Past Ride
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Sat Aug 20th 2022
| Monthly Saturday 1* Ride - Awayday from Didcot | 1* |
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Leader:Steve Swanton |
Start Time:2:00 pm |
Start Location:Manor School, Lydalls Close, Didcot, OX11 7LB |
Description:18/08: IMPORTANT - CHANGE in STARTING POINT (as there are now time restrictions on parking at Hadden Hill retail park). The ride will now start by the Manor Primary School in Lydalls Close off Foxhall Road. (The close is not a through road, so to park please enter at the west end from Foxhall Road and park on the left.) You can zoom into the start of the route in RWGPS (link below) and switch to satellite mode for an overview.An awayday ride from Didcot this month to allow us to tour some quiet routes and pretty villages in the eastern Vale. There is a short-stretch of stony unmade road at the start but we will soon pick up the NCN route 5 cycleways through town and head out to the Wittenhams. After passing Wittenham Clumps, we'll turn south through the Moretons and the Astons (with an optional twin-village tour if we are so minded) en route to a refreshment stop at the Style Acre cafe at Savages garden centre in Blewbury. After tea, we'll make use of an easy off-road route to Upton, where we'll pick up NCN 544 to return to Didcot along the old railway embankment. This gives lovely panoramic views across the Vale. A short stretch of the NCN 5 past the station will bring us back to our starting point. A round trip of about 19 miles. Please text me to book a place. Our regular family and social afternoon rides on the third Saturday of the month covering 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. |
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Riders:Eddie LittleLorna Swanton Michael Tayler Nick Portsmouth Roger Postbeschild Steve Swanton Susan Holdroyd Tim Waite Riders = 8 Weather: Report:It’s always nice to start somewhere different and have less familiar roads (and in this case cycleways) to follow from the start. Eight of us set off from a sunny Didcot. Having negotiated the unpaved section of Lydall’s Close, we soon joined the cycleway network and NCN route 5. Once we had passed under the railway, we had a choice of routes. With Michael’s guidance we bore right to take an alternative path through the Ladygrove estate, rejoining route 5 by Ladygrove lakes. The tunnel under the ring road seemed very dark and bumpy but from then on the path was much improved since we last came this way. The stretch across the field to Long Wittenham in particular has a lovely new hard surface. We rejoined the road at Long Wittenham, turning off towards Little Wittenham at the end of the High Street with a great view of the clumps opening out ahead of us. From Little Wittenham, there is a long but steady climb up beside the clumps to the car park. Everyone made it up at good speed and we enjoyed a rest and the views from the top.With several riders wishing to avail themselves of the local hedges, we agreed to regroup at the top of Sires Hill below. Unfortunately, on the climb up to Sires hill one rider felt unwell and needed to stop. Having assessed the situation, two of us stayed with them while Roger took the rest of the group on through the Moretons, Astons and Blewbury for tea. They just made it to Style Acre before they closed at 4pm. Fortunately, we were soon reassured that, after a rest, our fellow rider was feeling much better, so the 3 of us continued slowly over Sires Hill and dropped down to the junction with the A4130 Wallingford Road where arrangements had been made for a pickup. Two of us then continued on to the Moretons and the Astons. Knowing that we would not make tea, we took a short-cut back to Didcot via East Hagbourne arriving at the cars just a few minutes before the rest of the group, who themselves had taken a short-cut through the streets of Didcot under Michael’s direction. The change of starting point worked well with just enough parking space available to accommodate our 6 cars. Thanks to Michael for the suggestion and for directing us through the back routes of Didcot. Thanks too to Roger for leading the main group after we split and Eddie for the photos. I am pleased to report that all is well with our fellow rider too. | ||
Distance:30.09 km (18.70 mi) | Ride Details:https://ridewithgps.com/trips/100419904 | |
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| Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40633076" | ||
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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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