Costa Coffee, city centre

A damp start, with quite heavy drizzly showers on our way to Costa Coffee in the city centre.  No rain and a bit brighter on the way home.

Six riders.

The route is here. 

Lizzie's Farm

Four out on pre-Christmas ride to Lizzie's Farm. Mild and dry but quite windy. The route is here

Bromsgrove garden centre

A couple of brief showers, and mud and puddles in the lanes, but otherwise dry for a ride to Bromsgrove garden centre in Little Heath Lane.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

The Exchange Broad Street

 Only three out for short ride to the Exchange before going to Christmas lunch at The Country Girl which was very good.  The route is here

Wave café, Earlswood

A cloudy morning with a cold blustery wind for a ride to the recently opened Wave café in Earlswood.  Damp in the air, but dry, and a couple of flooded patches in the lanes.

Six riders.

The route is here.

MAC Cannon Hill

Four out on a very wet ride to Cannon Hill.  Busy with large craft market.  River Rea very full with brown water racing down.  River Rea route now open at Holders Lane recreation ground.

The route is here 

The Stables, Illshaw Heath

A cold icy morning   A planned ride to the Stables at Illshaw Heath was changed to an outing by car instead.

Canal walk

Even colder weather today - frost, ice and a temperature of zero degrees.  Instead of riding, a group of eight met at Rowheath for a chilly walk along the canal to Sainsbury's at Selly Oak, where we had coffee at Carluccio's café in the store.

Café at The Hayes playing fields, West Heath

A very cold start, but no ice, and sun and blue sky later.  A short ride, and our first visit to the café at The Hayes playing fields, West Heath.

Eight riders.

The route is here.

The Exchange, city centre

Bright and sunny, with a frosty start to our coldest ride of the winter so far.   

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Desco Lounge, Shirley

Richard led a group of eleven riders to the Desco Lounge in Shirley.  

A chilly cloudy morning, with puddles in the lanes.

The route is here.

Waseley Hills

A mild damp morning with occasional slight drizzle.  

We were all shocked but fortunately unhurt when a car pulling out to overtake near a bend in Frankley Hill Lane crashed head-on into a car coming the other way.  The road was blocked and both cars looked like write offs.  There were no serious injuries among the occupants.  We continued our somewhat subdued ride home after the police arrived.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

Our planned destination was Shirley, which was changed when Richard went home after puncture in Wychall Lane and the rest of us weren't confident that our navigational skills would get us there.  Richard joined us later by car at Beckett's Farm.

The other excitement of the day was a view of a buzzard standing in a field, which took off after a few minutes to reveal a sizeable rabbit clutched in its claws.

Bright, sunny, chilly, with a stiff breeze.  

Twelve riders.

Morso café, Alvechurch

A chilly sunny morning for a ride to Alvechurch.  Richard had a back wheel puncture in West Heath park, which he managed to fix before catching us up at the café for the ride home.

Fourteen riders.

The route is here.

More bad weather

Despite the weather forecasters saying the rain would stop after 10,00, it got even worse and we were forced to abandon our ride to Alvechurch.

Seven of us decided to have a coffee in West Heath on the way back.  Ten riders started out.

Rained off

A very wet morning, so no ride.

Lickey Hills visitor centre

A dry blustery morning for a hilly ride to the visitor centre at Lickey Hills country park, where, we were surprised to discover, payments must be made in cash.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Cannon Hill park

Rain was forecast but didn't arrive, so on a pleasant autumn morning our route was more cautious than it might have been. 

Twelve riders.

The route is here. 

Beckett's Farm

A chilly cloudy morning for a ride to Beckett's Farm.  Bright sun in the afternoon, but we were all home by then.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

M & S Longbridge

 Nine riders out on a cold and damp morning but surprisingly no rain. The route is here

Morso café, Alvechurch

We were lucky that there was no sign of the threatened storm Babet during a breezy ride to Alvechurch, especially as rain started soon after we got home.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Starbucks, Maypole

Noticeably cooler for a ride to Starbucks at the Maypole, but bright and dry after heavy rain on Friday.  Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Costa Coffee, city centre

Five riders missed the rain just before and after a ride to Costa Coffee in the city centre, via a jointly created route, which is here.

Bartley sailing club

Warm, bright and sunny for a ride to Bartley sailing club via Woodgate Valley.

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

A bright windy day for a ride to Earlswood garden centre, where the café has reopened after minor refurbishment.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Lizzie's Farm

A cool cloudy morning for a ride to Lizzie's Farm at Lydiate Ash.

