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].
Mince Pie Ride - 1* | 1* |
---|
Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:10:15 am |
Start Location:WMP |
Description:Ride out with us to the NT car park at White Horse Hill, Uffington, for mince pies and mulled wine. For full details of the event see the "Annual Mince Pie Ride" entry.The 1* ride will be a sociable ride at a leisurely pace leaving after the other groups at about 10:15 - but please arrive at least 10 minutes beforehand to register. The 1* ride will follow the most direct route (about 8 miles) along the foot of the Downs through East Challow on to Childrey (via the track and bridleway), Sparsholt, Westcot and Kingston Lisle. Everyone will be able to have a go cycling over Dragon Hill. Even if you get off and push, it's worth it for the fantastic views over the Manger and the Vale below. We'll drop down into the main NT car park to join the other groups for mince pies and mulled wine. There will be a led ride retracing our tyre tracks back to Wantage after the meet. |
||
Riders:Andy BelcherBarbara Lambers Ben Paine Ellie Paine Graeme Larson Ian Murray Karl Blake Peter Hallowell Ros Hallowell Stephanie Haddrell Steve Swanton Tony Clark Riders = 12 Weather:Report:A small but relatively strong 1* group of 8 set off last from the Market Place. Despite the headwind, we made good progress and arrived in Childrey about 10 minutes earlier than I’d expected. After a short pause to await Barbara, Ellie and Ben, during which we were passed by the 2* ride, we continued along the more sheltered lanes through Sparsholt and Westcot. Then, as we joined the foot-of-the-downs road, we met Ian Murray, swelling our numbers to 12. We tackled the ups and downs, along the B4507 each at our own pace regrouping several times before reaching the big one. We arrived at the foot of Dragon Hill at the same time as both the 2* and 3* groups, climbing from Uffington, and the Oxford group caught some of us on the climb too; it was a great sight to see the mass of cyclists climbing the hill. I was pleasantly surprised to find we were reasonably sheltered from the wind on the climb, making it easier than feared. Well done to everyone on the climb and special congratulations to Ben and Ellie who both cycled all the way up.After regrouping at the top to admire the view, we continued down to the NT car park to join the throng. The mulled wine was excellent again this year and as always there was a warm, convivial atmosphere. Good to catch up with a few friends from the other groups and the other rides. The 1* group split for the return journey with half dropping into the vale to cycle directly to the Fox (or home), while I led a group of 6 riders back to Wantage and Grove. With the wind behind us, the return trip was much easier. I picked up Lorna in Grove and we continued to the Fox, to what proved to be an excellent lunch, arriving just as it started to rain. (Given that the tail of Storm Desmond had passed overnight, we were incredibly fortunate with the weather!) A big thank you to Karen and Jon Townsin, and their helpers, for the excellent catering and thanks too to John Tranter for organising the lunch. It was good to see Peter and Ros on their annual ride with Wantage, Stephanie too who had targeted the MPR as a goal after surgery in September, and welcome back to Graeme, hope we’ll see you again on some rides in 2016. | ||
Distance:25.75 km (16.00 mi) | ||
Comment on this ride |
Thu Nov 21st 2024 |
—RIDE CANCELLED - Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
|
Tue Nov 19th 2024 |
—Virtual Turbo
|
Sun Nov 17th 2024 |
—Half day to Coleshill
60km 7 riders |
Sat Nov 16th 2024 |
—1* Saturday Half-Day Ride to Longworth
32km 10 riders |
Thu Nov 14th 2024 |
—Daytime 1* Thursday Ride
24km 6 riders |
—Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
38km 13 riders |
Tue Nov 12th 2024 |
—Virtual Turbo
7 riders |
Sun Nov 10th 2024 |
—3* Sunday Shortie Villages through the Vale
39km 3 riders |
Sat Nov 9th 2024 |
—2* kick-off for the White Horse Challenge
52km 4 riders |
Thu Nov 7th 2024 |
—Daytime Thursday 1* ride
19km 4 riders |
—Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
55km 7 riders |
Tue Nov 5th 2024 |
—Virtual Turbo
9 riders |
Sat Nov 2nd 2024 |
—3* Saturday Half Day Ride
59km 9 riders |
Thu Oct 31st 2024 |
—Daytime 1* Thursday Ride
6 riders |
—Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
38km 6 riders |
Tue Oct 29th 2024 |
—Virtual Turbo
|
Sun Oct 27th 2024 |
—3* Sunday Shortie
46km 1 riders |
Sat Oct 26th 2024 |
—2* Saturday Half Day Awayday Ride
50km 9 riders |
Thu Oct 24th 2024 |
—Daytime 1* Thursday Ride
25km 3 riders |
—Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
46km 15 riders |
Tue Oct 22nd 2024 |
—Virtual Turbo
|
Sat Oct 19th 2024 |
—1* Monthly Half Day Ride
21km 6 riders |
—New Forest Autumn Colours
77km 7 riders |
Thu Oct 17th 2024 |
—Daytime 1* Thursday Ride
27km 3 riders |
—Daytime 2* Thursday Ride
44km 12 riders |
*