CYCLE CLIPS
All about free and easy cycling in
Shropshire including pottering, day riding, off-roading, social events and
items of general interest.
The May copy of
the Cyclists’ Touring Club house magazine contained a feature on Slow
Cycling, an aspect of our pastime that was almost unmentionable in club
literature just a few years ago. It made interesting reading. May I offer two
quotes from the article, in case you missed it?
“Ride the bike that you have, in the clothes you like, at
the speed you enjoy” is dear to my heart as I’ve always held that tight, garish
clothing and dozens of gears are a state of mind, not a leisure requirement,
while “If cycling is ever to become as popular as walking, it must be perceived
as normal, and the apparel of cyclists is no small part of how the activity is
perceived”. Again, no argument from me.
It really isn’t
long ago that if you didn’t have dropped handlebars and shape up to the
‘clubman’ image you weren’t considered to be a ‘real’ cyclist, and then along
came Lycra, which is an absolute boon for the sporting rider but
unflattering in the extreme for leisure cyclists of the wrong age and shape,
and many people adopted it unwisely. Now, good, practical alternative clothing
is available and it is pleasing that the less flamboyant attire of ordinary
riders is being recognised as valid – attractive, even. Now, you can be
comfortable and look normal!
The article also
contained the words “Think of going for a country walk, but on a bike”. This
doesn’t say that you can’t travel at a decent pace if the mood takes you, but
it does at least suggest that slow is an acceptable alternative!
Our modern world
can be a trying place so there is no shame in taking it easy, looking at the
scenery and smelling the flowers, and I am personally happy (and these are,
after all, only my thoughts), that I don’t need to dress up like a
Christmas tree to do it. PW
Do you agree with the general gist of the CTC article, or are you
at odds with it? If you disagree, why not give us your thoughts on the matter?
Whatever, if you have anything at all to say which is even loosely connected
with cycling, the readers would be delighted to hear from you. I’ll publish
anything that isn’t rude, offensive or defamatory! Ed.
FOR YOUR DIARY
The Chip Run, every other Friday, all year. This sociable
lunchtime get-together at The Corbet Arms in Upton Magna is off to a
rather hesitant start, which is a pity, because it really is the perfect
opportunity to meet friends and catch up with the gossip. It offers a perfect
‘short run’ opportunity in winter, (the pub is so close to town that you
could almost walk there), and if the weather is good you can make as big a ride
of it as you like. If you’re pinched for time, nip out in the car - the
possibilities are endless so why not swell the numbers?
The pub offers
specials on Fridays, curry or fish and chips for £3.95, or you can of course
access the full menu. All cyclists are welcome, meet at Asda,
The next dates
are – August 28th, September 11th and 25th,
and alternate Fridays thereafter.
Details, if
needed, from Brian Wilde on Shy. 365061, Paul
Roberts or Paul
Wagner.
The Wednesday
PS. A similar ride may slot in nicely with a
Friday Upton Magna run (see above), later in the year? Twenty Father Christmases
on bikes would be a scary sight!
‘Celebrating the
Countryside’ service, Petton church, 3.00 pm, Sunday
September 20th 2009. It is most sincerely hoped that cyclists
will attend this service, which was once so popular that over thirty of us used
to ride there. The parishioners are making a really worthwhile attempt to
re-connect with cyclists and the country-loving population, and you’ll never
find a more delightful spot to meet them. Even if you are not normally a
churchgoer, you’ll find a
2 - Diary
(Contd).
comfortable, warm welcome at
Petton. Having said that, Jean and I will most
regrettably be absent, we are on holiday! PW
The Autumn Vyrnwy
circuits, Saturday October 3rd 2009. There’s really
nothing new that can be said about this permanent fixture in our calendar.
Whatever your cycling ability please feel free to join in with this lazy,
sociable jaunt around the lake, be it for one lap or two - a conversational
lunch - or the whole day. All cyclists are welcome, meet outside Bay’s café
below the dam for an 11.00am (ish) start. Having
missed the last one, Jean and I are looking forward to the day with great
pleasure, and we’ll be there come rain or shine. PW
EVENTS (just past).
The Circuit of Sleap, August 26th 2009. A report will
follow; the newsletter was at the printers at the time!
