Having lost an hour overnight a cold morning was to be expected, as was a reduced turnout. So it was that the Tempo and Gravel rides were combined into a group of four for the charge out of the city along the former London to Fishguard route. Since its heyday the road has lost much of its traffic but was still busy to Highnam where the Newent road siphoned off some traffic, the Minsterworth road still more, and after Huntley it became a fairly quiet way west, especially at 8:40 a.m. GMT.
At Huntley, it climbs to tackle May Hill where “may be” became “may not” for one rider, whilst another (who in truth had had the group in his slipstream all the way so far) demonstrated Tempo Fugit, spreading his wings and flying up the hill to leave the two gravel riders to settle into their climbing rhythm. After this, and two further climbs, we turned toward Mitcheldean and the day’s main purpose, the search for a safe passage over Wigpool Common. To the leader’s delight we found a clear and eminently rideable track through Lining Wood.
At the RUPP alongside Hareschurch Wood we found that it, like many “Roads Used as Public Paths” appeared heavily used by a large tricycle, with two wider spaced ruts formed by farm vehicles and a central one by trail bikes. Picking which rut or ridge to ride caused some fun and games!
Roads to Ruardean Woodside, then, on leaving the road, we found that Forestry England had laid out the red carpet for us! If not carpet it was certainly red, being composed of a newly laid surface of red gravel leading down to the beaver enclosure. We saw a dam but no working beavers – typical of a British construction project! Fortunately, this one had no TRAIL CLOSED sign to stop us. We followed the line of the former Lydbrook branch line to the Mirystock Tunnel, which alas is now closed, where we had a steep climb to pass over and join the Colliers’ Trail to a busy trail centre and café with its welcoming log burning stove.
Return was via Beechenhurst Lodge and the Colliers’ Trail to New Road from where we took the usual route home along a beautiful new surface via Blackpool Bridge and the Roman Road to Soudley.