Cyclists Touring Club
Newark On Trent
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NEWARK NOTES from the Secretary

August 2008

"Normality Is Restored"

After our trip to Holland, it was back to normality with a bit of a bump. Not only was it back to work for those of us who aren't ladies or gentlemen of leisure, but the summer, if it can be called that, still under-achieved. But you know about that already.

Later in June, some of the guys stopped at a newly re-opened refreshment room at a large house near Lincoln. They bought the usual drinks, and Brian ordered some sandwiches, which were made to order, then went into the garden to enjoy their purchases. Some time later, the waitress walked over to Brian to inform him that his sandwiches were ready for collection from the servery. The guys were rather surprised at this, as she would have walked no further had she brought the sarnies to the table. Perhaps someone had done a risk assessment and decided that it was no longer safe for waitresses to carry meals to tables any more. Any other suggestions are welcomed.

July arrived and with it no improvement in the weather. My second "Rural ride" of the year took place on a wet Friday evening, and, much to my surprise, a small family turned up. Even more to my surprise, they were still up for it when a change from drizzle to definitely raining drove some of the others home. In the end, we had not a bad ride, marred only by one of the riders getting a puncture about a mile from the finish. The following Sunday, we had decent weather for a change, and took a ride to Kirton Lindsey and its windmill.

I joined the Saturday ride for the next two weeks, and went to the old favourite of Fulbeck, and a not-so-often visited Sherwood Pines, the latter made heavy going on the way out by the wind, but, of course, with a power-assisted return leg. One one of the Sundays I ended up solo again so took a ride to the infamous Minting, finding it in the same position as ever despite its curious signposting. And for August it was another windmill, this time at Wymondham.

Come the bank holiday weekend, I was away, but the others had various things planned. Brian joined Nick and Adrian, as I would have done but for other commitments, for a youth hostel weekend at the unlikely (so unlikely that there was still room at the hostel) destination of Milton Keynes. By all accounts they had a good time, with a trip to Badby, checking out the old Youth Hostel that we'd visited before it closed, and a visit to Bletchley Park, which they expected to take two hours, but ended up taking all day. If you're in the area, it seems the place is definitely worth a visit. Closer to home, some of us made an all-day ride to The Grainstore again, this time to sample the beers on offer in their beer festival. They tell me they managed to ride home in a sober manner, anyway.

For the final weekend of the month, the Saturday ride went to Harby, while threatened rain curtailed the Sunday ride. We did manage to check out the new tea rooms at the Bardney Heritage Centre, in the old station at Bardney (where else?). If you're riding the path, which now extends from Lincoln all the way to Woodhall (with continuation to Boston along minor roads) this can be recommended as a refreshment stop.

Mike Graham

Page updated 17/09/2008