Under cloudless skies, but with a refreshing early morning chill still lingering, eleven members set out. Aided by a following wind brisk progress through Tuffley and Kingsway gained the quiet ‘B’ road to Stonehouse and Frocester. In Cam our leader broke new ground to many by ascending a recently trimmed Pevelands and Elstub Lane to reach Stinchcombe without incident, though there our President favoured an early coffee and return before the queue formed. In Saul, on the way home, he encountered two heavily laden continental cyclotourists fighting the “Dutch Hill” of the North Easterly headwind and wondered whether it was making them feel at home. Clearing the trees’ shade the Severn Valley and beyond were revealed to the remaining ten riders as the group enjoyed the rollercoaster to North Nibley, regrouping briefly beneath the Tyndale monument before reaching Wotton-under-Edge.
Overshooting a turn, our leader soon rejoined the Hillersley bound grouping for the next part of the undulating ride. Ahead of schedule there, the option to visit the Somerset monument was taken before the lengthy descent over Hawkesbury common to reach Wickwar. While enjoying this, however, a 3-up from the “Tempo” ride had the temerity to overtake and gain pole position in the coffee queue.
Refreshed by tasty snacks and enjoyable beverages riding was resumed as the day warmed up. Descending to Cromhall, undulations recommenced with Leyhill and Damery but a more even gradient resumed for the passage to Ham, Berkeley Purton and Longaston Lane. There our leader took another out-of-character turn, opting for a canal-side spell to Frampton before more predictable and familiar lanes to The Beacon at Haresfield for a warm welcome and liquid
refreshment.
66 miles approx