Ride to Staverton – Sunday 17th December

Phil Johnson is leading this ride and writes:

Start time  9.30 a.m.
Meeting point  Hunsbury Hill Library, Overslade Close, East Hunsbury, NN4 0RZ
Distance  47 miles
Refreshment stop  The Skylark Cafe at Staverton at 27 miles.
Pace  Steady
Time Expected Back  Around 2.30pm

This ride is 47 miles, along pleasant roads to the west of Northampton, at a steady pace of around 12 to 13mph.

Starting off at East Hunsbury, we will ride to Milton Malsor, on to Tiffield and then to Caldecote.  We will need to follow the path running beside the busy (and noisy) A5 for a short distance before crossing it at Duncote and back onto more bike friendly roads.

The ride will then continue east past Caswell, Millford, Little Preston and Woodford Halse before turning north just past Byfield.  From there we will ride to our refreshment stop at Staverton, arriving, hopefully, before 12.00.

Suitably refreshed, it’s a pleasant ride to the long climb at Everdon, the point at which any of us that were tempted by the all day breakfast may regret their decision.  We then continue on the final leg through Upper Stowe, Nether Heyford, Bugbrooke, Kislingbury and back to the start at East Hunsbury via Rothersthorpe.

Most of the roads are pleasant country roads with a few ups and downs, but with only one challenging climb.  We are likely to return around 2.30 p.m., possibly earlier, but please remember to bring lights.

We look forward to welcoming all riders, and especially any new riders who may wish to join the ride.

Finally, sorry for any confusion about the ride leader – Phil Johnson has kindly volunteered to step in and lead the ride instead of Peter Bayles.  Feel free to contact either Phil (07927 377191) or Peter (07979 850096) for any questions.

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Ride Report (or rather, Lunch Report) – Sunday 10th December

Brian, our Secretary, writes this report on our Christmas lunch at Stoke Bruerne:

Well, the snow came (about four inches of it) as forecast and at 9.00 a.m. the texts and phone calls were flowing with plans for the morning.  Were we riding to “The Navigation” or not?  The hard men went out on their bikes to test the snow, Peter on his knoblies and Alex with a cunning plan to ride to the lunch venue along the canal, complete with wet suit and snorkel just in case it was quicker in the canal.  However, it was the wrong kind of snow and sanity reigned and we grouped up in cars!

Unfortunately a few in the west found too many cars blocking the roads whilst those of us in the east were lucky to have the roads to ourselves.  Once onto the A45 and A508 it was plain sailing to The Navigation.  Ten of us made it from Northampton and six from Milton Keynes.  We almost had the place to ourselves as the expected 130 other customers that day did not turn up!

The meal was very good as was the company and I think we were glad to have made the effort.

Thanks to Mike Harris (CTC Milton Keynes) and Philip Gray (CTC Northampton) for organising the lunch and reminding us what food we had ordered!

Ride Report – Saturday 9th December

Milton led this pair of rides on Saturday morning.  (He also checked out the first few miles of the routes earlier in the morning because it had been particularly cold overnight – dedication!)  He writes:

The weather promised cold and ice and slippy roads and offered, in the end, only a bit of a chill.  The roads were free of frost and ice and mostly dry and the sun shone almost all the time.  It was on the cool side, but only the wimps stayed at home  ….  that means most of you of course!

Six of us met up at the Canoe Centre and three of the six were new to us and one of the remainder was a rare(ish) visitor, Geoff (surely we stop for coffee every 5 miles) which left only Giles and myself from the usual club riff raff.

Giles and John C took the 38-mile brisk option and from Salcey headed west to Hartwell before taking the road to Castlethorpe, Haversham and Litttle Linford and then turning north to reach Olney arriving about 10 minutes after the 31-mile moderate group who had got there via Stoke Goldington, Ravenstone and Weston Underwood.  Fine scones and maple-syruped pancakes were enjoyed alongside scrambled egg with smoked salmon and toasted teacakes before a quick visit to the adjacent bike shop – Pedalz – where Nigel G nearly cracked and bought a bike, and we were off home via Yardley Hastings, Castle Ashby and Cogenhoe.

Good cycling, good weather, good food and excellent company meant yet another Saturday morning well spent.

Morning rides to Olney – Saturday 9th December

Milton is leading Saturday morning’s rides – two groups (brisk and moderate) – and writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Canoe Centre, Bedford Road, NN4 7AA.  (The Canoe Centre will probably be open all day on Saturday but, if it’s not, your car will get trapped behind the car park barriers.  Better to park just outside where there is lots of space!)
Distance: Brisk 38 miles / Moderate 31 miles
Refreshments: Courtyard Brasserie, Olney (23 miles / 16 miles)
Return by: 1.00 p.m. – 1.30 p.m.

