Vernon was due to attend a p*ss-up meeting of the CycleChat Pie Appreciation Society here in Cambridge on Saturday 7 May.
It has been agreed that the meet up will be going ahead as a tribute to Vernon and we'd like to invite any CCers who are able to make it to join us in Cambridge** to raise a glass and pie (or two) to Vernon. Bicycles may also be involved (although I suspect the mileage won't be that high).
Further details in due course.
* a venerable institution he'd recently invited me to join - although I was somewhat in trepidation of the initiation ceremony, as I understand Fenton, pies and blindfolds are involved..
**or in spirit if you can't make it in person.
THE EVENT
What else could it be but a pie-cnic in the park! Spring sunshine (fingers crossed), a meadow, a river, a blanket, something bubbly...
... and lots of pies!
THE ITINERARY
11.00 a.m.
Feeder ride from
Cambridge station for anyone coming by train. Meet to the right of the main doors.
11.30 a.m.
The meeting point will be the
Snowy Statue outside the Guildhall in
Cambridge's Market Square (Snowy was an eccentric cyclist that I think Vernon would have felt was a kindred spirit). There's normally a busker or two playing alongside it but to the left (if you're standing with your back to the market facing the Guildhall) is a relatively quiet area opposite Yo! Sushi. Whilst waiting, people may want to have a look in the
market in the square – there are one or two rather good pie vendors…
11.45(ish) a.m.
Head to the
Eat Cambridge opening event at
Cambridge Corn Exchange (those with cycles will be able to lock them up at the
underground parking in Lion’s Yard next to the Corn Exchange). Admission is £2 for adults and kids go free. The
Gogs farmshop will be there and their stall will be worth a visit.
1.30(ish) p.m.
Leave the Corn Exchange and walk (with bikes for those who have them) through Cambridge, stopping off at one or two emporia, to the designated pie-cnic place on
Jesus Green, close to the swimming pool.
2.00(ish) p.m.
Scoff time! The plan is to indulge in pies, plonk and other toothsome comestibles until sated. I will bring some picnic blankets - if anyone else has some that would be helpful.
Eulogies, anecdotes and toasts welcomed!
Finishing time:
Whenever people wish to leave - we are mindful that some people will be coming on for a couple of hours and will need to get off to get to other things. If need be, when the picnic dies its death, we can decamp to a local hostelry…
TRAVEL
Rail
Trains take about an hour from London. There are also links from the East Coast main line via Peterborough and cross country via Birmingham (from Birmingham New Street calling at Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough, March and Ely).
Road
Easily accessible via the M11/A11, A14 and A10. Parking in the city centre can be in short supply at the weekend - and expensive - but there are a number of
Park & Ride sites around the city, including one in Trumpington which is connected to the Guided Busway - which has a very good cyclepath alongside, as far as Cambridge station.
ACCOMMODATION
Some people will be travelling some distance and have asked about accommodation. Here's some suggestions:
Hotels
There are two
Travelodge hotels in central Cambridge:
Cambridge Central (which is close to the station) and
Cambridge Newmarket Road. There is also one off the A14 in the north of the city (
Orchard Park).
There’s also a Premier Inn towards the centre of the city as well, on
Newmarket Road (next door to the Travelodge). There are two in the north of the city,
one off the A14 (again next door to the Travelodge) and
one in Girton.
There are also numerous other hotels and B&Bs. I’d recommend TripAdvisor. There's also a very nice
youth hostel right near the station.
Campsites
There is a Camping & Caravanning Club site about 3 miles from the city centre in Great Shelford (just down the road from me) which is well used by cyclists:
Cabbage Moor Campsite.
There’s a
Caravan Club site in Cherry Hinton and a privately owned site,
Highfield Farm Touring Park, which has reasonable rates for cyclists. The Cherry Hinton site is a couple of miles from the city centre and the Highfield Farm site is about 5 miles. Both are on main bus routes as well.
ATTENDEES
Definites
User
Glow worm
Rockymountain and Mrs Rockymountain
Hill Wimp
Dayvo
thegreenman
Dave123
robjh
Hopless500
The Velvet Curtain
Lullabelle
User13710
TheDoctor
Possibles
Stephen C
CarlIP
meta lon
Crackle
Screenman
rich p
StuAff
Elybazza61
Puddles plus Puddlelets
In Spirits
Raleigh Nut
PeteXXX
Fab Foodie
mjray
twentysix by twentyfive
User
Marmion
I hate hills
ClicheGuevara
Deptfordmarmoset
Archeress
Rickshaw Phil
GravityAided
stephec
Fnaar