These pages contain reports of our fortnightly rides.
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Along the Severn Estuary - Bristol side
On a sunny August morning, 13 riders met on the Bristol side of the Severn Bridge to cycle north east along the Severn Estuary through the Vale of Berkeley with a plan to explore Sharpness Docks. Setting off through Aust village, our route first took us through the villages of Elberton, Littleton upon Severn and Cowhill before a short climb brought us to St Arilda church giving us fine views out across the Severn estuary. From there a welcome descent took us into Oldbury on Severn for our coffee stop at the popular village community shop. Continuing through Oldbury Nate, we turned off to Shepperdine and enjoyed a short break on the river bank close to where the Windbound Inn once stood. Continuing on for a short distance we stopped again to visit the tiny St Mary’s Chapel, a rare example of a prefabricated ‘tin tabernacle’ dating from the mid 19th century and still in use. From there we enjoyed flat riding through Hill and on to Ham where we decided to have our picnic lunch stop on the pretty village green in the shade of a large horsechestnut tree. After lunch we continued to Berkeley town where a further stop was required to repair a broken chain before continuing to our objective of Sharpness docks. Here we explored the docks area and enjoyed views of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal and the Severn estuary with the Severn and Prince of Wales bridges in the far distance. From the docks we retraced our route riding south west back through the villages with a challenging head wind at times slowing our progress. Finally back in Aust village close to our starting point, several of the group retired to the Boars Head pub to finish the ride off with a welcome refreshing drink. Thank you Pauline and Colin for leading a flatish ride along quiet roads with many interesting sites of historical interest.
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Wentwood Forest & The Newport Levels
Starting from a layby on the A48 near Penhow, 16 riders set off in cool weather climbing steadily through Llanvaches and past Wentwood reservoir to Wentwood Forest. Once under the tree canopy, we embarked on a circuit of forest fire roads with sections of loose gravel and localized flooding making for some challenging riding. Leaving the forest we enjoyed an exhilarating descent to Parc Seymour and our coffee break in the excellent Coffee Lodge. From there we crossed the A48 to Llandevaud and Llanmartin and then enjoyed some fast flat riding across the Newport levels through Goldcliff and Whitson before heading to the pretty village of Redwick for our lunch stop at the friendly Rose Inn. After lunch the group took time to admire Redwick’s Grade 1 listed St Thomas’ church with it’s mark on the wall of the porch recording the height reached by the water during the flood of 1606. Our return ride took us through the village of Magor and back to our start point at Penhow. Thank you Stewart for leading a varied and interesting ride with an excellent lunch stop.
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Lesser known country lanes between Monmouth, Usk & Abergavenny
A group of 20 riders met at Raglan church for a summer ride through quiet Monmouthshire country lanes. To keep the ride manageable, the group was split into two teams, the first team – mainly e-bikes – led by Ken and the second team – mainly mechanical bikes – led by Linda. Starting from Raglan church in bright sunshine, we cycled through Llandenny and then tackled a long steep climb in the direction of Llangoven to our highest point of the ride where we stopped to enjoy a clear view out across Skirrid Fawr and the Sugar Loaf before continuing to our coffee stop in the pretty churchyard at Pen y clawdd. From there we enjoyed an exhilarating descent past Great llanthomas into the Trothy valley before turning west to continue through Dingestow and Tregare to our lunchstop at the busy restaurant in the Raglan garden centre. After lunch we followed quiet lanes in the direction of Abergavenny before crossing the River Usk close to Llanvihangel Gobion and continuring to Nant- y-derry and on to Chain Bridge. There we re-crossed the River Usk and followed more quiet lanes to Bettws Newydd passing the Grade 1 listed church of St Aeddan, with its noteable rude screen and on through Trostrey to Llancayo on the main Usk Road. Yet more quiet lanes took us over Trostrey common where Linda’s group enjoyed a pleasant encounter with a young Gypsy Cobb foal and it’s owner before continuing on back to our start point at Raglan church. Thank you Ken and Linda for leading two groups on an excellent ride through beautiful country lanes many of which were new ground to all of us.
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A border ride
6 riders set off from Clytha National Trust car park with the promise of a seriously challenging ride with great views and a lunch stop in possibly one of the best pubs in Herefordshire. Heading north the group followed a route to Llanddewi Rhydderch and Llanvapley to Llanvihangel Crucorney for a coffee stop before continuing in the direction of Pandy and on to Clodock. There the group crossed the Monnow and climbed to Walterstone for an excellent lunch stop at the Carpenters Arms. The return journey took the group back to Pandy and then to Llantilio Crosenny via White Castle and on back to the start point at Clytha. Thank you Chris for leading a great ‘hill’ ride and well done to the 5 stalwarts who took on the challenge!
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Raglan, Usk & Llantrisant Circuit
15 riders set off from Raglan on a cool morning following quiet lanes to Usk enjoying some fine views enroute. After an interesting meander through the town’s back streets, we crossed the bridge and turned south for a short ride to Llanbadoc Island for our coffee stop on the banks of the river. Continuing south along the Caerleon road and through Llangybi, we turned off and were immediately faced with some extremely challenging climbs up on to a ridge where we were treated to spectacular views over Newport, Wentwood and the Celtic Manor golf course on one side and over Cwmbran and up towards Abergavenny on the other. After passing through the pretty village of Llanhennock, we descended from the ridge through beech woods full of bird song and followed quiet lanes to Tredunnock, crossing the Usk river and on to Llantrisant for our lunch stop at the Greyhound Inn. At 23 miles it was rumoured we may have broken the record for mileage covered before lunch! After our break, we followed the ‘flood route’ which led us along narrow lanes to Gwernesey, then on along more quiet lanes past Cefn Tilla Court and on back to our start point at Raglan church. Thank you Christine for a well lead and challenging ride through varied countryside with some magnificent views.
