News for October 2015.

Thursday 1st October 2015. Station to . Report from Bill Balchin: My memory is not so good these days, but I find remembering the order of our starting points is as easy as ABC - That's Amcor, , Cumberland Basin (Ashton bridge). So I was glad that Pete had marked the website to emphasise that today's ride started from Mangotsfield rather than Amcor. It looked like everybody had got the message as two dozen turned up in the mist for a trip to a new BTOTC venue of the Plough at Pilning. When Keith announced that we would start by taking the cycle track into there were a few mutters and a little group slipped off to take a more rural route. I stayed with the twenty strong peloton on my first trip into town via the cycle track for a good few years, under the smart new bridge at Teewell Hill, through the Staple Hill tunnel with improved lighting and over several bumps that I didn't remember. Keith's general plan was to follow NCN route 4 where possible and take cycle routes through Bristol. I thought we may hit trouble with such a large group but it worked out really well.

Leaving the track at St Phillips we rode between the Barley Mow and some new houses that have sprung up recently, crossed the river on a bridge with a non-slip surface and saw several Bristol points of interest such as St Mary Redcliffe church, Pero's bridge and Lloyds amphitheatre before climbing towards the university and seeing another Bristol feature - students. Dozens of them. At around a quarter to eleven they were everywhere as we pondered whether they had just got up or were just going home. Over the downs into Stoke Bishop and a trip through Westbury village we climbed past Henbury golf club as the sun burnt off the last of the mist and we go into more open country. As a football pundit might say - it was a ride of two halves. Dropping down Hollywood Lane we took Farm Lane, much of it unmade track apart from a short section of tarmac road and a bridge over the M49 in between the dirt - possibly a bit of forward thinking or maybe a change of plan. At we rode along the sea wall admiring the Second Severn Crossing leaving just the wriggle under the motorway and Bank Road to bring us to our destination.

The only thing you could complain about with the Plough is that it is too close to home to make a decent length cycle ride - although new boys Paul from Whitchurch and Nigel from Bath may disagree. There was plenty of room including a large garden - although it was just a tad too cold for sitting outside. Plenty of beer choice, slick service and a bargain OAP two course lunch for six quid which meant that you could keep under the magic tenner. I blew the budget by having a side of chips with my lasagne - nice but I felt too full to make the most of the afternoon sunshine and slowly cycled the direct three miles home. Make your views known if you think the Plough should become a regular venue - and look out for escorted cycle tours of Bristol run by Borissow Enterprises.

And the tour route? Touch here to see it.

Thursday 8th October 2015. Bitton to Shoscombe. Report from Bill Balchin: Imagine the stress levels...You are the leader today, you have the route checked out, you have left home early - and you have a flat with four miles to go. Stress levels at moderate as you remove the wheel (rear of course) find nothing sticking into the tyre so replace the tube and continue. Stress levels go to high as shortly afterwards the tyre goes flat again. With time ticking by at double speed you put in your second tube and get going again. At you stop to put in some more air, the tube goes bang and the stress levels go into hyper-drive. Got trouble imagining all this? Just ask Richard Hill as this describes the start of his day today.

Meanwhile at Bitton station a large restless group have heard a few phone calls going on and by ten thirty it is decided that Richard will go to a bike shop and Mike Chouings will devise a new route taking half an hour less than originally planned - no problem for our Mike. So a twenty strong peloton set off down the cycle track to Saltford in dry but cool conditions, thankfully with little or no wind. Once through Stanton Prior and Marksbury the car park of the New Inn at Famborough provided a refuge to strip off some excess clothing before we pressed on through Timsbury and climbed up to Tunley. We have taken some wickedly steep descents in the past off the Tunley road but Mike was kind today as we headed towards Combe Hay before going down, up and down again into Wellow. With the sun shining brightly now and everybody well warmed up we took the delightful little lane which forms part of NCN24 and roughly follows the old Somerset & Dorset railway line - rough being quite appropriate as the surface could do with steamrolling in places.

