A first for the club – a 100 mile ride to test Windmiller’s mettle. The route, meticulously planned by Graham, started and finished at his home in Ickleton. It provided 3 new coffee stops together with intermediate-length rides that gave easy access to trains to return home. The route also cunningly got the hills out of the way before the first coffee stop, whilst our legs were fresh.
On top of that, to spur everyone on their way, Graham provided what, for some, was a second breakfast – tea, coffee, sausage or bacon and egg rolls; and Ken came to wave us off and provide moral support.
At 08.40 eight now-satiated riders started: Graham, Ric, Jeremy, Alan and Victor who planned ‘to go all the way’; Martin W, Keith and Paul who planned to do the first section of the route, to La Hogue farm shop.
The day was fine, the sun was hot and, mindful of the distance, the initial pace was gentle. There were also stops to remove layers and Keith had a couple of nasty chain-offs. At the second of these Graham, Ric, Jeremy, Alan and Victor had to press on, leaving Martin and Paul to help Keith restore his mechanicals. They caught up at La Hogue, where Charles, bless him, had brought his car to give lifts home. What a star!
After that, for the remainers, it was pancake flat all the way to Welney Wetlands centre. A SW breeze helped us cruise easily through Chippenham, Isleham and Prickwillow before riding along Bank beside the River Ouse on Branch Bank to Littleport and then on 10 Mile Bank towards Welney. People say they love the “big horizons” of the Fens. And indeed it is lovely on a sunny day. But there’s little tree or hedge cover and it must be bleak in winter!
Welney Wetlands covers 1,000 acres of the northernmost part of the Ouse Washes. It is Britain’s largest area of seasonally-flooded land. In winter, thousands of wild ducks, swans and geese gather here. It is one of several wetlands being developed in the Fens, including Wicken, Lakenheath, Chippenham Fens and will be soon joined by ‘The Great Fen’. A visitor centre at Welney was opened in 2006 and, importantly, includes a café where we could take our lunch.
Coming back, that pesky SW breeze opposed us, but taking the front in rotation gave surprisingly effective shelter most of the time. The Hundred Foot Bank beside New Bedford River took us to Pymoor. Then, with the wind turning to W, a bit of jiggling about on winding fen roads took us to Coveney, Wentworth and final coffee stop at Twenty Pence Garden Centre, Wilburton. If anything, our pace increased as we headed for home via Cottenham, Oakington, Madingley, Comberton and Harston. Back at 18.15 with no more mechanicals, no dramas, having just had a great ride.
Post-ride, Maurice and David joined Graham, Julia, Victor and Alan for a celebratory dinner at The Red Lion, Hinxton.
With thanks to Victor for this blog and added kudos for having ridden to and from the start / end. Thanks to Maurice for his generous donation to the club’s charity collection.
The Windmill Cycle Club 