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‘Please die carefully’ was the unfriendly welcome we received twice in Chevington towards the end of this ride through Suffolk lanes. But on closer inspection some wag had carefully removed the r and v from both signs, which was a relief. Before that grim sign had been spotted a peloton of 9 Windmillers had enjoyed a glorious circuit of 38 miles from The Packhorse Inn at Moulton, devised once again by our leader Maurice, to take in some beautiful villages and quiet lanes. His faithful followers were Andrew, Ken, Keith, Brummie Brian, Brummie Chris (Brian’s guest for the day), Tom, Lawrence and Martin. Here is the route taken:

And here is a link to how it looked from the air:

https://www.relive.cc/view/1161290011  (thanks, Andrew).

It was one of those perfect days for a bike ride – a slight chill to start with,  but Maurice took care of that with a steep initial climb out of Moulton, followed by warm sunshine and no wind thereafter. What could be better? But en route we passed Calamity Corner from a previous ride when Andrew’s derailleur snapped off which required Tom’s skills to convert it rapidly to a fixie. Perhaps this route has a jinx on it as there were more calamities to come………………..

The feature stop was Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds, an extraordinary National Trust property set in hundreds of acres of parkland. Described by some as an overgrown folly and others as something from outer space, it is certainly unusual. Full details of its history are here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ickworth_House .

Brian also went to extraordinary David Bailey-type lengths to obtain a suitable pic of the gang in front of the folly:

Ickworth House and its walled garden

A quick circuit of the grounds meant it was time for coffee and so on we went to Maglia Rosso, a bike shop / café in the middle of nowhere but, as it happened, a perfect stop for Calamity No. 1 as Lawrence developed a puncture just 100 yards before we got there. So instead of getting his hands dirty the shop obliged and his bike was ready by the time we had finished our coffee.

Whizzing down the hill to Maglia Rosso meant having to climb back up again but the cakes kicked into gear and we were soon heading back to Moulton until Calamity No. 2 occurred when Brian’s cassette gear cable snapped leaving him with just 2 gears.

Thereafter, it was more or less straight back to Moulton via Chevington along this imaginatively named road

until we reached the familiar bridge over the non-existent river in Moulton (at least in September):

and received a warm welcome at The Packhorse where an excellent lunch was had by those who had the time to stay, which did not include Andrew – he had an appointment with an attractive Venezuelan dentist in Saffron Walden, who subsequently turned out to only have the qualifications of a butcher.

Thanks, Maurice for organising another great ride and to Andrew for getting us to the starting line on time.

Martin

Thursday morning saw the Windmillers on an excursion to the Suffolk Coast. There were eight of us in all – Maurice, Andrew, Sandra, Lawrence, John B, Ken, Keith and Brian – gathering in front of The Royal Oak at Laxfield, while Landlord Mike provided coffee and took our orders for lunch.

Maurice had planned a circular route to Aldeburgh and back, a reprise of the run we did last July, only this time in an anticlockwise direction.

Setting off for Snape, it was mostly downhill and – with the wind at our backs – we made good time on the outward leg. Along the way Sandra spotted a – very much alive and wriggling – snake in the road.

With the East Anglian harvest in full swing, it’s a matter of self preservation to pull over and let tractors pass safely. They seem to get ever bigger and quicker – and their drivers ever younger. We were overtaken by one, in particular, pulling a trailer full of red onions, many of which it distributed in the road ahead of us. That was another first for the Windmillers, dodging bouncing onions.

Leaving the road at Snape Maltings, Maurice led us on footpaths along the river and through the pines, an off road section of around five miles. Having done this in past years, we know to look out for the deep sand where it’s traditional for one of us to get stuck and fall off. Sure enough, this time it was Brian’s turn to take a tumble – though it was a soft landing, executed in some style.

Emerging from the pines and arriving in Aldeburgh, we pulled up at Maurice’s place on the High Street where he kindly provided coffee and croissants.

Then it was back on the bikes for the return leg – via Thorpeness, Leiston and Westleton – to Laxfield, a 20 mile run which we did non-stop and at quite a clip. We enjoyed a late lunch at the Royal Oak and Landlord Mike very kindly donated £10 to the Windmill Club charity. Cheers, Mike!

Thanks Maurice for planning another delightful outing and for hosting us at Shrimp Cottage.

And here’s a link to Andrew’s STRAVA recording of our route, with some more pictures.

