Had a an excellent couple of rides over the weekend. On Saturday, following the Cyclenation AGM, I spun over to Leicester - have done this before and it's a great ride, improving once you get out of Brum.There isn't a signed bike route out of Birmingham to the East, although there is one from Digbeth for a shortish way, so I followed that and then took to the suburban back streets before crossing over several motorways and finally seeing some countryside. Coleshill is the first stop with a convenience co-op supermaket to get stocked up with food & drink, then a steady climb take you to Atherstone with it's canal and station on the London Midland Line. After that you're in the flatlands heading towards Market Bosworth which is on a bit of a rise, then on into Leicester - there's a bit of a bike route to get ou across the M1 at Leicester Forest East (beware glass under the bridge - I've just reported it at One Clean Leicester) previously I've followed the route into town, but I can't recommend it as it takes you out of your way up to County Hall, then on a dodgy shared use pavement along the A50, before turning off onto a shared use path through a park which is fine. I used Glenfield Rd, the trick being to turn right off Park Drive to Dominion Rd up the hill and across the roundabout, some of which has a shared use path that is also fine - whichever way you go getting across the ring road into the city centre, but as progressive city Leicester does allow cycling in the pedestrianised shopping area. Had a well-earned curry in Ride of the Raj off London Rd, and was then too full to fit in a pint, so got the train home.
Sunday I lead the Facilities & Infrastructure ride for the CTC AGM. I took a loose view of "facilitiesd and decided it would include a taste of the foothills leading to the peak, so after a bit of a tour around town we headed up the Porter Valley to Forge Dam, for butties teas and coffees. The we headed up the bridleway to Bents Green cut across to Whirlow, out towards Dore, down through Ecclesall Woods to look at the Bluebells and then up via Beauchief to Greenhill before cutting back through Norton to Heeley, having a look at some of the infrastructure there and the over-the-top contraflow on Norfolk Park Rd before a well-earned pint in the Sheffield Tap, where we ran into @psyklyn as well as some other local friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy it - 22 set off but many had to peel away to catch trains so only 5 were left by the time we got back to the station. Thanks to everyone who came along though.
Sunday I lead the Facilities & Infrastructure ride for the CTC AGM. I took a loose view of "facilitiesd and decided it would include a taste of the foothills leading to the peak, so after a bit of a tour around town we headed up the Porter Valley to Forge Dam, for butties teas and coffees. The we headed up the bridleway to Bents Green cut across to Whirlow, out towards Dore, down through Ecclesall Woods to look at the Bluebells and then up via Beauchief to Greenhill before cutting back through Norton to Heeley, having a look at some of the infrastructure there and the over-the-top contraflow on Norfolk Park Rd before a well-earned pint in the Sheffield Tap, where we ran into @psyklyn as well as some other local friends. Everyone seemed to enjoy it - 22 set off but many had to peel away to catch trains so only 5 were left by the time we got back to the station. Thanks to everyone who came along though.
