England : Essex The Joy Of Essex: Saturday 22 June from Manningtree

[Auntie Helen]

Not sure about other London travellers, Tim.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Heading off to Manningtree now for breakfast, the drizzle seems to be easing. Hopefully it'll be dry when the ride starts proper at 10am.

Tim, Recumbentee would be tops!

 

[Spally]

Beautiful morning for it! Lol bit delayed in leaving mine but half way now. ETA 09.30

 

[Auntie Helen]

It's stopped raining here. Fingers crossed it remains dry! Not as windy as previously forecasted either, phew!

 

[Spally]

Seems still fairly windy here and im about 10mins away

 

[Auntie Helen]

Forecast was for 28mph, current 20mph forecast is a big improvement!

 

[Spally]

Right in a bit lost. Can find mistley train station but no sign of manningtree!!

 

[ianrauk]

Right in a bit lost. Can find mistley train station but no sign of manningtree!!

You're one stop from Manningtree.
High Street
The Walls
Station Road (B1352)
1 & half miles.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Go west young man! Follow the river inland.

 

[Spally]

Panic over, found the station. Where do i go from here please?

 

[Auntie Helen]

In the station, the buffet café where the white train is just pulling in.

 

[Goldcoast]

Gutted I wasn't able to make this, the OH had to collect some stuff this morning, so I needed to watch the kids....give you three guess where she has gone to collect - yes Manningtree

 

[CopperBrompton]

I did, as I suspected might be the case, finish at 2am. Disappointed not to make it, hope you guys have a lovely ride.

 

[Tim Hall]

Cracking day, thanks Auntie Helen. A bit of faffage and bike decision delay meant I almost missed my train up to London, but it all came right in the end. Wandered into the cafe at Manningtree to find Auntie Helen and fboab of YACF fame already there. Something of a clue was outside, in the shape of a recumbent trike and a fancy Ti bike. We were joined by Uncle James, his oppo, and Spally, following his tour of Essex station car parks. After a brief game of "guess the size of the Cycle Chat jersey" we were off. Out into Manningtree, where fboab had a go at raising her heart rate by not seeing a concrete truck. Calm was restored, as a we paused at the clock, which seems to have something wrong.

Then past Mistely Towers. Robert Adam. obv.

A few miles of quiet lanes, an abandoned airfield

the odd stray onion and we were at coffee. Cakes and scones were devoured, nonsense was talked, then out again, pausing briefly to make "oops rather too loud" comments about the art on display. I really liked this one though:

A lovely tail wind We were going really well, a few hills, some gorgeous villages and then lunch. Where fboab had artfully arranged sausages.

Spally had to shoot off, so then we were five. Uncle James and Andrew (I think, I'm rubbish at names) peeled off after lunch , so I enjoyed the company of the ladies all to myself. Some days are really good. A bit of a head wind, where I found drafting a recumbent trike doesn't really work and then we were back in Manningtree. A swift coffee/tea/cup of hot water as appropriate and then trains arrived. I snoozed back to London.

Great day, thanks everyone. Rest of the pics here

 

[Auntie Helen]

Brilliant pictures as always Tim - I love 'em!!! The one of James and I is rather decent too!