UPDATED!
John writes: As usual I started out from home in Swavesey at 8am and headed south to meet the group at 9.30am at our usual meeting place in Haslingfield. The weather was a lot colder than most of us had thought and the heavy overcast conditions would not change all day long. I have to state here that Averil wished to be mentioned in dispatches for arriving at the start 5 minutes EARLY (rather than late!). So around twenty riders set off in two groups to head for Compass café in Swavesey for coffee.
St Ives
We set off along the usual route of Harlton, Great Eversden and Kingston. We then crossed the Bourn road and headed up to Caldecote. On reaching the A428 just outside Caldecote a few riders headed off cross-country through Childerley Hall grounds where they rejoined the main route in Boxworth. The main group of riders had taken the usual road route along the A428 for a short while then turning off Knapwell then Boxworth. All riders then continued on into Swavesey making good use of the excellent cycleway from the services at the A14 roundabout. We reached Compass café around 11am where a further 10 riders where already tucking into the last slices of my favourite cake – Victoria Sponge – sadly there was none left for me!!!
Hemingford Abbots
Again as usual a number of riders then left the café to head back home whilst some 22 riders (again in two groups) continued on to the lunch stops in Perry/Grafham Water. The route took us along the Guided busway cyclepath into St Ives then along The Thicket and across the footbridge at Houghton Mill. From there we cycled to Godmanchester, along the B1043 into Offord Cluny where we turned off to head up to Buckden. From there it was a short ride going under the A1 and along the B661 to Perry. Here one group stopped for lunch at The Wheatsheaf pub where a number of our "older" members took advantage of the Pensioner Meal Deal. The remainder of the group carried on to the café at Grafham Water where most ate their sandwiches outside before rushing inside for hot tea and coffee.
West Perry
A couple of riders set off back into Perry and took the "Prison Road" towards St Neots with the bulk of us joining up to form a 'peloton' of nearly 20 riders to ride to St Neots via Great and Little Staughton.
Great Staughton
On the outskirts of St Neots the main group stopped to let Dave change a puncture. We then all rejoined for the usual route back to Cambridge and Haslingfield.
John Ross
Eaton Socon
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GPS track (GPX) (thanks Alex).