This tour was different, in that it was centre based and we were riding without carrying our luggage on the bikes, so more of a cycling holiday. After the long hot dry summer, the weather broke here just before we were due to leave on the trip, although it turned out to be warm in Belgium and France and we largely avoided rain during the rides.
This was a longer day ride starting from the West Meon and cycling down to the coast and back with Clive, Carol. David, Keith, Mark, Vanessa, GrahamB, Mick and me. We met up at the MVT car park and immediately headed up the climb to the top of Old Winchester Hill where we took in the extensive views over to the Solent and Isle of Wight – the last time we came this way we were riding into a howling gale so we were concentrating on not being blown over so some missed the views. From the top it was downhill for the next 11 miles to Hoe Gate with the odd climb in between.
Day 1 Keynsham to Frome
We were all very aware of what was about to hit us in respect of record temperatures so on arrival at “Claridge’s” , Keith and Jan’s B&B – our parking location at approx. 10.00 am in baking, 28 deg sun, we made for the shade to load the bikes and apply our final layer of sun cream.
Ten of us set off for the trip, our group shot taken by one of the staff at the B&B shows nine of us, Graham, Brian, SueP, Peter, Vanessa, Rod, Keith, Janice and Mick ready for the off. ‘Where’s Ray’ we all asked… in the bathroom to apply cream where the sun doesn’t shine.
When the covid restrictions were finally lifted, we updated the plans for the Black Forest and Alsace tour. The original plan was based on ten people taking our own bikes in two cars with some of the group travelling by plane to the start of the tour in Strasbourg. However, as a result of Brexit, the customs rules posed a risk that the unaccompanied bikes could be subject to import duties at the border, so instead we opted to hire bikes and travel by plane to the tour. Whilst we would have preferred to use our own bikes, the hassle of flying with bikes was too much for most and the two who normally ride ebikes could not take theirs so we all opted to hire e-bikes for this tour. The bikes, new Kalkhoff Image 3B city bikes with Bosch Active line Plus motors with 500Wh batteries and 7 speed Nexus hub gears were hired from Freiburgbikes that are based at the Radstation beside the main railway station in Freiburg. Rudi the manager was very helpful when we booked the bikes and also when we collected and returned the bikes. The bikes were heavy at 28kg + about 10kg for panniers, charger and kit.
Alistair, Brian, Carol, David, Graham, Mark, Mick, Peter, Sue C and Sue P were all prepared for our trip to France. Alistair had kindly hosted a bike maintenance session at his house before we went. This proved invaluable as brake pads, a brake disc, chains and cassettes were in need of replacement and or attention. Alistair had also planned and devised all the routes which were uploaded to Garmins accordingly. This made the fact that Alistair had to drop out at the last minute a real shame and of concern to us all – how would we cope without him.
On Sunday 24th April we all made our way to Portsmouth to catch the 20.15 Brittany ferry Bretagne. Everyone was on time for the 1800 hrs meet at the terminal. Three cars travelled down, Graham and Mark with Graham’s son and Mark’s wife who drove the cars back after the unloading of bikes and panniers. I was the only one to book the car park as others trying to book were advised that the car park was full. However, when we got there we discovered an almost empty car park!
To take advantage of the glorious weather, I planned a longer ride around the Purbeck hills for Tuesday that would also be a training ride for those coming on the upcoming french tour. So it was an early start from Basingstoke for David, SueC, Mark, Ray, Mick, SueP, Graham, Carol, Jan and me to arrive in Wareham for a 10:00 start. It was wall to wall sunshine as we got the bikes ready and whilst some struggled with paying for parking as the ticket machine was not working, Jan, Carol and I headed down towards the Quay and settled in the Community Cafe for coffee and toasted tea cakes until the rest of the group joined us. Suitably refreshed, we set off on the cycle route down some lovely quiet lanes through the heathland to Corfe Castle where the obligatory photo or two was taken.
Although it was the warmest day of the week, the sun only occasionally made an appearance during the ride that started in Fareham on Tuesday 8th February. Eleven of us had driven down from Basingstoke for a ride along the Solent coast - DavidC, Len, Mick, Carol, Jan, Keith, SueP, Vanessa, Ray, Brian and me. The route took us through the back streets of Fareham form Lysses car park, past Titchfield Abbey and through the pretty village of Titchfield. We then headed west via Hook Lane to pick up the NCN2 in Warsash and cycled past the Warsash Maritime Academy where Mick had undertaken some of his offshore diving training. The route followed the Solent coast, though a little inland at first, as we passed the large mansions in Hook with their views acros the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The NCN then took a bumpy gravel track with deep puddles back to Hook Lane - at long last they have installed a bollard in the middle of the track about half way along to prevent vehicles using it as a shortcut. From there we continued on the NCN2 down to Chilling and the bridleway through the trees, past Brownwich Pond to the Meon Road and then to the coast again at Meon Shore where we stopped for a comfort break beside the beach.
The autumn colour seemed late this year, but last week on the Remembrance Day ride from Stockbridge to Winchester the autumn colours were in full display on Windmill Hill near Crawley so I thought we had left it a bit late for our ride to Burnham Beeches the following week. However, sixteen of us assembled at the Arboretum car park at Dorney Lake for the ride to Burnham Beeches - DavidB, Siobhan, JohnM, Rod, DavidC, Lin, Mick, Carol, Clive, Vanessa, JohnR, Helena, Keith, PeterH, Brian and me. Peter led the first group with Keith, JohnM, Vanessa, Clive, David B and Siobhan whilst the rest of us formed the second group, aiming for a more leisurely pace.
We were very fortunate that one of our members, Keith Vaughan, who used to do this for a living, ran two first aid courses for the group. The courses were held at the Old Basing Bowls Club on 21st October and 1st November when eighteen group members received training in first aid with a focus on cycling, each course lasting 4.5 hours. We were all impressed by Keith's professional approach and gve it rave reviews afterwards.
Make sure to have these three apps on your phone when out riding - what3words for giving your location to the emergency services, St John Ambulance First Aid - Android or St John Ambulance First Aid - Apple and Save a life - find your nearest defibrillator
Page 1 of 4