A warning at King’s Square kept the Moderate pace ride numbers low. Apparently Ham Hill isn’t very popular! Undaunted the President led the sextet to an astonishing number of red traffic lights, some permanent, some not. One even seemed to be permanently red and a diversion was necessary to avoid it. Passing the House in the Tree on the usually avoided Old Gloucester Road provided relief, then a crossing of PEW into Arle gave the Captain an opportunity to add more highlighter to his map as he took a previously unused short cut.
A bief spell along the Honeybourne Line brought us to St. Paul’s and began the steady approach to the day’s hors d’ouvres: Harp Hill. From here we could look left to enjoy the view over Prestbury and beyond, or right to see some of Cheltenham’s prime real estate and (surprisingly) a giraffe. One house was “For Sale” at a price later discovered to be £5.5 million. Prime real estate indeed!
The main course was served soon after and honours went to the Captain for reaching the top of Ham Hill first, in time to get a picture of his pursuer. After such a heavy course something lighter was required and all were refreshed by the ford at Sevenhampton. Despite it’s being engorged by March’s rains it was successfully traversed, as was the following and final climb, to Roel Gate. The Salt Way provided more spectacular views and in the fresh breeze still felt quite wintry.
Salt Way may have felt wintry, but Salters Lane that followed was positively springlike, with many lambs ranging freely across it. Because of them the normally open gate was closed causing a rider more used to disc brakes than those on his summer bike considerable excitement as he rediscovered caliper brakes’ disappointing stopping power.
Most had chosen Salter’s Lane for the descent but a gravel bike rider in the group felt that honour required him to take a path less travelled. along the Windrush and Cotswold Ways. We arrived at coffee after the steady group from Gloucester and before a similarly large contingent of cyclists from Worcester so the Tea Room was kept busy, so much so that the northerners had to sit outside. Brrr!
Returning, we left the main road just before Winchcombe, thereby missing the zebra that is forever waiting to cross the road, then proceeded through the three G’s to Bishops Cleeve and the race course before splitting into two groups – those bound for home and those bound for the Hewlett Arms.
74km
MT