Wonderful day for a leisurely ride in the Vale of Belvoir. First I had to get there; about 5km of urban riding to get to and cross the Ladybay bridge in West Bridgford, enlivened by trying and failing to avoid a carpet of broken glass apparently deliberately spread across the cycle track. A brief respite along the towpath of the Grantham Canal before the shared use path alongside the busy A52 towards Radcliffe. Two Iceland lorry drivers decided the layby wasn't sufficient for their needs, and had parked on and almost completely blocked the path. I regret to inform you, dear reader, that I used some extremely offensive language to one of them. To his credit, he seemed genuinely apologetic - when he saw me getting my camera out - so I decided in a moment of unwonted generosity not to report him and his colleague.
It was sheer bliss to leave this busy dual carriageway and take a minor road towards Cotgrave, and even better to leave this in favour of the canal towpath. Riding along with nary a care in the world, I was stopped in my tracks by a wondrously fresh and sweet aroma. I knew damn well it wasn't me; turned out to be a mass of blossom on a wild rose.
A little further on was this spectacularly coloured leaf. A common enough plant, but beautiful in its own right.
I followed the towpath under the A46, on past Cropwell Bishop, leaving it at Oddhouse Farm to visit the Colston Bassett dairy for a gradely wedge of their superb blue stilton. 535gm for £7.10, and worth every penny!
Then onwards to Harby, noting this obstruction in a small stream on the way. Could this be a Belvoir dam?
Past Harby, took a very minor road to Dove Cottage, but resisted the lure of coffee and cake. Unusually, no other cyclists were there.On through Plungar, Granby, Barnstone and Langar, heading for Bingham. Just past the Tithby lane junction, wheat harvesting was in full swing. Two Buzzards, one being half-heartedly pestered by a Sparrowhawk, were circling over the harvest field, probably on the look-out for rabbits or other potential prey being flushed by the harvester.
Along the verge were several drifts of distinctively pink Yarrow, the kind of thing that costs wodgy dosh in garden centres. I could tell you precisely where these were, but I'd have to Achillea.
After a brief shopping trip to Bingham's fairly recently opened Lidl to grab a couple of
pasteis natas, on the A6097 towards Gunthorpe and Lowdham, conscious of some very patient HGV drivers, and pulling in where possible to allow them to pass safely, hopefully building up some good karma in the process for other cyclists as well as me. I was hoping to get off the A612 at Bulcote and enjoy a traffic-free ride across Burton Meadows, but harvest brings danger for big people as well as little animals. As I read this sign, a tractor & trailer came along, and I'm very glad I didn't ride past, claiming as a cyclist, not a pedestrian, it didn't apply to me.
Oh well, retrace route to Burton Joyce. Silver linings and all that, I had a Co-op 50p off creamcakes voucher and used it. Like I need more calories and cholesterol. Good job the
Altura pack has a zipped extension option, but I still had to transfer the camera and glasses case to bulging back pockets in my shirt. Seeking quieter roads again, I took the diversion to Stoke Bardolph. Two Lapwings were flying around and calling repeatedly, but I never got a pic of either. Instead, here's an obligatory bucolic shot of the Trent, with sheep on the left and cattle on the right.
And here's a totally gratuitous shot of swans enjoying the presumably luxurious weed growth in the outflow from the sewage farm.
No computer on this bike, but my little Recta map rolling device comes out at about 65km, which seems about right.
) and a shared affection for the Lench Hills, north of Evesham.
