Guy Barber
This years Guy Barber Charity ride saw 20-25 riders enter, cycling to Oxford for a 2nd year, on a gloriously sunny Sunday. Congratulations to everyone who joined us.
GUY BARBER
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Monthly Archives: July 2018
CTC Northampton Annual Guy Barber Memorial Charity Ride in aid of Cynthia Spencer Hospice Sunday 22 July 2018
Guy Barber was a member of CTC Northampton and did charity events using either a butcher’s bike or an Ordinary (penny farthing).
Using his road bike, he had two favourite rides from Northampton; one to Cambridge and one to Oxford. On one occasion he rode both routes on the same day!
For 11 years we have ridden the Cambridge / St Neots route. This year we are riding to Oxford for the second time. A donation of £5 to Cynthia Spencer Hospice is requested.
To enable everyone to lunch together in Oxford we have 2 start points.
The long ride (98m) starts at East Hunsbury Library,Northampton, with registration at 8.15am. The other two options, 58m and 35m, start in Buckingham at 9.45am and join the group from Northampton to ride on to the first coffee stop at Green Dragon Eco Farm café, Claydon Rd,Hogshaw, MK18 3LA.
Lunch is in Oxford at Café Couscous, 19-20 Saint Clement’s Street, Oxford, OX4 1AB.
This serves a wide range of sandwiches, baguettes and Mediterranean dishes, including Vegan options. Good coffee and tea is served as well.
Bikes can be left outside in view of the seating, or one can sit outside with them. Of course, good coffee and tea is served as well. Within 50mtrs there is a pub serving lunches, or nearby there is a Subway franchise.
From the outskirts of the city there are good cycle paths into the centre, some separated from the main road. Most of the route is on fairly quiet country roads and is undulating rather than hilly. See the routes on the RidewithGPS links below.
For more details please contact Peter Bayles on 07979850096 or Brian Tunbridge on 01604 622073 or text 07722 055149.
Link to the CyclingUK Event page: https://www.cyclinguk.org/event/annual-charity-ride-memory-guy-barber
This year we will have a CTC marshal at Buckingham from 9.30am with maps etc.
Many thanks and look forward to seeing you.
The Route Options
Route 1, 98 miles
Registration at 8.15am for an 8.30 start from East Hunsbury Library. 98 miles.
Route is EH, Stoke Bruerne, Lekhampstead, Buckingham (20m). Meet others. Gawcott, East Claydon,Green Dragon Farm, Hogshaw (Coffee 31m), Boarstal, Oxford (51m)
Return. Islip, Kirtlington, Upper Heyford, Somerton, Croughton, Brackley (tea 78m) Helmdon, Greens Norton, Tiffield, Northampton.(98m). (Farthingstone Café 77m)
Link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27921852
Routes 2 and 3 below start at Buckingham Market square (parking at Cornwalls Meadow Car Park-free on Sundays-situated on road from A508 near the centre of Buckingham, CP signed)
Route 2, 58 Miles
Meet 9.45am. 58m (follows 1st half of Route1 to lunch stop)
Route is Buckingham, Gawcott, East Claydon,Green Dragon Farm, Hogshaw (Coffee 10m), Boarstal, Oxford (30m)
Return. Beckley, Horton-cum-Studley, Boarstall, Piddington, Twyford, Gawcott, Buckingham (58m). This is a very flat route, easy going.
Link: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27921892
Route 3, 35 miles
Meet 9.35am. 35m ( Follows routes 2 & 3 to the coffee stop at Hogshaw ).
Route is Buckingham, Gawcott, East Claydon,Green DragonFarm, Hogshaw (Coffee 10m),
Return Ludgershall, Piddington, Twyford (café opportunity at 27m) Gawcott, Buckingham. (café 33m)
Ride report – Sunday 15th July
Brian Tunbridge led this ride and writes:
Seven riders met at Moulton on yet another gloriously sunny day. We were joined briefly by Philip G who agreed to a super domestique role and led us out for the first mile of the ride before peeling off for a shorter ride.
From Holcot we headed north into a light cooling breeze on an undulating route on quiet, almost traffic free roads through Draughton, Dingley and across the Welland valley into the wilds of Leicester (a first for Chris D who had forgotten his passport).
We had brief a pause in the attractive centre of Hallaton, (no time to visit the town museum) before heading south to get to the Nevill café, Medbourne by noon when they changed the menu. We arrived with 15mins to spare. It was quite busy and included a very smartly attired cycling club from Nottinghamshire.
We were made very welcome and sat in the relative cool inside for coffee and a selection of cakes, bacon sandwiches, and for the connoisseur poached egg on Stornaway black pudding!
It was tempting to linger there but with a deadline to return in time to watch the world cup or TdF, we set off with just a few more hills to climb: out of the Welland valley through Cottingham and back to Rothwell and Loddington. Then familiar territory back to Moulton, arriving before 2.30pm.
Postscript; our undulating route had a few challenges (sorry Elspeth !) with unexpected climbs requiring the lowest gear, appearing occasionally. (3000ft of ascent overall though, for consolation).
Like the weather forecast, the definition of undulating might be up for debate.
Brian
Ride to Hallaton – Sunday 15th July
Brian Tunbridge is leading this ride and writes:
No excuses to get off the couch after all the football, tennis and cycling (speaking personally) and ride to the wilds of Leicestershire this Sunday morning and sit in the courtyard of the Café Nevill in Medbourne (www.nevillarms.co.uk) for coffee etc. Time then to head home to the couch again for Tennis, Football and the TdF to mention a few.
