THE WESSEX NEWSLETTER Edited independently in our three areas and published quarterly. Please contact your section or the access the club website for information on any events
DA SECRETARY Peter Loakes, Church Cottage, West Stafford, DT2 8AB (01305) 263272 BOURNEMOUTH & DISTRICT SECTION David Chesworth, 52 Newstead Road, Bournemouth BH6 3HL (01202) 432852 SALISBURY SECTION Alan Clarke, “Hill House”, Kelsey Road, Salisbury SP1 1JR (01722) 322188 WEST DORSET SECTION Mike Durham, 74 Westhill, Wyke Regis, Weymouth DT4 9NE (01305) 770140
Main Calendar Dates For 2007 Sunday 24th Mar
Cycle Jumble, Weymouth
Ken Reed
01305 772654
Sunday 25th Mar
50 in 4
Shawn Shaw
01202 685014
Sunday 1st Apr Sunday 1st Apr
Dorset Coastlet 100km Dorset Coast 200km (PBP)
Peter Loakes Peter Loakes
01305 263272 01305 263272
Sunday 15th Apr
Devon and Dorset Downs 300km (PBP) Peter Loakes
01305 263272
Sunday 22nd Apr
100 in 8
Shawn Shaw
01202 685014
Saturday 28th Apr Cycle Jumble Sale
Jim Hatton
01202 280889
Sunday 29th Apr Sunday 29th Apr Sunday 29th Apr
New Forest 50/Day Out 100km New Forest Excursion 200km New Forest 300km (PBP)
John Ward John Ward John Ward
01590 671855 01590 671855 01590 671855
W/E 8th -9th Sep
St Lo Concentration in Normandy
Norman Payne
01202 695179
Sunday 9th Sep Sunday 9th Sep
New Forest 50 and Coast 100km New Forest On & Off Shore 200km
John Ward John Ward
01590 671855 01590 671855
Sunday 16th Sep
Dorset Dirt 50km offroad
Ken Reed
01305 772654
Sunday 23rd Sep
Dorset Delight 200km
Peter Loakes
01305 263272
Sunday 7th Oct
Gridiron 100km
Terry Walsh
01202 247888
ALL WESSEX ACTIVITIES CAN BE FOUND ON: www.wessexctc.org
Winter 2006 At the recent AGM we voted in a new Chairman, so lets welcome Terry Walsh to the job and give him all our support. There are a number of changes on the committee too including David Chesworth as secretary. Here then is your new line up:
2006 AGM
Bob Reports!
Chairman: Terry Walsh Secretary: David Chesworth Treasurer: Mike Walsh Newsletter: Keith Matthews Runs List: Eric Watson Committee: Bob Courtney; Joan Courtney; Stephen Gray; Alan Dodson Rob Garnett; Jean Trill; Ralph Huckle; John Ward
Ray Payne was awarded the “Freewheeling Cup” and Janet Matthews the “Sartain Trophy in recognition of her work for the club.
Keith Matthews - Editor 1
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Christchurch Bicycle Club
Christchurch Carol Service High Cross United Reform Church, Amethyst Rd, Somerford Wednesday 13th December 2006 at 7.30pm Followed with Tea/Coffee and Mince pies All CTC members and Everyone Welcome Contact Jim Hatton 01425 280889
CTC Bournemouth Section
Cycle Jumble
Village Hall, Burley. 10:00 to 14:00 Saturday 28th April 2007 All CTC members and Everyone Welcome Contact Jim Hatton 01425 280889
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What’s On ? Blackmore Vale Section Rides Cycle Rides arranged by Richard & Margaret Nicholl. All rides meet at the Cafe at 10:00am for coffee and cake, departing at 10:30am. Please note that some rides are on a Saturday and some on a Sunday. Details (01963) 32840 Sun 3rd DEC Sat 16th DEC Sun 31th DEC Sat 13th JAN Sun 28th JAN Sat 10th FEB Sun 25th FEB Sat 10th MAR Sun 25th MAR Sat 7th APR Sun 22nd APR
MEET: WINCANTON, Morrisons Supermarket LUNCH: Yeovilton, RNAS, Museum Café MEET: MERE, Angel Corner Tea Room LUNCH: Shaftesbury MEET: WINCANTON, Morrisons Supermarket LUNCH: Sherborne MEET: EAST STOUR, Udder Farm Shop LUNCH: Sturminster Newton MEET: GILLINGHAM, Waitrose Supermarket LUNCH: Compton Abbas Airfield MEET: CASTLE CARY, Old Bakehouse, High Street LUNCH: Shepton Mallet, Fish & Chips MEET: MILBORNE PORT, Wheathill Lane Garden Centre LUNCH: Yeovil, Morrisons Supermarket MEET: EAST STOUR, Udder Farm Shop LUNCH: Child Okeford, Post Office Tea Rooms MEET: STOURHEAD, National Trust Cafe LUNCH: Crockerton, Furniture Store MEET: MILBORNE PORT, Wheathill Lane Garden Centre LUNCH: Yetminster, Crafty Times Art Gallery MEET: SHALFORD, Crestmoor Garden nr Wincanton Racecourse LUNCH: Cranmore, Steam Railway
Informal Wayfarers Rides to Burley
This ride happens every Saturday and is completely informal. There is no leader and no back up, but generally an experienced cyclist somewhere around. The route is designed for beginners but joined in by all abilities.
