Ely by train

There was some consternation at Cambridge Station when the guard said he would only take six bikes. He already had two on board and our lot would bring his total to eight. Oo-er! But Jeremy's gifts of persuasion worked a treat and we were soon on our way to Ely, albeit with a warning not to test the guard's patience again. Our lesson for next time is to catch the more capacious London to Ely train rather than the smaller, more restrictive Cambridge to Ely.

Lewis and Hilary - with Ely Cathedral in the background

Disembarking at Ely we took to the bikes and turned southwards on Sustrans Route 11 which would take us all the way back to Cambridge, mostly on farm tracks and quiet roads.

It may only take sixteen minutes by train but you can imagine it takes a bit longer on two wheels, especially when you haves to hump the bikes up and over the occasional fenland footbridge; but at least it's flat.

Pausing for a breather at Burwell Lode

Along the way we stopped off at Wicken Fen for coffee and cake, returning home in time for a late lunch.

Chief negotiator, Jeremy

25 miles from Ely to Shelford

An amphibious outing

Why bother with the bridge when there's a perfectly good ford? So wondered Jeremy and Tom as, to prove the point, they pedalled across the stream not once, but three times while the rest of us looked on from the bridge.

Given the heatwave, Monday's ride was short - just seven miles - and really just an excuse to visit the superb new café at Stapleford Granary.

A shady spot at The Granary

Stapleford - Sawston - Babraham - Stapleford: a short, hot ride of 7 miles

Sculpture trail

Five miles into Monday's ride and Lewis, Jeremy, Tom, Philippe and two Brians were contemplating the new sculpture outside Cambridge Station. Ariadne Wrapped was unveiled only last week by sculptor Gavin Turk and his pal, Al Weiwei, as an exploration of a classical figure that invites the audience inside a larger metaphysical maze. Well, quite.

Ariadne Wrapped

Perplexed, we continued on to the river and followed the towpath to Milton where, over coffee at the country park café, we quizzed Philippe about living in Reunion - and Tom revealed he had visited the Indian Ocean island not once but five times, to compete in the scary sounding Megavalanche race down the mountainside.

Paddleboarders at Milton Country Park

Back on the bikes we headed for Cambridge North Station and our second art installation of the day, Hercules Meets Galatea. Less challenging than Ariadne Unwrapped, Galatea's poise and digital production imply power and perfection over Hercules' somewhat shakier manifestation. We kinda get that one.

Tom and Jeremy admiring Hercules while Galatea in the background looks on

Setting off homewards via the Chisholm Bridge we completed the return leg via Grantchester, Trumpington Meadows and Hauxton, from where we followed Jenny's Path back to Shelford.

We clocked up a total of 21 miles. Well done, team!

Brian and Philippe

21 miles anticlockwise

Madingley Hall

Ten miles in to a twenty three mile outing and it was high time to pull in for refreshment. And there's nowhere more attractive to sip coffee, munch cake and generally put the world to rights than the terrace at Madingley Hall. Its only drawback, magnificent place though it is, it can take the hard-pressed staff half an hour to serve eight coffees.

The terrace at Madingley Hall

The conversation over coffee was wide ranging: Trollope v Dickens, favourite poets*, and was Better Call Saul the best thing ever on Netflix?

Refreshed and back in the saddle, we made the return leg to Shelford via Comberton, Harlton and Haslingfield.

For the record our peloton comprised: Ann, Lewis, Janet, Jenny, Jeremy, Hilary and two Brians.

23 miles anticlockwise from Shelford to Hauxton, Trumpington Meadow, Grantchester, Coton, Madingley, Comberton, Harlton, Haslingfield, Harston and Newton.

*Checkout one of Lewis' favourite poems, The Sunlight on the Garden, by Louis MacNiece