Once assembled post coffee break, we said goodbye to three riders: one waiting for a lift home after a failed tubeless tyre issue; one heading for the Whiteway; one heading elsewhere. The remaining four needed to visit the old station in Cirencester, remains of. It’s in a car park and was once a wonderful piece of architecture by I.K. Brunell. Shame on those that felt a car park was better! Anyway, the platform and an element of the fine building remains. A special exhibit was being exhibited, an old ‘train’, the Kemble / Cirencester link – one ‘carriage’ with engine underneath. A lovely piece of engineering, but going nowhere today, so we set off into the cool wind, south-west, to Ewen. Traces of another old transport mode was spotted, the Severn – Thames canal. Hard to think this was once an important link for trade.
Onwards north, crossing some main roads with ease, to Sapperton, then Frampton Mansel for our only ‘serious’ bank – nothing to compare to the horrors of the morning ride!
A spot of main road to the turning for Minch – which presented us with a consistent headwind. AliG honoured us by taking the wind – he was on electric! The cattle were still out – maybe their last week of freedom on the common. Just past Tom Long’s Post we had a close call – one Heffer crossed just ahead of AliG; seeing it’s friend in close attendance, I hung back in anticipation, and this proved the right decision as it opted to hop across the road in the gap created, without a care for cycles or cars.
The descent into the valley was its usual wonderful experience – a perfect surface and not too twisty. Even the cattle grid was acceptable at speed. Then onto the Chalford road into Stroud and our lunch venue, The Ale House, just as some mizzle arrived: good timing. All safely locked up to the handy cycle parking by the doors, we dashed inside to enjoy the soft seating and ales available. The Naughty but Nice ale (a chocolate stout) was most interesting…
Our departure was delayed, not by ales, but a combination lock with a ‘difficult’ combination. A call to home base produced the winning set of numbers and we were on our way – into the mizzle. Fortunately this lasted only to Ebley, thereafter it was just grey. Good progress to Stonehouse, along the short stretch of new cycle path, and the usual route to Haresfield and home via various roads in the estate / maze that is Kingsway. Home dry and with 58 quality miles, a fine effort.