37 miles or so was today’s target, and I’d decided upon a slightly modified version of the ride down south of Desford. This newer variant actually has a bit more elevation gain overall, but avoids a sharp climb north of Desford on the way down. It also takes in a narrow road called Kirkby Lane that turned out to be perfect cycling territory – very off piste and quiet, decently surfaced level-ish and plenty of off-road farm entrances for use as wee spots. Really lovely along there.
Nice day, wore shorts but with a couple of layers on top. Very confortable. I wanted to take the X to make sure all’s well with the front inner tube but realised that it doesn’t have an Etrex mount attached to the bars. Briefly considered removing the mount off the Cannondale but couldn’t be bothered, so I just took the Cannondale instead.
This route also takes in Kirkby Mallory, location of the famous Mallory Park race track which I seem to remember driving round in an F1 video game in the ’80s. It has a slightly urban element going through Ibstock and Earl Shilton, but only for short stretches.
So I pushed right down through Barwell, Elmesthorpe and finally into Stoney Stanton, where after 18.6 miles I stopped to come back the same way.
I was a bit peckish by this time and put my head round the door of the co-op there with the intention of buying a sandwich – but the queue at the till was quite long and I hadn’t brought a bike lock. So I made do with a Tesco peanut bar that I’d brought with me, on the way back.
That was joyous. Nice weather, pleasant new roads to explore and best of all my knees coped very well, which kept me in very good spirits.
Very nice to visit Stoney Stanton, having seen it featured briefly in a TV programme from 1972.
I conceived this route as part of a lower elevation alternative to my usual route down to Welford in Northamptonshire, and it’s really much nicer. A classic case of necessity being the mother of invention. It does add about four miles to the round trip, though. And it doesn’t knock a huge proportion off the elevation gain. Still, it’s definitely preferable.
37.38 and that’s 230 done this month, 1217 this year.