Who knew, eh, that when it’s a leap year the longest day falls not on 21st but on 20th June? Maybe we knew this four years ago but, being in our dotage, we were surprised by it all over again. Such were the imponderables discussed over a summer solstice lunch at Café 19 following our outing to Madingley Hall.
On the terrace at Madingley Hall
In 1861 Queen Victoria rented Madingley Hall as a residence for her son, Edward, Prince of Wales, while he studied at Cambridge; I only wish my university digs had been as palatial. That said, Edward’s stay was brief and his departure sudden, due to the sudden and unexpected death of his father, Prince Albert.
Simon, aka Champagne Charlie
Speaking of toffs, back in Duxford, while us plain folk were quaffing beer, Simon was to be seen sipping champagne. In truth, it may have only been Prosecco but, nevertheless, it was clear evidence of a class divide in the peloton. And we hear Simon’s staff, among them Maurice and Brian, had earlier fixed his puncture. To the manner born, eh?
Brian’s beer and burger. Common or what?
Punctures aside, we had enjoyed a splendid ride around the quiet lanes west of Cambridge, followed by an excellent lunch in Duxford. Moreover, it was Geoff’s birthday and he very obligingly bought the drinks.
Happy birthday, Geoff
For the record the turnout was: Alan, Brian, Charles, Geoff, Jeremy, Keith, MartinB, Maurice, Neil, Nigel, Ric, Roger, Simon.
Our thanks go to Jeremy for planning and leading the ride, and to Geoff for the beers, not to mention the fizzy wine.
The obligatory windmill-in-the-background pic32 miles clockwise from Duxford
Thursday saw Jeremy leading some eighteen Windmillers out of Duxford headed for Cambridge. Along the way some of us popped in to look at Jesus Green Lido which only the previous day had celebrated its centenary. Alongside the River Cam in central Cambridge and open all year round, the unheated (brrr!) pool is 100-yard long and, together with Tooting Bec Lido in London, it shares the accolade of being the longest pool in the UK. Regulars pride themselves on year round, daily dips, many donning wetsuits in winter.
Cambridge Lido . . .
. . . celebrates its centenary, with a little help from Hazel
From there we pedalled off along the Cam towpath pulling in some five miles further up river for refreshment at Grounds Café in Milton Country Park.
Returning through Cambridge, weaving through the tourists thronging Trinity Street and the colleges, we headed back via Grantchester, Hauxton and Whittlesford to Duxford and a well earned lunch at Café 19.
We had a bumper turnout: Alan, Brian, Charles, Hazel, Geoff, Howard, Iain, Jenni, Jeremy, Ken, MartinB, MartinW, Paul, Ric, Rod, Roger, Sandra and Victor – and we were delighted to see Maurice joining us for lunch.
Our thanks go to Jeremy for organising another excellent outing.
Many’s the time we have cycled across Trumpington Meadows oblivious to the dinosaur dung. Yes, really. Coprolite is the fossilised faeces of animals that lived millions of years ago and it was mined here in Cambridgeshire for use as fertiliser right up to the First World War. Admittedly, the Trumpington deposits are now thought to comprise mostly other organic material, but there’s plenty of real dinosaur poo elsewhere in the county.
Trumpington Meadows’ coprolite mine in 1914 . . .. . . and how it looks nowPlenty more fossils to be seen on Trumpington Meadows
But enough of pre-history, how about something more recent, like Madingley Hall, the picturesque 16th century pile where we pulled up for coffee on Thursday’s ride.
Idling away the time at Madingley Hall
It’s a lovely place but, boy, is the service slow. We must have spent an hour there, though that did include a brief foray into the magnificent walled garden where Gareth took this splendid picture.
Gareth’s botanical study
Back at Café 19 in Duxford, Ric, top chap, announced it was his birthday and bought us all a beer. We didn’t ask his age but there’s a clue in that 1970s hairstyle.
Lunch at Duxford’s Café 19Happy birthday, Ric
For the record our peloton comprised: Alan, Andrew, Brian, Gareth, Geoff, Howard, Iain, Jenni, Jeremy, MartinB, Paul, Ric. Rod, Roger and Simon; Victor joining us for lunch.
Thanks again to Ric; that was a big round!
Thanks, also, to Jeremy for planning and leading another splendid outing.
Jeremy’s route; a 33 mile circuit clockwise from Duxford
Brian
PS: If fossilised poo is your thing you’ll love this, but maybe not before dinner.
