[svccridesupdate] Tuesday 8th September drive to start ride – 12.30pm start time at Sherston

On Tuesday next week I will be offering a drive to start ride with a new route. The ride will start in Sherston (see details below) and please note the earlier than usual start time of 12.30pm. This should allow for us not to have to rush through the pretty villages we visit and also ensure that the finish time is not too late.

I am sending out details well in advance to allow anyone who wishes to do so to fix up car shares and also with the request that you let me know if you plan to join the ride (just so that I am sure that we have enough numbers to go ahead with this). I will resend the ride details with confirmation that the ride is going ahead (hopefully!) on Monday.

The route takes in the pretty Wiltshire villages of Lacock, Biddestone and Castle Combe as well as some lovely countryside in that area. We will do a short tour of the streets of Lacock and take a look inside the impressive Tithe Barn. Another point of interest on the route will be Maud Heath’s Causeway (about 13 miles into the ride). I tried the ride out today and so am well prepared! It is an easy 40 miles (not much in the way of serious climbing).

Location of start of ride: Sherston – once you have parked make your way to the junction of High Street and Noble Street (the latter being the road from which you gain access to the Courtyard Café). I will find an appropriate spot for us to gather near to that junction.

what3words location of start point is: transfers.instructs.archduke w3w.co/transfers.instructs.archduke

Directions to get to Sherston: This is one way to do it: Make your way to Tetbury and then take the A433, Bath Road; next turn left opposite the entrance to Westonbirt Arboretum (into Tetbury Road, sign posted to Westonbirt Village) and then carry straight on until you hit the B4040 on the outskirts of Sherston, where you turn right towards the centre of Sherston. Find somewhere to park before making your way to the start location. You should be able to find a spot to park in either the High Street or Noble Street.

Start time: 12.30pm. Please arrive in good time to be ready to start riding at 12.30pm.

Ride details:

* 40 miles / 64km, medium paced, with a coffee stop at The Stables Café, Lacock (or something stronger available in the Red Lion next door to the café).

* 1,740 feet / 530m of ascent.

* Route: Sherston – Hullavington – Upper Seagry – Sutton Benger – Derry Hill – Bowden Hill – Lacock (coffee stop at Stables Café) – Biddestone – Ford – Castle Combe – Grittleton – Sherston

* For full details, please use following link: ridewithgps.com/routes/56782958?via=ydeDErKM4iXIIDf80bdRFA

There is an option for you to ride from and back to Stroud (rather than to drive to the start) but you will obviously have to be happy with the extra distance and a relatively late finish time.

Please let me know by the end of the weekend if you plan to join this ride (by email to me rather than reply to all).

Tom Daltry
07770 815217