This could be the name of the Windmill Club’s very own pub were it to ever venture into the licensed trade. Once again, a Monday evening ride took in both hostelries and, once again, the peloton met up with John B at The Bull prior to the ride back to The Pheasant. And a lovely summer’s evening it was too when Andrew, Sandra, Ken and Martin set off at 5.00pm for a circuit via Chrishall Grange, Duxford, Ickleton, Strethall, Littlebury, Duddenhoe End and the Langleys.

Ken, who generally does not ride on a Monday, was surprised at the speed of the peloton which we explained was all in the interest of generating a real thirst. It swept past Martin’s and Ken’s houses in Ickleton, and The Ickleton Lion, before storming up Coploe Hill before a brief breather in Strethall and a 34 mph descent from Littlebury Green.

Then it was up the steep hill to Duddenhoe End before another, longer, breather in The Bull.

Thereafter the peloton climbed the three hills as usual whilst John chose his preferred off-road route from Little Chishill, which gained some metres but lost some time.

It was getting dim as we returned to The Pheasant – signs of the evenings drawing in – but we sat down to plentiful helpings of goujons and chips, washed down with some fine beers.

Thanks, Andrew, for organising a great ride of 22.5 miles. Here is the route taken:

Thursday morning and the heavy overnight rains had left puddles in the car park of The Fox and Duck, Therfield. Early comers were passing the time counting the scrapes on Ken’s new car until he diverted us by demonstrating the retractable towbar. Cor! I want one of those.

Sandra had planned our route – some thirty miles around the lanes of North Herts. She was joined by Ken, Andrew, Vernon, Lawrence, Ric and the Brians, Brummie and Yorkshire;  eight Windmillers in all.

We set off past Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel (North Herts being too posh for a mere cattery) and headed southwards towards Sandon, on through Rushden and Weston before reaching Baldock, where we pulled in for a refreshment stop at Delizia, the Italian cafe in the middle of the town. Sitting outside in the sunshine, we were tempted by the proprietor’s suggestion of Aperol Spritz, but sensibly opted for coffee instead.

Back in the saddle, we headed for Ashwell and then back to Sandon where we stopped for a breather and photo opportunity on the green. With the wind at our back we sailed the last few miles back to Therfield to enjoy a well deserved pint and lunch on the benches in front of the Fox.

Thank you Sandra for organising everything, planning the route and leading us on a delightful ride.

With many away on holiday and the chance of a shower putting off the fair weather cyclists, only two started at The Pheasant, Maurice and Sandra. We set off in the direction of Elmdon, Strethall, Littlebury Green, Duddenhoe End on to Arkesden. Discusssing our recent holidays and also the previous rides, be they a bit wet or spattered with manure or with interesting characters not necessarily riding but meeting in the pubs too, always interesting to catch up.

From Arkesden we headed to Clavering via Rickling passing the beautiful Black Swan on the pond, dropping back down towards Lower Langley Green. Almost as if on cue, a few drops of rain appeared, so the umbrella of The Bull seemed the obvious choice to shelter and hydrate with the speciality waters!!! We were soon joined by John B, seeking shelter and rehydration too. Advising us of a special route we could take back to The Pheasant avoiding the 3 hills, Sandra might not like it though!

We set off back to The Pheasant leaving John B sampling another speciality water. Heading to Little Chishill and then 3 hills back up to Gt Chishill and Goujons and fries. Joined by John B who saw a fantastic Fallow Deer Stag and his Does following along behind, crossing the road ahead.

24 miles clockwise.

Thanks for another great ride Maurice.

With Maurice away, Andrew stepped up and sent out an email regarding the impending Monday evening ride, with a hint that he was hoping we would take pity on him, as he had an early start the following morning to catch a flight from Stansted. Well test number 1 – FAIL – three of us turned out, knowing that Andrew was a hardened traveller and would be fine.

Tom, Lawrence and Sandra met up with Andrew at The Pheasant, discussions about the weather ensued, various comments about what each of the weather Apps were suggesting we were in for, one even saying it was raining as we stood there dry under the mottled blue and white sky with a hint of grey clouds in the distance. We set off with the thought that we may experience a shower or two, well how wrong could we be!!

Heading to Shaftenhoe End, Little Chishill and Langley Lower Green, within 15 mins of setting off, jackets on for the first shower, well for two of us anyway, Tom braving it a little longer and Lawrence advising us he didn’t have any water proofs!!  This shower didn’t last long and we were soon too hot again, jackets off. On passing by The Bull, no sign of a certain Specialised bike, perhaps John B knew something we didn’t!!! Test number 2 – was Lawrence correct in his interpretation of the weather – FAIL As we headed up hill to Messden and on to Brent Pelham, it wasn’t long before we were reaching for the wet weather gear again, sheltering under Holly trees outside Brent Pelham church, the rain was relentless. We continued on to Starlings Green and sheltered again under the trees and listening for a change in the tone of the rain drumming on the trees and surroundings, this was where Lawrence asked our opinions on the wet weather gear we were sporting. Test number 3 – Wet weather jackets – Tom and Andrew – PASS, Sandra – partial failure – wet arms, never let me down before, may be a sign of how extreme the rain was though!!

