Thursday, 29 March 2018
Edward writes: Today we met at Hauxton and Brookside (Alex leading) in much improved weather compared to yesterday, but as we were to find out later in the day yesterday's weather had left its mark on the Suffolk roads. Eight met in the city and twelve met in Hauxton for one of our longer rides to Clare, thus taking an early advantage of the lighter evenings. The country folk took a straightforward route out to Balsham, our coffee venue, by going to Whittlesford, Sawston and Babraham. In view of yesterday's rain we chose the farm route rather than risk the likely water level under the old railway bridge near the A505.
Riders from the city start on Wilbraham Road (Photo: Alex Brown)
This brought us to Abington and Hildersham followed by the two mile climb up to Balsham and The Old Butcher's Shop for coffee; this cafe had recently taken over the butcher's premises following its closure. Our group arrived at about 10.45am some half hour before Alex brought his slickers in which gave us time to be served. This is our first visit to this cafe and to general acclamation it will certainly not be our last. The drinks and cakes were dispensed quickly and at most reasonable prices - an early return seems to be in order. They have a little back yard and with the sun out it made a very pleasant sitting-out area.
The Old Butchers Cafe (Photo: Alex Brown)
After coffee the groups took two distinct routes to reach Clare, Alex going via Withersfield and Great Wratting while the country cousins went via Carlton and Great Bradley which took us on to some very wet roads. That may have been so but the roads and lanes were quiet as we twisted our way through to Stradishall on the A143 and now the roads were really wet, muddy and broken but this didn't detract from the pleasantness of the ride.
Mucky roads near Kedington (Photo: Alex Brown)
We passed through Denston, Asssington Green, Poslingford and final relief from the climbing as the last mile or so into Clare is downhill. We arrived at 1.20pm to find that Alex's group were almost ready to leave the Platform One cafe in the local Country Park.
We spent almost an hour here before we were ready to set off and the first part of our route home gave us the final serious climbs of the day up to Aspen and Ridgewell. Although there had been little wind during the day it was against us during the morning but now it started to work in our favour. We followed a fairly routine ride home through Stambourne and both the Bumpsteads. The afternoon forecast reckoned on rain so our main concern was getting home in the dry.
From time to time we could see the clouds loom up and into the distance, where we were heading, we could see the rain falling. After the Bumpsteads and Castle Camps it was now downhill and we still escaped the rain. Our luck finally ran out in Hildersham as the rain started but it hardly mattered as we were so close to home. We completed the ride through Sawston and Great Shelford and those going back to Hauxton would have completed
64 miles with the ride finishing at 4.45 pm.
Edward Elmer
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