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Somerset Levels
15 riders set off in glorious sunshine from Ham Wall nature reserve heading through Ashcott, Shapwick, Catcott to Chilton Polden for a coffee stop in the extremely quirky Leather & Lace Bar & Grill with its distinctive décor. Continuing north, the group continued along narrow roads bordered by drainage rhynes crossing the large South Drain and on to Wedmore for their lunch stop at the George Inn, the formal upstairs room being shunned for the sunny garden! After lunch the group continued east then south skirting Glastonbury and finally crossing the Avalon marshes back to the start point at Ham Wall. Thank you Steve and Karon for leading an excellent ride enjoyed by all in beautiful weather.
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Three Castles and Three Cakes
Encouraged by the prospect of a dry day with some sunshine, 15 riders met at Skenfrith to cycle a circuit through the lanes of north east Monmouthshire, visiting the impressive medieval castles at Skenfrith, Grosmont and Llantilio (White castle) enroute. Setting off from Skenfrith, we crossed the River Monnow and taking a narrow lane from the village, followed the river for a short while before climbing steeply to Garway passing the small St Michael’s church established in the 12th Century by the Knights Templar. Having gained the high ground, we enjoyed a fast descent to Kentchurch and after passing the attractive St Mary’s church, we recrossed the Monnow before climbing steeply to Grosmont village for our coffee stop in the castle grounds. From Grosmont we again climbed to high ground and followed an undulating route giving magnificent views of Skirrid Fawr to the west and Craig Syfyrddin to the east. After finally descending to Cross Ash, we took the main Abergavenny road to our lunch stop at the Red Castle tea rooms. After enjoying a variety of sandwiches followed by a selection of delicious cakes at the tea rooms, we continued to White castle where we stopped for an enjoyable walk round the castle grounds in the sunshine. From there we followed quiet lanes retracing our steps to Cross Ash before rejoining the main Abergavenny road for the final 3 miles back to our start point at Skenfrith. Thank you Dave for leading a great ride with challenging climbs, interesting history and of course delicious cakes!
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Bradford-on-Avon and West Wiltshire
11 riders met on a sunny spring morning at Bailey’s Barn in Bradford-on-Avon in anticipation of a flattish ride through the attractive towns and villages of West Wiltshire. Setting off from Bradford-on-Avon, the group first followed the Wiltshire Cycleway to Corsham for their coffee stop. From there the group followed a route to Laycock stopping for a short visit before continuing to the town of Melksham for a lunchstop at the King’s Arms. After lunch the group cycled south to meet the Kennet and Avon canal turning west for a pleasant cycle along the canal towpath back to the start point at Bradford-on-Avon. Thank you Pam & Tony for leading an interesting ride in an area worthy of more exploration in the future.
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Quiet lanes, churches and wild daffodils
13 riders set off from Hartpury Church on a sunny spring morning to cycle quiet Gloucestershire lanes and hoping to see wild daffodils in bloom in the woods and meadows around Dymock. Setting off north through the Vale of Leadon with its pretty timber framed houses, duck ponds and apple orchards, we turned west at Botloe’s Green crossing the M50 motorway into Dymock woods for our coffee stop amid wild daffodils in full bloom. Continuing past meadows also prolific with daffodils, we passed through Dymock village before heading for Kempley where we detoured to visit the 12th century St Marys church with its fine examples of rare medieval wall paintings and ancient timber roof. Retracing our steps, we proceeded to Oxenhall where we cycled past the disused locks of the former Gloucestershire and Herefrodshire canal before continuing into Newent for our lunch stop at the Kings Arms. After lunch we headed east towards the river severn stopping for a short visit to St Mary’s church at Upleadon with it’s rare Tudor tower. Passing Ashelworth we continued to Hartpury village where nearing the end of the ride we were faced with our stiffest climb of the day at the top of which we were rewarded with fine views west over the Vale of Gloucester before cycling past Hartpury university and college and back to our start point. Thank you Tim and Ceridwen for a well planned ride through beautiful countryside with its wealth of historical interest and of course the magnificent daffodils.
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A circuit of villages around Westbury-on-Severn
15 riders met in Westbury-on-Severn near Gloucester for the first ride of the 2024 cycling programme. Muffled up against a biting wind we set off south on our first loop through Rodley and Boxbush braving potholes and puddles but cheered by the sight of primroses on the roadside banks reminding us Spring can’t be far away. At Chaxhill we crossed the A48 and continued on through Northwood to the village of Huntley and our coffee stop at the excellent Fernery Restaurant at the Leaf Creative garden centre. After our coffee stop, a further circuit taking in Tiberton and Taynton brought us back to Huntley for our lunch stop again in the Fernery Restaurant. Suitably refreshed and after posing for a group photo in front of the beautiful Grade 1 listed St. John the Baptist church next to the garden centre, we took the Mitcheldean road out of Huntley, before turning off once again onto quiet lanes which took us through the village of Blaisdon with its attractive buildings and on back to Westbury on Severn.
Thank you Helen and Andy for leading an excellent ‘shortish and flattish’ ride to start off the 2024 season and also for introducing us to the culinary delights of the Fernery restaurant in Huntley.