Eleven riders.

The route is here. 

Beckett's Farm

Just four riders today, on a cloudy and breezy day.  With rain threatening, decided to take a shorter tried and tested route to Beckett's Farm.

The route is here. 

Starbucks, Maypole

Early autumn weather for a trip to Starbucks at Maypole - warm in the sun, otherwise quite cool.

Nine riders. 

The route is here.

Waseley Hills

A cool and cloudy morning for a ride to Waseley.  

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre, Little Heath Lane

Eight riders on today's ride to Bromsgrove garden centre.  A pleasant day with a cooling breeze.

The  route is here.

Astwood Bank café and farm shop

Four set out on a pleasant ride led by Richard Tuckett to the farm shop and café at Astwood Bank.  

Some rain on the way back.

The route is here.

Alvechurch

Another hot day.  Richard led 15 riders to Alvechurch.  Usual route out, back via the track off Bittell Farm Road.

The route is here.

Umberslade Farm Park

A slightly longer than usual Wednesday ride to Umberslade farm park, in unusually warm and sunny weather for early September.  

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Desco Lounge, Shirley

A warm dry morning for a ride to Desco Lounge in Shirley.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

The Potting Shed via Pepper Wood

A cool start, warmer later, for a ride to the Potting Shed via Pepper Wood.

Six riders.

The route is here.

Warley Woods

A mostly cloudy morning, with a couple of showers on the way home, for an outing to Warley Woods. 

Thirteen riders.

The route is here. 

Akamba, Illshaw Heath

Cloudy start, sunny later, for a ride to Akamba at Illshaw Heath.

Eight riders.

The route is here.

Packwood House

A brisk ride to Packwood House on a warm and cloudy morning.

Five riders.

The route is here.

Lizzie's Farm

A warm, dry, breezy day for an outing to Lizzie's Farm at Lydiate Ash.

Twelve riders.

The route is here.

Arrow Valley

A warm sunny morning for a ride to Arrow Valley.  Quick route there, via Alvechurch, usual route back via Beoley, Lilley Green Road and Watery Lane.

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Morso café, Alvechurch

A wet start and more rain forecast, but in the event mostly dry, with only an occasional light misty drizzle, for a ride to Alvechurch, via a longer than usual route.

Three riders.

The route is here.

Cannon Hill park

Eleven riders out on a breezy cloudy morning.  We chose one of our shorter routes, as rain was forecast for late morning.  There was no rain, so we  had a pleasant dry ride.

The route is here.

Sanders Park, Bromsgrove

For once, a pleasant warm day for a ride to Sanders Park in Bromsgrove.

Ten riders.

The route is here. 

Umberslade Farm Park

A pleasant ride in warm sunshine to Umberslade Farm Park.

Started with five riders, reduced to four when one retired with a slow puncture.

The route is here.

No ride today

 One of those rare mornings of heavy and persistent rain.  A complete washout.

Beckett's Farm

Mainly cloudy, mostly dry.  Fortunately, rain fell only during the coffee break at Beckett's Farm.  

Ten riders.

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre, Little Heath Lane

A cool breezy morning for a ride to Bromsgrove garden centre.  There was rain as we reached Rubery on the way home, otherwise dry and breezy.

Six riders.

The route is here.

Starbucks, Maypole

A warm, cloudy, breezy morning.  

Fourteen riders.

The route is here.

The Potting Shed...

 ...the long way round.   A dry and mostly cloudy morning.

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

The Exchange, city centre

Overnight rain, followed by a damp start, so a shorter than usual Monday ride today to the city centre via Woodgate Valley.  

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Morso café, Alvechurch

Richard led a group of eight to Morso café in Alvechurch.  A warm, breezy, dry morning.

Eight riders.

The route is here.

Clent Garden Centre

 Six out on sunny morning with rain clouds around but we managed to miss most of the showers. The route is here

Cannon Hill park

A short ride to Cannon Hill park, a destination we often choose if rain is forecast.  As it happened, we sat out with our coffee, sheltered from the strong wind in warm sunshine, and there was no rain until after we got home.  

As there were only three of us, it is possible that the forecast put some people off.

The route is here.

Towards Tanworth

Several regulars were away this week and, very unusually, no-one turned up to join Bob for this morning's ride.

The route of his one-man circuit is here.

The Potting Shed, Lydiate Ash

Heavy rain forecast for late morning, so a short ride to the Potting Shed at Lydiate Ash.  In the event, there was no heavy rain and we arrived home comfortably dry.

