November motorcycling in Britain can be something of a lottery. Will it be rain, fog, freezing temperatures, or perhaps that rarest of delights – dry roads? Fortunately, for our latest PECAM Sunday ride-out, the weather gods were feeling reasonably generous!
The day began under a thick blanket of fog, which gradually lifted to reveal a chilly, rather grey autumn day. However, by the time we were ready to ride, visibility was excellent and, remarkably for November, the roads were dry. Result!
Our meeting point was the familiar Peterborough Services, although in a departure from tradition we abandoned our usual outdoor gathering spot in favour of the upstairs seating area overlooking the car park. Clearly, even advanced motorcyclists have their limits when it comes to standing around in the cold!
With our destination of Foxton Locks agreed, riding order sorted and briefings complete, we headed north on the A1 before escaping into the countryside.
Our route took us through Kings Cliffe and Blatherwycke towards one of the region’s great Victorian engineering achievements – the magnificent Harringworth Viaduct. With its seemingly endless procession of arches marching across the Welland Valley and disappearing into the lingering mist, it was a truly spectacular sight.
But before we could fully appreciate Victorian engineering, we had a rather more poignant appointment with history.
A Moment of Remembrance at Spanhoe
At 10:55am, we stopped at the entrance to the former USAAF airfield at Spanhoe, Station 493, where around 70 people had gathered at the war memorial for a Remembrance service. A wonderful collection of period Willys Jeeps added an evocative touch to the occasion.
Spanhoe has a fascinating wartime history. Originally constructed in 1943 as a bomber airfield, it was instead allocated to the American Ninth Air Force and became home to the 315th Troop Carrier Group in February 1944.
Its aircraft, principally Douglas C-47 transports, played a vital role in the Allied invasion of Europe. On D-Day, aircraft from Spanhoe carried American paratroopers into Normandy, and the group subsequently supported the airborne assault at Arnhem in September 1944 and the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. Their contribution to the Normandy invasion earned the group a prestigious Distinguished Unit Citation.
The airfield’s operational flying days ended in April 1945, and it subsequently became an RAF vehicle maintenance and storage facility before closing in 1947. The memorial itself was erected in 1983 by the veterans of the 315th Troop Carrier Group, commemorating those who served and, especially, those who never returned.
Standing there, surrounded by the peaceful Northamptonshire countryside, it was quite something to contemplate the young men who had departed from these very fields more than eighty years ago, heading into extraordinary danger.
For the next twenty minutes, we joined the congregation in remembering those who served and sacrificed. There was poetry, the deeply moving two-minute silence, and an outstanding rendition of the Last Post, played by a teenage cornet player.
A particularly poignant and memorable interlude in our day, and a privilege to have been there.
From Wartime Aviation to Victorian Ingenuity
With our respects paid, we continued towards Harringworth, where the magnificent viaduct dominated the landscape. Its 82 arches stretch for more than a kilometre across the Welland Valley, making it one of the most impressive railway structures in Britain.
Even with the mist lingering in the valley, or perhaps because of it, the sight was extraordinary.
We then continued through Caldecott and Medbourne, enjoying some of Rutland’s finest roads before joining the A6. A brief fuel stop followed, and then it was another five miles or so to our second great feat of Victorian engineering – Foxton Locks.
The remarkable flight of ten staircase locks is an extraordinary reminder of the ingenuity and determination of nineteenth-century engineers. While the Harringworth Viaduct conquered a valley, Foxton Locks tackled a hill, lifting canal boats through an impressive change in elevation.
Two very different solutions to the transport challenges of their day, and both still impressive more than a century later.
Of course, there is only so much engineering appreciation one can manage before the need for refreshments becomes overwhelming. Tea, coffee and bacon rolls were therefore very much in order!
And Now for Some Proper Biking Roads!
Suitably replenished, we headed back towards Medbourne, this time taking the B6047 and the fabulous Cranoe Road.
And then came one of the highlights of the ride – the seven-mile stretch towards Uppingham.
What a road!
Arguably one of the very best motorcycling roads in our area, it offers a wonderful combination of bends, elevation changes and flowing countryside. It also features a proper hairpin bend, which demands respect and can certainly catch out the unwary.
A perfect example of why good observation, positioning and speed management are so important – and why we enjoy putting our advanced riding skills into practice.
From Uppingham, we continued through Seaton, enjoying yet another magnificent view of the Harringworth Viaduct, this time from a different angle. Still majestic, still imposing, and still disappearing into the autumnal landscape.
We then retraced part of our outward route before finishing at Wansford, where Café No. 13 provided the perfect setting for a final cup of tea, a chat and our goodbyes.
A November Ride to Remember
And so ended another brilliant PECAM ride-out.
We had enjoyed dry November roads, some fantastic riding, two outstanding examples of Victorian engineering, a moving Remembrance service, and, naturally, some excellent refreshments.
A day that took us from the engineering achievements of the nineteenth century to the extraordinary sacrifices of the twentieth, all while enjoying some of the finest motorcycling roads our region has to offer.
Not bad for a cold, grey Sunday in November!
Great roads, great company, a little history and plenty of motorcycling enjoyment. That’s what PECAM ride-outs are all about.