Ridgeway Loop Saturday 26th April

forgotrafe

We normally ride a 13-15 mile route. Did 20 miles the other night though. Not fast, not fit, but it's nice to be out

Keep watching here and perhaps Thur could be a possibility...

strodey

sounds good, i'd cycle over from Lambourn then leave you guys somewhere through!, i have a pm'd number so would text you before i left!
Be good to get a few together then come winter the possibility of some night rides could also arise, i could also bring a map to share any good trails!
13 - 15 is just right!

strodey

thurs, 7.00 ?
will check here before i leave and give pm'd numbers text to confirm, riding to layby just after shepards rest will text no's given when there!

forgotrafe

Hi strodey,

To be totally honest I got so caught up in Bossangel saying he wanted to do something different that I forgot about you. Sorry!

Our current plan is to cycle near Barbury Castle this time. Meeting by this letter B at 7.30pm tomorrow - it's meant to be a car park, first right after you go past the Esso garage towards Marlborough. Have a route in mind but it's done off a map, not ridden it yet!

But you did say you were interested in meeting so if you'd rather, we'll meet at Shepard's Rest lay-by instead and do our usual route. Basically it's up to you!

forgotrafe

When you do get to wherever, you're looking for a bright yellow land rover (me) or white van (Bossangel). Not that there is ever anyone else in that layby!

forgotrafe

I'm sure it's bad protocol to post three times in sucession...

Someone else is keen to come cycling on Ridgeway. Rather than trying to co-ordinate lots of people, perhaps it's time to make a regular plan. For example:

Meet at Shepards Rest lay by (or White Horse Hill car park), 7pm every Thursday evening. Unless absolutely sure someone is en route but delayed, we leave at 7.15pm with whoever is there.

What do people think of that?

strodey

I'm in! i'll be at sheperds rest, there around that time may or may not see people

Bossangel

Any one up for a ride tonight?

strodey

Anyone going out on the weekend to covered in white clay, mud and water????

forgotrafe

It's not looking good for me this weekend. Too many things planned. But next Tue and/or Thur evenings could be possible.

itboffin

I wish i'd known other people on the forum used the ridgeway, i've been a couple of times this year and each time managed to get totally lost even with a map and GPS (no signal most of the time) but still have great fun especially when I found the cafe.

strodey

I still get lost regularly, never found a cafe though! Just find i get earache for being home 2 hours ater than i said

itboffin

LOL - first time out I was gone for 7 yes SEVEN hours! I was so tired and it was pretty much pitch black by that point, even worse I was only a few hundred yards from the cafe and I didn't even know it, if you haven't found it yet you must the owner is great plus they have a great selection of hot and cold food, bliss after a hard day on the ridgeway and there is plenty of parking, unlike the spaces by the white horse.

strodey

Sounds good, i ride up from lambourn so never have parking problems! where abouts is it? give me something to look forward to!

Bossangel

The only cafe i can think of is by barbury castle, i have cycled a fair whack of the ridgeway now and not seen one. I was over there yesterday afternoon, i saw lots of walkers but no other cyclists either. It was very muddy, i tried out some new forks, fell off and got a puncture. Forgotrafe would of been proud

forgotrafe

I know the Oxfordshire section of the Ridgeway really well and you'd have to go some to get lost there - it's basically a near continuous route. Don't really know Wiltshire side very well except that it gets messed up with bits of tarmac and other "diversions" so must be a bit more interesting to navigate.

All cafe/pub/shop on Oxon side involve dropping down off the Ridgeway and sloging it back up. Not worth it unless... At 3pm every Sunday and B/H Monday, between Easter and the day the clocks go back, you can get an extremely good cream tea from a little farm near White Horse Hill.

BossAngel - I need to know details! Unless it was my fork changing skills that caused the fall-off/puncture, in which case we should all just move on.

itboffin

It's pretty well hidden by the trees and I couldn't see any signs but it's there alright, here are the coords 51.483293,-1.774842 enjoy!

forgotrafe

Thanks itboffin - that's Barbury Castle.

Bossangel

twas not your fork changing skills, it was my adjusting to new centre of gravity that caused the fall off and the puncture happened at the top of the last hil on that loop we do, i will try and fix, i say try as it looks like could be more than a puncture, i'e a dirty great tear. The jury is out on the new forks, i am finding the bike harder to control on the technical side of things it feels more rigid though the new height of the handlebars is great as i'm not scrunched up hurting my back anymore. hills were easier to climb with the forks on lock out. However I did feel more confident on those suntours i had, my max speed was only 29.5 as opposed to 40.2mph but this could have been down to the fact it was very very muddy

forgotrafe

OK - in an attempt at being organised, how about:

This Tue @ White Horse Hill car park for a straight blast along Ridgeway to Wantage and back.

This Thur @ layby just on from Shepards Rest car park for our usual "loop".

Meeting time for both is 7pm. Nice if you can say if you're coming, but rather than rely on that we'll just leave at 7.15 prompt with whoever is there.

For the record, I'm up for Tue, not sure about Thur yet.

Can provide approx distances & total ascents if anyone wants.

bren_gun

Looking forward to coming along on Tuesday as well and getting in my first local ride in a while.

Englishsid

Could you post details on the route? I'm not sure where the "White Horse Hill car park" is

forgotrafe

White Horse Hill car park: 51.577296,-1.578212

Layby by the Shepards Rest pub at Foxhill: 51.530974, -1.667198

Are those okay?

strodey

Sounds good, i'll be up for both!

strodey

Sorry Rafe, my map is OS landranger so your co ordinates don't match! either that or my map reading is wrong (probably)
Is it the main car park for white horse hill? the one you get to if you follow the sign posts for it from the road?

forgotrafe

They were lat/lons, good for Google maps/earth but totally useless for a paper map!

The OS grid ref is: SU 293 865, and yes, it's the main (big) car park for White Horse Hill, not the little 3 car disabled one. Technically pay and display unless you're a NT member, but I don't think they check of a weekday evening.

OS grid ref for Shepard's Rest layby is SU 232 814.

strodey

Nice one!
i'll be there 7 - 7.15, hope its dried up a bit by then, weather looks great!

strodey

Great ride guy's hope you got back safely! may see you thurs!

forgotrafe

Yes, great ride. Following Brendan was quite inspirational. Annoyed that between you, you've made me spend more money (rear cassette so I can have two sets of wheels)

Thur ride will be at Shepards Rest Pub, 7.15pm for a 7.30pm off (unless BossAngel is late )

If no-one else beats me to it, I'll try and suggest a time/place for every Tue & Thur evening well in advance. Will mix times/places to give everyone a fair stab at being able to make it.

Of course, doesn't have to be up to me, if anyone wants to interject or arrange a w/e ride then feel free!

forgotrafe

OK, who is up for a ride this Tue/Thur?

Ideally 7.15 for 7.30 off for me.

Suggestions/preferences for where to ride to/from?