Cycling UK Wantage | Programme of Rides and Events

Past Rides

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Tue Jan 2nd 2018

Tuesday Evening Off Road Ride	2*

Leader:	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: [cancelled due to forecast of 50mph wind and heavy rain] Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 - 20 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather.
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Sat Jan 6th 2018

Saturday Half Day Ride	3*

Leader: Katherine Boyce	Start Time: 10:30 am	Start Location: OMH
Description: ***********PLEASE NOTE THE 10.30 START *********** Half day ride (60-70km / 38-45 miles), with a tea stop, riding pace of 20-24km/h (13-15mph). Likely to visit distant destinations. Not suitable for irregular riders. Climbing likely. Its January and so a ride at the low end: just over 60 kilometers. Up to Frilford, crossing the A420 via the Fyfield tunnel and on to Standlake; starting our return journey at Curbridge. We'll skirt Bampton before stopping for lunch at the Bampton Garden Centre and the skip up Buckland Hill before the usual route back via Charney and Denchworth. Although we should be finished well before dark, please bring lights.
Riders: Andy Pixton Eddie Little Jan McCabe Jenny Gower Jo Little Karl Blake Katherine Boyce Roger Postbeschild Roger Turnbull Sharon Bedford Terry Penn Riders = 11 Weather: Report: Yay this time I wasn't ill and could get out on my bike unlike the 30th December . Whilst it was bitterly cold it wasn't enough to put 11 of us off. We managed to navigate the slushy / icy bits on the roads to Garford without any incidents thankfully. Motorists on the A338 were patient and polite as we made our way to the Tubney turning. The track to the tunnel under the A420 to Fyfield was not muddy or overgrown as we had worried. It was a reminder of what a great way this is to cross the busy A420. I resolved to use it more this year. The drop to the Thames down the A415 was as delightful as ever and then we were back on the quite back roads and seeing bits of Standlake that I hadn't seen before. Back on the A415 and the traffic was much busier than I'd expected on the first Saturday of 2018 . But still polite and patient! After Curbridge we turned down towards Yelford and then on to Mount Owen Road. A much quieter way to Bampton than usual and a route we can recommend. Lunch at the Bampton Garden Centre was efficiently provided and very tasty. Then out into the cold again (although it had warmed up from the morning) and we were back in Grove before we knew it, the wind on our back speeding us on. Thank you to everyone for pulling together so well as a group: not only were decent gaps left between the smaller groups on the busy roads, but someone always waited on the corners as we waited to regroup .
Distance: 67.80 km (42.13 mi)	Ride Details: https://www.strava.com/activities/1344238612
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26641073"
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1

Written by : Karl Blake

Posted on : January 8, 2018 at 7:49 AM

Thanks for a great ride Kath ðŸš´ðŸ‘

Tue Jan 9th 2018

Tuesday Evening Off Road Ride	2*

Leader: David Brown	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 - 20 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather.
Riders: David Brown David Yearley Riders = 2 Weather: Report:
Distance: 24.14 km (15.00 mi)
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Sat Jan 13th 2018

Saturday Half Day Ride	2*

Leader: David Bridge	Start Time: 10:30 am	Start Location: OMH
Description: Flattish ride in the Vale of the White Horse round and avoiding Didcot via some of the smaller villages. Lunch stop at the Fleur-de-Lys pub East Hagbourne. Return trip uses the path from Harwell and we will use a short bit of the old railway track near Hagbourne the so be prepared for a bit of off road. The menu at the Fleur de Lys can be found at https://www.thefleurdelyspub.co.uk/mobile/menus-detail.asp?id=7 The ride should finish well before sunset but it is always a good idea to bring lights at this time of year. NOTE START TIME IS 10:30hrs
Riders: Andy Pixton Bob Hurst David Bridge Des Higgs John Tranter Karl Blake Nigel Hughes Richard Kidd Roger Postbeschild Zoe Young Riders = 10 Report: Started off with 10 riders but got as far as Drayton by which time it was becoming clear that one of our number was having problems with 2* pace at least partly due to using a heavy mountain bike with knobbly tyres. We decided to split into a slower group and a faster group. The faster group arrived at the Fleur de Lys pub about 10 minutes before the slower group. By that time though the guy on the mountain bike had found he wasn't keeping up with the slower group either and gone back to Grove with Des. After a good lunch at the Fleur de Lys we headed back via Chilton and Harwell. The path from Harwell was quite slippery but everyone made it safely.
Distance: 54.72 km (34.00 mi)
Climbing the path onto the railway track
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26538054"
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Tue Jan 16th 2018