Just a few more little back lanes, a trip down a narrow field path and single file to wriggle your bike through a gate and we arrived at the Apple Tree at Shoscombe shortly after twelve. Several of our regular cycling pals were already in situ, sitting outside in the sun-trap of a garden. Quite remarkable for October but I am not complaining. Despite over thirty customers and only the husband and wife management team visible service was good and I heard no complaints.

A cheer went up around one thirty when Richard cycled up looking pretty warm. Personal service from Simon Webb had seen him kitted out with a new tyre and tube to replace his split one. Richard felt obliged to apologise for his non-appearance, although he drew the line at buying a beer for everybody. Back along NCN24 to Wellow I noticed that the road sign on the descent before the trekking centre reckoned that the hill is 40%. Good job it is just a shorty, then through those two tunnels and cycle track for home with an optional stop for tea and cake at Warmley. October cycling has never been so good.

Today's shorter route? Click here.

Thursday 8th October 2015 - Supplement from Rob Shiels. I'm sending you the map of our little break away group (Jon Turton, Sam and me) for today's ride. You may well ask why would BTOTC riders be interested but they might be impressed by our return track from the pub to re-join the Two Tunnels path at Midford. We went into Peasedown and followed a maze of cycle tracks (OK we could have ridden along the by-pass) to get onto the lane to White Ox Mead. From that little hamlet there is a Byway which joins the ridge above Wellow and passes a small private air strip (Peasedown International!). Apart from about 200m of the climb up to the ridge the route is well surfaced (as Jon Turton said "much better than the track from Midford to Wellow") and offers superb views on both sides whilst descending very gently. Back on tarmac it continues along to Twinhoe and then descends to join the Two Tunnels path at Midford. We diverted briefly into Twinhoe to take in more super views. So a new route all of which is rideable and offers a high level ridge route with amazing views what more could one ask for?

Where did the breakaway group go? Check here.

Thursday 15th October. Ashton to Priddy. Report from Steve Hicks: The weather forecast for today was a continuation of the week so far with possibly a degree or so less warmth and a very remote chance of a shower so not a bad scenario for Phil Hodgson’s ride to Priddy. Phil’s day did not start too well with a flat tyre awaiting his departure from home, shades of Richard’s escapades last week and a possible ride leaders jinx perhaps! For Phil the remedy was simple, jump on the spare bike and arrive at the start in good time for the expectant crowd that awaited.

Perhaps it was the good weather, the lunch venue or the thought of a Cheddar ascent before lunch but a crowd of twenty-two set out along the Festival Way. Phil had promised a flat route for the most part and so it transpired as we made our way through Backwell, Brockley, Claverham, Yatton, Congresbury, Brinsea and Churchill with barely a contour line to slow our passage. Our easy ride was about get tougher as Winscombe Hill provided the first real challenge, a sharpish up followed by a gradual descent to the A38. A quick right then left brought us down into Axbridge, no stopping at The Lamb for lunch today as we still had 10ish miles to do, mostly uphill! The climb up Cheddar Gorge provided a natural spread of the peleton which no doubt pleased the motorists. Ignoring our normal left turn to Yoxter, we continued to climb along Plummer’s Lane and took the right turn into Priddy village. Almost there – well no not quite as the Hunter’s Lodge is some way out of the village on the Wells Road.

Eventually we arrived at our destination to find Malcolm Hanson, Brian Trott, the Bath boys and several others already tucking in to their lunch. A queue for the bar rapidly developed out through the door and into the garden until shouts of “shut that door” prompted a reforming of the queue with everybody now inside. A healthy fire was burning so those at the back of the queue were by now getting burned legs and chaos ensued as bowls of chilli, faggots, cauliflower cheese etc. arrived on the bar with others still waiting to place orders. The room was by now so crowded that there were barely enough seats and certainly not enough table space to eat but in true BTOTC fashion, we soon got organised and those lucky enough to eat first made way for those dining later. Difficult to count exactly how many were there with so much milling around but I got to thirty-eight before John Upward and Jim Boylan arrived having taken a route via Chewton Mendip. The Hunter’s Lodge is a firm favourite and likely to remain so with great food and drink served in good time and at a very reasonable price. The Cheddar Ales ‘Potholer’ was a great accompaniment to my chilli with bread and butter doorsteps all for £8, bargain!

