Cyclists of all ages in ride to mark National Bike Week

Riders at the start of the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance Ride to mark the start of National Bike Week in Gainsborough.

Organised by the Aegir club, the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) and Gainsborough Cycles, the ride attracted cyclists from a wide age-range and was started by the Mayor of Gainsborough, Coun Sally Loates. It covered some of Lincolnshire’s finest countryside, with the country lanes full of flora and wildlife.

The 30-mile route was very popular with most taking part, notably 13-year-old Jessica Douglas, who tackled the ride even though she also cycled from and back to her home in Misterton, taking her mileage for the day to 55!

Others preferred a slimmed-down ten-mile route, while many enjoyed the teatime ‘pedalling picnic’ that took place at Richmond Park afterwards.

The ride departed from the Uphill Community Centre and headed to Upton, from where the ten-mile route made a left turn through the village and back to Gainsborough via Heapham.

The rest of the enthusiastic cyclists continued on the 30-mile route, which took in Willingham by Stow, Stow, Sturton by Stow and Thorpe le Fallows. Arriving in Brattleby, the riders pushed hard on their pedals for a big climb uphill and were rewarded by fantastic views over the Trent Valley as they progressed along Middle Street.

Once at Glentworth, the riders headed back down hill across country to the edge of Upton and returned to Gainsborough past Hewitt’s Windmill before re-tracing the outward ride along Heapham Road.

The chief organisers, Trevor Halstead and Daniel Nicholson, thanked everyone who took part, and also Loll Dickenson for marking the route, Ken Wooley for providing first-aid cover, Aegir club chairman Andrew Janney for acting as route marshall, Sandra Harvey at Uphill Community Centre and Gainsborough town Council for the use of Richmond Park.

Four days earlier, Aegir had staged their latest Wednesday evening time trial over 15 miles to Laughton and Susworth. The first three home were Matt Fieldson, of Viking Velo, in 40 minutes, 44 seconds, Stephen Cockerham, of Trent Valley, and Halstead, of Aegir.