Sunday ride to Little Braxted (departs BP Whittlesford)

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Our next Group-organised ride, on Sunday 3rd March, will be led by Phil Duffy & tail-ended by Steve Rowdon. Setting out from a novel departure point, Phil will also be trying a new breakfast destination at The Braxted Bakery. The bakery is in a tiny Essex village which not many will be familiar with; Little Braxted boasted just 170 residents in the 2011 census.

Phil describes the outing: We will set out from BP Whittlesford, heading south to Saffron Walden and then south-east following mostly minor roads towards Braintree. Having skirted the town we will head south again, passing near Witham and to our breakfast stop at the Braxted Bakery (which serves breakfasts as well as cakes!). Our return route passes through Kelvedon, Halsted and Finchingfield – along some interesting Essex roads. We bypass Linton and finally head back to BP Whittlesford

Start/End: BP Whittlesford, A505/A1301 roundabout, CB22 3HD    what3words
Breakfast: The Braxted Bakery, Little Braxted, CM8 3ET                 what3words

Limited to 12 riders bikes   |   Use this link to request a place
Briefing 9:20am    |   Ride departs 9:30am    |    Events Calendar for full details

A proper breakfast at Springwood Grill

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Having negotiated a one-time only Sunday opening at the Springwood Grill in Braintree, ride leader Robin Freeman & tail-ender Mark Fox take participants for a CAM-only, proper truckers’ breakfast! Join Robin & Mark on this special Group-organised ride next Sunday (18th February), departing Shell Fourwentways & ending at the BP station in Newmarket

Photo by Waldemar on Unsplash

“Robin describes the route: leaving promptly at 9:30am, we head east to the new A1307 roundabout and turn for Ashdon, passing in front of Hideout Leather and on to Finchingfield, Wethersfield and eventually Braintree for breakfast at the Springwood Grill
On the way back we head west along the B1256 to Great Dunmow, then swing north on a route through Thaxted, Great Sampford & Steeple Bumpstead to Haverhill. On the final stretch we pass through Witherfield & Dullingham to Newmarket, where the ride ends after ~75 miles

Limited to 16 participants  |  Events Calendar for full details

Sunday ride to Café33

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Mark Fox & Steve Rowdon respectively lead & tail our next Group-organised ride, which heads to Stradishall on Sunday 4th February. Requests for places are coming in faster than food orders at Café33, but might get one of the remaining slots using this link

Mark describes the route from Shell Fourwentways: we’ll head east through Linton before turning south towards Castle Camps and then Cornish Hall End. We’ll loop around Haverhill, up to Sturmer & Kedington, then follow the A143 to our breakfast stop at Café33 in Stradishall

After breakfast we will resume our northerly direction through the Suffolk countryside to Moulton & Kennett, then cross to the Norfolk Brecks and a run through the King’s Forest, eventually taking us to Elveden. We’ll then turn for home, initially with a quick blast down the A11 to Mildenhall and then a tootle along the base of the Fens through Fordham, Burwell & the Swaffhams until we reach Stow cum Quy, where we will finish the ride

This ride is limited to 12 riders

Group-organised ride to Burton Latimer

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Following hot on the heels of a successful reconnaissance ride, Keith Tremeer provides the following description of the route he will be leading (with Nick Harwood bringing up the rear) on Sunday 21st January to Burton Latimer in Northamptonshire:

“The ride will depart at 9:30am from BP Arrington roundabout on a route along country lanes through Wrestlingworth, Gamlingay, St. Neots, Stonely & Rushden to the breakfast stop at Bosworth Garden Centre’s Aspen Café in Burton Latimer. After breakfast riders retrace the outward route as far as Rushden, then head to Yielden, Little Staughton, Great Barford, Gamlingay & Little Gransden before finishing close by Caxton Gibbet services after a total distance of around 90 miles.

“Please note: the Aspen Café has recently introduced a £5 deposit per person to assure a reservation. Ride leader Keith does not feel it is fair to request this from participants, given the midwinter possibility that the ride could be cancelled at short notice, and therefore this ride is limited to a total of 12 participants, a number the Café should be able to accommodate on a walk-in basis.

Request a place  |  Limited to 12 participants  |  Events Calendar for full details

Sunday ride to Debden Barns (November 19th)

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Many thanks to ride leader Mark Fox for his description, reproduced below, of next Sunday’s Group-organised ride to Debden Barns.

