Cycling UK Wantage | Programme of Rides and Events

Past Ride

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Sat May 18th 2024

1* Saturday Half-Day Ride to Uffington	1*

Leader: Steve Swanton	Start Time: 2:00 pm	Start Location: Wantage Parish Church
Description: A special themed ride to Uffington to mark the 40th Anniversary on Sunday of the death of the former Poet Laureate and Wantage resident, Sir John Betjeman. As well as living in Wantage (1951-72), the Betjeman's first family home was in Uffington before the war, making the perfect destination for a relaxed themed ride. For a change we will meet outside the parish church in Wantage and pay our respect to Sir John, whose bust stands opposite, outside the museum. We will ride out to Uffington through the springline villages, take refreshments at the Fox & Hounds PH, check out a blue plaque, then return through the vale, finishing by the Betjeman Memorial Park in Wantage. A round trip of just over 18 miles taken at relaxed pace. There may be a few verses along the way too. Our regular social and family ride on the third Saturday of the month, usually with a cafe stop. We cover 16-32km (10-20 miles) at a leisurely pace of 13-16km/h (8-10mph), tackling the occasional hill (nothing too long) and easy off-road track (conditions permitting). Please let the ride leader know if you are planning to come.
Riders: Alan Fisher Angie Fisher Anke Otto Carin Tranter Lorna Swanton Louise Bowers Patrick O'Leary Steve Swanton Riders = 8 Weather: Report: A thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing ride on what turned out to be a lovely sunny afternoon. And personally, it was great to be out on the bike again after the tumble last week. We shifted the start slightly to meet beneath Betjeman's bust outside the museum. With the parish church behind us, it seemed most apt to read his poem Wantage Bells before we set off. We had a quick photo call at the top of Betjeman Lane and then continued to Locks Lane where we stopped beyond the brook to peer up to the Mead, the Betjemans' family home from 1951-72. And before we set off on the ride in earnest there was time for a few verses from On Leaving Wantage, 1972. Anke joined us at East Challow and we continued on through the Springline villages as far as Kingston Lisle before dropping down to Uffington via Fawler Hill. We stopped opposite the church in Uffington, where Betjeman was sometime warden in the 30s to hear the rather maudlin poem Uffington. We circled the village pausing by Garrard's Farmhouse, with its blue plaque, where the Betjemans' lived before the war, then stopped for refreshments at the Fox and Hounds. It was lovely sitting in the garden in the sunshine where a few more verses were shared. Nice also to meet a group of women riders from Winchester CTC on a weekend away in Oxfordshire. Our ride back across the Vale was through fields of buttercups between verges brimming with cow parsley but otherwise was uneventful. Carin and Louise went their separate ways once we reached Grove, but not until Betjeman had had The Last Laugh. The rest of us continued into Wantage to finish at the Betjeman Memorial Park. It was such a lovely evening, everyone was happy to linger and enjoy the park for a while before we went our own ways. Thanks all for your company on what was a memorable memorial ride and a joy to lead.
Distance: 29.45 km (18.30 mi)
Beneath Betjeman's bust - Saturday 1* May24 By Betjeman Lane - Saturday 1* May24 Refreshments in Uffington - Saturday 1* May24 Walking through the Betjeman Millenium Park - Saturday 1* May24 Relaxing in the Betjeman Park - Saturday 1* May24
Proposed Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46658121"
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Start Locations: WMP
Wantage Market Place; OMH
Old Mill Hall, Grove

Categories: 1* - Suitable for irregular, social, beginner or family riders, pace will match the slower riders. Not hilly or long. Expect rides up to 3 hours. Gentle exercise.; 2* - Suitable for regular riders who prefer to cover some distance but at a more relaxed pace. Likely to be half-day rides. Solid exercise.; 3* - Suitable for experienced riders, may be hilly, long, quick, or any combination! Likely to be half or full-day rides. Challenging exercise.; 4* - Suitable for athletic riders who can ride safely above the 3* standard. Quick rides for the fit.; More Information