Café 19, so named after the no. 19 Spitfire Squadron* based at Duxford during the war, was once again the starting point for Thursday’s ride. This time however, not only were we booked in for lunch afterwards, but Martin had also hired a meeting room and arranged a talk on local geography and history; more of which later.
Roger, Ric, Alan, MartinB and Charles at Cherry Hinton Hall
Jeremy’s plan had been for a largely off-road jaunt but, given the overnight rain, he wisely opted for a mud-free, tarmacked circuit instead. So it was that twelve** Windmillers set out from Duxford heading for Hinxton and thence Ickleton, Fowlmere, Shelford, Cherry Hinton and Fulbourn.
Cresting the Gog Magog Hills south of Cambridge
Pulling in for refreshments at Stapleford Granary, we were warmly welcomed and treated to free coffee; this as recompense for our last visit a month ago when it took nearly an hour for everyone to get served. Andrew’s subsequent complaint to the management seemed to work wonders. It probably helped that Lindsey, his better half, has a business elsewhere on the premises.
Coffee on the terrace at Stapleford Granary
Sipping coffee and munching cake on the terrace, we reminisced about our first visit five years ago which was notable for Andrew touring the arts centre and concert hall – and playing some thundering chords on the Steinway grand. This got the management’s attention (Lindsey again) and he was firmly asked to vacate the piano stool and shoo.
Refreshed, our 12-strong** peloton set off on the return leg via Great Shelford and Whittlesford, back to Duxford where we were delighted to be joined by Maurice, Ken and Victor – the latter having taken an unfortunate tumble from his bike and needing a little attention to his abrasions. Glad to say, nothing was broken.
A 33 mile figure of eight route from Duxford
After an excellent lunch, we listened to a very interesting presentation given by Ken McDonald, Secretary of the Hundred Parishes Society. The society celebrates and promotes our home patch, a region of some 450 square miles ranging across northwest Essex, northeast Hertfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire. Largely unspoilt and richly endowed with some of England’s finest villages and rural heritage, few people, indeed not that many of its inhabitants, know much about the area, maybe because it has never been accorded a name – until now. Coined by the Society, the new name reflects the fact that the area comprises some one hundred administrative parishes.
Ken, assisted by his Janice, his wife, gave an excellent talk, all the more enjoyable as it referenced many of the places we visit on Windmill Club outings.
Our thanks go to Jeremy for planning and leading the ride, Martin for arranging the talk and, of course, Ken and Janice McDonald for a very enlightening and enjoyable presentation.
Brian
*No. 19 Squadron was stationed at RAF Duxford from September 1939.Notable among its pilots was Douglas Bader who was posted to the squadron in February 1940. Later that year the squadron provided air cover over the Dunkirk beaches and subsequently fought in the Battle of Britain.
**The twelve Windmillers were: Alan, Andrew, Brian, Charles, Deborah, Howard, Jeremy, MartinB, Nigel, Ric, Rod and Roger.
It isn’t often that we lunch in a café rather than a pub. Indeed, it is almost a year to the day since our outing to Ely when we last ordered lunch from a barista rather than a barman.
So quite understandably, there was some consternation in the peloton when Jeremy announced we would be lunching at Duxford’s Café 19. Would they tolerate our alehouse manners? Might Simon’s eccentric tearoom etiquette raise eyebrows? And, let’s not beat around the bush here, did they serve beer?
We needn’t have worried, not only did Café 19 serve up an excellent lunch, but they made us feel most welcome and we were warmly invited to return. What’s more, there was a decent selection of bottled beers on offer – and Simon was on his best behaviour.
Thanks to Jeremy we had enjoyed an excellent outing, riding once more through the Abington Land Settlements, climbing the stiff hill up to Balsham – where we stopped for coffee at The Old Butchers – before heading back down the hill towards Sawston and returning to Duxford.
Coffee at Balsham’s Old Butchers
Jeremy lost us only once – which puts him on a par with Maurice – but otherwise managed to get us all back safely and on time. Top chap!
Completing the 30 mile circuit were: Andrew, Brian, Chris, Deborah, Geoff, Graham, Jenni, Jeremy, Ken, Ric, Rod, Roger, Simon and Victor.
Graham, Victor and Roger cresting the hill at LintonSimon . . .. . . and Geoff at Linton water tower . . .. . . closely followed by Ken and Andrew, feeling the burnJeremy’s wiggly route, some 30 miles in all, taking in Duxford, Whittlesford, Sawston, Pampisford, Linton, Balsham, Great Abington, Babraham, Sawston and Shelford
The Windmill Cycle Club 
