Colchester Cycling UK

Great Wenham Ride Report

October 14, 2012

Eleven of us left Colchester Leisure World to head out to a new elevenses stop in Weeley. Apart from cycling through Essex University, along Boundary Road, we stuck to Route 51 of the National Cycle Network all the way until Tendring, where we saw this pair of driving Shetland ponies.

Shetland ponies

The Homestead Cabin Cafe gave us a warm welcome and despite the large number of us coped admirably with our and other customer’s orders.

Onwards to our destination, “over the border” in Suffolk, via Great Bentley, Great Bromley, Dedham — where Steve punctured on his new bike — and Higham. We arrived at The Queens Head a little after 2 pm (when they stop serving food) and were initially disappointed that we wouldn’t be able to get any lunch. However, as it became clear there were quite a number of us wanting food, they obliged to serve us either jacket potatoes or baguettes (with a choice of fillings).

As some of the group came from Tiptree, there was a split before the final leg, with Alan taking some back an alternative route, while the rest headed back to Colchester with me, through Capel St Mary, Bentley, Brantham, and Little Bromley.

By Malcolm Mitchell