Eventually the rain eased (if that’s the correct term) and we continued back to Lower Langley Green via Clavering, to take shelter in the umbrella that is also known as The Bull. Partaking of some refreshment and making use of hand drying facilities, in a bid to dry Lawrence out a little bit. On leaving The Bull, it was clear Lawrence was on a mission, he took off up the hill to Duddenhoe End, aiming to generate some heat to aid with the drying, on to Chrishall, Heydon and back to the Pheasant, hopeful that there would be a roaring fire – early August really!!! Candle flame was all we had but made the most of. Lovely Scampi and fries too.

Lawrence with his own personal fire

Lawrence – amazing how much heat you can get off a single candle

All in all a good ride, if a bit wet!!! 19.4 miles. A true test of committment – PASS

Thanks Andrew for organising.

A fine Thursday morning saw nine Windmillers gathering at Brian’s house in Great Shelford where Pam laid on coffee and took our orders for a lunchtime booking at the Queen’s Head in Newton.

Setting off, Brian led the way along the cycle track to Trumpington, followed by Lawrence, John Tarrington, Tom, Sandra, Yorkshire Brian, Ken, Chris and Keith – who we noted was toting a bag of rhubarb and custard bonbons.

Reaching Grantchester, the cycle-way across the Meadow was notable for its splattering of fresh cow manure, which was somewhat challenging for those of us lacking mudguards. We carried on, keeping mouths and nostrils shut tight while sucking on rhubarb and custard bonbons.

Then it was on to Newnham, one of the prettiest parts of Cambridge, and along Grange Road and past the colleges to Adams Road, where we picked up the cycle path to Coton. Panting up the hill out of Madingley, we continued on to Comberton and Barton, where we pulled in to Burwash Manor for a welcome coffee break.

Refreshed and back in the saddle, we headed for Haslingfield, where Lawrence attacked Chapel Hill with gusto, easily beating the rest of us to the summit. Indeed, from here on it was John and Lawrence who set the pace, leaving the rest of us in their wake.

Heading on through Barrington, Orwell, Shepreth and Foxton, we arrived at last at the Queen’s Head in Newton. The sun was shining so we lunched outside which, given our besplattered state, was appreciated by the other diners. Beer and conversation flowed – everything from the sex life of bees (thanks, Ken) to the evacuation of Dunkirk – and the soup and sandwiches were excellent; simple fare done well.

We made short work of the final leg to Shelford. All in all, we clocked up 34 miles, John Tarrington winning the yellow jersey while Lawrence was crowned King of the Mountains (or rather, Chapel Hill). Both subsequently tested positive for IPA, though they swore it was medicinal. We gave them the benefit of the doubt.

It’s a long story.  It started with a stranger on a bike wandering down Maurice’s driveway at 7.00am looking for a classic motorbike shop specialising in Vincents. He had been sent in Maurice’s direction by Sandra’s husband just down the road who thought correctly that Maurice would be able to help the stranger. Maurice being Maurice gave him a warm welcome and offered him a cup of coffee whilst Lynn was a bit hesitant, not surprisingly at that time in the morning. However the stranger was genuinely interested in buying a Vincent and Maurice was able to guide him to a chap in Buntingford who specialised in these rare beasts. In the course of conversation the stranger said that he lived in Brisbane and was on a cycling holiday around our area staying on camp sites. His name was Doug Whitehead and it turned out that he had worked for the infamous Robert Maxwell for several years. Maurice being Maurice then suggested he met us later that evening in The Pheasant so that we could all hear some of his many Maxwell stories.

So that is just a preamble to this evening’s ride for Maurice, Andrew, Keith, Tom and Martin which took us around 24 miles of familiar lanes, which can be seen at high speed here:

We met up with John B at what has become one of our favourite refreshment stops on a summer’s evening, The Bull at Lower Langley, and then ambled back to The Pheasant watching the GPS antics of a large combine harvester on the way. John decided to take a more vertical off road route back from Little Chishill but appeared later to regret having done so. Here are some pics of the circuit, Martin narrowly escaping cruxifiction at one stage in Rickling:

On returning to The Pheasant, Doug Whitehead was indeed there having dinner with the Vincent chap from Buntingford after which they joined us whilst we tucked into succulent goujons. Doug indeed had many stories to tell about the chaotic Maxwell business in the years just before he disappeared overboard his yacht in the middle of the night, some say whilst having a pee whilst others say he committed suicide and others that he was bumped off by the Israeli secret service. We may never know.

