My Regular Bike Ride

It's a bit hot to be going far on my bike at the moment, so I've just been doing my regular ride. The short version is about 8 miles - the optional extension adds about 2 1/2 more.

I head up National Cycle Route 51 up to Battlies Green where it crosses Mount Rd at the turning towards the new A14 Rougham junction and turn down the road towards Great Barton, going over the railway, past Great Barton Place to Shinham Bridge. There are some rather nice cottages there.

I then turn right onto Green lane and turn right again when I get to Thurston Rd (the road from Great Livermere). Passing Barton Mere I get to the drive for The Grange Hotel.

One day I went along to have a look.

It was bit too early, otherwise I might have been tempted to go in for breakfast. It looked very peaceful - it is quite secluded. A plaque on the wall says it was built in 1895, but it is in a tudor style. The confetti on the patio showed it gets used for weddings - it looks a fine venue for a reception. I must go in some time.

Anyway, from the Grange Hotel I follow the road into Thurston, turning right onto Heath Rd. I am now back on NCR 51, which I follow back home, crossing the railway at a pedestrian crossing. I even had to wait for a train, once! (We don't get many round here).

For my optional extension I go past Heath Rd and turnleft just after the railway bridge towards Beyton. There I turn right onto Bury Rd, turn left just before the A14 towards Rougham, and turn first right into Church Rd passing Rougham church and primary school. At the T-junction I turn right towards Blackthorpe Barn, right again at Blackthorpe, under the A14 and back to the cycle path at the corner of Rougham Airfield where I left it.

It all fits on this map.

Some nice countryside, not many slopes and not much traffic. Better than using the cycling machine in gym any day - unless it's blowing a gale!