Castle Hedingham & Lavenham
Posted on Tuesday 20 February 2007 by Camille Savory
February. Enough already. And we managed to get one of those days which didn’t even live up to its forecast. Consequently, most spent the day feeling somewhat under-dressed / illuminated. Although not the ‘usual suspects’, we were actually a very disciplined bunch, and Marks Tey to Castle Hedingham sped by to the tune of ‘We’re going to be very early’. But alas no err ‘coffee’ breaks. It was even chilly enough for most to agree to the infamous ‘extra loop’ (and indeed loop on a loop), excepting Nicks B & D, who opted to hang around outside the pub in the imaginary sun and gossip…
Lunch at the Bell required discreet slurping of the last of the lamb stew gravy (caught!). And tales of epic audaxes and gruelling cross country adventures to impress new recruit Will (being a doctor, the sleep deprivation didn’t phase him). Nick D then shot south the trainless way home, but we managed to lure Roger C to Lavenham, home of tea shops and ye olde things. Nick’s bike was safely locked up against marauding antique dealers, and we repaired for tea / cake / blackcurrant ice-cream sodas / toasted cheese sandwiches. Well, it was ‘quite a long way’ after all. Back along the B roads to save cold knees and the fix-ated from the roll-y bits. Almost. Spotting the village hall at Great Waldingfield in daylight made me smile. It could have been raining.
We were speeding up against the encroaching cold / damp / gloom / general February-ness, and Roger only beat us to the station by 10minutes. A loop under 100km and actually a near perfect day, although we were too busy looking disappointedly heavenward to realise it.
Techie data from Mr Snuggs:
- here’s the route (more or less) including loop and navigational malfunction.
- for the day (including getting to Liverpool St and back) - 110.64km, 4h51m17, avge 22.79 km/h