Tuesday Evening Off Road Ride	2*

Leader: David Yearley	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 - 20 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather.
Riders: David Brown David Yearley Robin Tucker Riders = 3 Report:
Distance: 24.00 km (14.91 mi)
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Wed Jan 17th 2018

Turbo Training

Leader: Karen Townsin	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: Indoor turbo session of approximately 1 hour's duration, will comprise of a warm up, a workout focusing on different elements of training and a warm down. Different leaders plan and deliver each session, accompanied by a soundtrack. Amount of exercise is determined individually so sessions are suitable for riders of all levels. Turbo set up time from 6.30. This is the first session in 2018 and (as traditional) presents an opportunity to make amendments for any festive over indulgence. If you have not attended a session before, please read the following document listed in 'Proposed Route' below and contact the ride leader if you have any questions.
Riders: Amanda Seddon Des Higgs Eddie Little Jane John Jo Little John Hibberd Jon Townsin Karen Townsin Karl Blake Millicent Arboine Yvonne Bird Riders = 11 Report: Welcome back everyone. A nice easy interval session - not too taxing on the brain - that everyone completed with the usual motivation and enthusiasm. Well done Jane for guessing the link again, within 3 tracks this time! Some kind of world record I think. See you all next time
Proposed Route: http://www.cyclingukwantage.org.uk/blog.php?p=751"
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Sat Jan 20th 2018

Easy Saturday Afternoon Ride - RIDE CANCELLED	1*

Leader: John Tranter	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: RIDE CANCELLED Sorry about that, but the combination of a bitterly cold northerly wind, rain and standing water on the roads makes this too dangerous and too unpleasant. I will reschedule for another weekend soon! Family and social afternoon ride (16-32km / 10-20 miles), usually with a tea stop, at a riding pace of 13-16km/h (8-10mph). Occasional short or gentle climbs. A nice gentle amble around the Vale. Out to Denchworth, Charney Bassett and back across to Goosey. Then a very gentle climb to Childrey followed by some good off-road tracks back through Challow to Wantage. Optional tea stop in Wantage depending on weather and how everyone is feeling by then. 17 miles / 27 km.
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18595698"
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Sun Jan 21st 2018

RIDE CANCELLED - Regular Wantage Ride	3*

Leader: Jon Townsin	Start Time: 10:00 am	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: RIDE CANCELLED - Bad weather conditions - *** Weather update *** No improvement in forecast so regretfully... RIDE CANCELLED WeÃ¢ï¿œï¿œll try again in February! Sunday is looking very unpleasant for Cycling. If the forecast stays as it is I will,regretfully, cancel the ride. Check the website at 18.00 on Saturday for final decision. All-day touring ride (80-100km / 50-65 miles), lunch and possibly tea stop en route, at a riding pace of 18-22km/h (11-14mph). Not suitable for irregular riders. Climbing almost inevitable. Change to advertised route and start time. Following a search for the missing roads of Marlborough yesterday (!) this revised route takes us through Lambourn, Ramsbury and Aldbourne before heading back over Fox Hill to Ashbury and Uffington before heading back to Wantage. A lunch / coffee stop at The Crown in Aldbourne should provide enough sustenance for the ride. A ride of 76km and 750m of ascent should get us back mid afternoon but please make sure you bring lights JIC.
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26722148"
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Tue Jan 23rd 2018

Tuesday Evening Off Road Ride	2*

Leader: David Brown	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 - 20 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather.
Riders: David Yearley Robin Tucker Riders = 2 Report:
Distance: 27.36 km (17.00 mi)
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Wed Jan 24th 2018

Turbo Training

Leader:	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: Description: Indoor turbo session of approximately 1 hour's duration, will comprise of a warm up, a workout focusing on different elements of training and a warm down. Different leaders plan and deliver each session, accompanied by a soundtrack. Amount of exercise is determined individually so sessions are suitable for riders of all levels. Turbo set up time from 6.30. This is the first session in 2018 and (as traditional) presents an opportunity to make amendments for any festive over indulgence. If you have not attended a session before, please read the following document listed in 'Proposed Route' below and contact the ride leader if you have any questions.
Riders: Amanda Seddon Des Higgs Eddie Little Jane John Jo Little John Hibberd Jon Townsin Karen Townsin Karl Blake Katherine Boyce Riders = 10 Report: Despite the weather, a very lively session infused with a scintillating music quiz, (which I almost won if it wasn't for John's knowledge of early seventies prog rock!). The turbo session was enjoyable too and a good vibe was felt by one and all!
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Sat Jan 27th 2018

