FNRttC FNRttC Cambridge to Kings Lynn August 30th

[mjr]

So why post you're relying on Gammon?

Edit: autocorrect, we love you!

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

I think we're following Route 11 - right fork after Barway on the other side of the drain. On the recce we followed a sign to the right down a very short gravel descent, then it got better. I can't see it on Google, so I'll rely on the Garmin. What could go wrong?

That's the section in my photos above ☺️ it does get better. There's the NCN11 sticker on the gate in the photo
I've done that bit in the dark before too!

 

[topcat1]

Registered. Planning on riding back to Ely for 160k in total.
Amusingly part of the route is my commute

Are there trains from Ely to London and is this on road?

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

The train line goes from King's Lynn via Ely to London. There's also helpful potential bail stations at Downham Market and Littleport.
Yes it is on road. Or as close as the Fens get anyway

 

[newfhouse]

I'm thinking of riding from London up to Cambridge during the day, probably using something similar to the excellent Fridays route. Weather permitting i was thinking of using the single speed but talk of a gravel section makes me wonder if that's wise. What do you think? 35 mm tyres more sensible?

Edit to add: I suppose I should sign up and book a day off...

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

35 mm tyres more sensible?

I did the recce (in daylight) on fixed with 25mm tyres, no problem at all. If by any chance there's serious weather, we won't use the bridleway.

 

[newfhouse]

I did the recce (in daylight) on fixed with 25mm tyres, no problem at all. If by any chance there's serious weather, we won't use the bridleway.

Thanks Nick, unless the rain is biblical I’ll probably bring the shiny shiny single speed, sans mudguards. Application completed.

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

I'll probably commute homewards via Ely bridleway either on the Thurs or Fri so can give you a status report. It's not usually too bad after rain, unless it is biblical.

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

Thanks. When it was last checked by @robjh the main concern was how overgrown it might be.

 

[robjh]

I did it on 25mm in the dark, and have done it on 23mm before. As Nick said, the state of the rapidly growing vegetation was more of a concern to me than the surface but a quick recce nearer the time should clarify the current situation.

 

[mmmmartin]

It's great to see this discussion because I'm thinking of riding the Thorn Raven which has Rohloff hub, 26 inch wheels 2 inch tyres and I might bring camping kit so I can spend a day or so touring up there afterwards. This talk of a piddly bit of gravel and peeps discussing tyres make me feel that perhaps I won't stand out like a sore thumb with an expedition bike. And I can blame the bike for me being slow, instead of age and decrepitude.

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

I won't stand out

Barely visible as ever.

 

[LucretiaMyReflection]

The left side of the track (heading Ely-wards) is a bit overgrown (as of 1330 today ) but the right hand is fine. The river bank section before the pumping station has been cut back so is tidy at present.
The main hazard in daylight hours is headphone wearing pedestrians and their randomly roaming dogs.
Oh and the cows appear to have been moved to other grazing - so no fresh cowpats or bovine path blocks currently

 

[robjh]

Oh and did I say that Ely cathedral isn't lit up at night? Much to my surprise and disappointment I should add, but it is still an impressively looming dark hulk when you get up close to it at midnight.

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

Don't tell anyone, I'll say it was on the recce.
Or maybe the bridleway is so overgrown on the left that you can't see it.