Blog by Emma Bridget and Lynn Perry
Meeting at our usual spot at Haddon (Peterborough Services) for 9.15am ride briefing, nineteen bikes joined Philip Wadlow for the days ride out to The Old Wharf Café, Hickling, just south of Nottingham. The ride was to be approximately 55 miles our and slightly less for the return journey to Rutland Nursery on the South side of Rutland Water.
The outward route was absolutely perfect – smooth roads, no mistakes, and the whole group arrived together without a hitch. We headed from Haddon to Kingscliffe, through Ketton, and along the northerly road around Rutland Water. From there we took in Cottesmore, Market Overton, Thistleton and Sewstern, before joining the familiar road through Buckminster.
With the Melton Mowbray bypass works in full swing, we detoured via Sproxton (a Village with a Ford, sponsored by Severn Trent Water!) Stonesby, Waltham on the Wolds and Scalford – all offering those lovely Rutland/Lincolnshire village views.
From there we dropped into Long Clawson with its sweeping valley views, before rolling on to our destination – The Old Wharf Café in Hickling, a beautifully renovated Grade II listed building beside the Hickling basin, midway point of the Grantham Canal.
Once we all managed to squeeze into the already packed car park (no mean feat with 19 bikes!), the café was very busy, very popular with local dog walkers and cyclists, in a beautiful setting with idyllic scenes looking out over the water.
We sat down to a fantastic lunch. The food quality was outstanding and went down a treat with the group.
The ride back was slightly more adventurous, thanks to the new right-hand signal. A few riders ended riding off in the wrong direction, giving us a mini treasure hunt and a few laughs.
After some phone calls and a quick regroup, with everyone back together and we continued via Upper and Nether Broughton, climbing across to Grimston and Saxelbye, then winding through Frisby on the Wreake, Great Dalby and Somerby. We passed Oakham and finally finished up at Rutland Nursery on the south side of Rutland Water – complete with a panoramic view to end the ride in style.
All in all, another cracking PECAM ride: perfect roads out, a laughably eventful ride back, great food, great company, and a tidy 19-for-19 turnout.
A big thank you to Philip Wadlow for planning and leading today’s ride and to Andy Golding for TEC duties, and as always to everyone for their Company.