A number of Wheelers enjoyed the Peddars Way Pedal on Sunday (Jan 31), a rough-ride enduro-type event, starting from the World Horse Welfare venue at Snetterton.

Ken Jolliffe and Darryl Glover organised the event under joint CTC and Norwich ABC banners, and excellent it was. There were a multitude of distances to chose from, the route comprising a 44 mile loop, but with various cut-offs to suit all abilities and ‘leisure-pass’ durations. A great deal of the route was off-road, using a mixture of bridle-ways, RUPPS, ‘whites’ and official cycleways, including long parts of the Peddars Way itself. Conditions were surprisingly icy, and the ruts like concrete, as one of our number was to find out the hard way. Our contingent was made up of Richard and Robin Lines, Becca Asquith, Mike Stowe and his two sons, Adi Grimwood, Dr Tom (Southorn) and Barry Denny, with friends and prospective second claimers including Richards Emmerson and Muchmore.

Speaking for myself I couldn’t keep up with the quicker guys for more than the first few miles and was pleased to have Adi to encourage me back to base on the 35 mile route, but not before encountering a particularly rutty section on one forestry road which saw him take a nasty tumble. I heard a grunt and a crash and saw him on the deck some yards ahead of his bike. He fell heavily on his shoulder and lay still for a few moments, groaning. I thought he’d broken his collar-bone, but he eventually got back on his bike and continued. I could keep up with him more easily after that !

After three hours riding we arrived back to the excellent café at the centre, and soon met up everyone to share the stories of an excellent morning’s adventure. I recommend the event for next year, if you like a spot of cross country riding.