Five riders.

The route is here.

Bartley Sailing Club

 8 riders out on a very warm muggy morning with rain from 11.00am.the route is here

Warley Woods

Cloudy and cool, but no rain, for a ride to Warley Woods - where, incidentally, the café no longer accepts card payments for amounts less than £5.

Five riders.

The route is here.

Willi's café, Studley

Cloudy cool and windy going out, wet for most of the way home.  

Nine riders.

The route (including a slight diversion for three riders on the return trip who came back via Lilley Green Lane and Watery Lane - the others took Icknield Street and Wast Hills Lane) is here.

Costa Coffee, city centre

Cool, cloudy and breezy for a ride to Costa Coffee in the city centre.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

A cloudy warm morning for a ride to Earlswood garden centre.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Costa Coffee, Henley-in-Arden

 A warm cloudy morning for an outing to Costa Coffee in Henley-in-Arden.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Morso Alvechurch

 Ten out on a cloudy but very warm morning. The route is here

Akamba, Illshaw Heath

A warm and sunny morning for an outing to Akamba at Illshaw Heath.

Eleven riders.

The route is here.

Arrow Valley

John led a group of seven to Arrow Valley.

A cloudy, warm, breezy morning.

The route is here.

Kingsbury Water Park

A longer ride today.  Nick met our train in Sutton Coldfield and led a group of ten on a circular route which took in Middleton Hall, where we had a coffee break, and Kingsbury Water Park, where we stopped for lunch.  After a dull start, the weather was hot and sunny.  

An enjoyable outing and a welcome exploration of a new and attractive area.

The route is here.

As a result of the large turnout for Nick's ride, there was such a small attendance for the 10 o'clock ride (only two) that it was called off.

Sanders Park, Bromsgrove

A large turnout, a warm sunny day and a new destination.  Richard led twelve riders to Sanders Park, via some familiar lanes and paths and some areas, including Bromsgrove town centre, which were new to many of us.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

Just seven riders today.  Perhaps some were put off by the forecast of extreme heat and possible thunder showers.

The route is here.

Next week, 17th June, we are going to try the Kingsbury Water Park ride devised by Nick from Sutton Coldfield railway station.

The ride will start from Sutton station at 10.30.  Times of trains will be circulated during the week for both outward and return journeys.  

The normal 10.00 ride will go ahead as usual.

The Deli, Belbroughton

A cold start but it soon warmed up, and many indulged in some of the Deli delights on offer at Belbroughton..  A hilly ride, but some lovely countryside views. 

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Blakesley Hall, Yardley

Nick led a group of twelve on a slightly longer than usual ride to Blakesley Hall.  

A warm day with a cooling breeze, and a lovely destination, well worth another visit.

The map of the route is in two sections: outward here and the latter part of return route here.

Earlswood garden centre

A smaller group - five riders - this week, as some regulars were attending a funeral service for John Black.

Thanks to Bob for leading an enjoyable outing to Earlswood garden centre.   As he pointed out, he was the only non-local, so an obvious choice to lead....  There were some minor variations in routes home, with most people following that shown on the attached map.  Weather cool and cloudy.

The route is here.

Hartlebury Castle

A hilly ride to Hartlebury Castle. on a cool cloudy morning with a stiff breeze.

Six riders.

The route is here.

Akamba Heritage Centre

 A first visit to Akamba Heritage Centre in Tythe Barn Lane.  Route diverted from towpath when we encountered hundreds of runners and walkers taking part in what looked like an ultra sporting event. 

Lovely sunny warm day.

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Morso cafe, Alvechurch

Richard led a group of eight to Morso café in Alvechurch.

A bright sunny morning with a chilly wind.

The route is here.

Cutnall Green

Six riders out on a sunny but windy morning. 

The route is here.

Lizzie's Farm

Richard led eleven riders to Lizzie's Farm, where they had a pleasant stop on the grass at the farm overlooking the fields.

A warm but breezy morning.

The route is here.

Desco Lounge, Shirley

 A bright dry day with a cool breeze for a ride to the Desco Lounge in Shirley.  

Spring is here: a profusion of cow parsley and may blossom on the towpath, a brood of ten ducklings on the canal and wisteria and lilac in gardens.

Eight riders.

The route is here.

Packwood House

Bright and dry for a breezy ride to Packwood House.  Quite a strong headwind on the way back, especially in Middle Lane.

Four riders.

