Ride to Weldon, Sunday 4th July

Giles is leading the ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: 58 miles
Refreshment Stop: The Good Bean Café, Priors Hall Park, Weldon
Pace: Steady 13 mph, to suit riders
Time Expected Back: Around 2.45 – 3.00 pm

Please confirm if you wish to join the ride by contacting Giles or replying to this email.

This Sunday’s ride is mainly through undulating country roads with a couple of short sharp climbs through Cottingham and Gretton to test the legs shortly before a well-earned refreshment stop at around 30 miles. The Good Bean Café offers great coffee and a small brunch menu on Sundays including a choice of American style pancakes, ideal for American Independence Day.

The route back to Moulton is less testing and shorter at around 28 miles. The full route can be found on the CTC website or follow the link below.

There is free parking close to the start in Barlow Lane, behind the Cardigan Arms pub (not in the pub car-park).

As usual, please pre-book the ride with me, so that we can best organise leaders.

Cheers – Giles

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35831284?privacy_code=G1ZXAePBQtksFZjX

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Rides to Sibbertoft & Thornby, Saturday 26th June

Peter B is leading the rides:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Brampton Valley Way, Welford Crossing, NN6 8AA
Distance: 37 or 30 mls
Refreshment Stop: World Peace Cafe at Thornby Buddhist Centre
Pace: Brisk 14 to 15 mph, Moderate around 11 to 12 mph, both to suit riders
Time Expected Back: Around 1.30pm

Please confirm if you wish to join the ride by contacting Peter, or replying to this email.

This Saturday’s ride is a little hilly, and there are quite a few potholes and broken road surfaces to navigate, but the many small (hopefully quiet) country roads and glorious countryside more than make that worthwhile.

Setting off from BVW at 9.30am, both routes ride through Long Buckby, West Haddon, Yelvertoft and Elkington.

At this point, the Moderates head directly for the coffee stop at Thornby via Cold Ashby at the 20 mile mark. The Brisk group have the pleasure of an additional seven miles and some extra hills before they reach the cafe. I’m guessing that the Moderates will be claiming the tables and enjoying the cake before the Brisk group get there this week.

Both groups take the same route back, taking the narrow lanes through Guilsborough and Teeton, back to the start.

There is free parking close to the start at Boughton Car Park, opposite the Windhover.

As usual, please pre-book the ride with me so that we can best organise leaders.

Cheers – Peter

Brisk Route Link:BVW_Naseby_37mls

Moderate Route Link:BVW_Naseby_30mls

Ride report, Sunday 20th June

PhilJ led this ride (well some of it) and writes:

An eventful day out for the group of riders who joined me on this rerouted ride to the outskirts of Banbury.
This included Brian Hill who I had the pleasure of riding with. Please make Brian feel welcome the next time you see him.  

BrianT had kindly sourced an alternative cafe as my usual stop was still closed due to the pandemic. The Barn Farm Garden Centre in Wardington just outside Banbury was our new destination and a perfect alternative it proved to be. The route down Banbury lane undulated to the A5, on to Canon’s Ashby, Moreton Pinkney and eventually Thorpe Mandeville whereupon BrianT took over navigation duties guiding us to the Barn Farm Cafe within the garden centre in the lovely village of Wardington.

Oxfordshire had welcomed us with some precipitation and then light showers so the cafe stop was most welcome. We secured some tables indoors and the delightful staff handled our considerable order with ease. 

Arriving back in Cropredy, famous for the Fairport Convention Folk Festival, put us back on the original route. IanM stopped for a photo opportunity at the road named ‘Cup and Saucer’.

Then the drama started to happen! A HS2 roadblock proved impossible to bypass so a diversion through Boddington was quickly hatched adding several miles to our original distance. IanM then got a puncture whilst the rest of us had already reached the next junction. Conveniently, the ‘Carpenters Arms’ junction. Whilst Alex and Miriam decided to self navigate their way home and I popped back to assist Ian, some of the group decided to take the opportunity to enjoy a ‘Hook Norton’ pint. 

Once refreshed we pressed on to West Farndon where the wind picked up over higher ground but the rain a distant memory. A testing hill towards Adstone had me cursing my own route but we crested it without too much trouble. Back at Eastcote more road closures easily cleared this time before the last few miles home. 

Thanks to BrianT for coming up with a great cafe stop at the last minute and all the navigators for getting us round the route.

Cheers 

PhilJ

Ride to Banbury, Sunday 20th June

PhilJ is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30am
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 54 miles
Refreshment Stop: M&S, Gateway Retail Park, Banbury
Average Pace ride: Steady

Next Sunday’s ride is a steady one down to Banbury. Unfortunately my regular cafe stop at the Hillier Garden centre won’t be open due to the pandemic so we’ll have to settle for M&S on the Gateway Retail Park on the way into the town. I’m sure the cafe is just as good if not better than the Hillier. It’s not just a cafe it’s an M&S cafe!

