Mappleborough Green

A mild breezy morning for a ride to Studley garden centre at Mappleborough Green.

Eight riders.

The route is here,

Two rides: Beckett's Farm and the Desco Lounge, Shirley

A bright, breezy, chilly morning

John led seven to Beckett's Farm via the Stratford canal, route here.

Steven led eight to the Desco Lounge in Shirley, which is a new Saturday destination, with a route out that took in Billesley Common, Trittiford Mill Lake, and Shirley Park.

The route is here.

A bright, breezy, chilly morning.

Morso Barnt Green

 Nine out on cool windy morning with bit of rain. Very slow in the cafe. Back via new East Works estate at Longbridge.  The route is here

M&S Longbridge

 On a very wet & cold morning 10 met up some went home and others left on route to M&S Longbridge where 5 made it for coffee. even wetter on return.  The route is here

The Potting Shed

Seven riders rode to the Potting Shed at Lydiate Ash. Not as windy as we first thought but still challenging.

Thanks must go to a Bromsgrove District road maintenance worker who carried our bikes around the road works on Swan Lane to save us a long detour.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

The weather turned out better than the forecast.  Rain when we set off, a shower as we arrived home, and a lot of puddles, but otherwise dry.

Five riders.

The route is here.

Two rides: Sainsbury's Maypole and Cannon Hill Park

A dry morning with a very strong cold wind.  

John led a group of nine to Sainsbury's at the Maypole - route here.  

Steven led a group of seven to the Midlands Art Centre in Cannon Hill Park, going via Northfield, and returning by way of Calthorpe Park and the blue route.

The route is here.

Kanteen at the Custard Factory

A roundabout ride to Kanteen at the Custard Factory.  Steve, who led the group of eight, conceded that the route was among his more convoluted, with multiple cut-throughs and hidden alleyways via parks and residential areas.  Good thing we had a confident and knowledgeable leader, because the rest of us had no idea where we were.

A mild early spring day.

The route is here.

Clent garden centre

John led a group of six to Clent garden centre, via quite a challenging route, as it's impossible to avoid hills in that direction, both on the way out and on the way back.  On the return we took the track through the farm towards Waseley, which seems slightly easier than Dayhouse Bank.

The route is here.

Two rides: The Exchange, Broad Street and Costa Coffee

A cloudy day with a cold wind.  

Six riders went with John to the Exchange in Broad Street via the canal, returning via the Harborne walkway - route here.  

Steven's group also went to the city centre.  He led ten riders to the Costa Coffee alongside the Birmingham Canal, out along the Harborne Walkway, fully around the reservoir, with the return by towpath.  Approaching their stop, a short section of the towpath was closed for work, with a diversion via ramps on-and-off a pontoon, thus it may have been the first time a group-ride involved cycling on a boat!

The route is here.

Highbury Hall

Five riders on a dry but dull morning had a pleasant morning coffee in the grounds of the large and elegant house of Joseph Chamberlain, where there is a recently-opened café.  The route continued through the Hall's grounds on to Kings Heath park.

Thanks to Phil for showing the way to the park from Highbury Hall.

The route is here.