Rod Hunter, licensee of the New Inn at Hook-a-Gate
sadly recently passed away. He will be remembered by many of the groups,
particularly the Saturday Casuals who in the past often used to call in for a
drink or lunch at the conclusion of a winter’s ride. Trying to adjust to the
changes in trade for country pubs, this one had stopped opening at midday,
which regretfully removed the opportunity to see Rod’s welcoming figure behind
the bar. Sympathy is extended to his family at their sad loss. It is pleasing
to be able to report that the New Inn is continuing to offer its usual
hospitality and long may it continue to do so.
JL
Eileen Lloyd and Graham Taylor. Eileen and Graham
were married on August 22nd and their many friends are delighted to
see them united. They have been an integral and active part of local cycling
for more years than I care to remember, so we offer them both our heartfelt
congratulations and pray that they may enjoy many more happy years together. PW
Bill Dorrell. The saints be praised, Bill took early
retirement at the end of June, and he intends to enjoy himself riding his bike
and engaging in useful works. We offer him every good wish and it is already a
pleasure to see his face (and the rest of him) out and about with midweek
groups.
Brian Morris. So very well known
to most
The good news is
that after a very worrying period, particularly for Joan and his family, Brian
is making a steady recovery with his body returning to normal, although at the
time of writing there is still a long way to go to his previous health and
fitness. Regrettably, that has been slowed by one of the infections that seem
to be prevalent in hospital these days.
We all wish him a
continuing and speedy recovery, trusting that this unfortunate period will soon
just be a bad memory. JL
Jean Wagner. Jean’s rapid
recovery from surgery has been a sight to behold, the result, surely, of
following medical advice to the letter during her convalescence. She is very
comfortable and rode her bike (with permission), some while before expected.
First class news!
Bill and Arleen Pfeffer. It’s really good to have you among us
once again. I hope that we haven’t changed too much, our economy may be all
over the place but we keep on riding, regardless. We are so glad to see you,
welcome back!
The
completely new view of the
surrounding countryside and as a glimpse of things to come it is tantalising.
An electronic pedestrian counter installed here is already recording over 100
‘passes’ a day, so just think how popular the
3 - News (Contd).
route will be when it
comes all the way into the county town! Further news of this brilliant
initiative will be given when it is available.
Informal Groups Introductory Leaflet. The introductory
leaflet, first written about seven years ago to describe the activities of the
various groups, has been updated. It is not intended as an
advertisement, rather more an explanatory
handout to be given to anyone who shows an interest when they meet
us on the road, and as such it is very useful. If you’d like a copy, or you’d
like to carry some with you, please ask.
Paul
Wagner
FROM OUR READERS
A fruitful ride through Whixall Moss. On the spur of the moment, Leslie, Marion and
I decided to indulge in a ‘van-assisted’ ride in the general direction of Whixall, taking that essential accessory OS map 214
(Explorer) with us, as ‘Whixall’ and ‘Getting Lost’
go together rather well. We lunched at the Bull and Dog in Coton, and after some delightful twists and turns around
We turned round,
taking the towpath back past Morris’ Bridge to
Past Marl
Allotments, (which we intend to explore at some other time), we reached The
Barn, or ‘The shop in the garden’ as it is called, and what a magical place
it is. There are so many unusual species of plants and shrubs, and we were led
to a table under a wisteria where Chris Garside did us proud with homemade
everything - scones, bramble jelly, clotted cream and cups of tea. She is a
wonderful person and willingly gave us a conducted tour of this one-acre
canal-side plot. I think it was her brother-in-law who used to write articles
in the CTC magazine many years ago, using the pen name ‘Garside’. Both Chris
and her husband, a retired sea captain, come from Kings Lynn.
This really was
one of those days to remember, and the return ride was punctuated with memories
of this little gem in a lovely setting, with such delightful hospitality. We
had stowed a few bottles of Chris’s elderflower in the panniers, and the drink
will remind us of the day as we raise a glass to her and her husband. Ken Linney
Further details of The Barn can be found in the ‘Eating Out’
section. Ed.
Remember that
freezing Cynwyd weekend?