The difference in length for the two groups is all on the outward journey to Olney.  At about twenty-three miles for the brisk group and sixteen for the moderate group, the opportunity for a perfectly synchronised meeting at the Courtyard Brasserie depends on the Brisks showing some real pace.

Both groups set off up the hill through Great Houghton, Preston Deanery and Quinton before passing the Salcey Café.  Whilst the Brisks turn right into Hartwell and on through Hanslope, Castlethorpe and Haversham, the Moderates continue through the forest and on to Stoke Goldington before turning up through Ravenstone and Weston Underwood to Olney.  Meantime the Brisks (hopelessly knackered by now)  are heading through Little Linford, Tyringham and Filgrave before getting to Olney via the A509.  (Oh stop moaning, it’s only a mile downhill and there’s a perfectly good cyclepath for most of the way!).

After coffee and whatever together, it’s an attractive return through Yardley Hastings, Castle Ashby, Cogenhoe and Little Houghton to the Canoe Centre. We ought to make it back for lunchish  –  say between 1.00 p.m. and 1.30 p.m.

It’ll be a lovely warm, dry, sunny day with little breeze (don’t fact-check that!) and I look forward to your company.

Questions?  Milton is on 07845 967537.

Sunday 19th November – Ride to Woodford Mill

Milton is leading this ride and writes:

Start time  9.30 a.m.
Meeting point Moulton Co-op (Stocks Hill, NN3 7TB)
Distance 45 miles
Refreshment stop Woodford Mill (23 miles)
Pace Steady

This is only 45 miles, which we will take at no more than a steady pace (somewhere in the 12 – 14 m.p.h. range) to a fine coffee stop on the river at Ringstead where, as the sun will be shining and only the slightest breeze will be blowing, we will sit overlooking the river in style.  It’s not an especially hilly route either.

From Moulton we head to Sywell, Mears Ashby, Wilby and cross the river to Wollaston. Then it’s Wymington, Newton Bromsgrove, Caldecott and Chelveston.  We skirt the western edges of Raunds and cross the A45, before going through Ringstead towards the river and our coffee stop at the Mill.

Home is through Great Addington, The Cranfords, St Andrew and St John and then south through Burton Latimer.  We toy with the edges of Finedon before turning west along one of my favourite roads, The Slips.  To the Harrowdens, Mears Ashby, Sywell again and then home to Moulton.

We ought to be back by mid-afternoon, say 3 p.m. at the latest.  It could easily be by 2 p.m.

It’ll be good to see you.

Ride to Barby & Everdon, Sunday 29th October

James who is leading this ride writes:

Start time: 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point: Brampton Valley Way (BVW) / Welford Road Crossing, NN6 8AA.  There is a BVW car park a little way up Brampton Lane.
Distance: 52 miles
Refreshment stops: Barby Garden Centre (16 miles), Plough Inn, Everdon (34 miles)
Pace: Steady

This Sunday’s steady ride is taken from the Macsporran archive.  Whilst the great man himself is (sadly) unable to join us, the route he’s plotted is fun, very scenic and – if Tuesday’s recce is anything to go by – full of surprises.

Starting off from Brampton Valley Way, we’ll head out towards Norton via Great Brington and Whilton.  Once in Norton we then take a delightfully quiet, albeit ‘agricultural’ lane in the direction of our first coffee stop: Barby Garden Centre (16 miles).  Suitably refreshed, we’ll continue on through Willoughby and Priors Marston, where we’ll be greeted by a short – but rather sharp – climb, which will strain the lungs and legs of even the fittest among us.  Heading on towards Badby and then Everdon, we’ll again be on some very quiet lanes populated by wandering hens, lost sheep and the occasional duck pond.

Our lunch stop will at be The Plough Inn in Everdon. It’s a very welcoming place, popular with other cyclists and walkers, and serves a varied menu including an impressive array of local ales and, err, gins.  It’s quite a quirky joint with its own junk/bric a brac shop in the garden, where the range of sailor’s hats, ancient sheepskin coats and old brogues – all at very reasonable prices – is sure to satisfy the most discerning of CTC members.

The final stage of our journey sees us heading us back to Northampton via Nether Heyford, Bugbrooke and Harlestone.

At the risk of overselling it, I’ll repeat that this is a really nice route – not too demanding -with some lovely picturesque sections.  Whilst there are a few steep(ish) areas, it’s fair to say its undulating rather than hilly with a total distance around the 52 mile mark.

More details from James on 07841 933046.

Saturday 7th October – Morning rides to Loddington & Wellingborough

Phil L has planned these rides and writes:

Start time 9.30 a.m.
Meeting point Canoe Centre
Length 44 miles (brisk); 40 miles (moderate)

Riding out via Sywell, Old, Loddington, Orlingbury and Irthlingborough to Wellingborough Pumphouse for coffee.

Returning via Wollaston, Grendon and Cogenhoe. Brian will be leading the shorter moderate ride.

Any questions? Phil is on 07867388592