I have often said that you have to go uphill to get to Northleach, but I don’t think you have to go up as many hills as the tempo group did this morning. The constant succession of hills, coupled with narrow lanes meant that there was no opportunity for “pace line” style riding.
A red kite was spotted lazily circling overhead between Colesbourne and Withington, perhaps trying to show us that gaining altitude shouldn’t be so hard. After Withington, we joined the Coln valley, which was beautiful in the summer sunshine. At Yanworth, the President led a rebellion on a direct route to coffee.
The remainder continued along the Coln to Fossebridge. The valley was so beautiful that some of the lead riders decided to continue along the valley from Coln St Dennis, rather than cutting back to Northleach.
We all regrouped for coffee, and afterwards continued home past the Compton Abdale crocodile, and along the soul-destroying Roman road up to Andoversford.
50 miles, 3,700′ ascent@13.5mph