Wednesday 25th July 2018

Another good turnout on a lovely summer's day again saw the riders split into two groups. John led Lyn, Derek, Myles, Patrick, Terry and Anne (on her new electic bike) south down the Soar Valley over the Wreake/Soar junction bridge to Syston.

The riders enjoyed their refreshments outside the Brook Cafe before returning whence they came.

Meanwhile Pat, Rob, Brian and Jeff (leading) embarked on a somewhat more ambitious ride to Hickling to sample the fare of The Old Wharf Tearooms, noted for its generous cake portions. Situated alongside the Hickling Basin, part of the Grantham Canal, 'The Old Wharf', built in 1797 and once known as 'The Warehouse’, has recently been restored as a tearoom with a cycle hire and repair service.

And thus it was, on a fine July morning, with the thought of lazing by the canal in the company of coffee and an oversized wedge of cake, the fearless four pointed their wheels towards Beacon Road. Thence via Forest Road, Woodgate, Pinfold Gate, Sparrow Hill and Nottingham Road, they soon hit the open road. Rapidly dispatching Hoton and Wymeswold they pressed onward and upward to Willoughby-on-the-Wolds. This gently undulating road then took them over the A46 and on to Upper Broughton, located on the edge of the Vale of Belvoir. A short, sharp section of the sometimes (but not on this occasion) busy A606 was then necessary in order to reach the sleepy, narrow, gravel-strewn, potholed descent, known as Hickling Lane. Even the potholes had potholes in them. Eventually, this ploughed field of a road took the fab four down into the Vale proper and to their ultimate destination.

It was while they were busy fumbling with their bike locks, securing their weighty contraptions to the car park fence, when suddenly they were subjected to a blur of lurid lycra, the purring sound of posh carbon road bikes and a cloud of dust as a small bunch of Tour de France wannabes breezed into the car park and pipped them to the front of the queue. Fortunately, it was not long until everybody was served and seated outside, soaking up the atmosphere, in glorious weather, overlooking the canal basin and its resident aquatic bird life.

They say all good things must come to an end and so, with a valedictory glance over this veritable oasis, the empty cups, and a few stray cake crumbs, the return journey commenced.

Now, when you’re in the Vale of Belvoir, there’s really only one way out - and that’s up! It’s often a matter of which way up is the least punishing. The chosen route via Nether Broughton and Old Dalby involved only one reasonably steep, but mercifully short, ascent. By then, with the group having once more reclaimed the high ground and feeling good about themselves, the vast expanse of the Vale could be appreciated behind them.

Pushing on along Lawn Lane, Six Hills Lane, crossing the A6006 and under the A46 at Six Hills it was time to say adiós to Pat, who headed back home to Wymeswold via Narrow Lane. The rest of the group blasted down Paudy Lane to Barrow upon Soar, Quorn and Loughborough.