Cycling UK Wantage | Programme of Rides and Events

Past Rides

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Sat May 1st 2004

Regular Saturday Ride from Grove

Leader: Diane Stuckey	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: Hilly ride to Compton. The new owners of the Compton Swan Hotel will be ready to boost us for the less hilly return ride with tea, coffee and cakes. If the weather is good we will be in the garden , if wet they will make sure we have a 'dry' tea even though they are in the midst of refurbishment. Two leaders for faster or slower rides. Faster route is 55.68 kms and the slower shorter route is 46.6km
Riders: Brian Hipwell Cath Brazier David Bridge Des Higgs Diane Stuckey Ginny Henderson Helen Dorsett Richard Divall Stephen Quartermain Riders = 9 Report: After a wet and miserable morning, the skies cleared a bit and eight of us set off from Grove. We agreed to stick together and all would cycle the slower route. A short route through the East of Wantage to avoid the road works brought us out on the Charlton Rd, which we crossed, to go down Ormond Rd and then left up Chain Hill, where Brian joined us. After a short stop at the Ridgeway to regroup, we set off down the B4494 towards Lilley. A left turn through to Heath Barn and on to Stanmore where we turned left again, down the hill and under the A34 to East Ilsley and straight through to Compton. We were warmly welcomed by the new owners of the Compton Swan Hotel who brought us as much coffee, tea and cakes as we could eat and all for the princely sum of
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Tue May 4th 2004

Regular Tuesday Night Ride

Leader: Brian Hipwell	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: Depending on numbers there will be fast or slower and gentler options with two ride leaders.
Riders: Amanda Seddon Angela Douglas (dec) David Bridge Diane Stuckey Edith Hipwell Gary Woodhead Jan McCabe Jon Seddon Kevin Fairs Laurent Chambard Peter Clayton Stephen Quartermain Steve Swanton Riders = 13 Report: The weather looked treatening all evening we could see the rain falling on the horizon but we managed to remain dry for the duration of the ride. Thirteen cyclist headed out of Grove towards Lains Barn climbing the hill and crossing the main road towards Lockinge were we re grouped. Kevin headed of with four riders towards Hendred and Steventon aiming for Cow Lane and a Battle against the wind and managed to get a puncture.The remainder of the group carried on round Lockinge climbing the hill to betterton house and taking the sharpe left climbing the hill above Ardington.After doing a circuit of the village headed towards the track and back into Wantage where we again climbed a hill up to Larkdown. We continued through Trinder road out of Wantage heading towards East Challow climbing hills again through the housing estate down to the Goodlake arms,turning right at the Junction up yet another hill and through the housing estate and back to Grove arriving back first having completed 13.5miles on a hilly route for me. Edith
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Sat May 8th 2004

Regular West Oxon Afternoon Ride

Leader: Brigitte Hickman	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: Witney
Description: Leisure ride with West Oxon Section to a local cafe for tea and back. Meet outside St Mary's Church, Church Green, Witney.
Riders: Brian Hipwell David Bridge Edith Hipwell Riders = 3 Report: Brian, Edith and David bridge joined West Oxon for a pleasant ride to Lechlade from Witney.It rained quite steadly all afternoon but the weather was warm. We enjoyed two tea stops during the ride one at a village fete just before reaching Lechlade and the other one back at Aston Pottery.
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Tue May 11th 2004

Regular Tuesday Night Ride

Leader: Jan McCabe	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: Depending on numbers there will be fast or slower and gentler options with two ride leaders.
Riders: Angela Douglas (dec) Barbara Lambers Brian Hipwell Chris Mallinson Dave McLellan Des Higgs Diane Stuckey Edith Hipwell Helen Dorsett Henk Altmann (deceased) Jan McCabe Jane Phillips Laurent Chambard Lee Hartley Peter Clayton Philip Thornton-Evison Stephen Quartermain Steve Swanton Val Smith Riders = 19 Report: If I wrote reports nearer the time I might remember some details!! I led a flat ride around the Vale, heading out through Denchworth and Lyford and up towards Southmoor (I can
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Thu May 13th 2004

Section Pub Night

Leader: Derek Boutle	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: A ride to the Romany in Bampton. Join us for a meal, a pint and a chat with good company. Alternatively meet us at the pub at 20:00. Lights required.
Riders: Amanda Seddon David Bridge Derek Boutle Des Higgs Diane Stuckey Jan McCabe Jon Seddon Kevin Fairs Nigel Stuckey Richard Divall Wenfeng Yang Riders = 11 Report:
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Sun May 16th 2004

Regular Wantage Ride - Just short of a Bash.