Start 08:45 at Pioneer Supermarket, Christchurch every Saturday
Or just make your own way to the New Forest Tea Rooms, Burley for 10:00 3
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GRUMPY OLD CYCLISTS
I love cycling, but because of my unashamedly Dickensian outlook these days I tend to look at the game through the eyes of a Grumpy Old Man. I thought that it might be a bit of fun to examine various aspects of cycling with mixed emotions.
During my first year of cycling a few decades ago, I could recognise the real cyclists easily by the fact that they had got toe-clips and dropped handlebars, but nowadays things are not so clear-cut. The modern cyclists attach themselves to their pedals with no visible means of support and even if they have done a bit of pedalling in their time, some have been seen riding in a “sit up and beg” position with straight bars. On reflection, I think that I am getting to the stage when I understand why. The near demise of toe-clips makes itself apparent when most groups start off after coffee or lunch. There’s nothing to be heard but the annoying chorus of clicking and clacking of engaging cleats! I will not pander to fashion, though I’ve got to admit that they are a lot safer than the shoe plates and clips of yesteryear, and after all, using cleats makes it look like they know what they are doing. Are you one of those confident descenders? They go down steep, twisting, gravely hills like a bat out of hell and always get away with it! Well I mean, saddle-soiling aside, none of us are afraid of dying, its just that we don’t want to be there when it happens.
Brian Charles
It makes me smile to find that many fashionably dressed and equipped cyclists disregard ones who ride scruffy bikes or who walk over cattle grids. If they would like to take time to talk to these folk they would be surprised to learn that some of them tour frequently in the more magical areas of our country and have amassed an encyclopaedic knowledge of these areas. What about these cyclists who use mirrors on their bikes for turning right? Can’t they re-learn the basic skills of cycling and look round over their shoulders? Its much more reliable. Having said that, I recall once, someone I was riding with looking over his shoulder on a bend in the road and ending up in the ditch! And while they’re at it why don’t they lift their droopy signalling arm that is rarely seen. If these folk would emulate a road race winner by raising their hand above their head, then they would draw attention to themselves and be seen. I question the ethics of Audax rides and Challenges. The real heroes of these events are the ones who have not been on a bike for years, or are new to cycling. I hope that the real bike riders can gain pleasure from cycling without the need to be stimulated by these rides. Why don’t they do the honourable thing and openly compete against others or against the clock? Although I suppose randonnées do get cyclists from all over the place together, to do some quality miles and they don’t have to think too much about where to go for a ride. Perhaps they just need to rekindle interest in the area around where they live, or research rides further afield.
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And what about women cyclists? You may not believe this but in days of my youth, I turned up once on a club night and there, in the corner, sat a couple of wallflowers in full cycling gear and they were knitting! They’re all the same. Why is it that some cyclists in the south seem to have an obsession with touring in France, simply because it is easy to get to?
like “aye up youth, ow bist thee”. Some of them remain blissfully ignorant of the country in which they choose to live, so many have not tasted the delights of Watendlath, Finchinfield or Holy Island. The reason is because they are too busy poncing about in foreign parts. Mind you, to experience a Nocturne Criterium on a warm August evening in the heart of France is worth compromising for. I get fed up with being ridiculed when I wear my cape. Have others lost the ability to control them in a gale or do they like riding with wet knees? Mind you the waterproof jacket can be left on all day in winter. Do you really need the cosy atmosphere of a pub at lunchtime in the winter? If you have been denied the pleasure of sitting outside eating your bread and cheese on a bracing viewpoint in December then you’ve never lived.
