A couple of enjoyable ride outs this weekend in the warm spring sunshine. I started with a Saturday afternoon run out West to nip across the border down to Knighton and Newtown, just making it up as I go. I soon found myself riding back along that glorious Vale of Kerry (Ceri) and up to Church Stoke cutting across through Abermule and onto the outskirts of Welshpool with a brief stop at Buttington canal wharf before heading home via Much Wenlock from Shrewsbury. It seemed like hundreds of other bikes were out today too, including quite a few classics.
On Sunday afternoon after pre-prepping a tasty beef casserole I had left slow cooking in the oven, I couldn’t resist a few hours ‘laning’ around Tenbury Wells and stopping for a short break at the 13th Century St James church in the tiny village of Kimbolton (Herefordshire). The church and village are rumoured to be the last known sighting of Owain Glandwr, the famous Welsh Leader who attempted to put an end to English rule of Wales. I’ve often admired the church spire as you approach Leominster and close up with its rough cut brick facade it didn’t disappoint. A very peaceful stop to exercise a mindfulness moment, gazing out across the fields to the West while taking advantage of the relatively balmy 15 degree windless sunshine.
At Leominster I chose the A44 back toward Worcester for a change, and had forgotten how twisty and fun that road could be before turning off at Knightwick and up the steep Ankerdine Hill past the Admiral Rodney pub and onto Great Whitley via Martley. A real sense of Spring with Summer on its way at last and the fields ablaze with the fragrant yellow colour of oil seed rape reminding me yet again of some wonderful trips away in Northern France. How I do look forward to a trip abroad sometime soon!
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