Pete gave us a gentle reminder of the forthcoming season by announcing that he was taking bookings for Christmas lunch at the Old Royal Ship, Luckington on the 3rd December for the princely sum of £17.50 per head. Martyn will be leading the ride that day starting at Mangotsfield.

Our return was by the direct route, up the Old Bristol Road, fork right at Castle of Comfort into Gibbets Brow and drop down Harptree Hill, past The Blue Bowl and across the end of Chew Valley Lake into Chew Stoke. At this point the group split with the east Bristol group heading for Chew Magna while Phil led the remainder back through Winford to disperse in Long Ashton.

Another dry Thursday and a large turn out with a variation of route that caused some discussion but no complaints.

Today's cooler route - click (or touch) here.

Thursday 22nd October 2015. Severn Bridge to Tintern via Georges Delight. Report from Shirley Hume: Nobody can say that we weren’t warned! Bill helpfully put a notice up on the website saying ‘This will be hilly – no doubt about it’. If you didn’t make it today let me assure Bill Balchin is an honest man……….At one stage it looked a bit as if the warning might have put people off as numbers seemed lower than in recent weeks, but in the last 5 minutes or so before 10.00am the group grew to 22, including 4 people who had never ridden with us before – of these only Jenny managed the whole route to the lunch stop, but more of that later.

Twenty one of us set off over the old Severn Bridge as one of the new riders had a flat back tyre just as we were setting off, half way across the bridge his friend turned back to stay with him and at the end of the bridge a guy who had met us at the start point by accident and thought he would tag along, decided to strike out on his own. Losing 3 in the first 10 minutes must be something of a record and I was left musing as to whether the last guy to leave had found us a) too fast, b) too slow or c) too eccentric. [Answers on the back of a used postage stamp please]

Steve Hicks, having kindly offered to be back marker, was desperately trying to keep track of our numbers [now down to 19] but we still only managed to get 18 to the pub so potentially there is someone still out there looking for Tintern, although probably not using Bill’s route. Initially we took the usual route towards Chepstow before turning off down the hill to Mathern, then on towards Shirenewton, until Bill headed off on a small road cutting past the ruins of Runston Chapel. Not many of us had been on this road before, but I have to assume it is sponsored by the local dental practice as the surface certainly loosened a few fillings and the recently cut hedge prompted a few riders to check their tyres before joining the main road up the hill to Shirenewton. From here we headed to Earlswood before turning right to the road junction at Gaerllwydd. A few small, quiet lanes with remarkably good riding surfaces took us to a viewpoint apparently referred to as George’s Delight [or that might have referred to the section to come].

This was the steep descent Bill had warned us about, but this was not just a steep descent – it also boasted wet leaves, some rough patches in the surface, sharp bends and slippery sections. Luckily, due to sensible gaps between riders, there were no mishaps but I can’t help feeling that the descent had been sponsored by a well-known manufacturer of brake pads/wheel rims and/or disc brakes. If you want to try it again the road section runs from Gaer Fawr to Nantygelli Farm [personally I would wait for a very dry spell when all the leaves are where leaves ought to be i.e. on the trees!] Not surprisingly this downhill section was just to get us in a suitable position for a long uphill – fortunately not as steep as the previous downhill and improved by fabulous views across to the Black Mountains. Regrouped at the top we then set off on a surprisingly undulating ‘downhill’ ride to Tintern. If anyone is wondering what EU money gets spent on that benefits cyclists, look no further than the beautifully smooth tarmac on the road from the Fountain Inn down to Tintern past the fishing lakes – a joy to ride [especially downhill].