I hate the modern bike frame. It is thrown together using clumsy fat tubes looking more like electrical conduit welded together by A typical Grumpy Old Cyclist machine than properly artistically hand-made frames with brazed on What a bore! Are they afraid of cycling in lugs like those made by Hetchins or Bates this country, north of the Thames? Is it the and the like. language barrier that deters them more than the one across the channel? Some of Have you got a double-sided map of the the natives oop north actually sound their New Forest or the Purbecks? Then why is ‘t’s and others seem to forget to follow it that whatever area you want to look at is their ‘a’s with an ‘r’ (as in fa-a-a-r-r-st or always on the other side? You’ve got no gra-a-r-rs). Southerners are in danger in option but to unfold the whole stupid some places of being greeted with remarks thing, battle with it in the gale that always
by Ken McGregor
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blows on top of Creech or Telegraph Hill, and then refold it so that you can read the other side. In my day, large scale maps were no so readily available. I once did a twenty-seven mile off-road crossing of Lairg Ghru in the Cairngorms using a road atlas of Great Britain. Those were the days. GPS? Humbug! And what about the “Lycra Louts”? All trade vests and no mudguards. Are they out training for a “24”? More likely they are off to the local café for a coffee. It begs the question – do you put a label on yourself when you ride a bike that’s got a close-clearance frame that doesn’t accept mudguards? It could be just peer culture or are they emulating the heroes of our glorious sport? Surely for general club rides in areas north of central France, mudguards are more than useful. Without them there is always the temptation to become a fair weather cyclist! Is it perhaps that they find riding a pretend racing bike is so much easier to pedal than a more civilised machine in their advancing years. But of course the working classes are the worst offenders. They throw their expendable income into the hands of the local bike shop owner and hope that a new machine will be so reliable that they can dispense with that unfashionable saddlebag full of heavy tools. They even eliminate that unsightly bulge in their back pocket by just carrying an all-in-one tool and a credit card. I suppose some will say that I am exaggerating. Well yes, I’ve known some carry an Allen key and a daft little pump which is absolutely useless for beating off a marauding dog.
confiscate his bike. Why is it that train-assisted cycling is so difficult? They should be pleased to have you on board, as they were in yesteryear. In those days you could put your bike in the guards van and snooze the journey away lying on a pile of mailbags. These people who are new to cycling should employ a little more decorum when riding with the rest of us. They think that they need a bit of exercise, so they get an old crate off the dump, buy some new tyres and become cyclists – just like that! They come out with the club and after about 50 miles on a severe climb, they cruise up alongside you, chatting away and proceed to half-wheel you to the top! What do you think about these mountain bikes? They have turned off-road cycling from an art into a fairground ride. A good road bike skilfully ridden is much better for mixed touring. The mountain bike’s fat tyres create too much rolling resistance when you come down off the hill and find yourself with a lot of miles on the road to do. They are useful for nothing other than delivering papers on! I hope that you will forgive me if you see yourself in any of the above trivia. However, I hope that you will agree that it is all good character building stuff to see ourselves as others see us. So, just remember – “Mustn’t Grumble”
Talking about dogs, you should know that the only thing that you can do with a dog that chases everyone on a bike is to
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FIRST TIME GRIDIRON Damian Buckley
As semi-retired, fair-weather cyclists, the prospect of doing 100 km in a day was a significant challenge. However, if we could do 30 miles on the Saturday morning Christchurch-Burley-Christchurch run, surely we could do 60 in a whole Sunday. True we have cycled serious distances in France, but usually with quite low daily mileages. A perusal of the route-card convinced us of the need to highlight the roads on the maps that we’d glued together. We realised that the distance was the equivalent of Bournemouth to Basingstoke (Gulp!) so our strategy was to be first away at the start and hope that we got round before all the checkpoints closed. At the car park on the day, we were amazed to see hundreds of cars in the field before us, so hurried over to the check-in, through throngs of super-fit, slim, young people and super-expensive, super-light machines. Our cards were stamped and we quickly got on our way by ourselves, whilst the afore-mentioned types did their warming-up and chatting-up. Within 10 minutes, our peace was shattered by the first of the whirring wheelers, moving at about the speed of light!! After that, it was a bit like being in the slow lane of the motorway - an almost continuous succession of faster-moving traffic going past our right-hand sides. Eventually, after a steep climb, respite - Checkpoint One at last! But we were behind 4 million others trying to get a cuppa! What a lot of pongy people in a small space! I hope the staff got medals for their ordeal! We didn’t realise what a lot of energy we had used up and should have eaten our lunches at that point, because 5 miles later we got the hunger knock and had to stop on a windswept plain to take in some sustenance. So, after one third of the distance, we had spent almost an hour not cycling. Except for turning right just 200 yards before Checkpoint Two and retracing our track, this stage was fairly uneventful, giving us a chance to enjoy seeing some delightful parts of the Forest we’d never visited before. No wait for our tea here, since we were well behind the fast boys and girls: in fact there was the distinct impression that we would be washing up and locking up the hall if we delayed our departure. By now we had spent about 2 hours out of the saddle, so it was time to move on. Again, the last leg was across “foreign” countryside until we arrived at Beaulieu where we were heartened by the sight of familiar landmarks and actually overtook a family doing the ride. We hesitate to mention that the only reason that we were going faster was that the parents were either carrying or towing an offspring! Back to Boldre at last! No throng surrounding the desk this time! After the official stamped our cards, we could now join the elite who can wear the Gridiron medal. And we were only six hours behind the fastest participant! Looking back, it was a fun experience: very many thanks to all those who made it possible! Can you fix one for next year please?
