2018 Cycling

Augustclick for this month's league table

The Scales, Lichfield

Holiday season brought Embers down to nine riders this week. We made our way from Donisthorpe to the National Memorial Arboretum for a coffee then onwards to Lichfield and The Scales for lunch.

Finding our way back is becoming a bit of a challenge but we were refreshed by ice creams from the Harlaston Post Office.

Blue Bell, Belchford

Eight Embers abandoned our usual route to head into the Lincolnshire Wolds. After a few shortcuts down rocky tracks and across fields we eventually reached Belchford for lunch at the Blue Bell.

Our return ride took us to Horncastle for coffee and cakes at Tanya's. Then we found the Spa Trail, part of the Viking Way, for an easy ride back to Woodhall Spa.

Back at Kirkstead Bridge we were met by Ian trying out his borrowed Suzuki following his recent head-on with a Mercedes.

Group B with four Embers reconnoitred from Mercia Marina towards Ashbourne searching for suitable staging posts.

Wolferstan Arms, Shuttington

Nine Embers faced down a wet morning and were rewarded by a dry cycle ride with a warm and sunny afternoon. Just enough early rain to damp down the dust on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal tow path as we headed north from Kingsbury Water Park. After our banana break at Fazely Junction we headed east beside the Coventry Canal to the Wolferstan Arms at Shuttington.

Soon after our lunch break we split up for the ride back to our starting points. Cycle routes took us through to the A5/M42 roundabout and then we diced with death to reach Trinity Road back through Piccadilly.

We lived to enjoy coffee and cake back at Kingsbury Water Park.

Whistle Stop, Tallington

Ten Embers found it convenient to assemble at Wellies Tea Rooms near Manton. From there we made rapid progress to Stamford for our banana break. Then onward past Burghley Hall to Tallingtonn, over the level crossing to the Whistle Stop for lunch.

We returned into a freshening breeze for more coffee and cake at Wellies Tea Rooms before braking up for our various journeys home.

Hollybush Inn, Priors Marston

Just nine Embers out today due to several Embers gallivanting off to distant places on their motorcycles. Instead of following the Lias Way to Warwick we slanted off southeast from Birdingbury to reach the Hollybush Inn Priors Marston down quiet roads that are new to us.

After lunch we looped back to Birdingbury and the Lias Way straight to Sainsburys' cafe for tea and cake.

Moving along to September.