So, it’s six o’clock on a Sunday morning, you’ve been up for over an hour, you’re nervously anticipating a long day’s ride. What’s the last thing you need? Yes, that’s right, the club’s ‘official bugler’ had decided to see us off and ride the first few miles with us. I’m expecting emailed complaints from music loving local residents at any minute.
Including the bugler there were six of us taking the A38 as far as the Slimbridge roundabout. Not much traffic so we made steady progress despite the headwind.
The lanes through Berkeley and Oldbury passed in amiable chatter. Apart from the unexpectedly brisk headwind the weather was ideal, a good temperature for cycling and occasional glimpses of the sun.
We were soon into the rather messy combination of back roads and cycle ways that seems to be the safest way to negotiate the M48 and the M4. We were soon at our first stop in Severn Beach, where the local shop was raided for water. Thirty five miles done, fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, and everyone having a good time.
Another hour or so of fiddly cycle routes got us over the Avon bridge and into Portishead for breakfast at Cafe Marina. The ‘motor assist’ party joined us here (only slightly late despite a visit from the puncture fairy) and suitable high calorie goodies were enjoyed. It’s a good cafe and worth using again.
The troublesome element took great delight in leaning bikes on the ‘no bikes’ signs. I’m sure no one minded on a Sunday with the shop closed.
It’s a bit of a climb out of Portishead but one rewarded with fine views of the Severn estuary and Wales in the distance. Bypassing Cleveland we tracked inland to Yatton and picked up the Strawberry Line.
We had an excellent ten miles along this old railway line, it’s a compact gravel surface and perfectly rideable on a road bike.
The Strawberry Line took us all the way into Cheddar. We raided another corner shop for cold drinks, water, and chocolate based bike fuel. The town of Cheddar was horribly packed and jammed up with cars, but as soon as you cycle past the last of the overpriced gift shops and overcrowded cafes, you can settle into the climb relatively peacefully. By now the sun was out and the south westerly wind was gently propelling up the hill – it was lovely.
With the climb safely negotiated we enjoyed the rolling roads and panoramic views of the Mendip hills. Even though some of the lanes were barely fit to be described as ‘roads’ it was fun.
At some point around here a rear mech cable failed leaving one rider to complete the remaining seventy miles – and several significant climbs – on just two gears. Chapeau.
A late lunch was taken at Chewton Mendip with the party split between The Mendip Pantry and The Waldgraves Arms.
The pantry was a lovely cafe/shop/community space. Lunch was good, and anywhere that offers to put ice in your water bottles is worth returning to on another ride.
Those who enjoyed the delights of the pub were rather cagey about exactly what had been consumed, but apparently three pints is too much for the middle of a ride.
More miles of lovely lanes and little villages got us to Midsomer Norton, from where another old railway line, the Norton Radstock Greeway took us all the way to Midford. It was so nice to enjoy traffic free riding through the beautiful countryside. At Midford the motor assist element left us to return to bath via the Two Tunnels Greenway, the rest of us pushing on to pick up the canal side path at Brassknocker Basin.
The Dundas Aqueduct is a beautiful and impressive example of canal engineering, carrying the Kennet and Avon canal over the river Avon. It’s attractiveness is not enhanced by us lot. Sorry about that.
The four miles of rough towpath from Dundas to Batheaston were scenic but hard on the hands and wrists. We were all glad to get on to smooth tarmac again. Another raid on another corner shop for water, energy drinks, and snacks, then it was time for the second big climb of the day up Bannerdown Road.
A few miles further on and a rear wheel rim, which had been suspect all day, was beginning to split. It was unanimously agreed that further miles would risk a serious accident. The rider bravely decided to take refuge in the Salutation Inn and await rescue – no doubt adding to the rehydration already undertaken in the Waldgrave Arms.
That left four of us to enjoy possibly some of the best riding of the day. It was a perfect early summer evening and the southern Cotswolds were at their best. Apart from a couple of gravel sections of the Fosse Way, the roads were nicely surfaced, and the traffic virtually non-existent. We are so lucky to have all this on our doorstep.
Although there were no big climbs along this stretch, one of the nasty little steep ramps was responsible for a right knee strain. The application of painkillers got the rider in question home despite considerable discomfort. Chapeau.
Tetbury was our last shop raid of the day, the haul reflecting the strange effects that a demanding day can have on the human digestive system: A four pack of jam doughnuts, a huge pack of honey roast cashews, snickers bars, scotch eggs, and lucozade.
Everyone was feeling the miles by now and chatter was minimal, but we kept together and helped each other along. Thankfully the tail wind was still doing its job. The climb out of Daneway was not welcomed, but at least from there it really is pretty much downhill all the way to Gloucester.
It was just before 9pm when I reached home. Somehow we were less than fifteen minutes behind the schedule despite two major mechanicals and a dodgy knee. Great work by everyone.
Oh, and my response to the rider who wanted to do the same thing next week was a firm ‘no’, but I feel sure that this time next year we’ll have a go at something similar.
SP
146.5 miles, 7,208 feet, 13 mph.