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CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS As the new chairman of the Bournemouth Section I would like to thank Keith for all the years that he has
Terry Walsh
lot of help from Keith and he is still doing the Newsletter. We owe him a lot. Thanks Keith. I also know that behind every successful man is a good woman. Thanks Janet. I would also like to say a few words about myself for those of you who don’t know me. My club cycling started in 1950 when I joined the East Bournemouth Road Club, a BLRC club. I rode and raced with them, and later the Pine City Road Club until 1957. I was never any good, just a 3rd category rider. Then I moved away from Bournemouth, and Club cycling stopped. I didn’t get back into cycling until 1989 when I joined the Bournemouth Arrow. A 32 year lay off from club cycling! For 7 years I organised “The Tour of Cranborne Chase” for the Arrow, a 96 mile road race, and I still run their evening “10”.
done this job and the many other jobs like secretary and organiser. He organised the nationally recognised Dorset Coast for 25 years and the Gridiron for several years and even though I ran it this year I had a
I fell out with the Arrow over helmets and left them for a while. My first ride with the CTC was Sunday 10th May 1992 -The Dorset Downs 130 miles. A great day. After that I rode with the Inters. Sat 14th June 1997 I started the Saturday Morning rides for beginners. The numbers were very poor at first, lots of times no one
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at all, but I always turned up just in case. It took well over a year before it was properly established. These days the ride has a life of it’s own, it doesn’t need a leader. People from any club and no club join in, 50 or 60 riders every Saturday. It is no longer a CTC ride. If our club is to grow or even continue we must continually recruit. Saturday Morning is obviously one place and, if we can sort out the insurance question, I intend to advertise it and promote our other rides. We can also advertise ourselves more systematically in the shops and lots of local people who rode the Gridiron etc. might be tempted to join our regular rides if we advertise them. Suffice to say I would like to put recruiting at the
top of my list of things to do. We used to have the Generals then the Coasters. There’s lots of room for more. You will see from this that I am very new to the CTC. Just 14 years not 40 or 50 or 60 years like some of you, so there is a lot of history that I don’t know, it’s not just my bad memory. I hope I can help the club to continue to prosper. It is doing well at the moment with rider numbers up. The Potterers having to split is a very good sign. I hope to do my bit to keep the upward trend going and if you have any ideas give me a ring. 01202 247 888 terrywessex@yahoo.co.uk
Terry
AVON CAUSEWAY
David Chesworth
The roadworks have now been completed at Avon Causeway and the bridge is open. Coming from Hurn a lot of the poor road surface has been improved, albeit by patching, and the ride is much better. There is a pinch point a little way before the bridge to slow traffic and the bridge is wider. Road markings are much clearer and the road around the bridge and the pinch point is new. The speed limit on that road is 40mph. There is no special provision for cyclists at all and no advantage has been taken by the authorities to make cycling safer whether by a reduced speed limit or by other means. Traffic is still exceeding the existing speed limit and care and attention continues to be very much required. The good news obviously is that runs can start once more from Hurn Stores.
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The Other Side of Brittany Decisions, decisions! Where should we go for our summer holidays? Last year we undertook our mega tour across France so this year I fancied something a little less adventurous, particularly if we were going to have an exotic honeymoon next year. Something that involved little organisation would also be appealing. It was already approaching June so we didn’t have a great amount of time to decide if we were to head off on the
Annemarie Manley
hop over to Brittany with the tandem. The UK weather was warming up so we were perhaps lulling ourselves into a false illusion that north west France would be hot, dry and sunny. We also convinced ourselves that we would be bored stiff on a Greek Island, especially if we were unable to hire decent bikes, not to mention the lack of variety on restaurant menus. So decision made we booked the Condor to St Malo – travel plans are also so much easier when you just have to pedal just 6 miles to Poole on a Saturday lunch time to start your holiday! Arriving on a Saturday night in July I thought it wise to book the first night’s hotel. The rest we would find as we went since we didn’t know where we were going! This proved a struggle as I was informed St Malo was hosting a boat race the weekend of our arrival so I ended up plumping for a rather over-priced option out of town. A nice place but not worth the price but at least it was in a rural setting on the right side of town to start our tour off well the next day. I was also able to have a swim before a pretty good breakfast. Next time I will explore the B&B option which seem to be quite popular and reliable in France now, as we found out at the end of our stay.
