Weekly Round-up: 30 Mar 2025
All the latest news, events, and results from NFCC Members from this week’s two-wheeled adventures…
Saturday Club RideWhether it was the sunny spring like weather or the note that the winter mudguard diktat was over that enticed people out it was enough for two full pelotons this week. The route this week was 127Km and took in much of the forest. Roads were dry but traffic was busy with a lot of people unsurprisingly heading into the forest. |
 As usual we headed out on the dot on 0900. Club Treasurer, Paul made an instant bid for the barrel this week by leaving his water bottle in the car. Fortunately for us he’s better at preparing the club accounts than he is preparing for a club ride but with a bit of hard pedalling he was back with the group by Wilverley. The rides headed east for a loop around Bransgore and then north to Rockbourne before stopping for coffee at The Potting Shed. Here we met club endurance legend Bill who started a few minutes ahead of the groups but joined us for the second half. The weather was so good we were able to take coffee outside without resorting to additional jackets. Indeed, it was so clement that those that elected for shorts and short sleeve jerseys were envied by the more cautious. |
 As is the norm we started to shed riders on the second half, but we did gain another as we descended Bramble Hill. What is it with people called Phil that makes them hide in bushes by the side of the road and take furtive pictures of unsuspecting cyclists who being unaware of their presence do not get the chance to hold their stomachs in for the photos? We did indeed pick up Phill B at this point a mere 3 ½ hours late for the start. To ensure that he had transgressed enough for the barrel he was wearing shoes and socks that looked like he’d been playing in a football match so it’s only fair to assume that was the explanation for his tardiness and clothing faux pas. |
 Thanks to all who took turns on the front this week especially when we had a stiff easterly wind to deal with. I will call out Axum and Matt M for their long turns even if Matt’s was accidental as he got stuck on the front for a long time and with so much traffic heading to Beaulieu there was no way he could get back in the pack. Back into the forest for the final leg around East Boldre and a long slog into the wind back from Hatchet Pond. The pelotons were depleted by this stage, but Matt K, Axum and Robert all rounded up to 100 miles plus. No mechanicals to report so kudos to all for well prepped machines and mechanical excellence. And yes, Phil H was on the ride!Hope for more of the same next week. – Barry. |
Sunday Club RideWith the promise of real sunshine, 17 made the start line for this weeks Sunday club ride. Great to welcome new member Glen and Charlie to their first and I think second club rides respectively. Also nice to see David B back from his winter duties captaining a cruise liner. We split into two groups with nearly everyone slightly reluctant to join group one. It was therefore assigned ‘moderate’ pace status rather than the usual ‘feisty’. Inevitably it became the fastest club ride of the year so far!. I can only hope that everyone played nice and no one was dumped out the back. |
 Group two made good progress in the tailwind on the outward leg, with quite a few sharing the burden at the front. The more experience and savvy riders got their turn at the front in early, recognising that it was going to be a ride of two halves. The return leg was, as feared, a pretty brutal headwind with little if any cover. This didn’t stop Budge, Stuart and Pete G making a break for glory along Beaulieu rd, decimating the pack in their wake. Once back in Brock, we headed up church hill, a road that must have tested the faith of many a pilgrim over the centuries and which has become my least favourite hill in the forest. |
 At the cafe, Group one was already on their third course when we arrived (with Steve B leading from the front as always). I did sense slight discontent in the rank’s vis a vis the pace of the ride being at slight variance to that advertised. Hopefully they will all be on best behaviour next week. Sheltered from the chilly north wind, the cafe was a lovely place to be.Another great club ride in good company and pleasant early spring conditions. – Phil H |
RTCC Classics Series Rd.2 – Tavistock Wheelers 25Round 2 of the RTCC Classics (Road Bike only!) Series was over on the western edge of Dartmoor, Devon, this Sunday. Another enjoyable course, with decent road surface, lots of ups and downs, and plenty of visibility and safe passing space for other traffic (without it being a dual carriageway). Stiff headwind on the entire “out” leg made for hard work, but on the “back” section there was barely any need to pedal. I was thoroughly beaten by the impressive Kelly Murphy (of Gorilla Cycling Club) who came in at 1-05-29 but according to CTT reporting still broke the previous female course record (1-09-47) along with Kelly by finishing in 1-09-29. A nice compliment, but I’m not sure that is strictly true since Kelly crossed the line a long time before I did (therefore setting the new course record?). In any case – although a bit far from NFCC home ground, another course I would heartily recommend! |
Get Involved:If you find yourself out and about representing NFCC, don’t forget to jot down a few words, snap a few photos and send them over to press@newforestcc.co.uk. |