The route is here.

Two rides today

Bluebell ride

John led ten riders via a hilly route to see the bluebells in Great Farley woods (Winwood Heath Road on the map) via a coffee break at Rowberry's in Chaddesley Corbett.  A cloudy morning with a cold wind, which persisted when the sun appeared after about 20 miles.  Fortunately the bluebells were lovely, so there were rewarding views during what is for some of us an annual walk up the steepest hill we tackle.

The route is here.

Many thanks to Richard for pics, taken near Frankley church on the way home.

Bartley Green Sailing Club

Jane led eight riders on the regular ten o'clock ride to Bartley Green Sailing Club via the Bournbrook Walkway and Woodgate Valley.  There were plenty of boats on the reservoir taking advantage of the breeze.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

Three riders took the long way round to Earlswood garden centre, in heavy rain which now and then eased to a drizzle.  

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre, Little Heath Lane

Richard led a group of ten via one of our hillier routes to Bromsgrove garden centre in Little Heath Lane.  

A bright sunny breezy morning.

The route is here.

Costa Coffee, Henley-in-Arden

John led a group of seven to Henley-in-Arden.  A mild dry morning with a light breeze,  Plenty of signs of spring in the lanes, including bluebells, and some signs that even the least hardy among us are tentatively shedding at least one layer of winter gear.

The route is here.

Waseley Hills

A mild dry day for a ride to Waseley.

Fifteen riders.

The route is here.

The Stables, Illshaw Heath

 A bright morning with a chilly wind for a ride to the Stables at Illshaw Heath.

Seven riders.

The route is here.

Costa Coffee, city centre

Steve led twelve riders to Costa Coffee via the Harborne Walkway, with a variation on our usual towpath route from Selly Oak on the way back.

Dry, calm, chilly morning.

The route is here.

The Potting Shed...

 .....the long way round.  

Dry, cloudy, a strong chilly breeze.  

Five riders.

The route is here.

Arrow Valley

A ride to Arrow Valley on a cool cloudy morning with early drizzle.  On the return, four chose the scenic route via the lakeside, two were in a hurry and chose the direct route back. 

The route is here.

MAC Cannon Hill Park

 10 riders out on dry and fairly mild day. The route is here

No ride today

After a brief discussion, and with a forecast of howling gales and heavy rain, the four riders who turned up at Rowheath this morning had second thoughts and agreed to call off the ride.

Lizzie's Farm, Lydiate Ash

Steve led a group of 16 to Lizzie's Farm.  The route was mostly via paths, some of them new to many of us, particularly on the way home.

A fine sunny morning.

The route is here.

Starbucks, Maypole

Another wet Wednesday morning, luckily not on the scale of last week's heavy rain.  Six of us were damp but not drenched after a ride to Starbucks at Maypole.

The route is here.

Feckenham

 Six out on sunny but quite cold morning to the shop and cafe in Feckenham. The route is here

Cannon Hill park

Steve led a group of twelve via a mostly off road route to the MAC in Cannon Hill park, returning via the blue route along the A38.

A dry, cool, cloudy morning.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

It was dry when eight of us assembled at Rowheath at 10.00.  Light rain started soon after we started, and within a few miles had set in with a vengeance, resulting in a change of destination from Illshaw Heath to Earlswood garden centre.  By the time we got home puddles had turned to minor floods and we were thoroughly soaked.  Fortunately, it is quite unusual to have persistent heavy rain for a whole morning. 

The route is here.

Studley Garden Centre

Six out on a sunny but cool morning.  One went missing but arrived at the café before us.  The route is here.

Waseley Hills

A sunny morning with a strong wind, which gave us a welcome push on the hill up to Frankley on the way home.

Twelve riders.

The route is here.

Morso café, Alvechurch

A mild, bright and breezy morning for a trip to Alvechurch.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Packwood House

Mild, dry and mostly cloudy for a ride to Packwood House.  Mud and puddles in some of the quieter lanes.

Six riders.

The route is here.

The Exchange, Broad Street

A big turnout on a mild dry day.  Fifteen riders, led by Richard to the Exchange in the city centre.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

Our rides this winter seem to have been more disrupted by bad weather than in any previous year.  Today was our first ride since 4th March.  After a very cold and frosty early morning, numbers were down, but there was no ice, and only a couple of very large puddles across the road.

Four riders.

The route is here.

King's Heath park

A very cold morning for Steve's ride to King's Heath park.  Eleven riders were reduced to ten after a back wheel puncture near Lifford Lane, caused by broken glass, which is a constant hazard on many of our rides.