Mont St Michel
second week of July – the small window when no one else in my team had booked time off. I also fancied some hot sun and struggle to contemplate a holiday without at least a bit of sea – even though it is on my doorstep every other day of the year. But neither Nigel or myself are great beach bums – at least not for more than half a day. Choices were whittled down to a week on a Greek Island (bikeless) or a
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Co-incidentally we were in Brittany at the same time as the Tour de France and some friends from the mid Devon CC were following Le Tour. So with the wonders of mobile phone technology I phoned Graham to see where they were. They were staying some 30km down the road in Combourg and invited us to join them. 30km seems like a relaxing distance for the first day so after a leisurely breakfast we studied the map and ambled off to Combourg – on our only cloudy morning. There may even have been a couple of spots of rain but it was hard to tell – might just have been a car’s
1995 PBP rather than 1999, my recollections of Tinteniac were that on the way out it was extremely hot and busy so I just grabbed a coke and snoozed under a tree. On the way back I had a chance meeting with Trish Clark and Kathy Moorhouse (who were supporting Jason and Frank but also carrying my spare clothes and Liquorice Allsorts) which gave me a real boost. The only other feature of the place I could recollect was an avenue of trees. We scouted around a while to find the control used on the event and found what we thought might have been the place but weren’t entirely convinced. Places look so different when you are not semi comatose and there aren’t thousands of other cyclists milling around. Back in Combourg we enjoyed an evening meal with the mid Devon CC and then we all retired to the bar next door which was showing the World Cup Final between France and Italy. There was a great atmosphere in the bar even though France were slowly falling behind – Nigel and I left before the bitter end but we didn’t hear any untoward behaviour like we might have experienced if England had just lost. The next day dawned warm and bright and we had a fine breakfast before heading south. Josselin seemed quite a step on the map but we thought that would be our aim. There was a big town, Ploërmel a few km short of Josselin which might do if we couldn’t go any further. We had a fantastic day – finding a lot of quiet lanes where otherwise we would have been on main roads, crossing the PBP route and
A Typical Picnic
windscreen washer or a bird flying overhead! The Hotel du Lac had a room free so we checked in. Apparently one of the Devon cyclists was in his room a bit under the weather but the rest were out to tea having received an invite from a tour spectator the day before. Typical France!
We left our bags in our room which was not yet ready, had a beer then took to the road again to check out Titeniac. This is a stage town on the Paris-Brest-Paris and both having done that epic event there was a certain curiosity to see the place in leisure time. Even though it was on my
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travelling through the Paimpont forest. The town of the same name was quite charming and we stopped to admire the Abbey. Ploërmel proved to be big and busy but we still had enough energy to go on to Josselin. And we were so pleased we did. We found a lovely route along by the Nantes Brest canal into Josselin and arrived right by the stunning Chateau. We climbed up into the town and I left Nigel at a bar whilst I hunted out a hotel – which was back down by the Chateau! Josselin is full of medieval buildings and we enjoyed exploring the town after a very good meal. One thing of some note today was our picnic lunch stop. Sitting on a bench by a large pond I noticed there was a bed in the middle with what looked like a dead man laying on it. From what I could gather from the sign in French this was the local contribution to the art festival! This was our longest day of the tour at 103km. After more photos of Josselin and a decision made not to buy a very pretty but possibly quite fragile egg holder for Nigel’s mum (I’m sure it wouldn’t have travelled well on the back of the tandem) we headed for the south coast of Brittany. It was a hot day but the morning was spent on a very pleasant high road, which made up for the rather hot and hectic descent into Vannes. Quite an attractive looking town but a bit busy for our liking. We found some shade in the park where we ate our picnic then ventured down to the harbour which was lovely. We then tried
to find our way out along the coast on the quietest road we could find. This proved difficult and after a detour via a very pretty inlet (cul de sac) we managed to get heading west on quite a big but not too unpleasant road, to arrive in Auray. This was probably our worst moment for a dodgy bit of road because we could see no way to get where we wanted to be without having to do a bit of dual carriageway. We survived and of course saw the road we should have taken. The tourist office was in the town on top of the hill – on the way I up spotted what looked like a very pretty bit of old town by the water. This was St Goustan, a little fishing village next to Auray and we did check into a lovely hotel there, after I persuaded Nigel that yes he
Chateau de Rohan did want to go back down the hill out of the busy town. After a lovely meal on the water’s edge we had a good stroll around this charming old part of town and up to the new town via something like Gold Hill, which the following morning we just about managed on the tandem. With temperatures up yet another notch today I asked for a short day with an
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afternoon on the beach. We were heading for Carnac to see “the stones”. We found a quiet route down to the coast and La Trinité where the roads became busier but riding by the sea makes up for it. Carnac proved to be pretty busy but an attractive sort of holiday place. Lots of people cycling and walking around but the seafront hotels were either full, very expensive or both. However, we found a traditional French hotel up in the town which suited us for the night and they were willing to put the tandem in the restaurant later on. After doing a ride-by all the “Stones” we could find (they all looked much the same to me but I suppose it was quite an impressive site) we popped back down to Carnac Plage for a swim. Lovely. We decided not to venture down the peninsula to Quiberon however – either today or tomorrow – deciding it would be too busy for our liking and would probably be a let-down when we got there.