Saturday Half Day Ride	2*

Leader: Karen Townsin	Start Time: 1:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: Half day ride (45-55km / 30-40 miles), with a tea stop, at a riding pace of 18-20km/h (11-13mph). Not likely to be very hilly. Might be a struggle for new or irregular riders in winter months. A trip West today to visit the excellent Bloomfields Deli and Cafe in Shrivenham. We'll head out through Goosey and Uffington and back through Fernham, Stanford-in-the-Vale and Denchworth. This is a relatively long ride for the time of year 47.6km/29.5miles, but pretty flat, so I'll aim to keep the pace to the upper end of the 2* range. We should make it back before sunset, but it will be tight, so please make sure that you bring lights to be seen by.
Riders: Des Higgs James McGuigan Jan McCabe Jane John John Tranter Jon Townsin Joy Arthur Karen Townsin Karl Blake Nigel Hughes Robin Tucker Roger Turnbull Susie Turnbull Yvonne Bird Riders = 14 Weather: Report: Wow - what a hardy lot Wantage riders are! It was great to have so many of you out supporting the ride in such conditions. I'd not imagined needing the new rider documentation either, so welcome James and chapeau to you. In the face of weather conditions, larger numbers than expected and an early puncture - thanks Roger for your help and amazing thumb strength - I decided to forgo the Shrivenham stop and try Farmer Gow's cafe, which was warm and welcoming and whilst the cakes weren't quite up to the Deli standard, the muffins were surprisingly good. Thanks to everyone for your company and flexibility and to Jon for back marking.
Distance: 38.50 km (23.92 mi)
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25114093"
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1

Written by : John Tranter

Posted on : January 28, 2018 at 4:12 PM

Thanks, Karen! It was so nice to be out in the Vale - and a great group.

Tue Jan 30th 2018

Tuesday Evening Off Road Ride	2*

Leader: David Brown	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Market Place
Description: Off-road ride around local tracks, usually about 15 - 20 miles. Knobbly tyres and good lights required. We are keen to welcome new riders and have spare lights available to borrow if you let me know. Dark, cold and wet - we'll ride in any two. But please let me know if you are coming so I can tell you if I decide to cancel due to really bad weather.
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Wed Jan 31st 2018

Turbo Training

Leader: Karen Townsin	Start Time: 7:00 pm	Start Location: OMH
Description: Description: Indoor turbo session of approximately 1 hour's duration, will comprise of a warm up, a workout focusing on different elements of training and a warm down. Different leaders plan and deliver each session, accompanied by a soundtrack. Amount of exercise is determined individually so sessions are suitable for riders of all levels. Turbo set up time from 6.30. If you have not attended a session before, please read the following document listed in 'Proposed Route' below and contact the ride leader if you have any questions.
Riders: Des Higgs Jane John Jo Little Karen Townsin Karl Blake Yvonne Bird Riders = 6 Report: A small but, I like to think, select group of riders this week. A session comprising of 5 repetitions, progressing through cadence and resistance in order to build strength. I would describe it as short, sweet and effective. Thanks all for your enthusiasm and mostly your help in carting equipment and clearing the hall.
Proposed Route: http://www.cyclingukwantage.org.uk/blog.php?p=751"
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Wed Jan 31st 2018

Local Cycling session with Sustainable Wantage

Leader: John Tranter	Start Time: 7:30 pm	Start Location: The Mix, Mill Street, Wantage
Description: We have had a good relationship with the nice people at Sustainable Wantage for some years now. They have invited us to host one of their regular "Green Drinks" sessions and have asked us to talk about good cycling routes in and around Wantage/Grove plus some tips on how to share the roads safely and confidently. All are welcome to join the session. You are invited to bring your own drinks!
Riders: David Yearley Eddie Little John Tranter Lorna Swanton Mila Yearley Steve Swanton Riders = 6 Report: We felt a bit guilty having a clash with the turbo session, but it was really nice of Sustainable Wantage to invite us to be their guests at the monthly Green Drinks session. Fortunately, the drinks weren't actually green... We had a good crowd of interested and interesting people dropping in for the session. Eddie did a great job of giving the perspective of a professional Class 1 HGV driver on cycling safety and there were loads of hints and tips exchanged on general cycling etiquette, visibility, riding techniques plus some great advice on local lanes and tracks from surely the world's leading expert on the subject - Steve S! Lots of leaflets and business cards were taken and a good time was had by all.
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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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