Friday December 27th 1985. With a loaded
saddlebag and riding on Henry Burton, I met Eileen and Derek at the station, en
route to Cynwyd YH. Derek took my bike upstairs to
the platform, then the rest of the party arrived and as the train was in we got
our bikes loaded and were off by 10.50am. The single fare was £2.20 and the
journey took 30 minutes. Joan Davies was waiting for us at Ruabon.
It was a chilly morning and Joan, knowing the area, led us to Llangollen where
we stopped and ate our lunch on the bridge. We pressed on and arrived at the
hostel by about 4.00pm. The warden, his wife and their dog met us – they had
lit a welcoming fire in the Parkray and after cups of
tea we all sat huddled round the warmth, such as it was!
I remembered with some misgivings that the loos are outside. We went up
to the girl’s dormitory and chose our bunks for our two night stay, and I took
as many spare blankets as I could and rigged up a sort of tent to keep out the
draught on the lower bunk; there was no central heating in those days. The
water was hot for washing, not that anyone did much of that, it was far too
cold to remove our clothing! I had a bite to eat, and then Angela Axson arrived by car to stay just one night. We strolled
down to the Blue Lion Inn where I had two ginger wines and a bag of crisps.
Back at the hostel I made more porridge and went to bed, taking a bucket! It
was a freezing night; I wore my pyjamas over my long johns and kept my jumper
on. Jack Frost came in the night.
Sat. 28th December. I got up at 8.00am. Part of the ceiling above the sinks had come down
in the night, exposing years of black cobwebs. Breakfast brought forth smells
of bacon, eggs and coffee, tea, toast and porridge, then
we set off, on a bitter cold, frosty morning, heading for Bala. We split up and
some of us wound our way through the hills, seeing pretty icicle formations
formed from the rushing streams, and some superb views of
We returned to Cynwyd by about 4.00pm. Paul
Wagner was sitting by the fire, frozen. He’d lost his group early on, and
ridden round
collected our money, and told us that the temperature was falling,
snow was due, and that everything outside would be frozen. Susan Stanley and I
had had headaches all day, so we both took a sedative and had an hour’s rest on
our
4 - Cynwyd, (contd).
bunks. Later, with Susan, Wynn and Joan, we went to the Blue Lion Inn again,
where I had fish and chips - £1.20. We stayed ‘til 8.00pm then came back and
hugged the fire, chatting about our wartime memories of rations, gas masks and
sweets. The temperature was well down. Joan and I took the bucket up again. I
still wore all of my clothes and soon got off to sleep, sleeping ‘til 8.15am.
Sun. 29th December. Someone said, “There’s a lot of snow outside”.
It was an understatement. I got up and had a large helping of oats, and a
coffee. The outside loo was frozen so it was back and forth with buckets of
warm water
from the kitchen. We tidied the dorm and folded the blankets, gathered all
our bits and pieces, packed our saddlebags and made our bikes secure.
Outside the hostel we took photographs, then
we made our way to the road. We found it difficult even walking. The snow was
up to our ankles and it was very slippery so some of us decided to walk as best
as we could, riding where possible. It was a mile and a half to the A5, where
the snow ploughs had been in action, and we met the others and cycled to Corwen. We got to Llangollen by 12.00 mid-day, stopping at
a café to warm up and eat, then headed for Ruabon railway station, 6 miles on. The road was still slippy and we kept stopping to regroup. At the top of the
hill the sun came out and it was warm, and there were lovely views of mist and
low cloud over the mountains. We got to Ruabon in
good time for the 3.47 train - some even went off for a bit more of a ride. Ruabon station had bricked-up windows and lots of graffiti.
When the train drew in, we got all our bikes into the guards van. The train was
nice and warm, and we all got seats and paid the guard. We reached
Remember it? I’ve
never been so cold – the temperature inside the hostel didn’t rise above 43’
Fahrenheit the whole time, even with the fire constantly stoked up, and we
really did keep all our clothes on for three days. As I remember it, we got
eleven bikes on the train – what chance of that now? When I got back, Jean,
who’d had the good sense to stay at home, compared me to an odiferous
polecat and sent me to have a bath. Those really were the days, weren’t they?
Thanks for the memory, Sheila. Ed.