via Les Roches du Diable. Nigel does protest when I select these “scenic” routes but he loves it really. At 4.30 p.m. we found ourselves on top of a big hill sheltering from the heat in an old covered market place in the town of Le Faouët. The hotel was closed but we checked into one about 10km along the road in Priziac, a small village complete with lake. Directing us on the wrong road out of town I wasn’t very popular when 10km turned into 17km but eventually we checked in after a long hot day in the saddle. Today was Bastille day and a Friday. Would we find a hotel very easily we wondered? Good excuse for another short
So Thursday saw us heading north away from the busy southern coast. It is a beautiful looking bit of coastline but the roads were just a bit too busy for us to want to linger longer. We didn’t really know where we were heading but found some lovely lanes and small towns with suitable cafés for us to enjoy some simple cycling and French living. It got very hot and decidedly hilly as the day went on, especially since we took the scenic route
day we thought and probably a sizeable town would be a better bet. Pontivy looked about right and so, after our worst coffee of the trip (but it was in a pretty and lively town) we arrived in Pontivy at lunch time. Pontivy was back on the Nantes Brest canal and although a big place was pretty deserted when we got there. It wasn’t long before we found a suitable hotel, Le Rohan, with a conference room for the tandem and we went to look for
St Goustan
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somewhere to eat our picnic. We found a picnic bench the canal – the only one not in the sun. A French family soon came along and started unpacking their picnic in the sun so we invited them to share our table and were soon being treated to their picnic too. The Rohan family seemed to feature quite highly in these parts, even the Chateau was Chateau Rohan. So Nigel of course had to dress accordingly but the photos weren’t quite good enough to send to Rohan. During our afternoon stroll we established where the Bastille celebration fireworks were going to be set off so we took our front row seats early – on the edge of the canal. It was worth the wait – the fireworks were fantastic and no one pushed us into the canal. We left Pontivy at a reasonable hour and headed north on the main road to Mur de Bretagne. I think that translates as Wall of Brittany and it certainly felt like we were climbing a wall to the top. From here we headed off into the lanes towards the north coast. We had toyed with the idea of bagging a few more PBP stage towns but decided that probably wasn’t very sensible since those towns probably had little else going for them but when we stopped at a small village shop to buy the picnic I spotted a familiar looking bit of tarmac outside La Mairie. We were actually on the PBP route and I recognised this place as where I had slept on hot tarmac in the wee hours some 11 years previously.
