24 miles around Cambridgeshire, starting and finishing at Grafham water .
Check out my route on Komoot
This ride had it all - a expansive reservoir, medieval churches, fantastic quiet gravel trails, views stretching out across the countryside and mud - lots and lots of mud.
We started our adventure by parking up at Grafham water. We rode alongside the lake for a short while before joning the road to go under the A1 down to Cambridgeshire town, Buckden to the first of our medieval churches on this ride, St Mary's Church, the church wall runs alongside Buckden towers, formally known as Buckden Palace, a medieval fortified house and bishops palace. The former palace which has had many historical, famous visitors, including Catherine of Aragon who was briefly 'interned' there in 1533.
We then continued down a very sketchy cycle path alongside the A1, not to be repeated - the route then involved going across the A1 - definitely not to be repeated. However, it wasn't long until we reached the village of Southoe, where we then joined a wide gravel path, before reaching the bridleway, then fields upon fields, past Little Paxton wood. The trails were remote and quiet and glorious on this spring day. Oh, and did I mention the mud?
We eventually made it back onto the road past the very loud kart racing circuit and onto another medieval church, Saint Botolph's in Stow Longa.
Sadly, we missed a turn and took an unexpected shortcut, missing Kimbolton - next time.
However, it wasn't that long until we were back on the trails and through some fields - again a lot of mud due to the farmer deciding to take his farm vehicle down the bridlepath, then onto Long Lane, another very wet, very soggy and muddy bridlepath then a very steep technical ascent before gradually coming back out onto the road near the village of Grafham.
What an amazing adventure with great friends in good spirits. It's fair to say that most of us, although we don't mind a bit of mud, had enough by the end of this ride! I cannot wait until the drier months to do it again.
A glorious spring day, beautiful trails, interesting history, alpacas, oh and did I mention the mud?
Buckden Towers
Saint Mary's church
Wide gravel trail
Met some alpacas on the way
After steep,hill descent - explains face!
Ok, is there more mud?
St Boltophs ⬆️ & churchyard ⬇️
Where's the hose?
