Past Rides
We send details of upcoming rides in a weekly email newsletter. If you would like to be added to our mailing list please contact [javascript protected email address].
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| THE MINCE PIE RIDES |
|---|
Leader:John Tranter |
Start Time:9:00 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:Our annual festive ride, which again is in aid of Whizz-Kidz, the children's mobility charity (see http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk/).Guests and other cycling clubs are very welcome to join us at White Horse Hill NT car park (grid ref SU 293866) from 11:00 to 12:00 for mince pies and mulled wine. All proceeds on the day will go to Whizz-Kidz. If you would like to cycle with us, guest riders are most welcome. There will be on-road rides at 1*, 2* and 3* grades and an off-road ride to choose from, leaving Wantage Market Place between 9:30 and 10:00. Further details of the rides will appear under the individual ride entries closer to the date. This is a very popular event, so please arrive in good time for registration, at least 10 minutes before your chosen ride. Afterwards the rides will continue for an optional pub lunch at the Fox in Denchworth. Please contact Di Whidborne to book a place (diana.whidborne@cyclingukwantage.org.uk). There will also be a ride directly back to Wantage. Car parking: If driving in to join rides from Wantage, there is free car parking in the Portway car park (by the Beacon, the former Civic hall) on Sundays, OX12 9BU. See http://beaconwantage.co.uk/contact and scroll to bottom of page for map. If you are unable to cycle, we would still love to see you at White Horse Hill. If driving, please use the road directly up to the NT car park from the cross-roads above Woolstone rather than the narrow Dragon Hill road being used by those cycling. This will be our 21st Mince Pie Ride (with cancellations in 2017 and 2022 due to adverse weather and the pandemic in 2020). It was started by Abingdon Wheelers in 1990 and we took over the event in 2000 when the previous organisers Val and Jim Worsley moved away from the area. From about 40 riders joining us in the car park in 2000 we now regularly host around 150. |
||
Report: | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| 3* Mince Pie Ride | 3* |
|---|
Leader:Sharon Bedford |
Start Time:9:15 am |
Start Location:Beacon Car Park |
Description:Our annual festive ride, in aid of Whizz-Kidz, the children's mobility charity, and the culmination of this year’s White Horse Cycle Challenge. Ride out with us to the NT car park at White Horse Hill, Uffington, for mince pies and mulled wine.Re-posting last years route - which never happened because of the snow!! Please note 9.15am start to give us a little more time. Please also note late change to start. Now at Beacon due to there being a market in Wantage |
||
Riders:Barry StantonJan McCabe Jo Little Joy Arthur Mike Fitton Paul Smith Peter Brodie Sharon Bedford Riders = 8 Report:Welcome to Mike Fitton on his first ride with the club.Great company, great route, great mince pies, and great mulled wine. Special thanks to the team who organised the refreshments. We set off in the dry but got pretty wet on the return journey. Somewhat of a strong headwind at times, (that is my excuse for a slow time up the hill anyway). | ||
Distance:46.00 km (28.58 mi) | ||
| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41521528" | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| Off-road Mince Pie Ride | 2* |
|---|
Leader:Robin Tucker |
Start Time:9:30 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:Update 9/Dec: Despite the iffy forecast, the Mince Pie Rides are on! Please be aware that there is artisan market in Wantage on Sunday morning with road closures in town from 7am. The off-road ride will start as close to King Alfred's statue as possible, but please can all riders walk their bikes in and out of the pedestrianised zone.Our annual festive ride to White Horse hill in aid of Whizz-Kidz, the children's mobility charity. This is the off-road ride. It's about 9 miles up to and along The Ridgeway to White Horse Hill - splendid views and not a difficult route, apart from an inevitable climb up the The Ridgeway. After riding out to munch mince pies and quaff mulled wine, your leader will be heading on to The Fox for lunch, you can also choose to follow another rider by road back to Wantage or return off-road under your own steam (or arrange a pick-up). Drop me a text or email robin@cyclingukoxfordshire.org for info |
||
Report:Four of us for the Off-road Mince Pie challenge. I picked Segsbury Hill for the climb as it had been raining many days beforehand and it's the least bad tarmac climb. It was still tough though! But we made it while the weather was still dry.From there it was all The Ridgeway, and with rain due, we headed west. The trail on the top was actually not too bad, and we got as far as Devil's Punchbowl before the cold rain came. Coats on, we continued, it's still amazing to some that humans on bicycles can just keep going through bad weather and on bad surfaces, but it really wasn't that bad after the big climb. We descended a slippery slope above Sparsholt and climbed a rutted climb the other side (a couple of small offs here). Then is was down a chalky slide again and a mile or so of flat before the final climb to White Horse Hill. About here the weather really turned on us, with a side wind and rain that felt like being sprayed with a jet washer. We got up the hill, took a quick group selfie at the trig point and headed for the mince pies and needfully warm mulled wine. (Mileage includes distance to The Fox, others went further back to Wantage/Grove) | ||
Distance:27.36 km (17.00 mi) | ||
    | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| 2* Mince Pie Ride | 2* |
|---|
Leader:Gareth Smith |
