Trouble Abroad, but no Trouble at t’ Mill

A day of opposites for the windmill club today.

Iain is still interred in a hospital in Brittany after being very expertly and sympathetically treated by the French health system for a pulmonary embolism sustained during his, Alan and Martin’s cycle holiday. He is being treated considerably less sympathetically by his insurance company. As a consequence, Martin W has very kindly mounted a rescue mission involving a return trip to France to pick up both Iain and bike. He is probably somewhere Sous La Manche as we speak. We all hope the treatment went well, Iain, and chapeau to Martin.

Meanwhile, les stay-at-home rost beefs were enjoying a great little weather window of blue skies and light winds, which came sandwiched between last nights floods and this afternoon’s thunder storms. 14 riders took to the roads from outside the Red Lion, Great Sampford and, unusually, managed to split into two equal groups of riders.

Our first port of call was possibly a first visit to the beautifully restored Bragg’s Mill, overlooking Ashdon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bragg%27s_Mill,_Ashdon

Bragg’s Mill is a post mill with a single storey roundhouse. It has four patent sails carried on a wooden windshaft with a cast iron poll end. Two sails are double shuttered and two are single shuttered. Two pairs of millstones are driven, arranged Head and Tail. The mill is winded by tailpole. The mill is 10.36 m high to the roof.

Bragg’s Mill was built in 1757 and was renovated in the late 1950s. In July 2004, a grant of £46,900 was received from the Heritage Lottery Fund and new sails were fitted on 5 July 2006. “Viewing by donation”, apparently, so a possible for future windmill rides.

After the photo shoot and once again in two groups, we headed for coffee and cake at a very efficient Tarka’s cafe. Continued sunshine allowed coffee to be taken at the outside tables without any danger of a soaking, being blown away or hypothermia (or upsetting the rest of the more conventionally attired clientele).

Back on the bikes and back to the Red Lion via another possible Windmill first: the delightfully narrow and twisty eggshell lane.

No incidents ensured a prompt lunch. Two riders, Victor and Alan, were replaced at the table by two guest diners, Julia and Maurice. The pub’s excellent Italian themed cuisine once again came up to the high standard we’ve come to expect of this venue.

The lucky dry and slightly sun kissed riders were: Alan, Victor, Brian, Jeremy, Martin B, Paul, Simon, Graham, Roger, Ken, Gareth, Rodd, Andrew and Keith.