Leintwardine, The
Sun. You may remember that under the heading ‘The Victorian Farm’ in the
last edition, I mentioned the current lack of shops and pubs in Leintwardine, together with a request for information about
The Sun PH, which, it was rumoured, may still be in operation in some
small way.
A piece in The
Shropshire Star on June 23rd shed further light on this subject.
It reported the death, on June 13th 2009, of
The Sun was one of the
area’s last remaining ‘parlour pubs’ and one of only a handful left in the
country, and when Flossie fell ill three years ago, seven local families
undertook to run the pub for one day a week each, on her behalf. Such socially
dedicated people are rare, and they must be very sad to see the life seeping
out of their lovely village.
This fascinating
insight into the recent history of Leintwardine
doesn’t tell us whether the pub is still open or not. I spoke to the reporter
who wrote the piece and she didn’t know, but if any reader can find out I’d be
really pleased to be told, so that I can pass the information on. If the pub
has ceased trading, it will be the tragic end of the hospitality business in
this historic village. This extremely interesting tale shouldn’t be left
hanging in the air. PW
PS. Shortly after this, Ken Linney found
an obituary notice to Flossie in The Times. It runs to a quarter page and
contains many more fascinating details about the pub and its operation. A copy
is available on request. Ed.
Red kites. The Wednesday Lot visited Eileen Lloyd
at Pulverbatch in June, to see her and Graham’s wild flower meadow and to enjoy
a picnic. While there, we were treated to the unprecedented sight of a red kite
flying over the garden, the closest to
The only other
local sighting that can be recorded was a couple of years ago, when Paul W saw one about 800 feet above the Wrekin while helicoptering from Shawbury. Paul
Glanville.
It gets better – I had a ‘phone call from
Eileen to say that the following week the kites were back, and on Saturday, at
the beginning of July, there were no less than three on the slopes of Broom
Hill just to the back of the bungalow, accompanied by four ravens and a fox,
attending to a dead sheep. One kite even sat in Eileen’s tree! Ed.
Stop press. Birds have since been spotted
over Hanwood and Dorrington.
By the time this is printed, they’ll be in my back garden! Ed.
That fatal accident on the Hirnant
Pass, Friday September 2nd 1898 – The conclusion!!! To recap, Percy Dorning Bailey was riding from Beaumaris,
5 - From
our readers (Contd).
the
engineer of Liverpool Waterworks, at his home, Bryn Vyrnwy. This is the first
house on the left going down from the Vyrnwy dam, below Mandy’s (Bay’s) café.
The final pieces of the
jigsaw were completed on June 23rd 2009 when I visited the site of
the accident, in the company of Mr Mervyn Davies, of Cowney, a retired forester. Mr Davies is a grandson of one
of the boys, William Evans, who found the victim, and worked at Rhiwargor Farm.
Travelling from Bala and over the
When Bailey confronted the bend he attempted to go straight
on, as he was travelling too fast. There was a gate across the road in those
days and he crashed into the undergrowth, which was full of large sharp
triangular stones. These caused most of his injuries, from which he subsequently
died.
Mr Davies and I found the old boundary wall on the right but
both the stones and a memorial cairn erected at the site have gone. They were
bulldozed out when the area was forested in the 1950’s although it is clear
again now as the wood was felled quite recently. The road was only tarmaced in the 60’s. There is still no warning sign on
this very dangerous bend! I have not been able to ascertain which club Mr
Bailey belonged to but the CTC,
Gosh, John, that’s been a bit of a marathon! Many
thanks for getting to the bottom of this fascinating tale. Perhaps when we come
to Vyrnwy for the ‘Autumn Circuits’ we can at least visit the church where this
unfortunate young man is buried, and see both the grave and the commemorative
window that you found in the summer. I’ll bring your photographs of the
accident site with me so that those who have no energy can view the pics, while the hardy ones may care to ride a couple of
miles up the Bala road from the top of the lake and indulge in a bit of on-site
reality! Ed.
Found in a churchyard.
The following rhyme was found on the notice board of the Marsh Green, (near Isombridge), Methodist Chapel, in the course of a Wednesday
Time.
Give me leisure, simple
pleasure, time in which to stand and stare,
Time to wonder, time to wander,
time to dream and time to spare,
Time for gazing, time for
raising weary eyes to leaf and wing,
Time for praying, time for saying thank
you God for everything.
