Category: Madingley Hall

To the manner born

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.

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.

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.

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 pic

Brian

Café 19 Duxford Madingley Hall

Dino Dung

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 . . .

Plenty 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.

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.

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.

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.

Tags Windmill cycling club

Madingley Hall Three Horseshoes, Stapleford

Two down in Stapleford

Ready for the off; Windmillers brightening up a dull morning in Stapleford

We’ve had our fair share of tumbles over the years, and of varying degrees of severity ranging from the mildest (witness: The Alan & Roger Tango and The Simon Roll) to the more serious Full Hazel, which required a visit to A&E. And to my knowledge, there’s only one Windmiller who ever broke bone, our dear departed friend, John Tarrington, though I hasten to say his final departure had nothing to do with his tumble.

So it came as a relief when Chris and Brian were seen to pick themselves up having quite independently come to grief on the same patch of spilt diesel, just 50 yards short of our lunch venue, The Three Horseshoes in Stapleford. Happily, both riders, despite some bruises and torn cyclewear, responded well to treatment, ie a pint in the pub.

Tumbles aside, it was a good outing; Brian leading the way around a 30 mile circuit via Cambridge to Madingley Hall and back. This was our first visit to the 16th century Hall, though not a propitious one, as we gave up waiting for coffee and cake, pressing on instead to Coton Orchard Garden Centre for some 21st century service.

In all, thirteen Windmillers – Alan, Andrew, Brian, Charles, Chris, Deborah, Iain, Jenni, Martin B, Ric, Rod, Sandra and Victor – completed the ride and eleven of ’em didn’t fall off. And finally, we were delighted to see Maurice joining us for lunch.

Brian

30 miles anticlockwise: Stapleford, Cambridge, Oakington, Bar Hill, Dry Drayton, Madingley, Coton, Grantchester, Trumpington Meadows, Hauxton, Shelford, Stapleford

Tags stapleford