OK folks...
Following the success of the
Reggie Ride to Regicide I would like to announce the
Reggie Ride II: 65 Miles of Flat
The Saturday RideMeeting:We will be meeting outside Cambridge Station for a 10.30 a.m. departure
Those coming from London should aim to catch the 9.15 a.m. Cambridge Express from Kings Cross. This arrives at 10.01 a.m.
If you are coming by car, we would recommend that you park in one of the Park & Ride sites on the outskirts of the city and cycle into the station. It is free to park in the Park & Rides and they are covered by CCTV.
First Leg:The first part of the ride will be mainly on roads through the city and out towards Ely. They may be fairly busy but if you can cope with cycling in London then you can cope with the traffic in Cambridge and the surrounding areas.
We head out of the city along the B1049 Histon Road, passing through Histon and on to Cottenham (where we’ll have a brief stop by the church with the ornate tower).
It is then on along the B1049 (signed as Twenty Pence Road and those of you who came on Reggie Ride I will know the road) to Wilburton. There is short sharp climb up into Wilburton. We then turn left and head up the hill into Haddenham, along the A1123. We then turn down the hill from Haddenham on the A1421 and then right on to the quiet Ely Way.
We go through the fen and up to Wentworth, where we cross the A142 onto Long Causeway to Coveney. From there on in the roads are quiet country lanes.
We will meet the Ely contingent on the junction of the B1411 and High Road, to the west of Little Downham.
Little Downham Onwards:After Little Downham, we follow the B1411 westwards through Pyemore, then northwards towards Welney. We have about 1 mile on the A1101 before we join the quiet country road, alongside the New Bedford River (or Hundred Foot Drain), to the
Welney Wetland Centre where we will have lunch (café menu to follow).
After lunch, we cross Hilgay Fen to Ten Mile Bank, where we turn to follow the River Great Ouse to Denver Sluice. From the Sluice we head into Denver and on into Downham Market.
We will use main roads to get through Downham Market, as the NCN Route is rather roundabout and tortuous. We head out of Downham Market along the B1507, turning off towards Wimbotsham and then on to Runcton Holme and Watlington.
We then head along the Ouse towards Kings Lynn, with the last part of the journey being along the banks of the river to the quayside.
We will then drop those who are catching the train back at the station, before heading back out from Kings Lynn to North Runcton, where those of us staying overnight will be camping at the
Kings Lynn Caravan and Camping site. The cost of the site is £6 per person.
If you wish to camp overnight, please confirm your attendance by
Friday 14 August.
The Sunday RidesWobbly John has offered to lead the ride back on Sunday, from Kings Lynn to Littleport. This will be slightly more ‘scenic’ (a.k.a. lumpy) than the Saturday route.
I will then lead the ride back from Littleport to Cambridge, via Ely, Wicken Fen and Burwell. Those who attended Reggie Ride I will know this as the route out to Ely. There are several patches of ‘rough-ish’ stuff but nothing too scary.
The plan is to arrive back into Cambridge in the late afternoon in plenty of time for people to catch trains back to London and more other far flung corners.
Ride Etiquette, etc.These will not be particularly fast rides, as we will have some youngsters and some newbies with us - some of us will also be carrying camping gear. No-one will be left behind but you are responsible for ensuring that you carry spares and basic tools.
Please make sure you are carrying plenty of fluids and snacks with you for the Saturday ride. If it is hot, there are limited water stops/shops on the route to Kings Lynn.
Recumbents, etc. are welcome but please be mindful that there are some hills and patches of rough stuff.
You are welcome to join us for all or part of the ride. Please contact me directly by PM to arrange meeting points, times, etc.