📅The calendar is telling us it’s the second week in May, but it feels more like March, with a strong northerly wind and temperatures barely into double figures. Not to be put off, the intrepid Gromils headed up The Ridgeway (@ridgeway_national_trail) to the wide open spaces (and a few bumpy ruts*). What better than one of England’s oldest musical compositions as the soundtrack to a ride along one of England’s oldest highways?

🌧The wide open spaces on the top of The Ridgeway seemed slightly less wide and less open than sometimes, as we could see rain over Blewbury and the Wittenham Clumps, but fortunately only the odd spot fell where we were.

☕️Great cafe in Abingdon @AVboats on Nag’s Head Island. Ideal for Mondays, when the market fills up all the cafes in the Market Place. Lovely to sit outside by the river when it’s warm (which it wasn’t!).

🌬After the rigours (?) of the Ridgeway it was good to have a flat route home, with a following wind. The Overy underpass makes for a safe and easy way to cross the A4074, though the very dry weather has made the ruts across the fields to Warborough and Benson very bumpy. Those with suspension forks were very glad of it.

🐴Talking of old highways, much of the route back from Crowmarsh is along the course of the ancient Tuddingway – for more info, search Tuddingway on the website, link in Bio.

🚴‍♂️This route is one of more than 60 free, downloadable routes in the Goring Gap Cycling library. See link in Bio, then search for Library. On the Library page, enter Abingdon in the route search box.

📸Thanks to Simon Enright for some of the photography.

*This is not a euphemism – just in case you were wondering.

#gromils

#Oxfordshire

#ridgeway_national_trail

🕳️ 🚴‍♀️ The roads in South Oxfordshire have got so bad that cycling groups have started to provide marshals at the worst potholes.
#gromils
#goringgapcycling
#Oxfordshire

🚘 🚴‍♀️ 🚚 Would you let your kids cycle along this road?

I did, but that was 30 years ago. I won’t let the grandkids. I’ve not met anyone recently who would let their children ride along the B4009 from Goring to Wallingford. I know a few very experienced, competent cyclists who choose to take the longer hilly route via Ipsden because of the traffic. Good for the exercise, not so great if you want to do the shopping.

👥👥👥The population of Oxfordshire grew by 10.9% between 2011 and 2021 and is forecast to grow a further 11% by 2031, so it’s no surprise traffic is getting worse.

🍂What if there was a green alternative, parallel to the main road but shorter, flatter and without the traffic? There could be. It just needs people to come together and make it happen.

Find out more

📅 Wednesday 27 March at 7:30 pm

🏠 Belleme Room, Goring Village Hall

#Active Travel
#goringandstreatley
#Oxfordshire

🏺🕳️
The road from Cleeve Cross Roads in Goring up through the woods to Woodcote, variously known as Elvendon Road, Battle Road or Elvendon Lane is much used by cyclists as an alternative to the busy B4526 with its steep hill and tight bends. Not so much used by private cars just now, because of the risk of damage. Delivery vans are still bouncing along it, following their satnavs and making it even worse.

As the photos show, it’s not even fit to be called a road at the moment. “Fixing the potholes” only goes so far. What’s needed here is also to get rid of the piles of mud and gravel and to sort out the drainage.

#Active Travel
#Potholes
#Oxfordshire

Friendly people, lovely coffee at @thebikerbeancoffeehouse. What more is there to say?

First day of spring, so ideal time to spring BJ out of winter hibernation. Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus i baby.

#goringgapcycling

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to cycle on a flat traffic-free route from Goring to Wallingford

To get to work

To do the shopping

To visit the Crowmarsh pool or the Corn Exchange?

Wouldn’t it be great to cycle for just 6 miles on the flat to get from Wallingford to a mainline railway station that has lifts?

The route is on Oxfordshire County Council’s Strategic Active Travel network, but when will it happen?

Come along to the public meeting and find out about this an other ways to make our communities happier, healthier and greener.

📅 Wednesday 25 March at 7:30 pm
🏠 Belleme Room, Goring Village Hall

#Active Travel
#Goring-on-Thames
#Oxfordshire