With promises of meeting again either on his next trip, and Keith discussing meeting him in Brisbane when he is there for the cricket in December, we bid Doug farewell. It was not the usual Monday evening ride.

Thanks go to Maurice for introducing us to Doug Whitehead and to Andrew for taking the pics and recording the ride.

Martin

Thursday morning saw Maurice, John, Chris, Sandra, Andrew and Brian gathering in the car park of The Golden Fleece in Braughing, Landlord Peter coming out to greet us and take our orders for lunch. We tried persuading him to join us for the ride but he declined; all work and no play, eh?

Maurice had planned a new route; setting off from Braughing, we followed him through Barwick, Thundridge, Sacombe and Benington. Rain threatened but didn’t materialise – and John tried on several occasions to tempt us into some off road excursions, which we respectfully declined.

We pulled in for a coffee and cake stop at Church Farm, Ardeley. Refreshed and revived, we made short work of the return leg to The Fleece where, having clocked up a respectable 30 miles, we tucked into a well earned lunch and a restorative pint of Peter’s best. Bliss!

Thanks are due to Maurice – for planning another great route – and to Andrew for getting us all organised.

Here is Andrew’s recording – with photos attached – of our ride.

Starting from The Fox Inn at Newbourne, six Windmillers led by Maurice and accompanied by Andrew, Sandra, Tom, Chris and Martin donned wet weather gear to start with but soon stripped off after a mile as the threatened rain failed to materialise. The route took us firstly to Felixstowe old  town and its grand Edwardian seafront, and then along the esplanade to a cycle path alongside the beach which was great until it ended abruptly at a flight of steps……..

Felixstowe Ferry was next where the ferryman was more jolly than the last time we met him two years ago, possibly due to swiftly removing a substantial amount of cash from each of us for the crossing.

Once on the Bawdsey side of the Deben, the first stop was to see if the pre-war BMWs that we had seen 2 years ago were still looking sad and alone in an old garage, but they had gone leaving nothing but an Austin 7 chassis, if anyone wants one. Wonder how the garage will look in another 2 year’s time?

The weather continued fine all the way to Orford with a strong tail wind pushing us along sandy lanes through peaceful hamlets and villages, paying homage of course to Andrew Dawg in Capel St. Andrew:

We planned to meet friends of Maurice, and neighbours of John B, over a coffee in Orford and then head back to Newbourne for a late lunch but black clouds soon put paid to that idea. So a trip to the quayside lasted 20 minutes for some whilst waiting for the rain to stop but eventually we all gathered at The Kings Head with Maurice’s friends and had an excellent lunch. Thanks go to Sandra for birthday drinks, a few days ahead of time!

Mixed weather in Orford

After lunch it was back via Woodbridge and a visit to the Marina and Tide Mill Museum, which was very impressive to see working:

Woodbridge views at low tide

Finally, it was back through the lanes to The Fox Inn at Newbourne where apologies were given for not making lunch but we made partial amends by having a drink outside before heading home.

Here is the route taken:

And here is Andrew’s aerial view with additional pics:

Thanks to Maurice for a repeat of a delightful ride and to Andrew Sheepdawg for getting us all there on time.

Martin

On a fine summer’s evening Maurice, Keith and Martin set off from The Pheasant on a pleasant 25 mile run westwards to Therfield, down to the A505, a quick spurt to the Sandon road and then up the long long hill to Sandon itself, a climb that likes to bite cyclists every now and then.

Passing John B’s house, and large numbers of ‘Sandon says NO’ posters, we then headed to Buntingford through quiet Herts lanes, returning via Barkway and a refreshment stop at The Tally Ho where it was good to meet up with John B and, behind the bar, Sallie, who has been out with Windmillers in the past and who might be able to join us again sometime, work permitting. Suitably refreshed we ascended to The Pheasant and enjoyed massive portions of succulent goujons and French fries as a reward.

Here is the route taken:

Thanks, Maurice, for planning a picturesque route with great views, and a sunset to die for.

Martin

A large gang of 11 Windmillers gathered at The Black Bull in Balsham at the early hour of 9.00am in order to accommodate the needs of cricket fans and others who needed to finish earlier than usual.