The route is here.

Garrity's, Barnt Green

Four riders were not deterred by cold weather and intermittent rain for an enjoyable ride to Garrity's in Barnt Green.   Not a day for sitting outside, so we were pleased to find a table for four in the busy café. 

The route is here.

The Roundhouse, city centre

A very cold morning for a ride to the Roundhouse on the canal in the city centre, chosen when we found Costa Coffee very busy.  

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Warley Woods

Nine riders led by Richard to the golf club at Warley Woods.  

Cloudy, damp, with intermittent light drizzle and occasional sun.

The route is here.

Starbucks, Maypole

A mild breezy morning for an outing led by John to Starbucks at Maypole.

Thirteen riders.

The route is here.

Ambleside garden centre, near Earlswood

Richard led nine riders to Ambleside garden centre.  We were advised not to leave even locked bikes on the front railings, which are visible from the road, following recent thefts, the latest by pedestrians who rode the bikes away.  There is a spacious restaurant where cyclists are welcome to leave their bikes instead.

The route is here.

Morso café, Alvechurch

John led a group of eight to Alvechurch via the hillier route - Icknield Street and Rowney Green.  

Chilly start, sunny later, 

The route is here.

The Potting Shed, Lydiate Ash

A cold and cloudy morning for a ride led by John to the Potting Shed at Lydiate Ash.

Fourteen riders.

The route is here.

Desco Lounge, Shirley

A very cold start, with a hard frost and ice on the canal, fortunately accompanied by bright sunshine and blue skies.  Richard led a group of eight to a comfortably warm Desco Lounge in Shirley.  

The route is here.

Earlswood Garden Centre

Five out on sunny but cold and frosty morning. 

The route is here

Costa Coffee, city centre

Steve led 12 riders to Costa Coffee in the city centre.  We came back via Ostler Street play area, near the reservoir, and stopped briefly to view recently unveiled sculptures of Lenny Henry, Jane Sixmith and Ellie Simmonds.  

The route is here.

Bromsgrove garden centre, Little Heath Lane

Richard led four riders to Bromsgrove garden centre at Lickey End.  A dry clear morning, but with a bitterly cold wind, which probably explains the smaller than usual turnout.

The route is here.

Arrow Valley

A cold dry morning for a ride to Arrow Valley, where the café is still (or again) being refurbished.  The temporary refreshment area is a large unheated gazebo next to the kiosk.

Six riders.

The route is here.

Waseley Hills

A dry morning, with no wind and no ice, but very cold.  

Twelve riders.

The route is here.

Morso cafe, Alvechurch

A cold, misty start to Richard's ride to Alvechurch.  Slightly less cold and slightly brighter later.

Six riders.

The route is here.

The Exchange, city centre.

Another freezing morning for a cautious towpath ride to the city centre.  Ice on the canal with ducks slipping and sliding.

Four riders.

The route is here.

No ride today.

A bitterly cold and misty morning.  A small group walked to Bournville garden centre for a coffee. Mist lifted later, for a walk home in bright sunshine, but still very cold.

No ride today

An icy morning, with bright sunshine and a light dusting of snow.  It looks pretty, but it's not cycling weather, so no ride today.

Starbucks, Maypole

Early rain conveniently stopped by 10.00, so we didn't get wet on our way to the Maypole, except from puddles, running water and some flooding in the lanes.  We weren't so lucky on the way back, when we were caught in a squally shower.

Nine riders.

The route is here.

Beckett's Farm

Richard led a group of seven to Beckett's Farm via the Stratford canal.  Before we arrived at the café he had a repeat of last week's experience: another back wheel puncture.  Fortunately he managed to complete the ride.

The route is here.

Earlswood garden centre

No rain this morning, but large puddles and some running water in the lanes.

Five riders.

The route is here.

No ride today

Five people arrived at Rowheath in the rain and decided going home was the best option.  Rain stopped about an hour later and the sun came out.

The Potting Shed, Lydiate Ash

Richard led today's ride to The Potting Shed at Lydiate  Ash.  Unfortunately he had to drop out at Longbridge with a slow puncture, but he managed to get home and drive to the café for a coffee with the group. 

Dry but breezy start with a heavy shower on the way.

Six riders

The route is here.

Packwood House

A clear chilly morning for a new year ride to Packwood House, led by John.  Puddles and some floods in the lanes.  

Six riders.

The route is here.