a puncture and set about the job whilst the wind swirled all around us taking our gloves and belongings with it. With a new tube installed, Pete soon realised this one was going down as well and he set about using old school methods with a patch and glue to repair the puncture, even refusing my offer of self-adhesive patches. Kudos Peter!

John had circled for a while and rejoined us at our location before taking off again like a free spirit. With Pete engaged with bike issues, I checked the possible routes to the cafe and concluded that climbing the hills at Farthingstone was the only option for us. The wind was kind to us whilst ascending but reminded us it hadn’t gone away whilst riding along the scenic ridge at the top heading for The Stowes.

The cafe and surrounding area were busier than usual due to an organised opportunity for the public to view lambs in the adjacent fields, but we found a table indoors and settled down for a well-earned coffee and cake. John arrived a little later and joined us.

Resuming the ride again put us straight back into a vortex but we battled on towards Nether Heyford and the ride back along Banbury Lane towards Hunsbury to conclude an adventurous days riding.

Thanks to John and Pete for your company and braving the elements.

Chapeau gents!

PhilJ

Ride to Banbury, Sunday 7th April

PhilJ is leading this ride and writes:

Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Time: 9.30am
Distance: 46mls
Pace: Steady 13 to 14 mph
Café stop: Greenhouse Café, Wardington
Estimated return: 2pm – 2:30pm

Next Sunday’s ride is another chance to visit the Greenhouse Café at Barn Farm Plants Garden Centre in Wardington near Banbury. We were there last August so I think we’re due another ride over to enjoy their great hospitality.

From EH we’ll head for the A5 on Banbury lane and then proceed to the crossroads at Adstone. Canons Ashby and the slow rise at Moreton Pinkney follow. Once we reach Thorpe Mandeville there’s a back road to the garden centre in Wardington and our café stop. With any luck the weather will be kind to us, and we can dine outside as we have done on several occasions.

Returning home, Edgcote and Eydon lead us back to the Adstone crossing once more and then it’s all too familiar roads home through Maidford and Litchborough. BrianT kindly amended my original Banbury ride to point us to this lovely quaint cafe instead of the one I previously used and it’s a great alternative.

Please use SignUp if you can.

Here’s the GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38289660

Hope to see you there.

PhilJ

Ride report, Easter Sunday , 31st March

Brian H led this ride to Stowe and writes:

Today’s (fast) ride details are as follows:

I knew I was in trouble when I was waiting at the start and Milton and I were joined by Hugh, James and Gurjeet – today’s ride was pretty flat so was going to be quick. I was banking on the fact that Gurjeet had already ridden 450 miles this week as part of his epic charity ride (Gurjeet’s fundraiser for Stroke Association on Just Giving) so maybe he was tired. On the way to Hunsbury he’d lost the battery for his front changer so was stuck in the big wheel for the duration.

The start was delayed by five minutes as we waited for John to return from his pre-ride coffee – he had ridden a fair way to join us – and we set off. I decided the best thing to do was set a “blistering” pace in the hope that I would wear the others out but, deep down, I knew that was futile. John parted company to go for his second coffee stop after five miles and James left us at Whittlebury at which point Gurjeet and Hugh decided to up the tempo! We arrived at Stowe – the 18 mile point – in just over an hour and in desperation I pointed out the speed limit on the road towards the archway was 15mph.

We had earned a longer than usual stop at the cafe but eventually had to head back, with the wind picking up and blowing towards us. As we rode through Dadford, who else but John came from the opposite direction, waved and disappeared the way we had come!

A slightly less frenetic pace saw us make our way through Silverstone then Greens Norton and Milton insisted that he’d had enough of riding with us as we reached Tiffield, so dropped off for a more leisurely ride back. Hugh left Gurjeet and I near Milton Malsor and we returned to Hunsbury.

Thanks to everyone for an enjoyable ride, even if it wasn’t quite the gentle Easter Sunday morning I had planned!

Ride to Stowe, Sunday 31st March

Brian H is leading this steady ride to Stowe and writes:

Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill Library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury, NN4 0RZ
Time: 9.30am
Distance: 39 miles
Pace: Steady
Cafe Stop: National Trust Cafe, Stowe
Estimated return: Around 1:30-2:00pm

If you’ve given up smoking, drinking or other performance enhancing drugs for Lent then Sunday is your last chance to see if it has made any difference so a ride to the National Trust Cafe at Stowe is just what you need.
Starting in East Hunsbury we will head through Milton Mansor and Blisworth before skirting around Stoke Bruerne and crossing the A5 to the east of Towcester. Our route then takes us through Whittlebury and onto the estate at Stowe. On the way back we ride through the villages of Silverstone and Greens Norton before heading back to Hunsbury via Gayton Junction.
Less than 40 miles, just 1,900 feet of ascending and the weather forecast is currently looking very Spring-like. Is there a better way to spend an Easter Sunday morning?
As usual it’s very helpful to follow this link to book a place on Signup:  Group rides

