Central London CTC blog

After three days of cycling north, John and Paul arrived in York. It had been warm and dry with a persistent head wind across the Cambridge Fens and Lincolnshire and Yorkshire vales. The major crop this year seemed to be Oil Seed Rape, with acres of its bright yellow flowers from horizon to horizon. 318km. There had been no significant hills so far but that was about to change.

Isle of Axholme

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It was billed as a tour of the World War I battlefields, but what some of us will remember most was rolling through quaint villages, revelling in the scent of wisteria and lilacs, and the camaraderie of friends through mishaps and good times.

It was a week of cloudless blue skies and temperatures that soared to 25 degrees, making us all the more grateful for the shady picnic spots we found along the Seine, the Somme and smaller waterways. We would see some of the largest Gothic cathedrals ever built, one of the most famously painted gardens in the world and the fields where thousands of British and French soldiers lost their lives.

Eleven of us began the journey Saturday, April 16, on the Eurostar to Paris, proceeding by train to Rouen, where we turned around to admire the 1930s Art Deco railway station. more »

What are the ingredients of a perfect cycling trip? A week of sunny days when your rain jacket lies unused in your panniers, congenial mates, trees bursting with pink and white as far as the eye can see, chateaux of course, and hearty regional cooking you’ll never forget. We had them all on our Loire Valley trip April 10-17.

Our group of 11, ranging in age from 11 to 70, started out with memorable coq au vin in the medieval town centre of Orleans, an auspicious start for a believer in the motto “Ride to eat; eat to ride.”

Chateau de Chambord

Our first full day of cycling took us to the magnificent Chateau of Chambord, the largest castle in the Loire, which we approached, as bicycles are wont to do, from a quiet back entrance like conquering heroes. There at a café in the sun I had my first tarte tatin of the trip, apples caramelised just perfectly. (Tarte tatin, was born in the Loire region after a lady inn-keeper left apples, butter and sugar cooking in a pan too long, then rescued the dish by covering it with a layer of pastry dough and sticking it in the oven.) more »

Follow this link for the Easter Tour 2010 album

Paul and John rode out meeting at Jordans YH on Monday night. Paul’s new SPD shoes squeaked making any surprise attack from behind impossible. We crossed the Chilterns to Oxford with its dreaming spires and Inspector Morse’s pubs, then over the Cotswolds to Stratford on Avon. The weather was cold with head winds and occasional hail showers, so that we had to thaw out at Chipping Norton before ordering lunch. Then into the Midlands, passing through the centre of England at Meriden. We stopped at the cyclists war memorial there.

As we moved north we went back in the seasons, with only lambs, Daffodils and Primroses as evidence of Spring, but two meal deals were down to £7. It was raining as we arrived at National Forest YH. David and Angela, Nina, Lawrence, and Frank joined us in the Cricketers that evening and the start of the tour next day.  David was given a handicap by carring both panniers: one for him and one for her. more »

Wednesday 8th April- Ypres

Ten cyclists met at St Pancras to load cycles for 11.00 departure. Too many bikes to get off at Lille, so extra train journey via Brussels to Ypres.

Five were nearly mislaid when train split. They alighted early and took evening ride past war cemeteries. The only rain of the week soon cleared.  The group reformed for the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate and supper. 30km or 2km

First dame blanche of the trip (to avoid any doubt, this is a Belgian ice cream).

A dame blanche

Thursday 9th – Ypres to Bruges

Full day’s canalside cycling. We lunched in the far west of Belgium, in town square at Veurne. Optional diversion (“wegomlegging”) via Diksmuide for picnickers. 80km

Evening arrival in Bruges – canal side hotel at end of cobbles. Beers and orange squash in main square and Portuguese–Roman (or possibly Romanian) dinner.

Landscape with cycle

Monday 6th April
John and Paul rode out separately, meeting at Wallingford for tea, and then on to a B&B in Goring. Paul had already broken a toe strap. 82km

Tuesday 7th

Over the hills to coffee at Kingsclear. Then a climb over the Hampshire downs and along the Test valley against a persistent head wind to Salisbury Youth Hostel. 94km

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Tuesday 18th March

DK rode out to Jordans YH from London to join the four (PL,JA,BoR,PK) who had stayed there overnight. We made it as far as Beaconsfield before the first coffee stop, then up and down the Chilterns for lunch at Bledlow at the foot of the escarpment. An afternoon ride along the old railway track to Thame, and cycle route 57 into Oxford. The hostel was filled with foreign school parties, so we retreated to one of Inspector Morse’s favourite pubs. 67km more »

Follow the link below for Dave Newman’s illustrated account of his September tour.

Bugundy Vendage