Nigel also recalled the recumbent tandem (alias The Bed) from Devon, also resting here when he rode the event in 2003. Lunch was taken, eventually, in another very attractive and very hilly mediaeval town called Moncontour (I guess the clue is in the name). I got very stroppy when we failed to find the park marked on the town map but after going round in circles we eventually realised it was up above us hidden behind one of the town walls. We were enjoying our much needed lunch so much we didn’t bother to look at what was going on below when other people rushed over to look over the wall. Hearing claps and horns we assumed the commotion
Busy Harbour at Les Vannes was a wedding but later a couple of English cyclists came along for a chat and asked if we had seen the ladies Tour of Brittany go by. Typical! Where to go now? Jugon les Lacs has a slightly strange write-up in the Rough Guide but on balance it sounded like a good place to try. And it really was. We had a fast ride there along what seemed like a high plateau from Moncontour and although the hotel was full or closed they
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recommended a Chambres d’Hôtes which proved excellent. We hadn’t before tried B&B in France and although this one was run by an English lady we would certainly try B&B again. It does seem to be becoming popular in France. There was a good choice of restaurants in the centre of the village and a lovely lake to walk around. We liked Jugon so much and we were hot and tired so booked to stay another night. So Sunday was supposed to be a rest day. I guess a day out on the bike without the panniers is as good as a rest. We had a fast ride up to the north coast and after picnicking at Cap Fréhel – one of the most northerly points of Brittany – we found a beach where we had a superb swim in crystal clear sea. The ride back to Jugon seemed even faster and we felt we had earned a slap-up meal that night (again!). Nearly home time but we wanted to visit Mont St Michel and so headed that way. Today was hotter still and after a stop in Dinan and lovely cycle path along the river, which proved to be the wrong direction, it was near the end of the day and we weren’t yet close. Stopping in a bar in Plein Fougères we were invited by a young couple to stay with them and visit Le Mont whilst they prepared supper. It was very tempting but as we didn’t quite know what to expect at Le Mont and may regret having other commitments on our last night in France we declined as politely as we could. We managed to find the cycle route on the last leg to Le Mont avoiding most of the traffic but the place was still very busy when we arrived. The approach is however very impressive. We took it in turns to go and explore this little city and check out hotels. I failed to find a hotel willing to store the tandem (in theory
bicycles are banned inside the city walls) but Nigel managed it and so we decided to spend a little more and spend our last night on Mont St Michel, actually just inside Normandy. It was still cheaper than our first night. Our room wasn’t exactly where the main hotel and restaurant were as we discovered when we chased our host up little alleys and steps to what seemed like the top of the city. At least the view across the bay was stunning and the room was charming – even if the bathroom had come straight out of a caravan! Our meal was not the best in France but I guess what we would expect in such a touristy place but since most of the tourists had left by sunset we were able to walk around and enjoy the place without the crowds. Time to go home but we had the whole day to get to St Malo. After lots more photos we found a great network of unmarked lanes like you might find around the Somerset levels. We even took our chances on a track heading in the right direction which proved a success for a change. This day turned out to be the hottest at around 37 degrees so we spent quite a bit of time stopping to drink and found a beach to have a swim before going into St Malo. We explored the Intra Muros (inside the City walls) then headed back to the ferry port and boarded the Condor home. All in all a very successful tour. I feel there is still a huge amount of Brittany to see and hopefully we can do that sometime soon – probably exploring the western end. Although the south coast was a little busy I would certainly recommend Brittany as a cycling destination – so easy to get to and so much to see. You might not be so lucky with the weather of course!
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Cafes, Pubs & Garden Centres
Rob Garnett
Aren’t we lucky to have some very nice Cafés, Pubs & Garden Centres in our area that can provide refreshments for the audax mileater, potterer or dawdler. We appreciate somewhere to sit whilst we stoke up with some food and drink to provide the energy for the next part of the ride. Cyclists need to refresh their bodies more often than car drivers need to refuel their car engines, but there are less cafes, pubs and restaurants out in the country where we like to ride than there are filling stations. Some cyclists prefer to take their own food and drink, particularly in the summer, but most find it a welcome change to call in for a snack. The change of posture, the time to talk to the other riders and to hear the latest news, gives as much enjoyment as the club run itself. This is also a time when you can feed the body machine and put back a bit of lost energy with a drink and something to eat, whether it’s the coffee, lunch or the final afternoon tea stop. Unfortunately there are too few places that provide these refreshments locally and our rides are governed by their location within a reasonable riding distance. I recall many years ago when I first retired that one of our favourites was a Mrs “B’s“ at Woodlands. She did some excellent snacks and made delicious cakes that nearly every ride section visited her little shop for either coffee or tea at least once a month. We used to send her a copy of the runs list so she would know which section would visit on a particular day. It was a great disappointment when she closed. Fortunately we were able to use the Fleur De Lys at Cranborne for coffee, but we soon moved to Cranborne Garden Centre when they moved their coffee shop from a rickety lean to greenhouse to the lovely building we use today. Another more recent example of café lost, was “Tanners” at Blandford, which closed two or three years ago. However we now use the delightful Costume Museum café which I personally rate as one of the best places we have ever found. Unfortunately we don’t want to start from Wimborne and ride to Blandford every week.
Behind the scenes at the Cafe Stop!
