On a crisp mid-January Sunday morning five riders opted for the novice ride to Nailsworth, this was rather a surprise given the plethora of rides on offer, however their attendance was a welcome one so off we went. Down Southgate Street and onto the Bristol Road we were overtaken by the fast group at the main traffic lights but luckily for them we were going in different directions! Along Bristol Road we rode turning right at the Hempstead Swing Bridge then left along the Canal Tow Path. The Tow Path seemed busier than usual with an array of walkers and runners and the obligatory fishermen. Past the Sims Swing Bridge up to the Rea Swing Bridge we turned right onto Elmore Lane turning right at the junction heading past the Elmore Court, passing yet a further number of runners along the route. Although crispy & cold it was a dry bright morning which (I suppose) is not unusual for mid-January. Along the lane to the Anchor Inn, we spotted what looked like surfers, upon a brief conversation we discovered that there was a “Bore” that we had just missed that they had ridden!! Further along the lane we turned left at Church Lane riding past the Stables Café then turning left onto Whitminster Lane staying on the lane up to the A38. We proceeded straight over the A38 down to Westend, turning left along Great Oldbury drive which took us through the new housing estate to Stonehouse. We turned Left along Oldends Lane, crossing over the railway lines turning right at the junction on the Gloucester Road (B4008) and on through Stonehouse turning left along the Ebley Road then turning right along (and down) Ryeford Road to the A419. Never actually going onto the main road we cycled along the footpath (for a brief time) until we could join the cycle/walking path taking us parallel to the main road but a whole lot safer. Crossing the A419 just before the traffic Island we proceeded under “the road” through the tunnel staying on the cycle path which again seem busier than normal negotiating a number of “humans”. One thing to mention however, is that the patch was noticeably drier and cleaner than one would assume from the previous week of extremely heavy rain we encountered. We eventually emerged from the cycle path into Nailsworth just catching sight of some of the Tempo group, before we alighted at the Canteen.
JA