FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast Superspeedy to Harwich 10th August

[Tim Hall]

Looking at the station map on the National Rail website, they're two sides of the same platform. IIRC Manningtree has a stunning cafe on the platform. As we only have a three minute changeover window it looks like second breakfast won't be possible. Unless we miss the connection of course.

 

[TimO]

Yes, the Manningtree station cafe is rather good, award winning as I recall. I suppose we could always not bother with the breakfast at Harwich, and just go straight to Manningtree.

 

[User10571]

Wasn't the breakfast in Harwich something of an err...... wait?

Just saying, like...

 

[martint235]

Wasn't the breakfast in Harwich something of an err...... wait?

Just saying, like...

We did wait around quite a bit. Maybe worth consideration for those cycling home. I think it was a lot cooler than is likely this year but that could be bad memory.

 

[CharlieB]

and I know you're only doing it to try to keep up on MCL

No chance of that, M. I overslept this morning (watching far too much Olympics), and had to cut the commute short to get to work on time.

 

[dellzeqq]

The odd thing about the train was that it arrived quite full with people who didn't get off, even though Harwich Town is a terminus.

weren't they going to some kind of Royal do?

 

[User10571]

weren't they going to some kind of Royal do?

Benny the pope on a visit. And I think that was two years ago.
Some people however, never leave that train......

 

[BigGee]

There is not that much else to do in Harwich!

 

[martint235]

I am in now way pretending that things will not go horribly wrong but here is the final route home on Saturday. I've tried to keep us off what may be a stupidly busy A road coming out of Harwich for as much as possible but we will be on it for bits.

 

[ianrauk]

And here is the route home we took last time we did this.
South of Hanningfield which is a bit shorter and quicker

 

[martint235]

North of Hanningfield is nicer. GPS already programmed but we know the way back from Maldon anyway

 

[Arthur]

Don't forget to look up occasionally...Clear skies are forecast and the annual Perseid meteor shower is heading towards its highest density this weekend
http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1208/08perseids/

 

[dellzeqq]

I am in now way pretending that things will not go horribly wrong but here is the final route home on Saturday. I've tried to keep us off what may be a stupidly busy A road coming out of Harwich for as much as possible but we will be on it for bits.

I think this is a daft route missed opportunity - sorry, but there you have it. If you're not going back the way we go up (which avoids the very unpleasant Goldhanger Road, then schlepp over toward Manningtree and take B1352 and the A137. It adds a bit to the distance, but the road from Harwich to Manningtree has some of the loveliest views in Southern England, and the A137 is a nice enough road - not as busy as the Maldon Road south of Colchester. Having said that....our route out is really pretty good during the daytime, and you might want to ask the ferry guy when he'll be starting his regular working day.

The A120 out of Harwich is all about Harwich docks - sometimes it's full of artics and sometimes it's completely empty - Susie and I went up it last year and, while there were lots of trucks coming the other way, our side was so empty we didn't bother to go on the 'old' road that runs parallel.

 

[dellzeqq]

Don't forget to look up occasionally...Clear skies are forecast and the annual Perseid meteor shower is heading towards its highest density this weekend
http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1208/08perseids/

I've kept that quiet for months! Mersea is probably as good as it's ever going to get - if we arrive in time.

 

[martint235]

So to recap I'll have had to look out for :castles ; submarines ; teddy bears and now Perseids!

And if you don't like my route just say so. Don't spare my feelings