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South East Cotswolds - bonus Saturday ride! |
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Leader:Chris Walters |
Start Time:9:30 am |
Start Location:South Cerney - SU 0720 9707 |
Description:A tour around the South East Cotswolds: South Cerney - Kemble - Tetbury - Westonbirt - Malmesbury - Ashton Keynes - South Cerney. 65km of gentle (for the Cotswolds) terrain, meet at the visitor centre (click here), where a meal can be had at the end of the ride. Planning on getting elevenses somewhere on the way round, but nothing specifically organised. The ride will be at a moderate rather than leisurely pace (but not fast!). Please let me know if you intend to come. |
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Report:The forecast didn't look too promising at all, but we left in the dry. This lasted for a short while and then the rain came down. The team settled into a nice consistent pace and dug deep against the wind through South Cerney and up to Kemble, before dropping down to Oaksey and then up to the A433 by Culkerton. As the A433 looked pretty busy, we decided to do a longer route into Tetbury, via Cherington and the deep puddles (bottom bracket deep at one point).Apart from our ride, we were joined at various points by 3 other events - a cycling time trial on the A417 (and didn't they look miserable!), an Audax in the Tetbury area, and also a classic Jaguar rally near Westonbirt. In fact on the stretch into and out of Tetbury, we were constantly "buzzed" by E-types, XK120's and audaxers. Out of Tetbury past Highgrove and past the Beaufort polo club, we continued towards Malmesbury, where there was a well-earned coffee and cake stop in the Summer Cafe (although the name somehow didn't feel quite right today!) - nice scoff, and a welcome break indoors as the downpour hit its' heaviest yet. A return journey through the flatlands and with the wind behind us to Ashton Keynes, via the level crossing at Upper Minety, saw improvements in the weather, such that the sun made it out just once or twice. Overall - wet & windy but a peach of a ride! | ||
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