Before we get there it’s a fairly simple run down Banbury Lane, crossing the A5 at Foster’s Booth, passing Canon’s Ashby, Moreton Pinkney and on to Thorpe Mandeville at the end of the road. Chacombe then leads us onto some useful cycle paths which conveniently brings us out at the retail park. There’s a cycle park for us to use and stunning views of all the other retail outlets.

Once we’ve had our retail therapy, we’ll continue on the same route as planned which includes passing the Hillier a short time later. The centre of Banbury can get a bit busy but on the way out we do have more cycle paths to utilise up to Little Bourton which puts us firmly back on country lanes.

Great Bourton gets us to Cropredy which has street names like ‘Cup and Saucer’. Aston le Walls and West Farndon pave the way to Woodford Halse which then becomes quite familiar to most of you I’m sure.

As usual I’ll be winging it without any navigational aids and as it’s been a while it should be an interesting ride.

Please let me know if you’d like to join me by replying to this mail or on phjoh119@…

Thanks

PhilJ

Ride to Preston Capes, Saturday 12th June

PhilipG is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30am
Meeting point: Hunsbury Hill library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ
Distance: 36/41 miles
Refreshment Stop: Woodhouse Toad in Preston Capes
Average Pace ride: Moderate/Brisk

Next Saturday’s CTC rides take us via South Northamptonshire’s and Daventry’s rolling terrain to a new coffee stop. They also include a (hopefully) interesting detour towards the end. There are a couple of challenges/ risks to point out as well.

The coffee stop is Woodhouse Toad in Preston Capes. Good coffee and cake in a simple outdoor setting.

After that there is an interesting hill on each of the routes. There is also a detour to the lovely village of Church Stowe to see St Michael’s Church – only from outside as currently closed, but even that is worthwhile.

The route from there goes north-west along the A5 for one mile to the Nether Heyford turn. If you are not happy with this, you are welcome to either cut out Church Stowe and return via Upper Stowe and Bugbrooke, or you can visit both villages.

Routes below.

Moderate 36 miles https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36267962

Brisk 41 miles EH-Culworth-PCapes-41

Meet 9.30 am at Hunsbury Library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury NN4 0RZ.

As usual, you need to book, so please let me know if you want to attend, or have any questions.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Philip

Ride report, Sunday 6th June

Brian T led this ride and writes:

Four riders gathered at Moulton Coop including a new rider to the group Brian Hill. Two Brian’s and two John W’s  made introductions easy. Although it was a warm and sunny start, rain was forecast later in the morning.
We made it through Holcot and  Draughton to Harington before we had the first shower just as we dropped down and then up again to the first climb. John pointed out this was the first of five climbs. The next four followed on consecutively, mainly single track roads, traffic free but without much of a break on the flat. I had forgotten just how lumpy this section of the ride was and when looking at the digital maps found that the whole route had only 25% level riding (i.e. <2% gradient) .
However, the rain eased and for the rest of the day we were dry although the roads were wet as if we had just missed a shower.  

We arrived at The Milking Parlour Cafe at Wilbarston early, having set a brisk’ish pace. This was a new cafe to us and we had a warm welcome. Bikes were left in the courtyard where we also sat outside under an umbrella and enjoyed coffee and bacon sandwiches. The cakes looked good but we still had to ride home so we resisted although the owner kindly gave us some shortcakes just to finish off the meal and help us on our way. A cafe highly recommended.

The route back was even brisker (15+) and seemed relatively easy after the morning ride, or perhaps it was because we had spent over an hour in the cafe chatting. Anyway we made it back in the dry arriving at 2pm.  

Brian T 

Ride to Medbourne, Sunday 6th June

Brian is leading this ride and writes:

Start time: 9.30am
Meeting point: Moulton Co-op, Stocks Hill, Moulton, NN3 7TB
Distance: 43 miles
Refreshment Stop: The Milking Parlour Cafe at Wilbarston
Average Pace ride: 13mph

Option for longer route.

The ride goes out through Holcot, Draughton to Harrington. We then head due North on a very lumpy section often on single track roads (all metalled) in a series of climbs to be rewarded with long fast descents, especially in Dingley. To cross from one quiet lane to the next there are very short sections on main roads. At Weston by Welland we are in the valley for a flat respite then across to Ashley and down to Wilbarston for a coffee stop at The Milking Parlour Cafe at Wilbarston (seating and bike parking in the courtyard ).

https://www.facebook.com/MilkingParlour2020

From here it is a short ride back though the quiet lanes around Pipewell to Desborough and then back to Harrington, Walgrave and Moulton.

For those who would like to stretch their legs a little more there is an extended route through Medbourne.

More details from Brian on 01604 622073 or 07722 055149

Please remember to book with me either by email tunbridge21@gmail.com or via text. Depending on numbers we may need to ride in groups.

Please note this is a small change to the original Medbourne route because the Neville café has not opened yet.

See the web site www.ctc-northampton.org.uk for details of car parking at Moulton.

Two options 43miles steady pace, 49 miles for the longer one.

Here is the new primary 43mile route
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36200022

The longer route. 49 miles
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36200272

—
Brian Tunbridge
01604 622073
07722 055149