A bank holiday dozen

Monday morning saw a record turnout of twelve Spokers pedalling out of Shelford heading for Hot Numbers, Shepreth's temple to fine coffee. Our peloton comprised Alan, Ann, Hilary, Jane, Jim, Janet, Paul, Lewis, Jeremy and all three Brians, strung out over a half a mile or more, holding up the bank holiday traffic in and around the villages of South Cambs. 

Restoring caffeine levels at Hot Numbers

Not forgetting Alan

22 miles clockwise

 

May Day bluebells

Bank holiday Monday saw Hilary, Dominic, Lewis, Victor and three Brians exploring a new route to  the south. The five miles of minor road between Chrishall Grange and Littlebury offer some of the best views over South Cambs / North Essex - and are notable in several other respects.

Firstly, the roads are - for us lowlanders - remarkably hilly. Secondly, they are heavily pot-holed, at least on the Cambridgeshire side, whereas once you cross the border into Essex the tarmac is silky smooth. But thirdly, and most notable of all, is the sublime sight of the bluebell wood on the hill above Littlebury. 

Victor in seasonal blue

Chatting afterwards over coffee at Duxford Community Centre, we wondered whether there were any poems about bluebells to match Wordsworth's on daffodils. Dominic promptly found one by Anne Brontë who must have been in competition with her sister, Emily, who penned another.

We returned to Shelford having clocked up 27 miles, a little further than Brian's promised 24 miles, but worth it for the bluebells alone.

Pausing for a breather on the Cambs / Essex border

27 miles anticlockwise