Many of you will realise that I plan my weekends quite thoroughly so I can fit the most into them!
This weekend was planned to have Chain Gang Saturday morning, followed by walk, followed by bike maintenance...
Today was supposed to be leisure ride..The cycle club news letter said... "The Leisure Ride will be heading out to Woodborough via Roundway (45 Miles). Meet 9:30am at the Herman Miller Roundabout", Then back home for lunch, followed by a quick ride on the Hybrid to make sure it was all working ok...
Then late last night all plans were blown out of the water David Else sent me an email...
"I missed the chain gang this morning so I’m going out for about 4 or 5 hours on Sunday morning. Jacqui is coming too.
I know it’s late notice, but care to join us?
8.30am at Jacqui’s house
8.45 at the Cemetery
Direction Hungerford and the vale of Pewsey
Wind behind on the way back!
Well that was it...plan changed! I found myself getting up at 8 am.....It was a tadge on the chilly side!
| 0700 |  | -5.4 | °C | NE | 9 | mph | 16 | km | 1034 hPa, Rising |
The bike did look nice in the early morning sun :-)
I didn't have to long to wait before David and Jacqui appeared, and then we were off :-)
I had no idea how far we were going ...just 4-5 hours. I guessed that would be about 80 miles...
David said down the A4 to just past Hungerford to a place called Halfway then options for the return, either through Pewsey vale or Savernake.
The ride down the A4 started pleasant enough, if not a little cold! There was minimal traffic and the headwind did not cause to much difficulty, but as we passed Marlbourough heading towards Hungerford the A4 gets wider and faster, the traffic started to get annoying and there was a constant dust of salt being picked up by the speeding traffic.
It was quite a relief to pull off the A4, we headed down some fantastic little lanes, following the NCR4 route.
There was a Kayak race on the Kennet and Avon canal heading in the opposite direction to us (From Pewsey to Newbury), the only issue it caused us was the large number of support vehicles parked up and heading towards us.
When we got to Great Bedwyn the decision was made, we would head on to the Vale of Pewsey and to Woodborough to see if we could meet up with the leisure ride :-)
We cycled through Crofton, a place I haven't been to since a Primary school field trip I did when I was about 10, I have been contemplating for a long time why the beam engine that supplies the water for Caen Hill locks was built so far away from them....Obvious when you are there!! Its at the highest point of the Canal AND the river and Canal are alongside each other.
It was a really fast ride along the B3067 from Burbage to Pewsey, the tail wind was great :-)
At Pewsey we turned back across country to Woodborough, I suggested to David that we stop for a Bacon Sandwich and a cuppa, he wrinkled his brow and said 'no' and words like 'you don't want that'......Yes I did! I tried the puppy dog sad eyes, but the cool looking sunglasses I had on were hiding my eyes..so it didn't work.
A few moments later Jacqui suggested stopping for a cuppa......and it was a done deal....2 against 1 :-)
As we pulled into the Woodborough Nursery Cafe the leisure ride slow group were still there, we sat out side in the warm winter sun and I had a nice pot of tea and a Bacon Sarnie :-) The slow group set of as we were still eating and drinking....
We decided to follow the same route as the leisure ride back to Chippenham, through to Alton Barnes then Bishops Cannings past the Golf Course then Stockley, Headingtonm Sandy Lane...David and Jacqui were then going to Lacock and west side of Chippenham, I decided to head straight back to Chippenham in the hope of meeting wifey before she headed out for the afternoon.
We caught up and overtook the leisure group just past Bishops Cannings :-)
As I hadn't stopped to take any photos at all, I stopped at the top of Sandy Lane after David and Jacqui left me to take a photo of the now nice and warm almost summer day!
I arrived back home at just gone 2, just in time to spend 10-15 minutes with wifey before she headed out for the afternoon.
The Garmin had the ride as 79.42 miles in 4 hours 56 minutes with an average speed of 16.1 mph, route here...