Start Time:9:30 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:Update 9/Dec: Despite the iffy forecast, the Mince Pie Rides are on! There will be an artisan market in Wantage on Sunday morning with road closures in town from 7am. The 2* ride will start as close to King Alfred's statue as possible, but please can all riders walk their bikes in and out of the pedestrianised zone.Our annual festive ride, in aid of Whizz-Kidz, the children's mobility charity, and the centrepiece of this year’s White Horse Cycle Challenge. Ride out with us to the NT car park at White Horse Hill, Uffington, for mince pies and mulled wine. From Wantage Market Place a fairly direct route out to White Horse Hill including a small amount off-road between Challow and Childrey. (An off-road option is available). A distance of around around 8 miles but this does include the stiff climb up White Horse Hill. After partaking of the refreshments at White Horse Hill we will return on a slightly longer route via Goosey and Denchworth for those lunching there. The full route from Wantage back to Wantage is around 20 miles. |
||
Riders:Des HiggsGareth Smith John Salmon Julie Haynes Michael Johnson Roger Postbeschild Roger Turnbull Susie Turnbull Riders = 8 Report:Eight of us set off from Wantage Market Place taking the direct route to White Horse Hill via Challow, Childrey and Sparsholt. Unfortunately the rain arrived as forecast when we were around Sparsholt/Westcot and it continued to rain for the rest of the ride. The route was quite short for a 2* ride, but in the wet conditions that was no bad thing.In a first for me half of the riders present were on e-bikes, the climb of White Horse Hill presumably having something to do with that. Following the ascent via the usual route past Dragon Hill we were greeted by the team at the car park who had the mince pies and mulled wine ready. Thank you! That was most welcome. Our stop was kept fairly short owing to the weather. Three of the group made their own way home while the remainder of us returned via Woolstone and the flat route through Uffington, Goosey and Denchworth. The tailwind helping us along for a good part of the way. This was an enjoyable ride as despite the weather, knowing we were part of the mince pie ride tradition supporting Whizz-Kidz and the excellent company was great. As John Salmon summed it up: " A shared achievement by the group." | ||
Distance:32.35 km (20.10 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45085661" | |
| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45085661" | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| 1* Mince Pie Ride | 1* |
|---|
Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:10:00 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:Update 9/Dec: Despite the iffy forecast, the Mince Pie Rides are on! There will be an artisan market in Wantage on Sunday morning with road closures in town from 7am. The 2* ride will start as close to King Alfred's statue as possible, but please can all riders walk their bikes in and out of the pedestrianised zone.Our annual festive ride, which again is in aid of Whizz-Kidz, the children's mobility charity, and which forms the centrepiece of this year’s White Horse Cycle Challenge (2-24 Dec). Ride out with us to the NT car park at White Horse Hill, Uffington, for mince pies and mulled wine. This is a pre-bookable ride. To book your place, either text me or email me on steve.swanton@cyclingukwantage.org.uk. You will receive confirmation. Meeting from 9:50 for briefing for a 10:00 start, the 1* ride will be a sociable ride at a leisurely pace leaving after the other groups. ETA for White Horse Hill car park, 11:20am. |
||
Report:It was still dry when five of us set off from the Market Place just after 10. But by the time we picked up Anke in East Challow it was raining lightly. We were soon noticing the stiff crosswinds as we took the track over to Childrey (with the very welcome new surface on what was the muddy pot-holed section ). Patrick dropped off at this point as he wasn’t fully equipped for the conditions, but the rest of us pressed on, making record speed for a 1* ride to the foot of White Horse Hill. By the time I had taken a few photographs at the bottom, the rest of the group were already disappearing from view! Anke, Angie and Alan all made it up the hill for the first time. Well done to all! And having suffered from a dodgy knee since the summer, I was delighted to be able to complete the climb again, following on behind.The worst of the climb was actually the last 20 yards to the small car park at the top where, coming out of the shelter of the hill, it was rather a shock to be buffeted by the strong cross wind and driving rain. Soon however, we were down in the shelter of the main car park to join the milling throng of cyclists. The warm mulled wine and a mince pie were much appreciated as was the camaraderie. It was good to catch up with various cycling friends of old. Richard returned directly to Wantage at this point, while the remaining four of us descended with care into the vale and continued through Uffington, Baulking and Goosey to the Fox in what was increasingly heavy rain. But it was a challenge shared. At last in the dry we shed as many wet layers as we decently could and gradually dried off. Joined by other riders and helpers from the hill, we enjoyed an excellent meal with interesting conversation before eventually we had to don damp cags to make our ways home. Particular thanks to Carin for the delicious mulled wine, all those who helped to make the event happen and John for co-ordinating it all. And thanks too, to the A-team for your excellent company throughout the day. | ||
Distance:32.99 km (20.50 mi) | ||
         | ||
| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38136121" | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
Sun Dec 10th 2023
| Mince Pie Rides Lunch at The Fox |
|---|
Leader:Diana Whidborne |
Start Time:1:00 pm |
Start Location:Denchworth |
Description:Pub lunch after the Mince Pie Rides. Please book with Di as detailed in recent newsletters. |
||
Riders:Alan FisherAngie Fisher Anke Otto Carin Tranter David Bridge Jan McCabe John Tranter Kerry Tucker Lorna Swanton Mandy Wassell Nick Portsmouth Patrick O'Leary Robin Tucker Sally Bensoussis Steve Boreham Steve Swanton Riders = 16 Report:Many thanks to Di, who organised the lunch brilliantly even though she couldn't in the end be there.It was as always a warm welcome from The Fox and a lovely Christmas lunch. Lots of chat, lots of banter and a thoroughly good time had by all! | ||
Comment on this ride | ||
- Ride Filter
- 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
- Recent Rides
-
Ride has photos
-
Ride has
comments
-
Ride Archive
*
© Cycling UK Wantage 2025, PHP v7.4.29