Arriving at the Anchor Inn it was no surprise to find the Easy Riders already ensconced [they had come down the main road from Chepstow] and also the two new riders who had stayed at the start to mend the puncture had made their way to the pub. Service was good and the food was excellent – in fact the pie Mark had was so good that it was awarded his coveted ‘5 pie’ award. Mary Berry eat your heart out!! [Never having seen ‘Bake Off’ I am assuming they do include pies in their repertoire – and if not why not??] Route to lunch was [according to my computer] 21.1 miles with 581 metres of ascent, so when Bill mentioned that he was going home on a ‘lumpy’ route a few people opted to return with the Easy Riders. However the rest of us followed Bill [after a pause for him to fix his front tyre puncture – retribution for his route choice???] to the river crossing at Brockweir and then headed ever upward to Hewelsfield Common. This hill is a gift that just keeps on giving – it is looong……….. Fabulous ride along Tidenham Chase with some gorgeous autumn colours on display, finishing up with a scenic loop round Boughspring [including a close encounter with a hedge cutter] and a nice [I use the word advisedly!] climb out of Chepstow. The return route was 15.3 miles with a further 395 metres of ascent making 976 meters of ascent in total [or 3,220 ft in old money]. (The map on Ramblr created from Mark's Garmin claims 2,349 ft although this excludes the bridge crossing - I prefer Shirley's total. Bill)

Everyone agreed it was one of the best routes on record so hopefully we will be able to reprise it at a future date. The ride back home from the bridge seemed a lot harder than the ride out this morning – I can’t imagine why that might be!!!

Follow the hills by clicking here.

Thursday 29th October 2015. Bitton to . Report from Bill Balchin: Non-cyclists probably think that cyclists are a bit crazy. Do cyclists really enjoy going out in the wind and rain to ride fifty plus miles up hill and down dale on narrow dirty tracks? Well if you put it like that, they may have a point. At least I was in good company meeting up with fourteen other crazy cyclists at Bitton station for Pete's ride to the Fox and Hounds at Acton Turville. Good to see Ian Sparrow again and also Dave Clegg back for a Thursday ride. The rain was fairly steady as we took the railway path towards Bristol before turning off for Cann Lane and Chesley Hill through Wick, and into . The climb up to the A46 was as tough as usual and the traffic was even heavier than usual. Eventually some kind-hearted motorists took pity on our bedraggled bunch and slowed to let us across. Once on the top of the Wiltshire flatlands the wind made itself noticed as the rain subsided to a drizzle, sticking to your glasses. Add that to the steaming-up problems and descending the ups and downs took all your concentration to avoid the water-filled potholes.

Our route took us into Marshfield high street where I gazed wistfully as we passed the Sweet Apples cafe and rejoined the main road before turning left into the criss-cross of little lanes that take you Castle Combe. The forecast was for the rain to ease during the morning but as we dropped into Castle Combe it shifted up a gear. Shame for the tourists with their anoracks and umbrellas visiting 's prettiest village with its Autumn colours. Over the motorway into Grittleton, a right turn into Littleton Drew and we rolled up at the Fox and Hounds at what I think must have been noon - everything was so wet I could not get to my watch.

Four of the peloton decided not to stop for lunch. Young Sparrow had to get to work, and Max was so plastered in mud from riding with no mudguards that he was too embarrassed to be seen indoors. Luckily a large easy rider group brought the numbers up to a reasonable level. I always enjoy the Fox and Hounds - good food and drink, good service, nice surroundings - but my best thing today was to go in the loo and use the Dyson Airblade hand dryer to thaw out my wet, wrinkled hands. Sure enough by the time we departed soon after one the rain had stopped and by the time I got home the sun had even struggled out. So, yes - cyclists can enjoy riding in the rain... but I still prefer it dry.

Which narrow, dirty tracks did we use today?