Wednesday 19th February 2020
Post date: 12-Feb-2020 18:43:32
Short Ride Report, (to Coalville).
With widespread flooding in the news, including our own River Soar, the main options for rides were bound to be hilly.
David had posted the ride route on the WhatsApp page, thereby giving people the opportunity to decline and opt for one of the other rides. The weather forecast was predicting rain by afternoon and a slight chill breeze that we would be riding into initially.
Although first off, we had 8 riders – Patrick, Mick, Myles, Philip, Lynn, Wendy, Rosalind and David. Philip confided that he had to return early afternoon for an operation on his toe. A gruelling ride would be just the thing to take his mind off it.
We encountered traffic lights on Forest Road and roadworks as we turned up Fairmount Drive where Severn Trent were installing more blue pipes to contain water, that we have in such abundance these days. We followed Holywell Drive to a dry Coniston Crescent before cutting through (like a surgeon) to the university and down the steep hill on University Road. The octet of riders then moved to Ashby Road for the steady climb towards Shepshed.
At the junction with Leicester Road, Patrick went on ahead, as we were unlikely to be back by 12. Thus, seven of us took the Cambridge Road turning via Anson Road to Kicktoe Lane (or was that Tickow Lane). Back on Ashby Road, the right turn led us downhill to a sharp bend then up hill a short distance to our turn along Swannymote Road. This was a steady climb, at first, but got steeper, so we took a rest near the summit.
Over the summit, the route descended to Loughborough Road, past the “Man Within Compass” pub, then a quick left turn down Cademan Street. We took the route with a hidden right turn down “The Hockley” to a footpath over a narrow bridge. However, here our leader took a wrong turn and thereby missed the ride past the Hermitage Fishing Lake. This might have been fortuitous, as one of the objectives today was to keep away from water – so no towpaths today. We emerged on North Street opposite Church Lane.
As we went along Church Lane, the SatNav was indicating that we were deviating from the route. Thus, we tried to cut through Whitwick Cemetery. I asked a gravedigger if we could get through to the bridle path. He told me that there was a route, but that we would be unlikely to come through. Rather than give him more work, we returned to Church Lane. Church Lane came out on Thornborough Road, which led past Halfords and Harlows timber, under a dark bridge, to Coalville.
We crossed the High Street to Belvoir Road, and the Insomnia café was a short distance past the cycle racks. There was a table just big enough for all of us, with the warm coffee and cakes. Since I had had a very large piece of cake last week, today this little piggy had none.
As we emerged from the café, there were the first signs of rain, which was to be with us all the way home in a very light drizzle.
We headed east along High Street, across the level crossing and straight until we came to Broom Leys Road, where we turned left. Proceeding without detour up Meadow Lane, this route became progressively steeper as we passed Castle Rock School. Everyone crossed the Warren Hills Road, which can be a treacherous junction. Then we did the climb, which in some years when it snowed a lot has been through the snow line, to the highest point on Abbey Road.
From here, it was mostly downhill. We waved to the intermediate riders as they passed us in the opposite direction. There were some traffic lights near Oaks Road. Here Philip, Rosalind, Lynn and Wendy did not toe the line by keeping to Abbey Lane, but took a right along Oaks Road.
David, Myles and Mick carried on, negotiating one more hill before descending Iveshead Road to the Ashby Road outside Shepshed. From here we took the path by the side of Ashby Road back to Loughborough.
I recorded 18.7 miles by the time I got home, just before 12:30. We had climbed 1378 ft, which was marginally more than the previous week’s intermediate ride.
Intermediate Ride: Graham led the ride followed closely by, Rob, Keith, Dom, Clyde, John, Marcus, Bryan, Phil, Dave & Robert leaving Holt Drive just after 9.30. We headed generally in a westerly direction picking our way along various cycle paths in the direction of the university. Once through the university we went along the Ashby road cycle path, passing all the road works associated with the changes to Junction 23, at one point having to play dodge the dumper truck. Once over the M1 we proceeded through Shepshed, via quiet roads, in the direction of Belton.
After Belton we turned into Forest lane with the drag hill of Swannymote Road ahead. This is one mile in length with an average gradient of 5% but has a section in the middle that feels like 10%. After making it to the top, we had another short climb past the monastery, before arriving at St Joseph's tea rooms for a well earned break. Having refuelled we left the tea rooms; upon reaching the end of Oaks Road, Marcus Keith & Phil went left and the rest of us turned right up Abbey Road towards Forest Oak. At the summit of Abbey Road we met the 'Short ride' on their return leg. Here possibly more turned back. With the weather closing in, we cycled towards Copt Oak, whilst Rob and I took the opportunity to head straight back to Loughborough via Nampantan, meanwhile Graham and others headed towards Sharply Hill, Woodhouse and Quorn. In total about 25miles. Well done to you all.
Long Ride:
With the intended tea stop being quite near it meant a convoluted route to create a long ride, fortunately when the rain came this also meant it was easy to shorten the return leg to arrive back about half an earlier than otherwise would have been the case.
We left Loughborough alongside Epinal Way, Black Brook, and the Golf Range, We detoured through the back of Hathern before turning for Long Whatton, Diseworth, and on to Worthington. From Worthington we used Nottingham Rd to get to Breedon. After a nice little hill at the back of Breedon but not quite as far as the Church we dropped down to Wilson and onto Melbourne. The Tearooms at Melbourne Hall had a large available table for the five of us, Brian, Tricia, Mick, Alan and Myself. As we came out there was a hint of rain which by the time we got to the Cloud Trail was becoming quite heavy. Upon reaching Tonge a mutual decision to shorten the ride was agreed. We left the Trail carrying our bikes up the steps and cycled directly to Belton along Mill Lane. At Belton we took the B5324 to Hathern, and quickly reached Loughborough.
Total distance 50Km and 400m of elevation. (31 miles and 1300 feet).
