Although the weather was not quite as warm today as it has been it is still unusually pleasant for a Bank Holiday weekend, when rain and wind seem to be the norm. Following on from my recent cycle trips I thought I would check out other by-ways and tracks around the county - the longer the better. I used a website on which cyclists can "record" their favourite routes for others to check out. The website is called Bikely and was set up to help cyclists share knowledge of good bicycle routes. I like it because it tags routes and so you can search for off-road or of a particular length and includes routes from around the world. The route I had chosen was this one; 50 mile MTB Cambridge loop. I also had a look at parts of the route using google maps and BikeHike. The latter was useful as it shows a Google map next to an OS map and allows me to check out rights of way. So far I have not bothered downloading routes to my GARMIN GPS. Partly because I like exploring and partly because I have not gotten round to working out how to do it. (I have downloaded routes using the GARMIN software so it can't be too difficult).
Although I have been using my Marin Hybrid on rough tracks here in the Flatlands this time around I went out on my MTB. I though it was about time my MTB got an outing and as I have never walked or cycled these tracks before I thought it might be easier if the going got too rough. There are times when fatter knobbly tyres make life much easier, provided not too much of the route is on road. Although I have a speedometer for my MTB to save time I just strapped the GPS to it. I find the GPS has been very reliable and find that the distance (time/average speed etc) recorded by the GPS differs very little compared with a speedometer. When I bought my GPS I also bought a DVD with the UK topographical map - which I downloaded onto the unit. That way I have access to maps with paths/tracks as well as roads. Since I was in time-saving mode I also set off without any tools except for a mobile phone - more to be said on that subject unfortunately.
The Cambridge end of the track starts on a road, on a hill between Fulbourn and Cambridge, although some might wonder what the fuss is about - round these parts 70m is a lot of climbing! Here is a view back towards the edge of Cherry Hinton. The fields are growing and so are the weeds on the edges of the roads - I call these Cow Parsley and they seem to shoot up overnight.
This transmitter seems to be undergoing some maintenance, it seems to be multi-purpose as it has has antennae for cellular transmitters (mobile phone) and apparently is also used by a local FM Radio station (Star 107). There are also Microwave links on it and from memory I believe that it is used for Emergency Services transmissions - although that last bit might not actually be the case.
The track is accessed from the road at this point - not very prepossessing and although I have been past this many times I have always thought of it as a little seedy. Some graffiti on the gate only serves to reinforce that view.
Slightly hidden from view until you move onto the path is a somewhat battered board with some information about the Roman Road or Worstead Street as this part of it is called. Apparently it is one of the finest examples of a Roman Road in Cambridgeshire and was thought to end up in Colchester.
The track starts around 100m/100yards off the road and looks like this. There are often cars around and so I expected to see other people on the track. The surface is pretty good for cycling on being dry and solid, you need to keep your eyes open though as there can be rabbit holes in the middle of the path.
Further on the path opened out a little but with a flat surface - those Romans certainly knew how to build roads that last with a very nice arch of trees as well. If the length of the track was like this then the MTB was not really going to be necessary.
It little further on and the track had changed again, more a couple of ruts rather than a flat bed, but wonderfully quiet, During my journey I passed around 5 people walking and 3 cyclists - going in the opposite direction.
The track crossed the A11 a major road heading up to Norwich. The A11 started life as a Roman Road from London to East Anglia, I know which one I prefer to cycle on, although I have cycled on this part of the A11 - there is quite a wide margin at the side of the road and it feels safer than some of the single-carriageway roads in the area where cars don't seem to notice me cycling until after they pass. fortunately there was a bridge provided to cross the road elsewhere when they built the A14 road up towards the M11 they crossed various footpaths but decided that the walkers did not justify the expense of bridges so if they want to cross the road they must literally take their lives into their hands. To me it is another example of prioritising for vehicles without consideration for people. In fact whilst I am in GOM mode (Grumpy Old man) it seems that a survey in the Sunday Times Magazine today reported how fewer people are satisfied with their lot. I am not surprised we seem to have lost sight of what matters in the search for efficiency. Oops better stop the ranting - you'll find out why I am, perhaps not in the best of moods later.
Although my plan was to cycle along the Roman Road to Balsham I did file away this little detour to Hildersham for future reference. It still amazes me how many of these tracks exist if you (I) bother to look.
Here is my MTB in closeup - a Diamondback Ascent. The bike is probably around 10-12 years old, I bought it cheap in a sale from Phil Corley a bike shop in Milton Keynes one January. From memory I think that it cost £350 although started life at around £500. By today's standards it is nothing special, you would expect an aluminium frame (this is steel) and suspension on the front. Having said that it is a pleasant bike to ride and pretty good at soaking up the bumps when out on rough trails and is great fun when riding in snow. When out with my son up cycling around the Lake District, quite a few years ago, he was a little surprised to see me pull up the front wheel and end up on my bike so holding onto the bike which was up in the air. It has an 18" frame with 1.95" x 26" tyres, the tyres alone soak up quite a lot of the bumps.
This is a view of the direction I had come from, although it looks easy following the thin track can get a bit tricky as the wheels run along the rut, but it gets a bit unstable if they come out as the wheels bounce of the sides. The best thing to do is stand up and allow the bike to follow its natural course, trying to avoid the odd rabbit hole of course.
The track did become a little rougher, here it started to get quite rutted. As previous readers of my Blog will now I am anti-doping when it comes to cyclists and believe that regular testing is important for cyclists. It was at this point that I decided I needed to take my own blood, just in case a tester happened by. Not having any medical equipment with me the easiest thing to hand was a pedal which after setting off I allowed to whack into the back of my leg to make quite a neat cut - plenty of blood, but alas there was no need. I was not accosted by a WADA representative checking to ensure there was nothing untoward.
At this point I should, perhaps, have been more careful, the ruts got deeper and I found myself struggling to keep the bike on track and ended up having to jump off. There was only some minor damage to my knee as it clipped the handlebars on the way off. Mind you it could have been a lot worse if I had landed on my recently healed shoulder. I got back on the bike and hauled away - but still struggled at this point I realised that my front tyre was a little flatter than normal and making a hissing sound. I had picked up a thorn and as mentioned at the start had no tools with me to repair it. So I resorted to the ultimate multi-tool and rang home. Fortunately my son is home from University on a study leave so he popped out with the car and picked me up. When I got home I found another thorn in the tyre so replaced the inner tube. As they say in all the best films I will be back - a great track and I have unfinished business with it- I will certainly take my MTB again - although will pack a pump and patches as well. If I had carried on this is a picture of the next bit of the track. Fortunately my puncture had occurred where the track crossed a road making it easy for me to rendezvous with my son.
Whilst waiting for my son I passed the time taking pictures, you can't escape the yellow fields. I think the tower is part of the Chilford Hall estate - they have a Vineyard and amongst other things cater for parties. When I was at Acorn Computers in the 80's we used to go there for Christmas parties sometimes.
Apparently Chilford Hall is owned by the Alper family - Sam Alper developed the famous Sprite Caravan and started the Little Chef roadside cafe chain in the UK.
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