The incidents began before the start when Yorkshire Brian’s bike toppled over on the top of Brummie Brian’s car on the way to Balsham. Luckily the wheel straps held it on and there was no damage to the bike, but Brian’s red golf is now sporting a small bruise on its roof. Incident over, the Brians were joined by Maurice, Andrew, John B, Keith, Sandra, Rick, Chris, Lawrence and Martin and everything was going smoothly through delightful empty lanes on a beautiful day when a call of nature was required by Maurice, signalling politely as he pulled into a gate entrance. However, his signal was not seen by all those behind resulting in a rear end shunt and a second incident for Yorkshire Brian who fell off and suffered some minor grazing. Nurse Sandra rushed to administer first aid with a wet wipe and we were soon on our way again.

Other than Lawrence steaming on ahead and missing a junction in Withersfield, almost requiring a repeat of the ‘Do a U turn’ message texted to him whilst en route from Wells to Kings Lynn, we were incident free for the rest of the ride.

Arriving back earlier than expected at The Black Bull, due to not being able to find a coffee stop, we were sampling some fine beers by 11.45am and were joined for lunch by Ken who had cycled up from Ickleton after a hard morning’s work in Cambridge. Here is a map of the route taken:

Thanks, Maurice and Andrew for your organisation of a great ride.

Martin

This was indeed a sad day. Many of us had got used to seeing Charlie at The Pheasant whilst we were out for a ride and we shall miss him. Here is Andrew’s message to members:

Sad to report the passing of what could have been described as the Windmill Club’s four legged mascot Charlie the Chocolate Labrador who died on Friday.

Yesterday Charlie would have celebrated his 16^th birthday however sadly he missed this by only 3days.

Many will have memories of Charlie being tethered to the bench near the kitchen at The Pheasant while we rode out and being pampered with crisps by John Bagrie while he (John) enjoyed beer in the garden.

I dedicated last night’s ride to my lovely boy Charlie and if you click on the link below you can relive the ride.     

https://www.relive.cc/view/1077729722

Our speed was not as fast as on the link above but the route took in Elmdon, where Maurice, Andrew, Chris and Martin stopped to see if Simon and Ollie were at home. They were not so we proceeded to Duddenhoe End, Arkesden, Wicken Bonhunt, Rickling, Clavering and Lower Langley where we met up once again with John B at The Bull, after which we all cycled back to The Pheasant for a plentiful helping of scampi and chips.

Thanks to Maurice and Andrew for organising the ride and condolences to Andrew and Lindsey on the loss of Charlie. He had a good innings.

Martin

Vernon was due to take part again in the annual London – Cambridge ride on behalf of Camsight, a local charity which provides support for blind and visually impaired people. Steering a tandem with his blind friend Alan Chamley on the back was the plan but Vernon was called into hospital just a few days beforehand for an operation requiring an overnight stay and so he asked me if I might be willing to take over. Never having driven a tandem before, the first journey out with Vernon on the back as ‘stoker’ was scary in the extreme but we managed to get as far as Balsham for a pint in the Black Bull before heading back to Sawston where the tandem is kept in Alan’s garage. A subsequent trip with Alan, also to Balsham, and a tweaking of the handlebars was sufficient for me to accept the request provided Alan wasn’t too scared by my driving. He pronounced he was ready to take the risk, silly man, and so at 5.00am on Sunday 2 July we set off from Sawston to cycle 8 miles into Cambridge to catch a bus to the start, with the tandem going by lorry.

Tom also offered to come along and so together with Andrew’s support, who rode south to meet us in Berden, we had three Windmillers supporting Camsight. Andrew also took the pics.

Setting off from Pickett’s Lock at 8.17am we pedalled on the flat and downhill at a fair old speed. It was the hills that got us, not helped by the tandem finding it difficult to engage with its granny gear which meant getting off and pushing at times. But we had a moving average of over 11mph the whole way thanks to the flat and downhill bits.

After a couple of stops for refreshments, Tom, who set off at a brisk pace about an hour and a half behind us, caught us up, unsurprisingly, in Arkesden where the village community laid on a fantastic welcome. He then whizzed off toward the next stop at the Bees in the Wall at Whittlesford where it was wonderful to see Vernon looking extremely well, having been let out of hospital the day before. Tom’s wife Jo was there too together with Vernon’s Moira and my wife Penny and elder daughter Vanessa. We all enjoyed a good lunch in the garden before pedalling the final 10 miles to Cambridge via Newton, Harston and Haslingfield, arriving at 3.15.

There were 7 other tandems taking part from Camsight and it was good to see the others at stages during the ride. Our top speed of 29.8mph was topped by at least one other pair of riders, two ladies who claimed 30.5mph.

An ice cream and yet more water was followed by 8 miles back to Sawston, making a total of 80 miles for the day.