“Starting from  McDonalds Caxton Gibbet we head south on the A1198 before turning to Steeple Morden and on to Therfield, crossed the A505 on our way. After Therfield we cross the A10 heading to Barkway, where we drop south to Hare Street and then make our way across country, via Clavering & Newport, to Debden Barns for breakfast at the Elder Street Café (appropriately located alongside not one, but two, antiques shops)

“After breakfast we head towards Saffron Walden and Wendens Ambo to join the lovely B1039 to Barley. There we will turn for home (passing through too many villages, so bask in the glow of the first two thirds of the trip). The route is via Newton, Haslingfield & Comberton before a short burst back up the A1198 to Caxton Gibbet

“The roads are suitable for a late autumn ride whatever the weather. Mindful of the need to keep Catherine happy (she’ll be shadowing tailer Nick Harwood) I cut out the gnarly sections suggested by my SatNav (including an actual green lane and an unfordable ford!)

Request a place  |  Limited to 12 participants  |  Events Calendar for full details

October 1st ride to Hollow Trees Farm

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Finding Semer takes a little work, but draw a straight line from Cambridge to Felixstowe on a map and two thirds of the way along you’ll find this Suffolk village and our breakfast destination at Hollow Trees Farm. Our Group-organised Sunday ride there on October 1st will be led by Catherine Ryan, with Patrick Ryan in tail position

The route out follows B-roads and country lanes eastwards into Suffolk, passing Highpoint Prison & Melford Hall along the way. Heading west again after breakfast (and an optional tour of the farm shop) riders will pass within a stone’s throw of Claudia Schiffer’s Tudor mansion, directly in front of the Suffolk Regiment Museum & alongside Newmarket Racecourse

Use this link to request a place. This ride is limited to 16 participants

Sunday ride – departs BP Arrington

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Our next Group-organised ride (on Sunday 17th) is led by Chris Curryer & tailed by Phil Duffy. This outing departs from BP Arrington

Chris describes his route –
“We travel through Guilden Morden & Edworth before passing RAF Henlow, which in 1918 became the RAF’s first operating base (you will see a Hawker Hunter on static display as you pass). Great views are on offer during the ride, but focus on the challenging roads as we continue on to Pegsdon & Hexton! Aircraft may be spotted taking off from Luton airport – at our closest we are 2 miles east of the runway.
“Following breakfast at The Coopers Inn in Stevenage we head through Cottered, then take a short ride on the A507 to Buntingford. Thereafter we follow Barkway, Barley, Barrington & Orwell, bringing us to the A603 and back to the start point”

Limited to 16 bikes   |   Email Catherine to request a place
Briefing 9:20am    |   Ride departs 9:30am   |   Events Calendar for full details

Sunday ride to the Giddy Goat

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Sunday 3rd September: our next group-organised ride – to the Giddy Goat Café in Riseley!

Led by Ian Dunckley & tailed by Steve Alsop, this ride sets out from BP Childerley Gate on an hour-long journey via Papworth, St Neots & Great Staughton to the Giddy Goat Café. After a leisurely breakfast riders continue westward to Sharnbrook, then follow the meanders of the Great Ouse to Great Barford. The route passes over the A1 and on to Abbotsley before finishing at Caxton Gibbet after ~84 miles in total.

Departure point:  BP Childerley Gate, St Neots Road, CB23 8AY   { what3words  ///pigtails.kilts.trucks }.
Ride limited to 16 participants. Please arrive fully fuelled ready for the 9:20am briefing

Email Catherine now to request your place on this ride!

Group ride to the Hungry Stag

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Less than a week until our next Group rideout, this time led by Paul Norman with Terry Jacobs in tail position. Paul will set out from Fourwentways Services on a route heading north of Haverhill, cross country to Lavenham and on to just west of Stowmarket, where riders will cross the A14 for breakfast at the Hungry Stag. The menu at this popular, America-meets-Suffolk diner offers something for everyone, right up to monarch of breakfasts: the Stagosaurus Burger! 

Following breakfast the loop continues north of Bury St Edmunds, finishing at BP Newmarket after an outing totalling ~85 miles
Rideout limited to 16 bikes. Email Catherine to request a place

Sunday ride to Elveden Courtyard

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Our next Group rideout is on Sunday 6th August, with Catherine Ryan & Alan Triggs taking riders to Elveden Courtyard near Thetford. The Elveden Estate has passed through wealthy, titled families since its purchase in 1863 by Maharajah Duleep Singh – read more about its history here. 

Departs BP Newmarket Rd, Cambridge. Ends at BP Newmarket.
Catherine outlines her foray into Norfolk:

The 86-mile route takes us south and around Newmarket, then north towards Brandon via Chippenham & Mildenhall. After breakfast we will ride east, crossing Knettishall Heath to Hopton, then turn westwards towards Great Livermere, the Fornhams & the Icknield Way. The ride ends after the long straight through Kentford at BP Newmarket

Use this link to request a place: sunday-rides@cambsiam.org.uk