Ride to Geddington – Sunday 2nd December

Philip Gray will be leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: 55 miles
Refreshment stop: West Lodge Rural Centre
Pace: Steady
Time Expected Back: Around 3.30pm

 
This Sunday’s ride takes us around Kettering via several points of historical interest including Warkton village, Geddington’s ford and cross, and (time permitting) the scene of the doomed Newton Rebellion.

 
The ride is 55 miles at steady pace (13 mph average). Coffee stop (optional) at Seasons Garden Centre, lunch stop West Lodge Rural Centre. We should be back by 3.30 pm, but there are plenty of options to turn off earlier if required.

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 Philip Gray on 07557 670831

 
Hope to see some of you there.
Philip

 

Advertisement

Ride to Preston Capes – Saturday 24th November

Peter Bayles is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 31 mls (Brisk) or 28 mls (Moderate)
Refreshment stop: Old Dairy Café, Upper Stowe
Pace: Brisk or Moderate
Time Expected Back: Around 1.00pm

We have two shortish rides on Saturday starting at 9.30am from East Hunsbury Library.

The weather is looking OK for Saturday at the moment, being overcast and cold at 7 degrees, but not wet. Yet.

The Brisk Ride is 31 miles at a pace of around 14 to 15 mph, with the Moderate Ride, probably being a self led group, 28 miles, depending on the riders turning up, and will be around 11 to 12 mph. Cake stop is around 21 miles at the Old Dairy Café at Upper Stowe.

We will leave East Hunsbury, riding generally West, through West Hunsbury and on to Banbury Lane. Staying on Banbury Lane, we will pass through Rothersthorpe, cross the A5 at Pattishall, and continue on to Foxely. Shortly after that, we turn right towards Preston Capes via Adstone and Canons Ashby, and then climb towards our coffee stop at Upper Stowe at 21 miles.

The Moderate group can take a shorter route by missing out Adstone and Canons Ashby and riding through Maidstone to Preston Capes instead. Understandably, this group will be keen to keep the climb after Preston Capes.

Suitably refreshed, both groups will return via Nether Heyford, Bugbrooke, Rothersthorpe and Milton Malsor, a comfortable 10 miles.

It’s a relatively short ride in, hopefully, tolerable weather, so barring unforeseen punctures, we should return home by 1.00pm, possibly earlier. At this time of year, however, it’s always advisable to bring lights.

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 Peter Bayles on 07979850096

Brisk Ride Route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28962680
Moderate Ride route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28962681

Four Reservoirs’ Ride – Sunday 18th November

Phil Letts is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Brampton Valley Way, Welford Crossing, NN6 8AA
Distance: 45 miles
Refreshment stop: Daventry Country Park
Pace: moderate pace ride average speed 11-12mph

This will be moderately paced ride taking in Pitsford, Ravensthorpe, Hollowell reservoirs and Guilsborough for coffee stop (18 m). Then on to Daventry Country Park and reservoir before the lunch stop. (33m) before a shortish section (12 m) back to Northampton.

 
I’m on 07867388592
Phil Letts

Ride to Crick – Saturday 10th November

Philip Gray is leading this ride and writes:

This Saturday we have two rides to choose from, both heading to the Timeless Tea Rooms, Crick.

The Brisk ride is 39 miles via Guilsborough, Cold Ashby and Stanford to Crick, back via Welton. There are some short climbs at the start and finish, with a flatter middle section.

The Moderate ride is slightly shorter (36 miles) and misses out Stanford, giving a fighting chance of making the Tea Rooms ahead of the Brisk.

You can see and download routes at

Brisk

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26928316

Moderate

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26928337

The current forecast is a dry, mild (11 degrees) day with sunny intervals and moderate breeze from SSE.

We meet at 9.30 am at the Brampton Valley Way, NN6 8AA.

It’s always helpful to know who’s coming, especially if you’re not a regular rider, so let me know if you have time please.

Hope to see some of you there.

Philip

 

 

 

 

Ride report – Sunday 4th November

James Holden led this ride and writes:

 
Given the murky forecast I arrived at Moulton fully expecting no one else to turn up for this weekend’s ride, which was to the Mint & Ginger café at Tur Langton in Leicestershire. It was a surprise, then, to find five other foolhardy individuals waiting ready, willing and able. In view of the drizzly conditions we made a plan to cycle out to Harrington and then reassess our ride options: to carry on to Tur Langton or – if the rain hadn’t eased off – to divert towards the World Peace Café for coffee and a shorter, albeit drier ride.

By the time we arrived at Harrington the conditions were more clement and we opted to continue with the original route, proceeding through Desborough, Stoke Albany, Welham, etc., whilst all the time enjoying some lovely fast stretches of road and some less lovely hills. Unfortunately, it turned out that I’d made a beginner’s error with the weather, since I hadn’t looked at the predicted forecast for Leicestershire, only Northants… If I had then the downpour that began as we hit Cranoe wouldn’t have come as such an unwelcome surprise. Cold and drenched we eventually arrived at our destination and the welcome sight of coffee, cake and a working radiator. I think this was probably the first time we’d used the Mint & Ginger – it was my first visit – and everything was excellent. It’s also clearly popular with cyclists: another club from Leicestershire turned up after us and took up the remaining seats.

Our journey back was a mixture of landscapes: pretty villages, rolling fields and the desolate expanse of HMP Gartree. We cycled through Lubenham, up the twisty climb at East Farndon and then on to Great Oxendon, where after crossing the Harborough road we linked up with our outward route again and – once the hill at Harrington was out of the way – soon arrived back at Moulton: damp, cold and tired but having enjoyed the ride, nonetheless. Thanks to Phil J, Vicky, Hartley, Brian and John for turning up – hopefully we can do the route again next summer!

 

Ride to Tur Langton – Sunday 4th November

James H is leading this ride and writes:

Start time:  9.30 a.m.

Meeting point:  Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB

Distance:  56 miles

Refreshment stop:  Mint & Ginger

Pace:  Steady average speed 13mph

 
This Sunday’s steady ride is a gentle 56 miler taking us to Tur Langton in Leicestershire where we’ll stop for a coffee and cake at the Mint & Ginger. We’ll head out from Moulton in the direction of Harrington and then skirt Desborough as we ride on to Stoke Albany – familiar to anyone who’s cycled out to Cafe Ventoux with CTC. Undulating roads will then take us on through Weston by Welland, Welham, Cranoe and finally Tur Langton.

The route back will take us through two of the other Langtons – Church and Thorpe, respectively – giving us the chance to tick off two more obscure Leicestershire hamlets from our checklist of places we never knew existed and won’t visit again.  We’ll then find ourselves on more familiar territory as we cycle through Great Bowden, Lubenham and East Farndon. It’s then Great Oxendon, Arthingworth and HarrIngton where we’ll join up with our outward route once more as we head back to Moulton.

Sunday’s forecast is for light cloud and a gentle breeze – no prospect of rain, fortunately. The route itself is as flat as a pancake, albeit a pancake with a few lumps in it. Still, this is balanced out by some nice straight sections and flowing descents where we’ll all enjoy the benefits of the tailwind that will track us throughout, no doubt.