Central London CTC blog

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

Day 1 – the unknown
Reach base. Unload. Nearest coffee and cigarettes? Wissant. 6km. We’re off. A short haul up out of our hamlet. Ouch. Bit of flat coast road. Fields. Mist. Long, long, slow downhill. Past two farms and left into Wissant. Coffee. Cigarettes. Chocolate. Repeat. Best get back. Whence the way we came. Past two farms. Then a long, long “Oh sh..” Grab for the granny and fixate desperately on a bath. Neither helps. Legs and lungs still rubbery as we wobble one by one back down to base, stop, and keel over.

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Over the rude winter months, a few of us had been plotting: What about a quick flit over the Channel for a change of scenery? So, come the Friday after Easter, five of us (John, Camille, Paul, Inez and myself) assembled at Charing X. A peaceful train to Dover, a short twitch to the port, and soon we were on board, ready for lunch. The International Food Court beckoned. Well what should we have expected? Very soon, time to disembark and off to Escalles, following the coast road via Sangatte and trying to go the correct way round roundabouts. Most of us were carrying rucsacs, and I could definitely feel the effect on handling – a rather unpleasant skitterish feeling. along with the noticeable added weight on my rear suspension. The sudden steep & curving drop to the village would have been more fun if I had not been worried my wardrobe would arrive before me.Great hotel – friendly greeting from Madame, garage for the bikes, everything sorted speedily. I’m sure it helped that all of us made the effort to always talk to the locals in their language – they may have sniggered afterwards at our attempts, but we got constant smiles and welcomes everywhere.

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