Camsight are keen to develop a closer relationship with the Windmill Club and have some spare tandems available. Tom has expressed interest in riding next year and others would be welcome too. Some commitment is of course required during the year to ensure each team is fit – Vernon will be able to give details of how much is required as he has been riding with Alan for some time. I feel sure Alan will be relieved to have Vernon back in the driving seat as soon as possible.

As of 4 July, Camsight had raised over £2,700 from the event.

Thanks, Tom and Andrew, for your support and to Vernon and Alan for trusting me to ride the beast.

Martin

The plan was to rely on Great Northern and Abellio Greater Anglia ( suitably abbreviated to AGA) to transport six Windmillers to Cambridge initially and then all take the 09.10 to Thetford for a 10.00 start. Great Northern delivered Sandra, Rod and Lawrence on time but AGA failed miserably and so Ken, Keith and Martin had to pedal furiously to Whittlesford after first lugging their bikes and panniers over the bridge to Platform 1 at Great Chesterford only to be told that their train had been cancelled, and then lug them back again. The position at Whittlesford was not much better but eventually a train arrived which just connected in Cambridge with a later train to Ely, involving a change there for Thetford. That was the theory, but an angry baton waving Fat Controller told us we could not get the next train to Thetford because there was not enough room for our bikes. As it happened, two of us could have boarded because when our train eventually arrived, exactly an hour after our scheduled train, the guard said that six bikes were not allowed…………. But he was a genial guard, and a cyclist, and so he relented. And so, at last, we said goodbye to Ely Station, waving two fingers at the Fat Controller as we did so, and we were finally on the start of our two day bike ride.

Setting off from Thetford finally at 11.00 meant that lunch arrangements might be compromised but we sped up National Cycle Route 13 to the edge of Thetford Forest with the wind behind us. But at Galley Hill the route deteriorated into an off road stretch of 2 miles through the forest and due to torrential rain the day before it was full of deep puddles. We got through without incident and were soon on very quiet lanes heading due North, clocking up the miles with no effort.

It soon became apparent that the planned choice of  lunch stops were both achievable and so we decided to make for the farthest one, The White Horse in Longham, having placed our orders in advance by phone. We were greeted warmly and given a nice table where we could be noisy and not upset other diners.

The White Horse, Longham

With 30 miles behind us already, and fortified by an excellent lunch, the remaining 22 miles to Wells through delightful villages and very quiet lanes was a breeze. The route was primarily No. 13 but with adjustments to reach Longham and cut out East Dereham, eventually teaming up with No. 1 in the Walsinghams, having avoided Fakenham by going through Great and Little Snoring on roads familiar to Windmillers from last year’s ride in the same area. Just before Little Walsingham we paid homage to the site where John T had his unfortunate accident last year, from which he has made an excellent recovery.

Great Ryburgh

Great Ryburgh

Thoughts of Wherry began to happen soon afterwards and by 4.15 we whizzed into Wells and were on the deck of The Albatros by 4.30 admiring the view and downing some excellent pints from a new barrel.

Captain Ton was a charming chap but asked us to move our bikes from where we had placed them on deck as they were obscuring the all important sky lights to the space below.

Once on board, new names had to be allocated of course in true Good Ship Venus style to reflect our nautical hierarchy for the night ahead, except for Sandra the Wren who had wisely chosen luxury b&B accommodation close by. As Maurice was sadly unable to be with us, Martin was promoted to Captain Ugger, Ken was First Mate Preen, Rod was Second Mate Carter, Keith was Midshipman Paul and Lawrence was Roger the Cabin Boy. Andrew’s verses from the Good Ship Venus were much in our minds…………..

Once settled, if that’s the right word, in our cabins Keith led us on a tour of Wells and we had a pint in a nice pub before enjoying a superlative meal at the Wells Crab House Restaurant. Sauntering back to the Albatros, we bid goodnight to Sandra on the way, who never ceased to remind us of the triple aspect room she had and the quality of the plumbing compared to our solitary shower. But then you can’t beat a quiet nightcap on the deck of the Albatros listening to the gentle rippling of the tide and a good night’s sleep.

Breakfast for the shipmates was a Dutch pancake or full English, both of which contained sufficient calories for several days ahead, whilst Sandra ate at a luxury breakfast cafe nearby. It took a while to get going but by 10.00 we set off on what was thought to be an easy ride to Kings Lynn, following National Cycle Route 1 the whole way.

The first part of the ride took us on the off road stretch behind the pine trees between Wells and Holkham beach before heading up through the Holkham Hall Estate to the road behind leading to Burnham Market. Acknowledgements are due to Lawrence for the pics hereafter (and the one of the Albatros above) due to Martin’s phone running out of oomph.