We are very fortunate to be able to use some excellent Garden Centres, cafes, pubs and farm shops that feature regularly on all our rides and we would always welcome information about any new places to try. What we must do however, is to try to ensure that all the places we currently use continue to give us a warm welcome. Yes I’m sure they value our business and some ask to be notified of our visit in advance, to enable them to arrange extra staff to cope with 15 to 20 riders all arriving at the same time. If you are leading the ride and the runs list
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says please advise, please make sure you ring them at least two to three days in advance and give them an approximate number of riders you trust will be with you. It’s always difficult to estimate the number, particularly in winter, but is very important as a leader that you phone. At all refreshment places please always consider the staff and other customers. I have noticed recently the etiquette of a minority leaves a lot to be desired and a bit of gentle nagging, I think, is all that is necessary to remind everyone of how important these venues are to us. Please encourage everyone to park their bicycles in a manner to avoid any obstruction. If we need to move furniture to sit with our friends, consider access for other customers and staff and return the chairs before leaving. Lastly if it’s customary to return crockery please make sure we do so or at least leave the table reasonably tidy. In short, let us always leave these establishments as we would wish to find them. With your help I’m sure we shall continue to enjoy a warm welcome in 2007 and for many years. May you all have a very Happy Christmas and enjoy trouble free cycling throughout the years.
Incident Reporting There was a question from the floor at the Bournemouth Section’s AGM regarding incident reporting. The committee feel that because of the infinite variety of possible incidents, the persons involved must decide for themselves what needs to be reported. The form for reporting any incident is available for downloading from the Cyclists’ Touring Club’s website at: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3829 it should be sent to: DA Secretary Peter Loakes, 1 Church Cottage, West Stafford, Dorchester, DT2 8AB
Mike Walsh
National Standard Cycle Training The Bournemouth section has assisted me in becoming an instructor of the new National Standards, which has been devised by the Cyclists’ Touring Club who also administer the whole scheme. This is a national government sponsored drive to ensure cycle training will be delivered to the same standard across the country. This training progresses to enable the student to confidently cycle on public roads and therefore an avenue for the future members of our club. My qualification is provisional at present. I will be monitored during a couple of future training sessions and if satisfactory I will become fully qualified.
Mike Walsh
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St Lo in 2007
Norman Payne
Friends, If you haven’t heard the news elsewhere I can confirm that our friends in Saint-Lô have given us advance information that they intend to hold an event on 8th/9th September 2007 to commemorate their 40th anniversary as a club. Also it seems that 2007 is seen as the 120th anniversary of ‘cyclotourisme’ in France. Some readers will have experienced and will recall the ‘Easter Cider Meets’ which took place on twelve occasions within the 1969/1999 time span: they will know what astonishing feats of organisation they were particularly given the fact that the Saint-Lô club is not a large one. The 2007 event is described as a ‘mini Cider Meet’ although it doesn’t sound that mini ! It is understood that, as before, around 1500 participants are envisaged, but whereas the Easter events spread over three days - into the Bank Holiday Monday -2007 will be restricted to the Saturday and Sunday (I assume that this means that they will have ‘only’ to cater for over 1000 people at an evening meal just once and not twice as in earlier events). The official programme and entry formswill not be published until January but Jean and Loïc have asked that we do not hesitate to talk about it, to our friends, friends of our friends, all over the world! I can imagine that there will be a lot of interest. Traditionally the Brits have numbered around 400 at those earlier Cider Meets and there will be many with good memories of previous events. As before accommodation is available at hotels, B&B’s and a school gymnasium (this early communication does not mention camping). But the Saint lois have expressed the wish to accommodate their Wessex friends at their homes wherever possible. Personally, I can imagine that in some cases this will not be practical given the demands on the Saint-Lô club members. I can understand that they wish to reciprocate following last May’s joyous weekend but there will be another time! At the moment, I’m wondering what do at this stage. At the time of the last Cider Meet I did reserve 13 rooms at the Formula One - there’s an Ibis next door, and both are very convenient for the event HQ. As you can imagine, given an event of this magnitude hotel rooms go quickly. Probably the best thing to do is just to get some idea of who is likely to wish to participate , this irrespective as to whether we will be hosted or hotel/B&B based. In the past ‘Wessex’ has won the trophy for the foreign club with most participants. Can I have an initial reaction please? 01202 695179 normvel.payne@virgin.net
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Date of next Meetings Next Committee meeting at The Conservative Club, Parr Street, Parkstone. Wednesday 21st February 2007 at 19:30 Committee meetings for 2007 May; 22nd Aug; 24th Oct (AGM); 21st Nov
Contributions and Photographs The committee meeting date is the deadline for Newsletter contributions. Editorial policy is to print all contributions, with minimal editing for the purposes of layout only. Contribute by email, disk, CD-ROM, typed or handwritten. Photographs are now welcome in any form. We can scan them and they will be returned safely.
Editor:
Keith Matthews: 7 Cotes Avenue, Poole, BH14 0ND TEL: (01202) 740388 Email keithjanet@btinternet.com
http://www.wessexctc.org
CTC, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX http://www.ctc.org.uk
“CycleInk” is the Newsletter of the Bournemouth & District Section, Wessex District Association of the Cyclists’ Touring Club. Published four times a year for members. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the club.
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