THE GROUPS
The Wednesday
“This
extremely easygoing bunch of people has a totally sociable, leisurely attitude
to cycling. The broad aim is to enjoy the countryside, stopping frequently to
look at things, talking to people that we may meet along the way, and just
sitting in the sun occasionally”.
Having
said that, at the same time as long-standing members of the group gradually
slow down, extremely welcome new riders join us, so it is inevitable that our
makeup will alter, but our attitude won’t. The logical way forward is that
on the ‘longer run’ day, a short alternative for slower riders will be agreed,
but for the rest of the time, it’s business as usual. Accommodating everyone
isn’t easy, so I do hope that this arrangement suits anyone who has doubts.
The time of year
is approaching when the hours of daylight are greatly reduced, and the general
consensus is that most of the time we will adopt the ‘short rides to hospitable
pubs’ concept to see winter out. At a time when things are hard for the trade,
we are fortunate to have so many decent hostelries close by. Let’s make use of
them!
NB. If someone else
would like to write this piece for The Wednesday Lot in future please tell me, I’m getting weary and a fresh voice would be more
than welcome, I’m sure. PW
The Wednesday
Loose-Enders and The Saturday Casuals. No one has
offered to cover the activities of these road groups, so I can only suggest
that you speak to the contacts detailed on the back page. All I can say with
certainty is that they are quicker than the Sunday Pedallers
or the Wednesday Lot and they’re poles apart from the WWW!
6 - The groups (contd).
The Sunday Pedallers. The Pedallers are running like clockwork, enjoying Home Farm
and one-another’s company, as usual. Nothing seems to disturb their equilibrium
and why should it, they are doing what they want to
do, when they want to do it, and long may they continue!
I try to refrain from commenting about everything that I receive,
but the following piece from the off-roaders gripped me. I often advise people
to “Do it while you still can” as nowadays I’m fairly limited, but these lads
and lassies are certainly giving it some wellie and I
take my hat off to them! I think their adventures are absolutely brilliant, and
we owe Nigel sincere thanks for describing their adventures in such a graphic
way. Ed.
Off Road News. The off-road riders, who meet somewhere in
The "A"
ride is for advanced cyclists, who are fit and skilful in their riding
technique and don't hang about and you can only join this ride by asking
permission from one of the that group.
The main ride, or
"B" ride, is nearly always led by Graham Pocock with brother, Nigel,
as "tail end Charlie". This is the original Wednesday night ride that
does not hang about, but gives consideration to all levels of experience and
tries to make sure that everyone has a good time without losing anyone or
taking undue risks.
The "C"
ride is a new concept led by Nick Stevens, Spider, Downhill Dave and John
Clifford. This ride is not quite as fast as the "A" ride, but does
challenge riders' abilities on technical descents and the like. So try this
ride and if it is a bit much, join the "B" ride and if it's not
enough ask to join the "A" ride!
Long distance
rides appear to be gathering momentum. For Graham’s 40th
Birthday there were around a dozen riders for a 40-mile ride from Borth up into the mountains and back. Then Graham, his
nephew
Next, Mick
Boulton deserves an award for organising a truly inspired, well
prepared ride that started at Dusk on the 3rd July and finished at
Dawn the next day. 21 of us had the chance to test our stamina and thoroughly
enjoy a night out in the hills. For Nigel, it had been one of his ambitions
that one day he would see the sunset and stay up through the night to see the
sun rise. It is something he had done in his youth, but never something that he
had attempted in adult life and they even had to take into account that
the ride came at the end of a working week and a heat wave giving them all
little sleep in the run-up.
The riders came
from around
Nigel reports
that by the time his group got to the top of the Longmynd, darkness had fallen
and sadly for Colin, a tough twig snapped his carbon fibre derailleur arm
forcing him to retire for an early bath. The rest of them swept down into
Little Stretton and arrived at the check point (The Ragleth Inn) to find
a sort of surreal picture of some riders drinking coffee and others a beer as
if they had finished a good ride rather than recently started one.
They then headed
round the back of the Ragleth Hill and across to the Caradoc
to take the track around its West side. Nigel always finds this a bit of a
challenge, although much better with his Trance, and was slightly
dreading arriving there around mid-night half asleep and falling off the edge.