Link to route on RWGPS:  

E Hunsbury to Stowe NT Cafe

Brisk and Moderate rides to Culworth, Saturday 23rd March

Peter B is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 39 miles Brisk, 35 miles Moderate
Cafe stop: The Forge Cafe, Culworth
Pace: 14+ mph Brisk, ~12 mph Moderate
Estimated return: Around 1.30pm

Dear All

This Saturday’s Brisk and Moderate rides are to Culworth, with our Cafe stop at the Forge Cafe there.  We will meet near the Library in East Hunsbury at the usual time of 9.30.

The route to Culworth will take us to the West of Northampton, following the pleasant roads through Pattishall, Maidford, Canons Ashby and to our cafe stop at Culworth, with the return leg via Blakesley, Pattishall and Gayton, avoiding the roadworks at Caldecote.  The Brisk route adds an extra four miles around Preston Capes to give the Moderates enough time to get the tables first and have their pick of the cake and sausage rolls.

As usual, it’s really helpful to use this link to the Signup Genius App if you want to join the ride – look forward to seeing you.

Cheers – Peter

Links to RideWithGPS:

Brisk:    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37172383 

Moderate:   https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37172376

Off road ride, Sunday 17th March

PhilL is leading this ride and writes:

Meeting point: Brampton Valley Way, Welford Crossing, NN6 8AA
Time: 9.30am
Distance: 28 miles
Cafe Stop: Drovers Return cafe, Hunsbury at 17m
Pace: 12mph
Time expected back: 2pm

This mostly off-road route uses a variety of surfaces ranging from gravel or muddy tracks, grass canal side and tarmac so a gravel or MTB bike is required not a road bike.

Meet and start at BVW. 9.30am. We head up to Boughton and the Obelisk Pocket Park, followed by Bradlaugh Fields, Round Spinney, Billing Lane, Rectory Farm linear park, Billing, Little Houghton, Brackmills and Hunsbury Hill Drover’s Return for coffee at about 17m. To complete the circuit we head along the canal path into Upton Park, up through St.Crispins, Harlestone Firs, across the County golf course, Chapel Brampton, Merry Tom’s Lane and back down the BVW to our start. About 27m miles total.

This is the RidewithGPS route

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45431413

Sign up via Genius please – I can be contacted on 07867388592

regards,

Phil Letts

Ride report, Saturday 9th March

Philip led this ride and writes:

Despite a none-too-promising weather forecast, nine riders turned out at Moulton Co-op on Saturday. 

The select Brisk group (Chris and the nominal leader, Philip) set off first and soon noticed an unusual number of Porsches gathering around Sywell, ahead of their annual migration to the Italian Alps. 

The wind was challenging as the groups headed east and then north from Little Harrowden to Broughton. Here the Moderates turned west towards Mawsley and Old while the Brisks continued north to Orton and Lamport. 

Both groups then overtook…no, were overtaken by an impressively fast cycle race, already broken into around four groups, on the Old-Mawsley-Lamport circuit. 

The Brisks then took the road less travelled via Draughton village. Eventually they reached the Workhouse in Brixworth only just after the Mods. The Workhouse was busy but the workers served us efficiently and a range of sausage rolls, cyclists’ flapjack and other delights was enjoyed. 

After coffee, the groups set off to tackle more climbing around Cottesbrooke and Teeton, with the Brisks treating themselves to some extra Hollowell, Guilsborough and Ravensthorpe hills, making about a half-century of total miles for them (from home). 

Well done to all who came out on this compact but hilly route. 

Cheers

Philip.

Ride to Brixworth, Saturday 9th March

Philip is leading this ride and writes:

Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Time: 9.30am
Distance: Brisk 43miles, Moderate 35miles
Cafe Stop: The Workhouse, Brixworth

This coming Saturday, 9th March we offer two rides to the Workhouse, Brixworth. The routes are similar to ones I led in December, but slightly longer and more balanced in distance before and “apres” the cafe-stop. Note the change of start point from the Rides Calendar.

RWGPS:

Moderate: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45733121

537m ascent. Cafe at 19 miles.

Brisk: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45733003

700m ascent. Cafe at 23 miles. 

The weather should hopefully be dry and a little milder (7 to 10 degrees, though feeling cooler) with a strong westerly wind.

Please remember to use SignUp if possible, if you intend coming along.

Look forward to seeing you there

Philip