Past Ride
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Sun Jun 21st 2009
| Regular Wantage Ride (**) |
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Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:9:30 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:This will be a relaxed all-day ride as an introduction to traditional CTC touring with a bit of everything - ups, downs, a few miles of rough stuff, coffee, pub lunch and tea stops and some glorious scenery. (I'll try to fix the weather too, but no promises ...) We'll be heading north-west to the Cotswolds, via Aston pottery for coffee (14 miles, dep @11:30), Kencot, Langford and Southrop with lunch in Lechlade (28 miles). We'll return (dep @2pm) via Inglesham and Coleshill with a stretch of about 2 miles of off-road through the Coleshill Estate (mostly easy and well worth it - there will be a longer road alternative). We'll stop for tea at Uffington village hall (40 miles, dep @4pm) and then back to Wantage via Kingston Lisle. 48 miles total. Please feel free to join us for all or part of the ride. Bike Week Event - club ride open to non-members (and newcomers are always welcome) |
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Report:Four riders left Wantage including newcomer Sibel, who wanted to try out a touring ride. Sibel stayed with us to Gainfield but then decided to enjoy the countryside at her own pace. Des, Rob and I continued on into a slight headwind to Aston Pottery where we were the first arrivals in the cafe at 11:00, shortly followed by 3 Swindon Wheelers.The weather remained overcast and cool for our second leg through Bampton, Black Bourton, Alvescot and then South through the picturesque villages of Kencott, Broadwell and Langford. We enjoyed a good chat as we weaved through the lovely (and quiet - was everyone watching the British Grand Prix?) Cotswold lanes to Southrop and on to Lechlade. Lunch was taken at the Black Cat cafe - recommended by Des; we received quick service and excellent value for our jacket spuds. After a short stretch on the busy A361 to Inglesham, we were back in the lanes to Buscot Wick and then on the undulating road to Coleshill. From the top of the first rise we had our first view of the wind turbines at Watchfield. Both Rob and Des were up for the off-road through Coleshill Park. But as we started the track, light rain steadily grew heavier, eventually causing us to don jackets for a while. With care (Rob on 26mms tyres), the track was negotiated without incident. The final stretch climbed up towards the base of the wind turbines giving an impressive view of these rotating giants. We stopped to admire them and the fantastic panoramic view back across the park to Coleshill, Badbury Hill and Faringdon to the north. Having crested the hill, the views over the Vale of White Horse to the south were equally good as we continued on (now on rough tarmac) towards Watchfield. Being somewhat ahead of schedule, we decided to add an extra loop to the route, heading through Watchfield to Shrivenham, south towards Ashbury, left through Kingstone Winslow, along the foot-of-the-Downs road to Woolstone at a fair pace,to eventually arrive in Uffington at about 3:10. Brian joined us for tea and cakes (having tried but failed to catch us on the road) and the ride back to Wantage, while Des headed home. Back in Wantage at 4:35 after 53 miles. Thanks to Des and Rob for your excellent company - a really good day out. Steve S | ||
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- 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.
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