Leader: Kevin Fairs	Start Time: 9:00 am	Start Location: WMP
Description: Approx 90km on-road, this will generally follow the route of the Barbury Bash Audax. Lunch will be a picnic at Barbury Castle, there will be opportunity to purchase lunch from a service station on the way and there is a cafe (outdoor only) at Barbury Castle which now appears to be re-vamped (see http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/wiltshire/tourism/news/TOURISM_NEWS1.html). There may be a beer stop on the way back. N.B. EARLIER START TIMES DURING SUMMER.
Riders: Alice Robson Amanda Seddon Barry Eastwood Chris Mallinson Des Higgs Diane Stuckey Eve Thornton Ginny Henderson Jon Seddon Kevin Fairs Mavis Rose Neil Warner Richard Divall Steve Swanton Sue King Riders = 15 Report: An un-hurried ride to Barbury Castle in glorious sunshine, where we departed from the normal format and had a picnic or visited the Castle Cafe. After climbing Snap we then enjoyed a beer on the green at Aldbourne before climbing Marriage (what is the fuss with this hill??) and decending to Lambourn for tea at Mavis's. Skinnydipping was optional. 86Km
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Tue May 18th 2004

Regular Tuesday Evening Ride

Leader: Diane Stuckey	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: Depending on numbers there will be fast or slower and gentler options with two ride leaders.
Riders: Andrew Moore Angela Douglas (dec) Brian Hipwell Chris Mallinson Christine Phillips Diane Stuckey Edith Hipwell Francoise Redoutet Geoff Neill Helen Dorsett Jane Phillips Jon Seddon Kevin Fairs Neil Warner Peter Clayton Philip Thornton-Evison Stephen Quartermain Steve Swanton Wenfeng Yang Riders = 19 Report: After a somewhat ragged and late start due to a puncture at the square, brakes not working properly, and a wheel that would not go round we all finally got away. The fast ride with Jon leading left first, heading for the Letcombes with a route in mind that took in both Gramps Hill and Castle Hill, from what he said I am not sure how many others he had in mind as well! He started out with only two takers, but Geoff decided later that he would try to catch them up; not too sure of the outcome! The remainder took the route around Newlands Drive and Denchworth road, up the B4507 and left through the Letcombes. There was a slight hold up at this stage when we lost a member of the ride, and Edith went in search of
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Sat May 22nd 2004

Regular Off Road Ride

Leader: Amanda Seddon	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: WMP
Description: Please bring refreshments. Helmets required.
Riders: Amanda Seddon Barry Baker Ginny Henderson Jon Seddon Nick Stokell Pete Warwick Robin Tucker Simon Dales Riders = 8 Report: A well paced ride to Lambourn via a Gramps hill climb and a Seven Barrows descent. Ginny split off at Sheepdrove while the rest of us continued along the Ridgeway to finally descend down to East Lockinge and back to Wantage.
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Sun May 23rd 2004

Cycle Treasure Hunt

Leader: James Dawton	Start Time: TBC	Start Location: Standlake
Description: In aid of Douglas House hospice. Two routes of 10 miles (via Stanton Harcourt) and 17 miles (via Witney). Start from Standlake Village Hall any time between 12 and 2pm. Full route instructions provided. Entry fee:-
Riders: Angela Douglas (dec) Brian Hipwell Edith Hipwell Eileen Johnson Eve Thornton James Dawton John Holding Lou Rose Mavis Rose Peter Johnson Steve Swanton Sue King Riders = 12 Report:
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Tue May 25th 2004

Regular Tuesday Evening Ride

Leader: Edith Hipwell	Start Time: 6:30 pm	Start Location: GMS
Description: Depending on numbers there will be fast or slower and gentler options with two ride leaders.
Riders: Alan Douglas Amanda Seddon Brian Hipwell Chris Mallinson Christine Phillips Edith Hipwell Francoise Redoutet Jane Phillips Jon Seddon Kevin Fairs Liz Taylor Peter Clayton Philip Thornton-Evison Richard Jenkinson Stephen Quartermain Riders = 15 Report: The fast group did a 22 mile loop through Lyford, Fyfield, Hinton Waldrist, Pusey, Stanford and Denchworth, whilst the slow ride did a 22 mile loop through Fernham and Baulking, to arrive back in Grove only 5 minutes later. I thought the instructions said SLOW!
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Sat May 29th 2004

