Ride to Didcot Mon 22-Tues 23 Nov 2010

I’ve been a bit slack in recent months in detailing some of the rides I have done out of our area – but then again I could say I didn’t want to bore folks! And, fortunately, others have filled the gap with their exploits. In early September I rode, over two days, from Derby to Didcot in darkest Oxfordshire, to visit my son and his family, staying at Stratford-on-Avon youth hostel on the way. During my stay, I rode NCR5 with my daughter-in-law Lucie from Oxford to Didcot. This is a beautiful route, much of it beside the River Thames. Towards the end of that month, Peter Ford of the Derby Rangers, and I rode NCR48, a brand new Sustrans route, to Rugby, as another possible future route to Didcot.
Last Monday I took trains to Leicester and, in the company of Peter again, rode Route 6 as far Ashby Magna, then set off along the newly-signed Route 50 to Buckingham. This is the Great Central Cycle Route and used to be a Regional Route 40 (some say 70). After diverging from NCR6, it heads south on narrow lanes with little car traffic, through some beautiful Northamptonshire villages with golden-brown limestone houses, many with thatches. South of Daventry the route becomes quite hilly. It had remained dry all day until, as we entered the grounds of Stowe, the heavens opened and we got a good soaking. From Buckingham we took minor roads to Stony Stratford (meeting a hunt on the way) and then proceeded to Milton Keyes, from where Peter returned to Derby by train and I continued to the Youth Hostel. 120 km. The next day I took NCR51 to Oxford, via Winslow, Bicester and Kidlington. The weather stayed fine and, like yesterday, the wind was behind me most of the way. This is a good cycle route with some pleasant traffic-free sections. From Oxford, I took the wonderful NCR5, as I have done now three times before, but leaving Oxford by the Riverside Path, rather then the official route. 101 km. I recommend any of these Sustrans cycle routes to you; they include several memorable sections. Pictures (T to B): Crick, Northants; hunt near Buckingham; "O wert thou in the cauld blast?" sculpture, Milton Keynes Station Square; Triple Starhead, Furzton, Milton Keynes; junction of NCR50 and NCR51 near Verney Junc; NIMBY protest at Twyford against the High Speed 2 railway line through the Chilterns; times to places on foot/by bike in Bicester; bridge over the River Cherwell, Kidlington; protest against Cameron's "Big Society" by the Thames, Oxford; the dreaming spires of Didcot. Remember to click pictures to enlarge them.