Spring 2012 Rutland camping weekend. April 14/15

[rower40]

There's the aded interest in that I don't have to cycle across That London: Saarfend > Stratford >Highbury & Islington > Krapy Rubsnif > Huntingdon.

Wow - I hate to be the bearer of negative train vibes, but...
I've a strong suspishion susspiss...  idea that bikes are banned from the Moorgate to Finsbury Park line (i.e. the bit from Highbury to Finsbury Park) at all times.  It's more a deep-level tube line than a bit of main-line railway, and all stations are accessed by escalator.  Your best bet would be to bike that section, or bike from Highbury-n-Islington to Kings Cross.

[Goes off to fettle train-fu..]
Clicky for Map.
As usual, it's ambiguous.  Highbury & Islington is the last station in Zone C; "Cycles not permitted at any time on trains between stations in this zone" - but you're travelling away from H&I.  But it's NOT shown as "in both zones".  When one looks at the word-based restrictions here, the very first one states:

However we are unable to carry non-folding bicycles:
At any time between Drayton Park and Moorgate.

So that pretty much rules out using H&I on the Moorgate branch.  Sorry.  You could ride H&I to Drayton Park, then take the bike on the train from there to Finsbury Park.

My preferred route from the North That-London Line is from Camden Town to St Pan (or KX), but it too involves carrying the bike down a very long flight (almost trans-Atlantic) of stairs.

[Wowbagger]

Oh well: it will be the usual Lpoo St to Kings Cross then I suppose.

[Canardly]

Wow St Ives is awfully near Huntingdon old thing. And there is a drop dead georgeous old mill twixt the two which you should see.

[CrinklyLion]

*Ponders*

When I have a brain that is not made of cotton wool I'll investigate this.... Saturday at least might be sort of possible.  Maybe.

[Kim]

I once camped there at the end of May.  All the butane users had problems in the morning.  It does seem to be a chilly spot overnight.

I'm carefully ignoring that.  I don't think barakta wants her bits frozen off...

[Wowbagger]

Wow St Ives is awfully near Huntingdon old thing.

Are you a St. Ives person then? There's no station there, but that's where my sister lives.

Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll probably cycle from Huntingdon to the camp site. It will be all part of the weekend away. You could always cycle over to Huntingdon and we could pootle up together. I'd be planning to drop into a pub for lunch and the Three Horseshoes in Great Stukeley seems to fit the bill. Might even bump into John Major...

And Loadsabikes: I'll probably bring one of my own tents thanks. We've got the Hilleberg Nallo 3 GT but I tend to use the Vango 200+ when I'm on my own.

[Wowbagger]

I once camped there at the end of May.  All the butane users had problems in the morning.  It does seem to be a chilly spot overnight.

I'm carefully ignoring that.  I don't think barakta wants her bits frozen off...

Mid-April's a real gamble as far as weather is concerned. Five years ago, when we were doing LEJoG, I was really worried about the stretch I'd planned from Clitheroe to Sedburgh, right over the Cross of Greet. If it had snowed, there wasn't really much of a Plan B apart, I think, from the A59 and the A65, both of which are the sort of A roads best avoided on a heavily laden tandem. However, it was one of the warmest April days on record and the tar was melting on the road.

[dasmoth]

Could you add me to the list please.  I'm needed for steering Emily's tandem!

[rower40]

Oh well: it will be the usual Lpoo St to Kings Cross then I suppose.

Here's an idea; Stratford to Caledonian-Road-&-Barnsbury on the North That-London Line; that's an accessible station, so there's lifts (or summat wheelchair friendly) to get from the platform to the road.  Then ride either to KX or to Finsbury Park.  Nicer, and shorter, than Liverpoo St to KX.

[Polar Bear]

I am not sure why but we're now mulling this over including riding from Rugby.  I must be mad...

[barakta]

I am not sure why but we're now mulling this over including riding from Rugby.  I must be mad...

     

[Tigerbiten]

I am not sure why but we're now mulling this over including riding from Rugby.  I must be mad...

I plot it at ~42 miles and ~1,700' climbing, mostly on backroads.
Thats about right for around here ........... 

[loadsabikes]

*Ponders*

When I have a brain that is not made of cotton wool I'll investigate this.... Saturday at least might be sort of possible.  Maybe.

Help available this end re transportation. RW is a distinctly Cubbable ride! Plenty of spare tentage and stuff.

[nightrider]

*Ponders*

When I have a brain that is not made of cotton wool I'll investigate this.... Saturday at least might be sort of possible.  Maybe.

Help available this end re transportation. RW is a distinctly Cubbable ride! Plenty of spare tentage and stuff.

Same here,I can help out,with a car and I can lend out to use of a nine man tent.I won't be camping myself but may be coming along for a ride.

[CrinklyLion]

Not a Cubs weekend, that one.  But I would have them on the Friday daytime until a time-currently-unspecified.  As I say, I'll think about it properly when I'm less cotton-wool headed.  And thank you for the offers of help

[loadsabikes]

Wot!! no cubs! Who's going to help carry the caik?

[clarion]

Potential participants so far:-

Mrs Miggins
Loadsabikes
Wowbagger
Chris S
Kim
Barakta
Rower 40
Jogler
Luke
Canardly
fboab +
Speshact
Emily
Bikepacker
Pickled Onion +
andrew c
arabella
Wobbly John
Tigerbiten
Dasmoth


I will call in to the site next week and reserve a small field.

We expressed an interest, so
Clarion
Butterfly
TGL

[JenM]

I'd also like to come.

[loadsabikes]

All added, this is going to be some weekend!!

[Canardly]

21 a nice round number. ( I still have to decide whether to huff an puff it with Wow from Huntingdon) might be time to test my low loaders.

[loadsabikes]

I have  visited the campsite this morning and had a chat with the owner.
He was happy to reserve us a group area for the Friday/Saturday night. Cost is £7 per person per night.
Do we want to eat in the pub in the village on Saturday evening? If so, I think it would be wise to book sooner rather than later.
The other reasonably local venue would be the Horse and Jockey in Manton but this will require a post dinner hill back to the campsite!
What do the panel think?
edit: happy for camping fees to be paid on the weekend.

[Wowbagger]

I'd say village pub on the Saturday.

[jogler]

+1 (+2 if Marj comes : + 3 if g.d. comes  )

[JT]

I can't remember the name of the pub but the food is good, if a little expensive.

A few of us from CTC Peterborough did an S24O to Wing last year on a Friday night and the pub couldn't fit us in so we sat outside and ate crisps and nuts. And drank some beer.

[Canardly]

Pub sounds good