In the event an odd wobble produced some adrenaline and he completed the
section wide-awake!
The gang of four
cheered as they crossed the A49 for the second time knowing that that loop was
now behind them and we made good progress up Batch Valley to High Park. Here it
seemed that by careful planning Mick ensured that all the riders were in one
place at the same time and had superbly organised a second checkpoint,
which included yummy sandwiches and an ample supply of water to top up our
bottles.
Refreshed, they
flew along the Portway and then took a bridleway from
Ratlinghope to the Stiperstones, then across through Pennerley
and Shelve and another bridleway past Little Stapeley
Farm and up to Mitchells Fold, where the now legendary Mick Boulton had planned
that we would all arrive as dawn rose and from a pre-parked mini-bus he
produced beer, brandy, coffee and flapjacks accompanied by the dawn chorus.
A
magical moment, watching the beauty of the countryside slowly coming alive for
another day and having been with it all through the night. Then the ride
was to be completed by returning to the Youth Hostel for the finish. Nigel
said “I don't
know if it was the beer and the brandy, but I like to think it was just pure
elation on the final stage as I reflected how lucky we had been to have had a
perfect night, where there really was a sunset and a perfect morning,
where there really was
a sunrise. And in between we had had a balmy night, where, until the latter
hours, a short sleeved top was ample and the tracks and trails were beautifully
dry.”
7 - The WWW (Contd).
Mick and Ross
capped the ride with a lovely cooked breakfast at 5 am and then it was time for
home. If Mick organises this ride again you have to experience it or you have
not lived! The distance was 38.2 miles with 5780 feet of climb.
Sadly, the days
are beginning to get shorter but our nights will be bright - you just need to
see our lights! If this sounds like your sort of cycling,
then why not consider joining us? To ensure the safety of all participants and
to
maintain the integrity of
the group, you should have three things: some experience of off-road cycling, a
reasonable degree of fitness and (possibly the most important) a good sense of
humour. If that’s you then see you soon.
Nigel Pocock
(Not too far off
the beaten track)
Marton Pool. Marton pool is located
to the left of the B4386 Shrewsbury to
The pool and the
caravan site that lies on its banks are private, but four of us recently crept
down the access road and had a sneaky peep. It’s a pretty place and the site is
rather select, so if you want to have a proper look you’d be best advised to
ask for permission at the office first.
Upton Magna’s
millennium stone. We have all seen
millennium stones; in
At the junction
in the centre of Upton Magna, near to the timber-framed cottage by the church,
you’ll find a stone that is in a class of its own. I’ve pointed it out to lots
of people already but if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s fixed low down on the
church wall next to the public bench. Small, metal framed and inconspicuous,
the inscription states – “This millennium stone is dedicated to all those who
have helped make Upton Magna unique. The characters, the
caring, the famous, the rogues and families past and present. May the
future see their like”.
For me, it speaks
a thousand words. The wording is delightfully original and it beats a big rock,
anytime! PW
EATING OUT
It is good to find that many of the pubs that closed in the last
few months have re-opened, or are soon to re-open, albeit under new management.
I have a theory that the quality of pub service is diminishing, partly because
each time a manager finds it impossible to continue, the incoming gang is not
quite as experienced as the last. Have the breweries got a lot to answer for?
At least the venues are kept trading. Ed.
Church Stretton, The
Edgebolton, The garden
centre. More rumours – a little bird tells me that the business has
re-opened. Has it?
Lea Cross, The Lea Cross Inn. This little bit
of local history is trading again, I’m pleased to say.
Longdon on Tern, The
Tayleur Arms. This pub re-opened at the
beginning of July, providing us once again with a lunch-stop in this corner of
our universe. It’s a pleasant area to ride in and a visit three weeks after
they had opened showed that the new manager, a young woman, is trying to keep
everything just as it was. She has a hard act to follow but the signs are that
she’ll get it right. Beware of the coffee; we reckon that £2.00 a cup is a bit
much.
Melverley, The
Tontine. We continue to get favourable reports of this pub, which
only re-opened a year ago. What a pity that it’s so close to The Royal Hill,
which has been a cyclists’ favourite for over 70 years. Both pubs are owner
managed and it shows in so many detailed ways.
