A simple plan today: for what was probably going to be my final ride of 2024, I thought I’d repeat my first ride of the year, a fairly common variant of the Twycross Bypasser. But within a couple of minutes of setting off, I’d hatched an alternative plan. I thought I’d go up to Derby.
So I went up Top Brand, through Isley Walton and west to Melbourne. Up over Swarkestone Bridge, then up onto the scary roundabout over the A50. From the roundabout I exited onto Infinity Park Way, and pedalled up to the southern extremity of Derby.
Infinity Park Way is a newish road, only completed in the last few years. It’s big, wide and well-surfaced – but pretty quiet, I assume because Infinity Park, which is a new commercial / industrial development, is still being developed. It also leads to the Rolls-Royce Aerospace campus and test sites, which have been there for many years, and eventually into Derby proper.
I’ve been up that way a few times, but this time I did a bit more exploring than I have in the past. I found myself in Sinfin, which is a not-particularly-nice part of Derby that I don’t think I ever visited when I lived in the city. Turned back and explored a bit along a different route and was surprised to find myself on Moor Lane, which is where the Rolls-Royce recreation centre is located. Many years ago I used to shoot at the rifle range there every Friday night.
I went onto the grounds and had a look round. There are a lot of new buildings but I was pleased to see that the old range is still there, just behind the bowling green.
Turned for home after that, but I took a long route back through Weston, Aston, Shardlow, over Cavendish Bridge and down through Donington and Coleorton.
That was a really nice run out. Cloudy and damp when I set off, but lovely winter sunshine in the afternoon. There’s something particularly wistful, I find, about visiting old haunts just before the turn of another year.
Back on 72.84km which gives me 785 exactly for December and 10621km (6600 miles) for the year. It’s faintly possible I’ll go out again before 2025 kicks in but I doubt it.