The ride starts in Moulton outside the Coop at 9.30am.
52m of undulating quiet roads as we go out through Holcot and then due north via Scaldwell, Thorpe Underwood, Dingley, Slawston and on to Hallaton. Café Nevill is only a short distance south from here. We return via Cottingham, Rushton, Rothwell, and Walgrave to Moulton hopefully by 2pm.
The route is here
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27828169
Steady pace (13mph ave). Don’t forget the sunscreen, water and snacks.
Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
More information from Brian 01604 622073 or 07722 055149
Ride report – Saturday 7th July
Milton led this ride and writes:
Fourteen of us set off from Moulton on yet another perfect day for cycling. The sun shone and the wind blew as it should … lightly.
It was great to see Steve for the first time in ages, along with his friend from Social Cyclists, Allan, as well as Bob, who also hasn’t been with us for a while. Phil, (The Hill) L also managed to join the group for the first time in ages and was welcomed by many old friends.
We went through Mears Ashby and then Little Harrowden before heading east along the Slips and then headed north again into Burton Latimer. We then crossed the A14 and cycled into Cranford St Andrew and our cafe – The Old Forge. The cafe managed the coffee and cake orders very well, but struggled to serve any orders requiring cooking and left quite a few of us waiting up to 40 minutes for an order.
So, we divided into two groups again – those who had finished their coffee and those yet to be served – for the journey home. Through Isham and then Orlingbury we then set off to Hannington and Holcot before arriving in Moulton by about 12.30 or thereabouts, in plenty of time to get home for the football.
A lovely ride, good company and perfect weather … what more can we ask for?
Many thanks are due to Tim for leading the brisk group on the way out and also the ‘late served’ group on the journey home.
Ride to Cranford St Andrew – Saturday 7th July
Milton Cadman is leading this ride and writes:
Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: 30/32 miles
Refreshment stop: The Old Forge Cranford St Andrew
Time expected back – lunch!
30 Miles Moderate: I’m hoping this will be an easy pleasant ride on mainly flat roads to one of the counties most attractive cafes. At only 30 miles we should be home by lunch without trouble.
The 32 Miles Brisk only varies slightly by taking a short detour via Sywell Country Park before joining up with the other route at Mears Ashby. I expect the ‘Brisks’ will reach the café about 10-15 minutes ahead of the ‘Moderates’ – just in time, in fact, to buy the tea and cakes.
Setting off from Moulton we head to Sywell and then to Mears Ashby before turning up to Little Harrowden. From there we head through Great Harrowden and then along the Slips towards Finedon. We skirt the edges of Finedon and then head off through Burton Latimer after which we cross the A14 and make our way to the stop at The Old Forge in Cranford St Andrew.
The journey home takes us on a loop to Islip and then to Orlingbury before heading across the A43 to Hannington and then heads south to Holcot and back home to Moulton.
It should be the sort of day to bring granny along with you and I hope to see her, as well as yourself, at 9.30 sharp(ish).
We look forward to welcoming all riders, and especially any new riders who may wish to join the ride. For any further questions, please feel free to contact Milton on 01604 416315 .
Ride report – Sunday 1st July
Phil Johnson led this ride and writes:
This was a great day’s riding through some of Northamptonshire’s and Warwickshire’s best countryside on a gloriously sunny day.
Four riders joined me for the ride over to Radford Semele for Sunday lunch at the White Lion Pub including Ian M – making this his first CTC ride this year.
With steady pace we headed for Whilton Locks, Welton and Willoughby and then on to Grandborough near Kites Hardwick where we took a very pleasant detour from my original route suggested by Brian.
Off to Offchurch we went and after the climb at Snowford Hill soon arrived in Radford Semele at the 500 year old White Lion pub. Bang on 12 O’clock as it happened – opening time. The rear beer garden was bathed in sunshine and all tucked in to hearty fayre and the odd pint or two. The staff were superb bringing us much need supplies of water and serving great food very quickly to our table outside.
With bottles refilled we soon headed off again with Brian taking over the navigation with an alternative route home. He didn’t manage to reroute the climb up Priors Marston though and well all felt the pain.
Our reward though was the fantastic view over Hill Farm at the top and the surrounding countryside. Quintessentially English. A more beautiful view you will not see anywhere. Perfect for a photo opportunity.
The road closure after Priors Marston didn’t pose any problems in the end and we simply rode around the signs and concrete blocks further down the road. The miles rolled on and we soon found ourselves climbing towards the masts near Woodford Halse. At the top a flypast by the Red Arrows. A superb sight.
A short time later Ian discovered a slow puncture but was able to continue with more air. We concluded at this point to look for afternoon tea before we got too close to home and headed for Litchborough. The church wasn’t open for tea but the village fete was and we pulled in amongst the proceedings and took a seat in the refreshment café.
Dave and Bob however where nowhere to be seen. They must have continued passed the fete entrance and were gone.
Tea and cakes were delicious and Ian got to work on replacing the tube for the final leg home.
We were asked to come again next year by the lovely ladies manning the stall so watch out for this ride in 2019.
The three of us set off again. Pockets full of cakes that were now being sold to us at half price for the journey home.
Thanks to Brian for the help with navigation and to Pete for assistance in plotting the route and the use of his Garmin.
PhilJ
CTC Northampton 