Ruyton XI Towns, The Talbot. Closed, and up for
sale. Perhaps we’ll get a ‘new owner’ breakthrough here, as well. Two of Ruyton’s three pubs have shut and for cyclists at least, a caterering outlet is really needed in the village. Mind
you, I contracted a serious case of food poisoning, (campylobacter), in The
Talbot some years ago, not to be repeated voluntarily, I can assure you! PW
Tilley, The Tilley Raven. Well, what a positive experience
our first visit here proved to be! A free house, extensively refurbished by the
owners, the welcome is extremely warm, there is a good ‘small appetite’
selection on the menu, (the portions of which are perfectly adequate), the main
menu is wide, prices are right, a variety of real ales is available and their
£1.50 cup of coffee is almost a bucketful. Lunch is served from 12.00 noon ‘til
6.30pm, and if you can’t find something to suit you here, I’ll be amazed! The
venue is extremely comfortable and I don’t doubt that it will become very
popular, now that we’ve ‘found’ it. Ring 01939 234419.
8 - Eating out (contd).
Whixall, The Barn. In this little
paradise Captain DW Garside and his wife Chris, who are very ‘cycling
friendly’, will happily serve you with excellent homemade scones, pies and
quiches, together with cream teas, cups of tea and coffee etc, and their shop
offers groceries, eggs, fresh vegetables and fruit, among other things. Their
introductory
leaflet invites you to
‘enjoy a break and a stroll through our country garden’, and you’d be foolish
to miss out on this wonderful offer. They tell us that the range of goodies
available is always changing “because the cook gets bored”, but I can assure
you that visitors will not be bored in the slightest!
Access can be
made from the canal towpath between Morris’ Bridge and
Enjoy Ken’s wider wanderings around the Whixall
area in “From our Readers”. Ed.
Wem, The
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I don’t like to
dwell on it, but in the next few months wind, rain, and chilly, dull conditions
are likely to be our lot. After the wicked winter that we experienced last
year, perhaps it would be as well to remember that nasty incidents are more
likely to occur in poor conditions, however hard we try to avoid them.
So, is your bike
in good repair? Have you checked your brakes, tyres, and lights? Are you
carrying the right spares, and are you personally fully able to
withstand all that nature may chuck at you? Always err on the side of caution;
it is much better to live to ride another day than regret the fact that you
took a chance when it was unwise to do so.
On the other
hand, if we’re lucky we may experience such benign conditions that these
thoughts are misplaced. I hope so, but whatever arises there will always be
good days, and even a short ride in our lovely countryside is a pleasure, so
take care, and I hope to see you all up the road. PW
Are the WWW exempt from this warning? I’m not sure how they conduct
their business when the weather is dire but it must get extremely hairy at
times. Perhaps Nigel, or one of his group, would
enlighten us? Ed.
Insurance. Nowadays, third party insurance is essential. Most of the
riders with these groups are covered by membership of one of the national
cycling organisations like the Cyclists’ Touring Club, but you can of
course insure privately. Whatever you do, please make sure that your cover is
adequate.
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General. All of
our rides are informal in nature. The groups are individual in their
activities, and our only alliance is a shared love of cycling, and this
newsletter. You are asked to abide by the rules of the road and ride safely,
with due regard to your companions, horse riders, and all other members of the
public.
CONTACTS
The following people can give
you information about the groups. ALL of the phone numbers shown are
prefixed 01743,
Sunday Pedallers; Sheila Page,
242051 or Carol Glanville, 368816
The Wednesday
The
Loose-enders & Saturday Casuals; Eric
Rough, 368402 or Martin Beardwell, 231604.
WWW/Offroaders; Sean
Caddick, 350229 or sean.doa@btinternet.com
or (http://www.wwwa2b.co.uk/)
Cycle Clips is
produced on behalf of the groups by Paul Wagner,
I
am happy to receive floppy discs, memory sticks, or at a pinch, handwritten
material.
(No. 48) Printed by Abbey Works, Castle Foregate,
COPYRIGHT. No part of this newsletter may be used or
reproduced in any way without the permission of the editor.