Mt Ventoux

Leader:	Start Time: TBC	Start Location:
Description:
Riders: Jan McCabe Kevin Fairs Liz Palethorpe Mavis Rose Pat Hurt Rex Belcher Robert Shaw Roger Palethorpe Steve Swanton Sue King Teresa Belcher Riders = 11 Report: Eleven ticks. THE FULL MONTY MONT VENTOUX - NIGHTMARES AND SILENCE I have to let you all know what a wonderful week we had in France in June with the aim of cycling up Mont Ventoux, one way or another. The nightmares - that started when I read the article in a cycling magazine that was circulating round us future 'Monty's'. I was getting the 'upwards and tough' picture and could handle that but the description of the descent brought me out in cold sweats (makes a change from the hot ones) and nightmares. That's what you get for reading cycling articles in bed! Me being me, I can not remember names of places or even which direction we were heading for after we landed at Marseilles Airport. Patrick and Jan where there at the hotel with bikes and luggage having driven over two days earlier to make it hassle free for us, such luxury. We set off upwards through Provence and Haut Provence passing through very hilly and pretty countryside, fields of lavender yet to flower, large swathes of red poppies, cherry orchards and plenty of wild flowers. Stopping for nosebag (4/5 star of course) en-route and overnight in country style accommodation. The two that missed the plane (they did have a good excuse, even if they did say they spent the day in Brighton), joined us en-route but never had time to eat as well as us. You should know that the Wantage lot, do enjoy their food. Jan set the gastronomic adventurous pace by trying out the 'Gizzers' and salad on our first lunch stop (2 hours after we landed). It didn't put her off when it was pointed out that it was a local delicacy of duck giblets, namely the crop. Our hotel at Salut was excellent, very comfortable and highly recommended. It was set in a very small village and seemed to specialise in 'country dishes'. Roger worked his way through a dish that was a cross between barley soup and other unidentified delicacies whilst Jan chomped through 'sheep's feet dinner' - however, on further visual inspection and dissection it was suggested that perhaps they were prairie oysters, 'French style'. So where does the silence come in? Well, the first stage up to the ski chalet near Mont Ventoux was a comfortable steady climb in pretty countryside, good roads and not too hot. However, after the rendezvous and hot chocolate at the chalet, bit of chatter and banter, we put on warmer clothing as the temperature had dropped and from then on it was every cyclist doing it in their own way. Mine was zigzagging across the road and NOT TALKING, just gasping for breath and I could not believe how 6km can drag on so long with every bend going steeper and every upward. Sue and I developed a cave man grunt and nod system as we stopped at every bend of the last climb. You couldn't hear any birds, as it was too high for them and way above the tree line. I even missed the Tommy Simpson Memorial. The scenery changed dramatically to moonscape and barren rocks. The only good thing was new tarmac roads and the finish, with other cyclists encouraging you on, sounds of "up the women" from a very strong female German cyclist certainly helped. Don't know who was first up and who was last up, but we all did it whether we pushed our bikes or our bodies. All the training beforehand paid off, the weekend rides to and from Bath, Stowe-on-the-Wold etc, the Saturday morning hilly rides incorporating BlowingStone never got any easier but it certainly made you fitter. Jan and I drew the short straw on the last night accommodation, where we split into two groups and us two females had to share a double bed. The owner and his wife seemed a little confused when three females and Roger Palethorpe pitched up. They weren't too sure on our friendship/relationship or how tolerant we all were! After a ten minute French and sign language pantomime we were given our restored farmhouse style rooms (ours must have been a stable for an elephant) had use of the pool and three course dinner outside with monsieur's house-wine and home made food. It was definitely the better deal even it I did have to sleep in my clothes (forgot the night-shirt). Many thanks go to Patrick for all his accommodation trials and tribulations, good routes and Jan for driving and being such a gastronomic adventurer. It was a wonderful holiday that I would recommend and now being a 'Full Monty' would do it all again. Mavis Rose
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Ride Filter

Start Locations: WMP
Wantage Market Place; OMH
Old Mill Hall, Grove

Categories: 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.; 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.; 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.; 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.; More Information

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