Not a bad pace considering the temperature and the wind...
| 1000 | | -0.1 | °C | NNE | 9 | mph | 25 | km | 1034 hPa, Rising | ||
| 1100 | | 1.1 | °C | ENE | 14 | mph | 30 | km | 1034 hPa, Rising | ||
| 1200 | | 2.1 | °C | ENE | 13 | mph | 35 | km | 1034 hPa, Falling | ||
| 1300 | | 2.6 | °C | ENE | 11 | mph | 40 | km | 1033 hPa, Falling | ||
| 1400 | | 3.3 | °C | ENE | 11 | mph | 40 | km | 1033 hPa, Falling |
I REALLY enjoyed the ride, it was great company and a great pace :-) Thank you David and Jacqui for inviting me....
When I got home I realised that I dropped a bar end somewhere on the route :-( So I ordered some new bar tape and ends from Wiggle when I got home.....I have been thinking about a bar end mirror for some time so I indulged in one of them as well :-)
I had a short rest, a cider, a banana and a cream egg, then thought what shall I do now???? I am home alone???
So I dragged the Hybrid out for a quick ride, I intended to cycle along the Wilts Berks Canal Path to Lacock and back....
But when I got to the rural start this was posted on a gate.....
I thought I would head along the path anyway to see how far you could get, and to see if there was an alternative on route...
It was still a lovely day and the path looked still well used.
Then as you get about 3 miles down the path you end up at...
They really dont want you to cross it!!!
Barbed wire coiled all around it.....
A real shame as it was a fantastic NO traffic route to Lacock that was used by an awful lot of people, I even managed to get wifey to enjoy cycling it during the summer....I see NO attempt at re-routing or re-opening it......the cycle route just stops......then re-starts in Lacock.
So I turned around and headed back home again...
The Garmin had the ride as 5.64 miles in 34 minutes....route here...
A real shame one of my favourite and most scenic routes, just goes nowhere and stops, I think I may contact, Wiltshire council, Sustrans and CTC and complain!
I wonder if most of my anger/upset it nostalgia this route was where I started re-inventing myself.....I remember this tree being struck by Lightening...
I also had plans for summer evenings in Lacock with wifey.......I am sure sustrans and cycling is just ticks in boxes for councils....they actually don't really give a toss!
10 comments:
Best laid plans and all that, but it sounds like a great alternative to what you had planned.
Def register your complaint about the cycle path. Otherwise the bastards will think they can get away with it.
Do you have a GPX of the NCN5 route that you could send me? Looks like I should be able to join you, just not sure whereabouts I'll join you.
nice report John. glad my pace suites you :-)
Re your thwarted Lacock route - to be fair to Sustrans, it's not them that closed the path. It was a permissive path across somebody's land (not a right of way), and the landowner is allowed to shut it - even if it's annoying for all the thousands of cyclists that enjoyed this route.
From info@sustrans.org.uk
The previous post is correct in that the final section of the route was permissive and we have been working for several years to get a permanent path open. We're working with Wiltshire Council on this and they are keen to find a solution. However it is going to take time because of land ownership issues. In the meantime it does help to bring your interest in the route to the attention of the council (countryside@wiltshire.gov.uk). If demand for the route is made clear there is a greater likelihood of a new path being funded.
Can I have a GPX of the NCR 5 too please.
A lot of the paths around here are bloked for one reason or another.
@Rafe & Red....The planned routes are...
Day 1...http://ridewithgps.com/routes/36984
Day 2...http://ridewithgps.com/routes/36991
Day 3...http://ridewithgps.com/routes/36989
Day 4...http://ridewithgps.com/routes/36995
Although Day 4 may be subject to a bit of change. I currently have us running down a major bit of road at one point :-(
@Sustrans...Thank you for taking some time out today to talk to me Alistair, it was much appreciated. I will ensure that the demand for the route is made clear to Wiltshire CC :-)
@Red..Did you not receive my email??? I sent you the runwithgps links and the hotels???
I go the email but there are no links or attachments to the ridewithgps files that I can see.
I'm planning on meeting you at the Commfarmmotel, riding with you to the Mountainpark hotel then shooting straight back from Holyhead
@Red....cool...I am really looking forwards to it now :-) Lets hope it warms up a bit in the next month!
Looking forward to riding out with you again John, should still be good to meet you in Didcot and ride upto North Oxford with you, hopefully going to check out that route Sunday morning, will report back to you! Thats hoping that the bike is working again as she is a little poorly :(
@Matt...I will be interested to hear what the route is like!
I hope the bike isn't to sick....
Post a Comment