Riding through the Holkham Hall estate was one of the highlights of the ride

Unlike the previous day, the wind was on our nose for most of the day and the hills were surprisingly non-stop from Burnham Market onwards as the route went westwards along a quiet straight lane of nearly 10 miles to Ringstead, resulting in quite slow progress. But an amazing pub, The Gin Trap, hove into view in Ringstead where we enjoyed coffee before heading south to Kings Lynn, passing through pretty villages full of flint faced cottages.

The Sandringham Estate then made an appearance but despite rattling the gate we were not allowed in:

The ride through the Estate was very attractive and there was a useful stretch of cycle path alongside the busy A149 before turning off down an avenue of trees for lunch in a cafe in Castle Rising, the local pub being out of action which would have been our preferred choice for celebrating the fun we had over the 2 days.

After lunch it was a straightforward ride through to Kings Lynn following the well marked Route 1 the whole way including an excellent cycle path to the station, only having to cross a couple of busy roads at marked crossings. With no plans to catch a particular train, we arrived after 35 miles to find a train about to depart in 4 minutes and so there was no time for a final pic outside the station. The journey back was a dream compared to the outward one.

Here are the routes taken:

Thanks to everyone for taking part.

Martin

On a perfect summer’s evening just two Windmillers, Andrew and Martin, set forth from the Pheasant at 17.30 following a similar route as the week before and, hey presto, the same Specialized bike and its owner John B were spotted once again outside The Bull at Lower Langley. So two became three and we ambled back through the lanes after suitable refreshment, taking in the air, marvelling at the lovely scenery, and stealing peas from a large field.

On the way through Arkesden we stopped and chatted to the organiser of one of the official stops on the London to Cambridge bike ride held the previous day, which Martin took part in on behalf of Vernon who was unable to make it at the last moment – more anon. The Arkesden welcome was amazing – a village hall full of home made cakes and free drinks for thirsty cyclists. They made over £1,500 for village charities. The organiser, Rod Higgins, was also Chairman of Arkesden Parish Council and a keen cyclist – he cycles mainly with another chap who rides one of those low lie-on-yer-back tricycles with flags galore to prevent being mown down by large Volvos and the like. He would be a good addition to the Windmill Club if he can be persuaded to come along.

Talking of members, it would be good to increase attendance on our short Monday evening rides. These are always great fun and usually end up in The Pheasant where succulent goujons and chips are once again on offer.

Thanks, Andrew, for a gentle ride – much needed after 80 miles on a tandem the day before.

09:30 Thursday morning saw Andrew, John, Keith, Ric, Sandra and the Brians (Brummie & Yorkshire) parking up behind the Fleur de Lys. Andrew had promised us a new route taking in Hatfield Forest; virgin territory for the Windmill Club. But thunderstorms were forecast and, sure enough, the rain started just as we set off down the hill from Widdington. Fearing a soaking, Keith turned back to the Fleur, while the rest of us soldiered on. Lo and behold, we were rewarded within five minutes. The rain stopped, the clouds lifted and for the rest of the day we were bathed in sunshine. God truly smiles on the righteous!

At first we were on familiar territory, wheeling past Rickling and Braughing on our way to Much Hadham, where we pulled into Hopleys Café, a delightful spot with a lovely garden, good coffee, a fabulous selection of homemade cakes and – John was gratified to discover – bottled Adnams. Sandra and Brummie Brian, knowing it’s wise to take on fuel at every possible opportunity, ordered generous portions of blueberry cake.

Back on the bikes, there was some debate about the best route; Andrew pointing one way and John the other. Should we trust a Scotsman’s knowledge of Hertfordshire? Or an Englishman with a dog-eared map, circa 1960? Where’s the M11 on here, John?

Eventually, we found our way to Hatfield Forest via quiet lanes through the picturesque villages of Green Tye and Spellbrook. But by this time it was becoming clear we weren’t going to make it back to Widdington in time for lunch. We considered our options; meanwhile Andrew phoned the Fleur and made apologies.

Alas, the next hostelry, The Three Horseshoes at Molehill Green, couldn’t accommodate us for lunch, at least not without a long wait. So we supped beer and munched peanuts in the garden while we watched the planes take off from Stansted. Lean pickings indeed; and there were still many miles to go!

The final leg, through Pledgdon Green and Henham (where we waved goodbye to John as he entered The Cock Inn) and the climb up to Widdington, was hard work on empty stomachs, but we persevered, getting back to the Fleur just as it was closing at 3pm.

