Willoughby the destination, 52 miles the journey. Got up this morning expecting rain drops on the window and instead was greeted by frost and ice, a quick look on the computer revealed the rain wasn't due until dinner time so I got my gear on got the bike out and headed off, what I discovered when I got out was a stiff breeze which slowed me down and made me work. My route took me out through Baginton, Wappenbury, Eathorpe, Marton, Birdinbury, Leamington Hastings and Hill, I turned onto the A426 and had a senior moment, I got half way to Dunchurch then thought I should have turned right towards Grandborough fields back there, I decided to keep going through Dunchurch and onto the A45 and on to to Willoughby. The original plan was to turn onto the A45 at Willoughby then turn though Braunston and go onto Wilton Locks, in the end I decided to stop at Willoughby and leave Wilton Locks till a better day, it had been a slow hard slog out and rain was due. On the way back I rode across Grandborough Fields, nice to see the Badger Mural in Grandborough is still fresh,
Picture taken a few years ago
to Hill then onto Marton, riding out of Marton I turned down Barn Lane and retraced my route earlier, when I got to the Leamington road I turned right though BubbenHall and on through Ryton and Woolston to ride into Coventry past the speedway. The rain started in Bubbenhall but was light at first, I got to the top of Sewall Highway before it got heavy and by that stage I was close to home so kept going. Not a very enjoyable morning on the bike but a sense of satisfaction on finishing it, I was disappointed at not making Wilton Locks but with the way the morning had panned out it was a sensible decision to stop at Willoughby.