All in all, we clocked up 43 miles, which was impressive given that most of us did it on coffee, beer and peanuts.

Despite the hunger pangs, it was a lovely day spent in good company. Thanks, Andrew, for the new route – and apologies to Landlord Chris for missing lunchtime at the Fleur. We promise to bring an extra large gang of Windmillers next time.

With Martin and the A-Team away in Norfolk, we thought we’d form a B-Team and do a local run.

So it was that Tom, Vernon, Ric, Brian and, confusingly, another Brian, gathered at Brummie Brian’s house in Great Shelford, where his missus, Brummie Pam, kindly provided coffee and biscuits.

It was a chilly morning so, to warm ourselves up, we set off at a cracking pace along the cycle path towards Addenbrookes and then up the hill to Fulbourn, continuing on through the Wilbrahams, Bottisham and Lode before stopping for coffee at Anglesey Abbey.

After the break we continued on to Fen Ditton, Horningsea, Waterbeach, Landbeach and Milton, where we turned southwards on the riverside path along the Cam to Cambridge.

Pulling up for lunch at the Green Dragon in Chesterton, our curiosity was piqued by the £5.99 two course meal deal. Our new member – let’s call him Yorkshire Brian – wisely decided to stick with beer and crisps while the rest of us plumbed for the too-good-to-be-true offer. Haut cuisine? Er, no. But in calories per penny – it was truly unbeatable value.

The final leg saw us winding our way along the riverside and through the back streets of Cambridge to the railway station, from where we followed the guided bus path back to Shelford.

All in all, we clocked up a very respectable 33 miles.

We hope Yorkshire Brian joins us on future outings – and we promise him a better lunch next time.

Brian

Knowing that goujons and chips would be on offer at the end of the ride was sufficient reason for four Windmillers to set off from the Pheasant at a brisk pace at 6.00pm. Led by Maurice and followed by Keith, Chris and Martin, we sped through Heydon and on to Elmdon before testing out the smooth new tarmac towards Ickleton but turning right up to the Strethall crossroads where the tarmac finally ended. Then it was through Littlebury Green and a fast descent (32.4 mph to be precise) before the steep climb to Duddenhoe End. There was no time for a photo in Arkesden (but then the thatched cottage by the signpost has already been captured many times already) and so we whizzed through to Langley Lower Green by which time a considerable thirst had developed which just had to be quenched for safety reasons…………….. And guess who we found in The Bull? The Specialized bike outside gave us a clue and John B was indeed inside, having taken a slightly different route to the rest of us. So four became five but the best bit was that John remembered it was his birthday recently and so it was drinks all round – thanks John!

The three hills remained the main obstacle as usual on the way back but whether it was the thought of the goujons or the beer or just Summer madness, there was an almighty race back to The Pheasant where a warm welcome was awaiting us from Mark and Debs after a ride of 20.5 miles.

Outside The Pheasant was a classic 60’s Chevvy and a future classic alongside it………

Thanks, Maurice for organising a great summer evening’s ride.

Martin

Thursday again and the week-long heatwave was finally breaking. Thunderstorms threatened and were heard distantly from The Pheasant car park. Oo-er!

Seven Windmillers – Andrew, Maurice, Chris, Ken, Lawrence, Sandra and Brian – were gathered at Great Chishill for a 35 mile tour of North Herts.

Maurice led us out through Therfield, Sandon and Rushden to Cromer where we stopped to admire Hertfordshire’s sole surviving mill, much restored since our last visit. Then it was on to Ardeley and a welcome coffee stop at Church Farm.

Refreshed and back in the saddle once more, we made short work of the return leg via Nasty, Buntingford and Anstey before labouring up the those three damned hills to The Pheasant; it’s a good job we are so fond of the place! And, apart from a light shower early on, we had managed to stay dry all the way.

Halfway through a blissful beer, however, we realised that Maurice and Andrew were missing. Much rumblings of “Where the hell are they?” and “We just want our bloomin’ lunch”. Mobile phone calls went unanswered and there was consternation all round that two of our most senior members had gone astray. Their wives would give us hell!

Thankfully, the missing pair eventually showed up, somewhat sheepishly, and not before Sandra and Brian had gone out in the Shedmobile to search for them. Their excuse was they’d stopped at Nuthampstead to enquire after John Tarrington, whereupon Bridget opened a bottle of wine . . . and you just can’t rush a good aperitif.

Lunch may have been delayed – but was no less enjoyable – and it capped a great morning’s ride. Our thanks go to Maurice and Andrew for organising everything. And this week’s prize for the smallest carbon footprint goes to Ken who’d cycled from Ickleton.

Brian